Saihanba & Ulan Butong (Bashang)

A forest-and-grassland plateau on the Hebei–Inner Mongolia border: Saihanba's million-mu planted forest, Seven Star Lake and Moon Lake, the Yudaokou and Ulan Butong grasslands, and autumn color at General's Pond. It is the closest grassland road-trip destination to Beijing.

Saihanba & Ulan Butong lies where the north of Weichang Manchu and Mongol Autonomous County in Chengde, Hebei, meets the south of Hexigten Banner in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. It is part of the Bashang region on the southern edge of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, at 1,300–1,900 m above sea level, and was the imperial Mulan hunting ground in the Qing dynasty.

The area has three parts. Saihanba National Forest Park is mainly a sea of planted forest covering a million mu; Seven Star Lake, Moon Lake, Taifeng Lake, the source of the Luan River, Saihan Tower and Liangbing Terrace are scattered along the loop road, and the town of Jixie Forest Farm, where the headquarters is located, has an exhibition hall and lodging. To the southwest, Yudaokou is mainly about grassland, lakes and horseback riding. To the north, across the provincial border, is the Ulan Butong grassland; General's Pond, Princess Lake, Colorful Mountain and Birch Gorge to the east are known for rolling hills, white birch and herds of horses.

Best seasons: July brings wildflowers on the grassland and cool weather; mid-to-late September through early October is peak season for autumn-color photography; in winter you can photograph snowfields and horses, but it is bitterly cold and some roads are closed. Getting there: from Beijing it is about 5–6 hours by car (via Chengde or Fengning), and from downtown Chengde to Saihanba is about 250 km; in peak season there are tourist coaches from Chengde and Beijing. There is no public transport inside the area, so you basically need to self-drive or charter a car. Allow 2–3 days: one day for Saihanba, one for Ulan Butong, and half a day for Yudaokou.

Notes: Saihanba, on one side, and Yudaokou and Ulan Butong, on the other, fall under two different provinces, so tickets are bought separately. The temperature swing between morning and evening is large, so bring a thick jacket even on summer nights; open fires are strictly forbidden during the forest fire prevention period; choose a reputable stable for horseback riding and wear a helmet; book lodging in advance in peak season.

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