Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark

Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark

The Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a national geopark, and a science education base.

Situated about 9 kilometers northeast of the city near Yan Pond, the Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark spans a total area of 10,471 hectares, with a core area of 29.9 hectares. Existing facilities include the Dinosaur Science Popularization Museum, Dinosaur Fossil Burial Site Museum, Mineral Crystal Museum, and the Yilin Post Station Ruins Museum. In 2006, the park was designated as an autonomous region-level geopark, upgraded to a national geopark in August 2009, and also recognized as a 4A-level tourist attraction by the National Tourism Administration in the same year. The Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark is a comprehensive exhibition complex integrating site preservation, science education, and tourism.

Centered around the world-renowned Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossil group relics, the Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark also features significant stratigraphic remains and granite stone forest landscapes. With its unique dinosaur-themed cultural resources, the park serves as a national geopark that combines scientific research, public education, sightseeing, and border trade. It boasts rich scientific value, strong port characteristics, beautiful urban scenery, and high tourism appeal. The park contains a diverse array of geological relics, which are divided into three main scenic areas based on their distribution and regional characteristics: the Erlian Salt Pond Dinosaur Fossil Group Relics Scenic Area, the Erlianhaote Port Culture Scenic Area, and the Baodeer Granite Stone Forest Scenic Area. Additionally, a series of geological relic investigation sites have been planned around the park, with the total planned area of the geopark covering 243.2 square kilometers.

More than twenty types of dinosaur fossils have been discovered in the Erlianhot area. The discovery in 2005 of the world’s largest oviraptorosaurid dinosaur—the Erlian Gigantoraptor—challenged traditional theories in the international scientific community regarding the evolution of dinosaurs into birds, marking a major contribution by China’s paleontological community to the study of bird origins. At the end of 2007, Time magazine listed the discovery of the Erlian Gigantoraptor as one of the “Top Ten Scientific Discoveries” of the year.

Travel Routes

Currently, there are no direct flights to Erlian, as the airport is still under planning. Travelers can only reach Erlianhaote by train, bus, or private car via highway.

Visitors from Baotou, Hohhot, and Jining can take the train from Hohhot to Erlianhaote or travel by road via the national highways from Hohhot–Erlian or Jining–Erlian.

Travelers from Beijing can take the Beijing–Erlian or Beijing–Ulaanbaatar international through train directly to Erlian.

Visitors from western regions such as Yinchuan, Lanzhou, Xi’an, and Chengdu can take local trains to Hohhot first, then transfer to another train or bus to reach Erlianhaote.

All travel routes for the Erlianhaote Dinosaur Geopark start from Erlian, so visitors need to stay in Erlianhaote City and begin their tours from there.

Travelers can choose their itinerary based on their schedule and interests, opting for one-day, two-day, or three-day tours. Travel agencies strive to maximize the experience within the shortest time, ensuring a fulfilling trip (for details on activities at each attraction, please refer to the geopark scenic area introductions).

I. One-Day Tour Route – Erlian Basin Cretaceous Dinosaur National Geopark

1. Erlianhaote – Dinosaur Fossil Site – Mammal Fossil Site – Lunch at the Dinosaur Fossil Site – Return.

2. Erlianhaote – Dinosaur Fossil Site – Erlian Salt Pond – Mammal Fossil Site – Lunch at Erlian Salt Pond – Return.

3. Erlianhaote – Border Gate – Boundary Marker – Zamyn-Uud City, Mongolia – Lunch in the city – Return.

4. Erlianhaote – Suburban Mongolian Cultural Experience (horseback riding, camel riding, archery demonstrations, tasting Mongolian dairy products and roasted whole lamb, hand-pulled meat, etc.; longer activity duration) – Return.

5. Erlianhaote – Suburban Mongolian Cultural Experience (horse/camel riding, tasting Mongolian cuisine; shorter duration) – Yushugou (century-old elm trees) – Return.

6. Erlianhaote City Tour – Visit the Dinosaur Museum – Central Street – Joint Inspection Building – Train Station – Jima Building – Shopping at the Foreign Trade Market – Lunch in the city.

7. Erlianhaote – Watch the sunrise from a ovoo – Yushugou – Suburban Cultural Tour (including meals) – Return (shorter time at each site).

8. Erlianhaote – Chagan Obo Temple (visit the temple, pray, make donations, seek blessings) – Dinosaur Fossil Site – Lunch at Chagan Obo Temple – Return.

9. Erlianhaote – Yushugou (view century-old elm trees, lush greenery, stroll among the trees, experience the joy of returning to nature) – Picnic – Return (please respect nature: do not litter and take all trash with you).

10. Self-Drive One-Day Tour

Erlianhaote – Chagan Obo Temple – Baodeer Chaolu Granite Landform & Petroglyphs – Honggor Petroglyphs – Return (bring your own camera and art supplies for photography, sketching, or painting; lunch arrangements are flexible).

Travelers can choose any of the above routes for a one-day tour, select two for a two-day tour, or combine multiple routes for longer stays, offering flexibility based on time, energy, and preferences.

II. Two-Day Tour

A two-day tour refers to trips where visitors stay overnight outside Erlianhaote and cannot return the same day.

1. Erlianhaote – Dinosaur Fossil Site – Mammal Fossil Site – Chagan Obo Temple (overnight stay) – Baodeer Chaolu Granite Landform & Petroglyphs – Honggor Petroglyphs – Return (the route can also be done in reverse).

2 Erenhot — Suburban Mongolian cultural experience (horseback riding, camel riding, watching archery competitions, and an evening bonfire party) — Stay in a yurt — Climb to an ovoo to watch the sunrise — Yushugou (view century-old elm trees, explore the elm forest, and have a picnic) — Return (can be done in reverse order).

After returning to Erenhot on the second day of the two-day tour, you can also choose one or more additional one-day tour routes to extend your trip to a three-day or multi-day tour, depending on your specific needs. This offers you maximum freedom and flexibility, allowing you to come with hope and anticipation and leave with rewarding experiences and happy memories.