[Lifestyle] Grassland forest farm where dreams begin

Everyone will have a dream of galloping in the grassland and forestry. This dream does not distinguish between four seasons. There are wild flowers and buds everywhere in spring, blue sky and green grass in summer, colorful autumn and vastness in winter.

Saihanba + Yudaokou Forest Farm + Ulan Butong can be said to be one of the more popular grassland forest scene spots not far from the capital. It is located in Weichang Manchu and Mongolian Autonomous County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, between the Inner Mongolia Plateau and the mountains in northern Hebei. At the junction, the upper boundary of the landform is between the lava plateau of Inner Mongolia and the mountains of northern Hebei. It is about 450 kilometers away from the capital and has an average altitude of about 1,500 meters. Due to seasonal reasons, I was unable to go to Ulan Butong, so this trip will focus on Saihanba and Yudaokou, and experience the colorful and colorful grassland forest farms.

Unmissable woodland beauty

Saihanba is connected to Yudaokou Scenic Area. Starting from Beijing, you can navigate to the ticket office of Saihanba National Forest Park, starting from Saihanba to Yudaokou Forest Farm and Ulan Butong.

The attractions in the scenic area can be selected according to your own preferences and seasons. Why is it recommended to buy a map? One reason is that the main attractions suitable for this season will be marked on the map, which is convenient for tourists to choose and arrange routes. Saihanba scenic spots are mostly set up around lakes, such as the most famous Qixing Lake (will be mentioned later), Moon Lake, Taifeng Lake, Taoshan Lake, etc. In fact, one or two of them will feel the same, and soon lose the high point, but along the way The scenery is changing step by step, and photography lovers should not miss it.

Our itinerary basically visited the famous and priority recommended scenic spots in the scenic area. I think the recommended autumn attractions are Qixing Lake, Grand Canyon, Taifeng Lake, and Taoshan Lake. Other attractions can be arranged according to the time.

In addition to the scenic spots, the scenery along the roadside is particularly beautiful against the blue sky and white clouds. There are groups of cattle and sheep grazing grass seeds in the meadows on both sides of the Yimapingchuan road, or on both sides of the road passing through the forest area. Turquoise with golden yellow on one side. The autumn wind blows through the larch forest, facing the sun, it is golden, like a golden rain, and it is extremely beautiful.

When the sun rises and sets in the morning and evening, you can arrange suitable scenic spots to watch the sunrise and sunset. For example, Dianbingtai, Qixing Lake to watch the sunrise, Sun Lake to watch the sunset, etc. Of course, you can watch the sunrise and sunset in any place with suitable terrain. The sunrise and sunset on the grassland are indeed beautiful, a kind of vast and quiet beauty. In addition, the shooting of the starry sky or the Milky Way basically needs to be done in the second half of the night, because there are no street lights in the scenic area, and it is dark to pay attention to driving safety, and drive slowly to avoid unnecessary troubles. And the temperature at night in autumn is below zero, so pay attention to keep warm.

We who have lived in the noisy city for a long time feel the beauty and variety of nature at this moment, and we can only feel our insignificance when we are in nature. How pleasant it is to see the convoys in twos and threes, the photographers with long guns and short guns, and the occasional art students with sketchpads. It is worth mentioning here that fire is strictly prohibited in the forest area in autumn, and campfires or convenience stoves cannot be used, and cigarettes and lighters must be put away when entering the park. Cigarette butts thrown outside. Of course, in a place with such a good environment, if you can’t smoke, don’t smoke, breathe more fresh air, and wash your lungs.

Relaxing self-driving in the forest farm

The benefits of self-driving tour needless to say, everyone must be an expert, this trip we 5 adults and 1 child, two ordinary family cars. Please be sure to check the condition of the vehicle before travelling. After all, the journey is long and you must rely on it for support throughout the journey. Ensuring good vehicle condition is the key work before travelling.

Starting from Beijing, it is recommended that the sooner the better, the Beijing section of the Daguang Expressway is often congested. In order to avoid wasting time, we set off on the road at five o’clock…Daguang Expressway-Chengwei Expressway-256 Provincial Highway, the total length is about 430 Kilometers, all the way to the north, to meet the sun rising. Take a break after leaving Beijing on the road, and take a rest at Chengwei Expressway. Pay attention to the speed limit and take pictures. In addition, take a speed test in the Chengwei Expressway section. It is recommended to rest at a rest stop, otherwise you will speed. After arriving at the scenic spot, there are two gas stations in the central area of ​​the entire Saihanba Scenery Area, which are PetroChina and Sinopec gas stations, but the queue is relatively serious, and the expected waiting time is half an hour. Reminder: You can make reasonable use of the meal time when refueling, and operate it in two dials at the same time. In addition, gas stations have opening and closing times in the morning and evening during the summer peak season, please pay attention.

