The Dirt Great Wall and Wind Turbines of Inner Mongolia
Traveling Through Inner-Mongolia
China is a massive country blessed with a rich culture and natural beauty. Unfortunately due to language barriers even the most experienced travelers find themselves packed onto cringy bus tours.
Inner-Mongolia is a place which is largely overlooked by backpackers. Most tourists are understandably drawn to the Great Wall near Beijing or the classical romantic views of Yangshuo. Inner-Mongolia, however, offers an abundance of destinations still yet to be discovered by the backpacking community.
Regardless of where you plan on visiting in Inner-Mongolia, you are sure to find yourself staying in Hohhot, the largest city of the province. Of course, the Ordos Desert, Hulunbuir Grasslands, and Nadam Festival are sure to be at the top of your list of things to see. Unknown to many, part of the crumbling Great Wall lays just a few hours from the glistening city of Hohhot.
Looking to travel to the Ordos Desert? Read all about it here!
Searching For The Lost Wall
As those who have been to China before well known, without basic Chinese skills traveling around the country can be a daunting task. Especially when straying off the beaten path, backpackers need to be sure to have keywords written down beforehand or be ready for an elaborate game of charades.
The dirt wall is known by locals simply as the Ancient Great Wall (古长城), which in all fairness makes it sound a lot more appealing. A large section of this dirt wall is located on the border of Shanxi Province (山西) and Inner-Mongolia (内蒙古).
You can read more on the Ancient Great Wall here!
When going to the long distance bus station in Hohhot (呼和浩特) you will need to buy a ticket to QingShuiHe (清水河县) for 34 Yuan (5USD). While QingShuiHe is a nice destination on its own, it won’t take you to the border and the mud Great Wall. It is best to stay on the bus until you reach the border of Shanxi and Inner-Mongolia. The actual village is called Wozishangcun (窝子上村), but don’t expect anyone other than locals to know exactly where that is.
The trip to the border should not take anymore than 1.5 hours. After arriving at the Great Wall and the nearby wind turbines you may find yourself asking, “How on earth do I get back?” The best way to return to Hohhot is to wait at the traffic police station near the village and hail the next bus. The local police may even invite you to wait inside the station.
Not wanting to deal with the hassle of going to the dirt Great Wall alone? You can go on a tour with Anda Guesthouse!
The Border of Inner-Mongolia and Shanxi Province
When riding the bus south through Qingshuihe County you will begin to slowly see the mud towers of the Great Wall perched on nearby hilltops. Although they may lack the grandeur of the rebuilt stone walls of Badaling (八达岭) or Mutianyu (慕田峪), the authentic nature of these bastions is more than enough to have your nose pressed up against the window.
During the winter, the rolling hills of Mongolia are painted a dry dead brown, nothing compared to the beauty of the emerald grasslands during the summer. Despite the lack of color, the area surrounding the border between these two provinces still is blessed with beauty. From the shepherds leading their flocks through the countryside to the waving of the wind turbines south of the border, there is much to see while lounging on the top of one of the many towers of the Great Wall.
You can read more about things to do in Qingshuihe County here or here!
The Great Dirt Wall
Depending on what kind of traveler you are you may be truly blown away by the dirt Great Wall or utterly underwhelmed. When standing at the top of a hill looking across the Chinese countryside, it is mesmerizing to see the wall snaking through fields and villages until finally trailing off into the distance. You may not feel like you are in a scene from Disney’s Mulan, but what you are touching is an actual piece of ancient China, not a replica like you’d see surrounding Beijing.
The goats jumping over the overgrown wall offer a candid look of China in contrast with the postcard-perfect views you see elsewhere. The wind turbines in the distance also add a bit of beauty to the landscape, but also a harsh reality. While the Mongols may have been kept out of the Middle Kingdom by the Great Wall, the newest invader is technology and progress.
In recent years there have been many instances of the once Great Wall being toppled by no other than local mining companies. The dirt sections, in particular, are threatened due to the lack of maintenance and knowledge of them to the outside world.
China is just now beginning to slow down with their policy of tearing down the past and building a new future. As the dust begins to settle, many will see that tons of China’s national treasures have already been a victim of the country’s progress. While we may not be able to change the past, the only hope we have is that China will continue to protect the places that make this country great.
