Daqingshan Meilin Valley has entered autumn on time. Highly recommended!

Balinyouqi Self-Driving Guide｜Daqingshan Off-Road Paradise! The wildness and tenderness of the grassland heartland 🚙

🚗 Reasons to recommend
A secret grassland! The ultimate challenge for self-driving enthusiasts

📍 Location
Balinyouqi, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia (It is recommended to navigate directly to "Daqingshan National Nature Reserve")

🔥 Must-visit spots
1️⃣ Jiuqu Viewing Platform
God’s eye view on the cliff edge! Capture the same grassland winding river as the Windows desktop wallpaper
2️⃣ Volcanic Stone Forest Area
Feels like an alien surface, the black-brown basalt pillars look like swords growing from the earth

🍖 Food recommendations
- Mongolian Meat Pie: Freshly made and baked at "Murenrenjia" next to the banner government, juicy lamb and onion filling
- Shoubarou (Hand-held Meat): At the scenic area entrance "Hari Aobao" Mongolian yurt, dip in chive flower sauce for an authentic taste
- Salty Milk Tea: Drink with fried rice, the most authentic version can only be found at herders’ homes

🏨 Accommodation tips
✔️ For star photography, stay in the scenic area yurts (night temperature drops sharply to 15℃, bring a windbreaker)
✔️ For comfort, choose "Balin Hotel" in the banner town, stable hot water and breakfast included (off-season 200+/night)

⚠️ Pitfall prevention guide
- Some roads are damaged during the rainy season in July-August, check road closures in advance
- Gas stations are scarce! Fill up in Balinyouqi before entering the mountains
- Mobile signal is intermittent, download offline maps
- Respect the Aobao sacrificial customs, do not disturb the Mani stone piles

🚙 Classic loop route
D1: Banner town → Shifangzi Ruins → Crater Lake (picnic spot)
D2: Cross the pasture → Climb the main peak of Daqingshan (altitude 1988 meters)
D3: Visit nomadic families → On the way back, stop by Shana Reservoir