A 10-day history tour from Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors to the grasslands and deserts of Inner Mongolia, with flights included and led by Khun Pup.
Trip highlights
- The roots of China: Xi'an and Inner Mongolia, The Great Frontier
- A new route from the Terracotta Army to vast grasslands and deserts reaching the horizon
- The Terracotta Army, monument to the First Emperor
- The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, in the land of the Mongol conqueror
- The Yulin section of the Great Wall, a World Heritage site few visitors see
- Horse riding on the Xilamuren grassland
Highlight places
Led by historiansEvery trip travels with an expert history lecturer who brings each site to life in plain language.
Off the beaten pathCentral Asia, the Middle East, the Himalayas — places most tour companies never go.
Private groups, no rushingRight-sized groups and unhurried time at the places that matter most.
Beyond ordinary travelEvery tour is designed by writers and professional travellers to create experiences that reflect who you are — for travellers who want more than an ordinary holiday.
About this tour
The Great Frontier is a 10-day, 9-night history tour by The Wild Chronicles from Xi'an, the great ancient capital of China, north to Inner Mongolia. It departs on 11 September 2026 and returns on 20 September 2026.
The route runs from Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors, the Big and Small Wild Goose Pagodas, the City Wall, Huaqing Palace, Daming Palace and the Han Yang Ling tomb) to Yan'an, Yulin (the Zhenbeitai Great Wall beacon fortress), Ordos (Genghis Khan Mausoleum and the Xiangshawan dunes) and Hohhot, finishing with the Xilamuren grassland and the Dazhao Temple.
The tour is led by Khun Pup (Pongsorn Phumwat) with an experienced local English-speaking guide. The price includes economy flights on China Southern Airlines and horse riding at Xilamuren, and hotels are rated 4 stars. The minimum group is 10 travellers and the maximum is 25.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Bangkok – Guangzhou – Xi'an
Meet at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 08:00 and check in with China Southern Airlines.
- 11:20 depart for Guangzhou (CAN) on CZ358, arriving 15:10, with a layover of about 4 hours 15 minutes.
- 19:25 depart for Xi'an (XIY) on CZ3231, arriving 22:05.
Transfer to your hotel in Xi'an, the greatest former capital in Chinese history.
Day 2Xi'an: Terracotta Warriors, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Datang
- Terracotta Warriors Museum: more than 8,000 clay soldiers about 2,300 years old, each with a different face, part of the Silk Road World Heritage listing.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda: built in 652 to house the scriptures that the monk Xuanzang brought back from India.
- Daci'en Temple: a major Tang-dynasty temple built in 648, where Xuanzang served as abbot and ran his translation bureau.
- Evening stroll in the Datang Sleepless City pedestrian district.
Day 3Xi'an: Museum, City Wall and Great Mosque
- Xi'an Museum: more than 130,000 artefacts across over 160,000 square metres of exhibition space.
- Small Wild Goose Pagoda: built in 652, now 13 storeys tall from an original 15.
- Xi'an City Wall: one of the best-preserved military fortifications in China, dating from the Ming dynasty.
- Bell Tower and Drum Tower Square, both from the Ming dynasty.
- Great Mosque of Xi'an: the largest mosque in China, blending Chinese architecture with Islamic patterns.
Day 4Huaqing Palace, Daming Palace and Han Yang Ling
- Huaqing Palace: the winter retreat of Tang emperors, famed for the love story of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei, with the imperial hot spring baths.
- Daming Palace: the main Tang imperial palace and seat of government for over 220 years, begun in 634.
- Han Yang Ling: the mausoleum of Emperor Jing of Han and Empress Wang, with a museum displaying over 50,000 miniature clay figures.
Day 5Xi'an – Yan'an
Travel by coach for about 4 to 5 hours to Yan'an in northern Shaanxi.
- Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor: the reputed burial place of the legendary ancestor of the Chinese people from over 5,000 years ago.
- Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall: tells of the 13 years Mao Zedong and the Communist leadership based themselves in Yan'an.
Day 6Yan'an – Yulin – Ordos
Travel by coach for about 4 to 5 hours to Yulin.
- Zhenbeitai: the largest Ming Great Wall beacon fortress in the region, built in the 16th century and part of the Great Wall World Heritage listing.
- Yulin Old Town: an ancient Silk Road stop with traditional lanes, teahouses and surviving parts of the city wall.
Then drive about 2 hours to Ordos.
Day 7Ordos: Genghis Khan Mausoleum
- Ulan Bodhisattva Temple (Yihe Ecology Culture Expo Garden), nicknamed the Little Potala, blending Tibetan, Mongol and Han architecture.
- Genghis Khan Square, with a monument to the founder of the Mongol Empire.
- Ordos Museum: the history of the Ordos region from the Stone Age to the Genghis Khan era and Mongol way of life.
- Mausoleum of Genghis Khan: a shrine honouring his achievements, although his real burial place remains a mystery.
Day 8Xiangshawan Dunes, Zhaojun Tomb and Hohhot
- Xiangshawan dunes in the Kubuqi Desert, where the sand hums with a musical sound when walked on or slid down.
- Zhaojun Tomb: honours the Han-dynasty beauty who married a Xiongnu chief; it is believed to be a memorial rather than her actual grave.
Travel about 1 to 2 hours to Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Day 9Xilamuren Grassland, Five Pagoda Temple and Dazhao Temple
- Xilamuren Grassland: once home to Mongol warriors and still keeping a nomadic way of life, with horse riding included.
- Five Pagoda Temple: a Qing-dynasty temple with five pagodas on one base, reflecting Tibetan Buddhism.
- Dazhao Temple: the oldest and most important Tibetan Buddhist temple in Hohhot, built in the 16th century and known for its pure silver Buddha.
Day 10Hohhot – Guangzhou – Bangkok
At 09:00 transfer to Hohhot Baita International Airport (HET), where the local guide and tour leader help with check-in.
- 11:45 depart for Guangzhou (CAN) on CZ3198, arriving 15:05, with a layover of about 2 hours 15 minutes.
- 17:20 depart for Bangkok on CZ8019, arriving at Suvarnabhumi at 19:20.
Included
- Return international and domestic economy airfare
- Transfers and sightseeing transport with experienced drivers
- Accommodation as specified, two travellers per room
- Admission fees as specified in the programme
- Meals as specified in the programme
- Experienced local English-speaking guide
- Experienced Thai lecturer and tour leader
- Travel accident insurance (subject to policy terms), coverage of 1,000,000 baht per person
- Horse riding on the Xilamuren grassland
Not included
- Upgrade to Business Class, starting from 38,000 to 74,000 baht per person (price varies with seat availability)
- Single room supplement of 13,000 baht per person
- Personal expenses such as passport fees, phone, internet, laundry, minibar, meals outside the programme, extra drinks, excess baggage, seat reservation fees, medical costs for pre-existing conditions and portable oxygen canisters
- Tips for tour leader, local guides and drivers (recommended 560 yuan per person)
- 7% VAT, 3% withholding tax and other taxes if a tax invoice is requested
- Fuel surcharges and airport taxes if the airline raises them after the booking is confirmed
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China: Xi'an and Inner Mongolia, The Great Frontier
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