Hulunbuir grasslands, Inner Mongolia, China

Hulunbuir grasslands, Inner Mongolia, China

The high steppes of the Hulunbuir grasslands span across Inner Mongolia, in northeastern China, forming one of the largest and best-preserved grasslands in the world. For millennia, these pristine pastures have been home to a population of nomadic herders who raise sheep, cattle (including yaks), camels, and goats, but mainly horses—lots of horses. It’s said to be the birthplace of Genghis Khan, and it’s easy to imagine the sound of thundering hooves as he and his warriors stormed across the region centuries ago. Visitors today will almost certainly come across riders on horseback, but they might also spot a grazing gazelle, smoke rising from a yurt, or a splash of wildflowers among the grass.