How to enjoy autumn in Ulan Butong

🍁 Recently, I've seen many itineraries for Ulan Butong, but there are so many options that it's hard to choose. 👉🏻👉🏻 As a detail-oriented person, let me break it down for you ✅ Here's how to plan your trip 🔥 and what kind of itinerary to follow‼️‼️ No one explains it this clearly.
・
Ulan Butong
Known as Beijing's backyard, Ulan Butong features hilly grasslands, birch forests, lakes, wetlands, and various animals like cows, sheep, and deer.
📄 Most itineraries last about 4-6 days.
Typically, the route starts from Beijing/Chengde → passes through Saihanba National Forest Park → Ulan Butong → Jinshanling Great Wall → and finally returns to Beijing.
👇🏻 There are many small attractions along the way, and I've summarized them for you:
・
📸 Must-visit spots for photography
❶ Princess Lake
❷ European-style grasslands (great for wide-angle shots)
❸ Twelve Joint Camps (offers grasslands, lakes, and local culture)
❹ Baicao Aobao (perfect for capturing scenes of Aobao rituals)
❺ Jiapigou (birch forests are very photogenic)
❻ Film Base (ancient city walls + Mongolian yurts are great for photos)
-
😇 Perfect for family/parent-child leisure trips
❶ Deer Park (features sika deer, alpacas, and prairie wolves)
❷ Jinshanling Great Wall (less crowded, great for hiking and experiencing the Great Wall)
・
🌅 Best spots for sunset views
❶ Film Base (sunset blending perfectly with the grasslands)
❷ Princess Lake (stunning lakeside sunset)
-
🚘 Recommended itineraries
1️⃣ For relaxed family/couple trips
𝐃𝐚𝐲1: Travel from various locations to Beijing - Chengde
𝐃𝐚𝐲2: Chengde - Saihanba Forest Park - Off-road adventure through grasslands - Stay in Ulan Butong
𝐃𝐚𝐲3: Grassland cycling - Princess Lake - Film Base sunset
𝐃𝐚𝐲4: Grassland sunrise - Royal Deer Park - Chengde
𝐃𝐚𝐲5: Chengde - Jinshanling Great Wall - Return to Beijing
・
2️⃣ For outdoor enthusiasts who love hiking
𝐃𝐚𝐲1: Travel from various locations to Beijing - Chengde
𝐃𝐚𝐲2: Chengde - Saihanba Forest Park - Hiking starting point [8km hike]
European-style grasslands - Film Base sunset - Stay in Ulan Butong (welcome dinner & bonfire party)
𝐃𝐚𝐲3: [16km hike]
Huagulu Terrace - Qiqige Lake - Princess Lake sunset
𝐃𝐚𝐲4: [10km hike]
Grassland sunrise - Birch forest - Primitive forest, stay in Chengde (celebration dinner)
𝐃𝐚𝐲5: Chengde - Jinshanling Great Wall [6km hike] - Return to Beijing
-
📄 If you're short on time, you can skip Jinshanling Great Wall and opt for a 3-4 day trip instead. Feel free to adjust the itinerary as you like.