Day 1 Various places → → Beijing → Jinshanling ★Departure day
All day
For tourists arriving in Beijing by flight or train, there are two pick-up locations today. Please arrive early at either location based on your schedule. The first pick-up location is at the Huaxia Pearl Hotel parking lot in the north square of Beijing West Railway Station before 11:30 AM. The second pick-up location is at the open-air parking lot on the second floor of Terminal 2 at Beijing Capital Airport between 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM, departing promptly at 2:00 PM. Please be punctual and don't be late!
After gathering, we drove north to the Jinshanling Great Wall, which is known as "the Great Wall of China, the most beautiful in Jinshan". After checking in at the foot of the mountain, we hiked up the Great Wall to visit and take photos.
In the evening, we waited for sunset photography on the Great Wall. This is where the CCTV logo was filmed. The winding, endless Great Wall, illuminated by the autumn sunset, is breathtaking, dangerous, strange, and unique. With luck, we can capture the breathtaking "Golden Great Wall."
After the shooting, we returned to the accommodation to have dinner and rest.
Day 2 Jinshanling → Ulanbutong Bashang Grassland
·morning
Rise early and hike up the Great Wall's Xiaojinshan Tower again to capture the sunrise. The backlit battlements and broken walls add a touch of history to the scene in the morning light. You can also use a telephoto lens to compress the winding wall, creating a richer and more contrasting image that highlights the wall's vastness and depth. If you're lucky, you might even catch a sea of clouds: mist shrouds the wall from both inside and outside, and the beacon towers appear and disappear, creating an ever-changing and mysterious scene.
·morning
After breakfast, we will depart for Ulan Butong Bashang Grassland. We will arrive at the enclosure for lunch at noon and then continue driving to Ulan Butong.
·afternoon
After entering Ulan Butong, if it is still early, go to the back mountain of Princess Lake to photograph the beautiful sunset. After the afterglow fades, return to the hotel to rest.
Special Note: Updated on September 18th
The back mountain of Princess Lake is closed for some reason, so today's sunset will be filmed near Xiaohetou. Thank you for your support and understanding!
Day 3: Full-day creation in Wulanbutong (Sunrise in Beigou - Wucai Mountain - Galloping Horses - Yangshubei)
·morning
Get up early and head to Beigou, where the grassland is often covered with advection fog, to photograph the sunrise. Here, the mountains are gentle and the plains are flat, with abundant water and grass. The view is wide and you can take in the scenery in all directions. There are often misty clouds and unique scenery.
·morning
Afterwards, we'll visit Wucai Mountain for some photography. This is one of the main attractions for viewing the autumn scenery of the secondary forest in the Hongshan Military Horse Farm area. Due to its diverse tree species, the autumn colors of Wucai Mountain are vibrant, including yellow, green, red, purple, and white. The vibrant colors are truly stunning in photos! Return to the hotel at noon.
·afternoon
In the afternoon, we went to a private ranch to shoot the majestic and grand scene of "Galloping Horses" in the backlight. This is the classic business card of Bashang Grassland and one of the must-shoot projects for photographers when they come to Bashang.
After the trip, we drove to Yangshubei for some photos. Here, the mountains are rolling and the ravines are crisscrossed. The birch forests are dyed golden by the setting sun. There are also scattered cattle and sheep. The tourists lingering among them also become the embellishment of autumn, forming a harmonious and beautiful grassland autumn landscape painting.
Day 4: Full-day creation in Wulanbutong (Sunrise at Jiangjunpaozi + Horses Stepping on Water Splash - Panlong Gorge - Toad Dam)
·morning
Get up early and head to Jiangjun Paozi to photograph the sunrise, morning mist, and reflections. The water here is vast and surrounded by mountains. It is one of the golden spots for photographing the sunrise on the dam, and it is also a place for photography enthusiasts to take pictures of horses stepping on the water.
As the light gradually brightened, we began to take pictures of horses stepping on the water. This is another classic must-shoot project on the Bashang Grassland. The scene of horses stepping on the water is magnificent and everyone pressed the shutter to take pictures.
·morning
Afterwards, we'll drive to Panlong Gorge for photography. The undulating peaks and golden birch trees complement each other beautifully amidst the vibrant autumn colors, making this a must-see for photographers. Afterward, we'll return to the hotel.
·afternoon
Depart at the right time to visit Hamaba to capture the vibrant colors of the trees, the reflections of Jinchan Lake, and the sheepfolds and cattle pens nestled among the vibrant forests. At sunset, capture panoramic views of the pastoral village in the afterglow, and if you're lucky, you might even spot herders herding their flocks home.
Day 5: Full-day creation in Ulan Butong (Sunrise in Toufenggou - Autumn scenery in Nanjing - Creation of herders' life - Camel caravan sand dune rush)
·morning
Get up early and drive to [Toufenggou] to shoot the sunrise. This is a new shooting spot deep in the grassland. The canyon river meanders eastward from the grassland. The white birch trees wither but do not fall in the water. Scattered in the middle are grassland villages, rivers, sandy land and other landscapes with rich layers.
·morning
We then headed to Nanjing to photograph the colorful red-leafed taro, birch forests, and golden wheat fields along the route, with occasional flocks of sheep grazing. After the photoshoot, we returned to the hotel to rest.
·afternoon
We set off for Gandan Camel City at the right time. Under the guidance of the staff, we took photos of several themed scenes including ethnic environment portraits, camel caravans rushing in the sand, sunset silhouettes, etc. Everyone enjoyed the fun of creation.
After a few days of hard work, we returned to the hotel. Tonight, we all had a meal together. China-TravelNote specially presented us with roasted lamb legs. The tourists enjoyed the grassland delicacies and shared the joy of their trip with each other.
Day 6 Ulan Butong → Beijing ★ Disbandment Day
All day
We woke up early and departed Bashang around 5:30 AM, bidding farewell to the prairie on our way back. We shared our photos from the past few days and had a quick lunch at the service area.
We will be back at Beijing Capital Airport around 2:00 PM this afternoon. Please book flights after 4:00 PM. We will then be transferred to Beijing West Railway Station for disbandment, arriving at Beijing West Railway Station around 4:00 PM this afternoon. Please book high-speed trains after 5:00 PM. Tourists returning to Beijing South Railway Station and Daxing Airport will also get off at West Railway Station and book high-speed trains after 5:00 PM and flights after 7:00 PM.
Special Notes:
There is a high probability of traffic jams when entering Beijing city during the National Day holiday, and return tickets will be delayed by 1-2 hours based on the above suggested time.
