During the National Day holiday, I watched the autumn colors in Ulan Butong (1)

During the 24th National Day holiday, workers finally had a break. I wanted to go north to experience a true autumn.

Because I wasn't familiar with the roads, I hired a car rental service for two people, covering 5,000 kilometers for three days. Although the car was shabby and reeked of gasoline, the scenery was still quite nice overall.

A little advice for those of you planning to go to Ulan Butong during the National Day holiday this year.

October 3rd, Day 1
Beijing - Chifeng - Denglong River Grassland - Ulan Butong

6:35 AM, Beijing Chaoyang Station, G3661, arrived at Chifeng Station at 9:05 AM. The early morning sky in Beijing is beautiful (P2), and I could even catch up on some sleep on the train.

Taking the Beijing high-speed rail to Chifeng is the most time-efficient. Although most people choose to drive directly from Bashang, that route was incredibly congested during the National Day holiday, and the navigation system showed red lines almost all day. Since we had limited time, we decided to go to Chifeng first.

We boarded the bus at the entrance of Chifeng Station at 9:00 AM and began our journey. We passed a truly beautiful Five-Colored Mountain along the way! We stopped to take photos. P3
[Lantern River Grassland] saw many large windmills and grazing cattle and horses (P4-5). At this time of year, the grassland grass along the road has actually withered and turned yellow. If you have a holiday, mid-September is the best time to visit.
We arrived at [Ulan Butong] at 3 PM. Traffic was already jammed on the main scenic area road. The parking lot at the film and television base was full, and the scenery was quite ordinary, so we didn't get off the bus and went straight to our next stop, Princess Lake.
A surprise! On the way to Princess Lake, we saw [round haystacks] (P6-7)! The cattle and horses were ecstatic and got off the bus to take photos. The saying that the scenery of the prairie is all on the road is true. I'm glad I didn't have to queue at the film and television base.
We arrived at [Princess Lake] before sunset. The trees, lakes, and autumn leaves reached a new level of beauty (P8-11). Watching the sunset at Princess Lake was the highlight of the first day.
We returned to Ulan Butong at 7 PM. We were stuck in traffic for a full three hours. The National Day crowds were truly impressive (there's only one road through the prairie). Traffic was still jammed in Ulan Butong town. Cold and hungry, we got off the bus and walked back to the hotel. p12
We checked into the Holiday Inn Wulanbutong North at 11 PM. The hotel was average, but the heating was excellent, and you could see the stars in the middle of the night.

Tips:
The weather in Wulanbutong gets very cold after dark in October, so a down jacket is a must. During the day, you can wear a T-shirt and a windbreaker, but at night, add a down lining. I also added a fleece layer to keep myself warm. Be sure to ask if your hotel has heating.

Many restaurants in town are open late. The Mongolian specialties, such as milk skin, meat patties, and stir-fried mushrooms, are worth trying. If you're comfortable with salty milk tea, it's inexpensive and generous portions. Bring your own thermos to take with you on the road (a sip of hot tea is truly comforting in traffic).