The Site of Xanadu is a remarkable testament to the Mongol Empire’s grandeur, where nomadic traditions met Chinese urban planning. I was struck by the vastness of the site, with its city walls, palace foundations, and temple remnants set against the extensive grasslands.

The site’s layout, with its outer city, inner city, and palace area, reflects the ingenuity of Liu Bingzhong’s design, blending yurt-style architecture with permanent structures. Though much of the city has succumbed to time, the visible earthworks, moats, and scattered relics evoke the opulence once described by Marco Polo.

Reaching Xanadu requires some planning due to its remote location and lack of direct public transport to the site. To avoid taking an expensive flight from Beijing to Xilinhot, I began my journey at Beijing North Railway Station, a major hub for trains heading north and took a high-speed train to Ulanqab Railway Station (Wulanchabu), which is approximately 300 km from Beijing.

Upon arriving at Ulanqab Railway Station, I found the nearby bus terminal to catch the K1 bus to Jining South Railway Station. Here, I boarded a train to Sanggendalai Railway Station, the closest passenger station to the Site of Xanadu.

From Sanggendalai Railway Station, I took a shared taxi to Zhenglan Banner (Zhenglanqi), about 50 km southeast. Shared taxis are common here, often waiting outside the station, and cost around CNY 50 per person, depending on the number of passengers, the ride takes about 1 hour. The final leg involved taking a taxi from Zhenglan Banner to the Yuanshangdu Relic Site, approximately 20 km northwest. As of 2025, the cost is around CNY 60 per direction.

The multi-step itinerary requires time and patience, but the reward of exploring a remote World Heritage Site makes it worth for those enjoying off-the-beaten-path destinations.