I want to travel around without a package to see the grassland and desert in Inner Mongolia Is it possible?

If you want to travel alone to those places, it is possible.

Do you have places to recommend to see the desert and the grassland in one convenient trip? Is it expensive to see both features without necessarily booking a tour package? I am traveling with students and tour packages are expensive (~3000RMB each)

I think you may choose this route: Baotou - Urad Front Banner (see the grassland) - Haggin Banner (dessert) - Ejin Horo Banner - Dongsheng - Dalad Banner.
If you travel on your own and use the local public transportation, it is not so expensive.
According to my experience, 3000RMB per person is not expensive. The money includes all the transportation fees, the hotel fees, meal fees and even the attraction's entrance fee.
So I think you may consider traveling with a tour.

Hello,
I am planning for Inner Mongolia trip in September.
I have 8 full day's available after day of arrival, including possible some day's in Beijing at the end; after the 8th full day, the 9th day fly back to Shanghai
I read the reccomendation from Sara to do trip. Baotou - Urad Front Banner (see the grassland) - Haggin Banner (dessert) - Ejin Horo Banner - Dongsheng - Dalad Banner.
If also include the "must see" Wudangzhao Monastery Baotou, Genghis Khan's Mausoleum south of Baotou, then have following questions:
a. arrive first day by plane from Shanghai: what is arrival airport?
b. how many next full day's to plan for itinerary (have max 8 day's available)?
c. what city to fly out (back to shanghai or possible Beijing as last 2/3 day's stay.
Can you propose day by day trip activity, including transportation (taxi/bus/train/hired car) for the inner mongolia part of trip?

It is suggested to reach Baotou Erlinban airport first.
Since you want to travel around Baotou, it is suggested stay in BT in about two to three days. For other places, you can travel around one to two days. It is suggested to use all the 8 days to travel in Inner Mongolia.
It is suggested to fly out from Hohhot.

Actually changed the plan... Want to do 5 day's itinerary Inner mongolia, then fly out to Guilin to go Longshen Rice-terrasses (been there before, but not in September with the yellow colored fields). I can have company rate in 5* Hohhot hotel... Can i do day trips from Hohhot, or should I start Baotou as base for activities... What can be done in 5,5 day's itinerary from the previous mentioned activities?... Any advise appreciated.

I still suggested to start from Baotou, because most of the attractions are close to Baotou.
Since you only have five days, Wudangzhao Monastery, the Urad Front Banner, Genghis Khan's Mausoleum and Dongsheng are enough. Then you can go to Hohhot and then fly to GL.

Hi Bill thx for the advise. I am in contact with locals from both Hohhot and Baotou. and will work out itinery with them, taking your input in mind. have to say however that direct flight-connections from SH to Hohhot is much more convenient then to Baotou. So will first try to make itinerary based on flying into and out of Hohhot.

Hi Bill (and others)
Actually, investigated further. And I can fly in and out Baotou also, or fly in to Baotou and fly out Hohhot (or the other way arround). if fly out of Baotou need to fly out 20:20pm on 5th day instaid of the day after. Do you know the ultimate itinerary based on activities arround these two places and propose where to fly in and out? (actually is arround 3 places Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos (not consider ordos as airport).

Hello, bro.
I think what Bill tells you can be taken into consideration. Fly to reach Baotou and then travel to Ordos and then visit the Hohhot.
Baotou, Ordos and Hohhot seems to lie in one angle each of the triangle. The Ordos is much closer to Baotou, so that you can easily travel to reach.

Actually have narrowed down, also concerning flying out to Guilin with one day stop in Xian. this leaves me to Fly into Hohhot and Fly out of Baotou.
From this forum input and other information gathered, I can "assemble" from the below:

From Hohhut can do 2 day's activity + drop hotel in Baotou:
- Grasslands Xilamuren, one or two days plus stay in yurt
- Desert Kubuqi (part of Gobi desert), one or two days plus stay in yurt
- Great Wall at Helin Xian plus white Pagoda one day
If Grasslands or desert or Great wall is better to do from Baotou, then not do in Hohhot.

The other 3 day's do the itinerary's from Baotou, and drop-off Baotou airport end of 3rd day 19:00

From other people online advised to do (choose from):
- Wudangzhao Monastery,
- Grasslands at the Urad Front Banner (乌拉特前旗),
- Genghis Khan's Mausoleum
- Dongsheng (Ordos ?); can sombody tell what activity here????
- dessert: Haggin Banner

Can someone advise the right "Pick" from the above attractions to have optimized itinerary?

Thx for the advise in advance

I checked for the locations, and indeed looks like:
Day 1. if interresting to do Great wall Hohhut do that with white Pagoda.
Day 2. go Grasslands Xilamuren plus drive Baotou (on the way visit Wudangzhao Monastery?)
Day 3. Drive direction Ordos and do Dongsheng + Genghis Khans Mausoleum?
Still do not know what can be done in Dongsheng.
Day 4. Kubiqi dessert
Day 5. Grasslands (wettlands?) Urad Banner?
Think have to make choice for Grasslands to do Xilamuren or Urad Banner (or both?)

Please advise what you think if OK like this.....

As far as I know, it is hard to find some interesting attractions in Dongsheng itself and only the attractions nearby are interesting. But Dongsheng can be regard as a transfer place. I think in your route, you can delet it.
On Day 2, it is suggested to visit Wudangzhao Monastery instead of the Grassland.