Live Your Best Lives
The scenery of the Bashang Grassland in the golden autumn season is well-known. I have seen many beautiful pictures and have always been fascinated by it but have never seen it. So on the eve of National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, we started a self-driving trip to appreciate the charm of the Bashang Grassland and to explore the way for friends who are planning to travel during the holidays.
Bashang refers to the vast area north of Beijing, the southern end of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, and the southern foot of the Greater Khingan Range, including the four counties of Zhangbei, Shangyi, Kangbao, and Guyuan in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, the two counties of Fengning and Weichang in Chengde, and the Ulanbutong grassland in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia.
For this self-driving tour, we chose three scenic spots: Khansulu International Ecological Ranch in Keshiketeng Banner, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, Colorful Forest and the Khan's Palace in Fengning, Chengde, Hebei. It covers two provinces, Inner Mongolia and Hebei, and has both natural scenery and historical and cultural heritage, as well as many fun activities.
Our first stop was the Khan Sulu International Ecological Ranch, where we enjoyed local cuisine at a restaurant near the entrance.
We took the shuttle bus and walked through the wooden fence gate. We found that this was a very suitable place for taking pictures. There were sand hills, lonely trees, and a pure blue sky, dotted with a few white clouds. It seemed as if the scene in the cartoon was really appearing before our eyes.
After changing into Mongolian clothes and riding a camel on the sand hills, you will naturally feel the desolation of the vast desert.
After leaving the sand hill, we boarded a shuttle bus shaped like a classic car to the sandboarding area. The slide on the sand hill wasn't very high, and the speed wasn't very fast, so most people could handle it. I was a little nervous at first, but by the middle, I felt more confident and could easily handle the slide further up.
The sandboarding area is a large recreational area with not only sandboarding, but also a rainbow slide, archery, slides, trampolines, seesaws, and many other attractions. We had a blast trying them all and taking photos. The rainbow slide is much faster than sandboarding, and there's even a section where you soar into the air. Archery is a game that tests your technique; it's hard to get the hang of it at first, and it takes some practice to develop your accuracy.
We boarded the shuttle bus and journeyed across the vast grasslands, passing the Hobbiton cabin village before arriving at the animal viewing area. The park housed alpacas, camels, yaks, deer, and other animals, all of which could be viewed up close. The alpacas grazed on the hillside, completely oblivious to us, only stepping back when we approached too closely. The yaks, on the other hand, were much more alert, retreating as we approached, always maintaining a distance of several dozen meters.
The fairy tale town is the most important stop for taking photos and checking in on the Khansulu grassland. Bulldozers, tractors, and especially the pink car have become popular check-in spots. Tourists passing by have to pose for photos here.
The town also has cartoon-style windmills, small mushrooms everywhere, and character designs such as Big Bear, Little Bear, and Bald Qiang, making it feel like walking into a village in a fairy tale.
When traveling to Khansulu, why not slow down and stay for a while to experience the scenery? At the Khansulu International Camping Area, in addition to the flat camping ground, there are also many colorful small houses. Stay in a cartoon-style house and live a fairytale grassland dream.
A self-driving trip offers both freedom and uncertainty. Beautiful scenery often lies just down the road, a surprising discovery unforeseen. On the way from the Khansulu International Ecological Ranch to the Datan Grassland, we made several stops to catch the sights. Passing Wulan Butong, we were particularly struck by the photogenic Jinqiu Dam. It's no wonder that so many photography enthusiasts flock here to capture the scenery; it seems they're sure to be incredibly rewarding.
The second stop of the self-driving trip was Datan Town, Fengning, Chengde, Hebei. We had dinner at Anda Restaurant at the gate of the Khan's Palace. After traveling all the way, the friends were all hungry and the food was especially delicious.
The Great Khan's Palace Scenic Area is located in Datan Town, on the border of Fengning and Guyuan Counties in Hebei Province. This tranquil grassland was once a strategic military stronghold. In 1215, Genghis Khan camped here during his campaign against the Jin Dynasty. To commemorate the achievements of this influential figure, the Great Khan's Palace has been recreated, showcasing Mongolian court culture, military traditions, and religious beliefs through reenactments.
The Great Khan's Palace, facing east from west, is a typical palace-style axial building. Entering from the east gate, one first sees a 16-meter-long rectangular stone with the Mongolian character "Khan" (Khan) on it. Continuing west, one will see the Palace Gate, the Chongtian Gate, Genghis Khan's military tent, the Golden Tent, the Sleeping Tent, the Aobao, and the Altar of Heaven.
Chongtian Gate, also known as the Eternal Heaven Archway, is 13 meters high and 23 meters wide. Carved from natural bluestone, it is a stone archway reserved for emperors. Bowing beneath it expresses boundless reverence for Eternal Heaven.
Behind the Eternal Heaven Archway is Genghis Khan's military tent, consisting of five tents, each made of 20 tons of iron and shaped like a helmet. In the center is Genghis Khan's central military tent, where he discussed military and national affairs.
The four military tents surrounding the central military tent are the residences of Genghis Khan's four sons: the eldest son Jochi, the second son Chagatai, the third son Ogedei, and the youngest son Tolui. There are statues of people and clothing and supplies displayed in the tents.
