Let's go! Take the kids to the grassland! <Three> (How to have fun in Ulan Maodu)

Hello, darlings! Today I'm sharing some grassland activities!

During our three days in Ulan Maodu, we woke up every morning to the chirping of birds and crickets. Then, while listening to the little lambs bleating "meh~ meh," we had a modest breakfast. In the afternoon, with nothing much to do, I leaned back on a lounge chair at the hotel entrance, sipping the sour plum juice provided by the hotel and zoning out, marveling at how the beauty of the grassland never gets old.

We didn’t have much time to stay on the grassland this trip, so we kept the itinerary light. We only drove through the Caoyuan Suji area and didn’t enter the Ulan Maodu Scenic Area, which requires a ticket. (Note: The Ulan Maodu Scenic Area is a fenced-off part of the grassland that requires a ticket to enter, and inside there are some activities and performances. It’s not in the same location as the hotel, so you need to drive there.) Regarding the famous "Naadam" festival: "Naadam" is a Mongolian transliteration meaning "entertainment, games." The Mongolian people hold this festival to celebrate a bountiful harvest. It is a long-standing traditional festival of the Mongolian ethnic group. When we went, the festival had probably already ended. Since I wasn’t very interested personally, I didn’t explore it further. If interested, you can check the dates and plan accordingly. Considering the hotel’s scenery was already beautiful and there were herders nearby to visit and join activities, we basically spent most of our time at the hotel except for a trip to the Deer Village on the second day. We stayed at the Grassland Volcano Hot Spring Hotel. The hotel offers activities like hiking, paddleboarding, cycling, and archery. The hot springs are available only in some room types and have scheduled water supply every afternoon. At night, there are bonfires and fireworks, where you can sing, play with sparklers, and stargaze if the weather is good. Overall, the Volcano Hotel has fewer activities and dining options than the Valley Hotel, and the scenery is better at the Valley Hotel, but of course, the Volcano Hotel is cheaper. However, guests at the Volcano Hotel can dine and participate in activities at the Valley Hotel. The hotel is reportedly going to close for a break and will reopen in late September.

Besides joining hotel activities, coming to the grassland means you must experience the nomadic lifestyle.

Each hotel cooperates with local herders, and the butler sends some information to guests upon check-in. The activities offered by each herder vary, but prices are similar, so you can choose what interests you most. Don’t worry about transportation; the herders are very friendly and provide pick-up and drop-off services. The prices are definitely not cheap, but understandable since this is an important source of income for them. We chose "Subuda Ranch" mainly because the name sounded nice. Later we learned it’s the name of the ranch owner’s youngest daughter, meaning "Bright Pearl." A ranch is usually run by an entire family, and I really liked this family atmosphere where everyone has clear roles and responsibilities. Plus, everyone was very kind and patient with the kids. We booked a 30-minute flatland horseback ride and a Mongolian meal. You can feed the animals for free while riding. The little lambs are very clingy, wandering around you and bleating sweetly, which made the kids so happy feeding them.

Besides flatland horseback riding, you can also ride up the mountain to watch the sunset, herd sheep on horseback, cross Hailistai, or ride a motorcycle. Kids can make dairy products (by appointment), milk cows, ride camels, and take a small train. Prices vary by activity. The herders also built manual playground equipment on the grassland like seesaws, swings, and balance beams. Our little Huang had a great time playing with "Little Subuda" and even blended in with the local herder family.

Dinner was served right inside a yurt, with the herders cooking nearby so we could watch them prepare the food. There was a big round machine, probably for boiling milk tea. Considering portion sizes, we only ordered three dishes to try. It turned out to be a wise decision—we barely finished the lamb chops, and couldn’t eat the lamb noodle soup or shredded potatoes. A reminder to everyone: order wisely and in moderation!

Every dish was delicious, no disappointments. But the Mongolian milk tea wasn’t as rich as I imagined. I’m not sure if it’s been modified or if that’s just the flavor, because we also had it at the hotel later and it tasted the same, though it was very fragrant.

The lamb chops were huge. I tried to cut them but failed, so I asked the herder lady to help. Watching her work skillfully while chatting with us, I learned that in Inner Mongolian families, there are strict customs about butchering and cutting lamb. Usually, only elders can cut the meat; younger people and women are not allowed to do it casually. As an important dish for guests and VIPs, the meat cannot be cut and served without the guest’s permission. Even the placement of knives during the process follows rules.

The lady laughed and joked that luckily her father wasn’t around, or he would have scolded her for how she placed the knife. Also, women in the family are not allowed to visit graves. She said she still doesn’t know where her family members are buried; only the men know. Sometimes she feels many of these rituals are outdated, but for the elders, they are deeply ingrained traditions. We listened to her stories about the grassland while eating—fire worship, pressing haystacks... Before leaving, she invited us to come back the next day to play. "Little Subuda" was reluctant to say goodbye and followed her mother to see us off back to the hotel. Little Huang wasn’t satisfied and said he wanted to try milking cows and archery. So on the morning of our return trip, we reserved some time to visit the ranch again. "Little Subuda" was very happy to see her sister again and kept pulling her to play. The lady was very generous and didn’t charge us for feeding the horses or archery, saying the kids could play freely.

A special reminder: if you want to join grassland activities, you generally need to book with the herders in advance. Many grasslands are privately owned by herders, and trespassing may cause unnecessary disputes and misunderstandings. When traveling, always ensure safety and happiness. Watching the cattle and horses roam freely on the grassland, city folks can’t help but yearn for it. I can’t help but want to sing, “Herding horses in the east, grazing sheep in the west…”

Post by Samuel*Turner55 | Sep 1, 2025