The asphalt road paved in the scenic area is a two-way lane, which is very easy to walk. Some roads leading to small scenic spots are also two-way cement roads, and ordinary cars are barrier-free. Some meadows can be entered by off-road vehicles, but there is a charge of 20 yuan/car.

There are many beautiful scenery along the way. Please be careful not to stop at corners or narrow roads when you stop to take pictures or get off the car, so as not to affect the traffic of vehicles or cause unnecessary losses. Please keep a reasonable distance between vehicles when driving in the convoy. It is suggested that it is possible to take some beautiful and cool photos of your car in the prairie.

Comfortable tree farm accommodation

The central area of ​​Saihanba is relatively lively, and it is very convenient to eat, drink, shop and stay in stores. It is recommended to stay in a hotel in the central city on the first day. The hotel reservation needs to be decided around the overall itinerary. It is recommended to plan a reasonable route before booking the hotel. Because the locations of the scenic spots are far away, it is very likely that you will take the same route back and forth in order to book a good hotel. You can find it on the spot, and you can check the situation of the hotel on the spot, whether there is a parking lot, whether there is a restaurant, and whether the necessary facilities in the room are complete. Most hotels allow small and medium-sized pets to enter, but it is better to inquire clearly.

Most hotels are similar to farmyards, and they all have breakfast, lunch and dinner, but they are consumed separately. Those who stay in the hotel can ask the boss for a discount on meals. During this season, Saihanba’s electricity reception capacity is limited and there are frequent power outages. The so-called air-conditioned rooms are not effective at all and are very expensive. It is recommended to find a place with electric blankets. During the “October” peak season, the house price premium is about 80%, and the room price in the central city is 400-500 yuan per standard room.

I recommend a good hotel called Zhongtian Holiday Hotel. The overall environment is good, there is no restriction on hot water supply, and the rooms have exposed balconies where you can watch the stars at night. The location is on the edge of Yudaokou Scenic Area, which is suitable for visiting Qixing Lake Scenic Area early the next morning.

Inexpensive forest farm food

The first meal we ate in Saihanba was the Inner Mongolia Meatloaf Big Bowl, which can be directly commented on by the public. The meatloaf is made as you order, the dough is chewy and the fillings are rich, it is highly recommended, students who like to eat buckwheat noodles can order it, and the sauerkraut dipping sauce that comes with the noodles is delicious. The overall taste of the restaurants in the scenic area is heavy. After all, the grassland is colder in autumn, and eating salt can help keep out the cold. After that, I basically eat simple farm meals in the hotel where I live. It is recommended not to order roasted whole lamb or roasted lamb legs, etc. The overall cost performance is not high, and local acquaintances said that many sheep for guests are not grassland sheep.

To play in Saihanba, you need to carry a thermos pot and a thermos cup with you, and the capacity can be larger. Before departure in the morning, fill up the hot water in the hotel. There is no hot water in many places in the scenic area. Drinking hot water in autumn will be troublesome. Mineral water There are shops in the beverage scenic spot, and they are also at normal prices. In addition, you can bring some convenient and ready-to-eat food. After driving for a day, there is no guarantee that you will be able to arrive at a suitable place for eating. When you are hungry, you can satisfy your hunger at any time. The local specialty is potatoes, which are delicious. It is recommended to bring some on the return journey. The price is not high, 10 yuan/20 yuan a bag, and there are local people selling them on the roadside of the scenic spot.

Not-to-be-missed tour around the forest farm

According to different needs, three methods are recommended for you to choose from.

・Hot spring (relaxation course)

After a few days of running around, bubble hot springs are one of the good ways to relieve fatigue. It is recommended to go to the well-known Qijia Hot Springs, which have not yet been extensively developed, but the hot spring water is very good. Qijia Hot Spring contains 43 kinds of minerals and trace elements that are beneficial to the human body. It is the highest magnetized hot spring in North China. The water temperature is as high as 98 degrees, which is rare in China. There are star-rated hotels and resorts in the town as well as farmhouses. The villagers are honest and simple. In fact, farmhouses are a good choice, but the reception capacity is not very strong. Many of the better environments are booked by repeat customers.

・Mountain climbing (physical exertion)

Chengde Maojingba Primitive Forest Park is also a good choice. The temperature in autumn is higher than that of Saihanba. It is similar to the mountainous areas in the suburbs of Beijing. It is suitable for tourists who love mountaineering.

·Continue northward self-driving tour (long-term travel)

You can choose to continue northward from Ulan Butong, to the direction of Dali Lake Holiday Center and Xilin Gol League, or go northward from Chifeng to Aershan.

This trip to Saihanba came to a successful conclusion with the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival. In my opinion, Saihanba in the golden autumn is colorful, refreshing, close to nature, with cold hands and feet. This unforgettable trip broke the tip of the iceberg for the plan of the grassland trip. I think that every year in the future, I will Travel by car with your family. Readers, are you ready? When will you set off and take a trip to the prairie of your dreams?