Genghis Khan's Golden Tent, also known as the Eagle Tent, is 20 meters in diameter, 15 meters high, and covers an area of 3,000 square meters. The Golden Tent recreates a scene of Genghis Khan conferring with his ministers. A seated statue of Genghis Khan stands in the center, flanked by his first wife, Borte, and his concubine, Khurlan.
Behind the golden tent are three large sleeping tents. The golden one in the middle is Genghis Khan's sleeping tent, which contains two groups of sitting figures. The blue ones on the left and right are the tents of the concubines.
Heading west past the sleeping tents and the Aobao cluster, you'll reach the innermost building of the Great Khan's Palace, the Heaven-Sacrificing Altar, a fusion of Shamanism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Climbing up the Altar offers a bird's-eye view of the entire Great Khan's Palace.
The Khan's Palace, with its grand scale and rich exhibition content, allows us to understand the living customs of the Mongolian people and the etiquette and regulations of the court, feel the mighty and majestic posture of the Mongolian army, and touch the heroic story of Genghis Khan, a great conqueror, which has been passed down for more than 800 years.
The most enriching stop on this road trip was at the Colorful Forest, where we prioritized the event as the finale. A day in the Colorful Forest began with a special breakfast.
In the early morning, with dew still lingering on the lawn, we basked in the warm autumn sun as we walked into the forest pasture to experience breakfast with the deer. The ranch is home to more than a dozen sika deer. The lead male deer, with its long horns and robust build, stared at us with adorable eyes.
Enjoying breakfast in the forest and grassland is not only very pleasant, but deer also pass by from time to time. When we give them a carrot, they chew it happily and enjoy the joy of dining with us.
I highly recommend the Squirrel Train ride when you're in the Colorful Forest. It's a short ride, but the scenery is worth it. As the sun rises, the colorful mountains and forests become even more vibrant.
We took the Squirrel train from the Colorful Pond opposite the forest ranch to Tianjing Lake. When the train came out of the forest and the lake appeared before our eyes, the children couldn't help but exclaimed.
A railway track stretches into the distance, and the red, green, and yellow trees along the lakeshore are accompanied by blue sky and white clouds. The scenery before us is like a rich and colorful oil painting. The Colorful Forest is indeed well-deserved of its reputation.
The train arrived at the station, and we walked across the covered bridge and continued our hike along the lakeside, strolling through the scenic gallery. The golden color of the birch forest was the main color of the season, while the larch trees were just beginning to turn from green to yellow, showing varying degrees of transitional colors.
On the railings on the other side of the birch forest on the path through the mountains and forests, there are pictures and texts about animal and plant science. It turns out that in this forest, there are not only us, but also hundreds of plants and animals, including many rare species.
At Tianjing Lake, my friends went fishing and grilled their catch, adding another dish to our hearty lunch. Afternoons are always a bit lazy, so we rode camels through the woods, took a horse-drawn carriage to visit the Manchu folk exhibition, and even had a small train that shuttled between scenic areas, from the entrance to the jungle village. There were several modes of transportation available.
The Manchu Folk Customs Exhibition consists of several small houses, displaying real objects and recreated scenes. Fengning, a Manchu Autonomous County, retains Manchu customs and culture, reminiscent of those found in Northeast China. In Fengning, the Manchu fishing, hunting, and farming culture blends with the Mongolian grassland civilization, resulting in a colorful forest with diverse scenery and customs.
Afternoon tea was served at the Forest Ranch. This time, we weren't accompanied by fawns, but by a group of adorable alpacas. The dining table was set up right next to the alpacas' enclosure. The playful and curious alpacas would occasionally peek over to share the food on the table. Seeing their adorable faces, how could we bear to chase them away?
As the sun gradually set, we walked out of the scenic area and arrived at Qicai Food Court. Dinner included a local specialty, oat noodle and whole grain set meal, as well as a ritualistic roasted whole lamb. Amidst melodious singing, the carving of the lamb, toasts, and the offering of Hada (Hada) – we felt the fiery warmth of the Mongolian people.
After dinner, a bonfire was lit in the small square. We watched a mysterious shaman performance. Everyone gathered around the bonfire, lit fairy wands, and our joyful laughter echoed in the small square.
Accommodation is a crucial part of any trip, and at the Colorful Forest Scenic Area, you can experience a peaceful sleep in a variety of unique environments. Near the entrance to the scenic area are the Colorful Forest International Resort Hotel, Squirrel Inn, and Fengning 16 Degrees Hotel, offering a variety of room types, including standard rooms, king-size rooms, parent-child rooms, family rooms, and deluxe suites.
Several uniquely designed accommodations, including those designed for ice caves, rock caves, karst caves, and even squirrel nests, have been developed in the scenic area's central service area. In addition to comfortable beds and cozy hanging chairs, there's also a bathtub where you can recline and enjoy the views of Tianjing Lake, creating a refreshing and relaxing atmosphere.
Happy times are always too short. Three days of encountering the Bashang Grassland—the blue, green, and golden hues of the grassland—have left a lasting impression on me. The grassland's history, culture, folk customs, and delicious cuisine also provided us with delightful scenery and a rich and varied experience.
This autumn, I found a great road trip route on the Bashang Grassland, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy the autumn. After reading this guide, are you tempted to come too?
