How to reach Xiwuqi
Transport to Xiwuqi
It goes without saying that the Mongolian grasslands are quite remote. The base for the Genghis Khan Festival is a town of 60,000 residents named Xiwuqi (西乌旗), which is short for Xiwuzhumuqin Qi 西乌珠穆沁旗). It is located about 160 km from Xilinhot (锡林浩特), where the nearest airport is located.
Air travel
From Beijing: Air China and (new!) China Eastern have daily flights to Xilinhot from Beijing, which is the easiest option for air travel. Air China flies in the early morning, China Eastern in the evening.
From Beijing South airport there is also a China United Airlines flight, which leaves daily in the evening.
From Shanghai: There are also daily flights from Shanghai via Hohhot (e.g. with China Eastern Participants from Shanghai are recommended to check the China Eastern connection via Hohhot first, rather than transitting in Beijing. ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE RETURNING ON SUNDAY!
Alternative: Tianjin Airlines also has connections to Xilinhot via Hohhot, which may be worthwile checking out
We do heavily recommend runners to consider the Thursday evening rather than Friday evening flight to Xilinhot. From Xilinhot, it is a two-hour busride to Xiwuqi on the new highway (opened autumn 2011), which is included in our various travel packages - check those TPs here.
A good source for travel info is Elong.com or Ctrip.com
How to carry your bicycle onto the airplane?
- How to wrap the bike?
- If you use a box to wrap it, disassemble it as much as you can：at least the front wheel shall be dismounted; seat, peddle, handlebar shall be dismounted and bound onto the bike. You may ask the staff in your bike shop to help you with that.
- If you will not use a box, the handle bar shall be rotated 90 degree and fixed. The wheels shall be dismounted and flattened and bound onto the bicycle. Refer to the picture below to the right.
No matter which way, the tires should be flattened (20% to 50% air left in the tires) because the low pressure in the high sky may cause the tires blow.
2. Get to the airport at least 2 hours before the flight (if your bike is not yet packed, much earlier is suggested), because you may have to go through some weighing process.
3. Normally, you may go straightly to the airport counter to check in and have your bike and other packages carried onto the airplane, and no surcharge is demanded.
4. However, if your bike-- even after being folded-- is still bigger or heavier than the free-carry policy, you will at times be asked to pay for the extra part, which is normally 1.5% of the ticket fee of economy class per kilogram (accustomed to most airplane company fly to Xiwuqi).
5. Regulations seem a little vague, and are not always followed. In 2012 bikers in some airports were asked to pay a surcharge, others were not. More details about policy of different airplane company, please consult This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Bus travel
Xilinhot also has a train and bus station that is well-connected within the region, and with Beijing. There are daily public busses between Beijing -mainly from Liuliqiao station- and Xilinhot.
Subject to sufficient interest from participants, Nordic Ways organises a bus service from Beijing to Xiwuqi and back . Please see the Optional Services section for more details.
Finally, a good source of flight travel info and good domestic ticket deals is the online travel agent elong.com, linked with Expedia.
Train
Finally, Xilinhot also has a railway station, so - even though slightly more cumbersome - you could also get there by train.
