A golden fairy tale world awaits your exploration!

🍁 "A Foreword" Who says the grasslands are only beautiful in summer? Autumn in Ulan Butong is truly a masterpiece!🍂 This royal hunting ground, appointed by Emperor Kangxi, transforms into a palette spilled by the gods in September. With only 25 days of prime viewing each year, the golden grasslands, white birch forests, and lakes perfectly blend at this moment. This most comprehensive practical guide online will take you to experience the ultimate autumn colors of the grasslands! --- 📅 "Best Time to Enjoy Autumn and Transportation" 🎯 Golden Time Periods · 🍁 Early Autumn: Mid-September to late September (leaves begin to change color) · 🍂 Peak Season: Late September to early October (forests ablaze with vibrant colors) · 🎑 Late Autumn: Early to mid-October (falling leaves, uniquely charming) 🚗 Transportation Guide · Self-drive: From Beijing via Jingcheng Expressway → Weichang North → Yudaokou → Ulan Butong, about 450 km, 6-7 hours drive · Public Transport: First reach Chifeng or Chengde, then charter a car (about 300-400 RMB/day) · Friendly Reminder: Signal may be unstable in the grassland area; it is recommended to download offline maps in advance --- 🗺️ "5 Days 4 Nights In-depth Travel Route" 🏕️ Day 1: Arrive at Ulan Butong → First Grassland Experience · 🚗 Morning: Depart from Beijing, enjoy the autumn scenery of the Yanshan Mountains along the way · 🌅 Afternoon: Arrive at Ulan Butong Scenic Area, check in (ticket 120 RMB/person, valid for three days) · 🌌 Evening: Participate in the Mongolian welcome ceremony (horse milk wine, presenting khata), taste authentic Mongolian cuisine 📸 Day 2: Full Panorama of Core Scenic Spots · 🌄 Early morning: Watch sunrise and morning mist at the film base, walk the wooden plank road to climb and enjoy the view · 🏞️ Morning: General’s Pool (ancient battlefield of Kangxi’s war against Galdan), horse riding or camel cart lake tour available · 🌊 Afternoon: Princess Lake (clear water, surrounded by white birch forest, golden tree reflections on the lake surface) · 📸 Evening: Shoot sunset at the European-style scenic area, rolling hills under the sunset like a poetic painting 🍂 Day 3: Secret Realm Exploration Day · 🐴 Morning: Frog Dam (a hidden gem for photographers, golden white birch forest, scattered haystacks, and shepherds herding sheep in autumn, like a stunning oil painting) · 🚶 Afternoon: Panlong Canyon hiking (white birch forest and streams complement each other, babbling creek at the valley bottom, lush vegetation on both sides) · 🔥 Evening: Join the bonfire party + whole roasted lamb feast (advance booking required, about 2000 RMB per lamb) 🌲 Day 4: White Birch Forest and Private Ranch · 🌳 Morning: White birch forest secret spot (walk on a 30 cm thick carpet of fallen leaves, collect heart-shaped leaves as bookmarks) · 🐏 Afternoon: Private ranch experience (grassland - white birch forest - primeval forest), watch the sea of mist roll over the golden meadow · 🌟 Evening: Star gazing on the grassland, feel the shock of "opening the door to see the Milky Way" 🏞️ Day 5: Farewell to the Grassland · 🌅 Early morning: Colorful Mountain viewing (autumn forests ablaze, hills covered in red, yellow, green, and other colors) · 🎁 Morning: Buy souvenirs (wild mushrooms, wood ear fungus, beef jerky, dairy products, etc.) · 🚗 Afternoon: Return trip, enjoy the last patch of golden grassland along the way --- 🎯 "Autumn Exclusive Experiences" 1️⃣ Golden Grassland Secret Spot · 🌟 Best Location: Ulan Butong Grassland · 📌 Photography Tips: Capture light and shadow changes using the rolling hills’ lines during early morning mist · 🎫 Ticket Info: Scenic area pass 120 RMB/person, valid for three days 2️⃣ Romantic Moments in the White Birch Forest · ❤️ Feature: Walk on thick fallen leaves, collect heart-shaped white birch leaves as bookmarks · 📸 Best Locations: Around Princess Lake, Frog Dam, Private Ranch 3️⃣ Grassland Sunrise and Sea of Clouds · 🌅 Viewing Time: Arrive at the high point around 5:50 AM · 📍 Best Spots: Top of the film base plank road, Colorful Mountain viewing platform --- 📸 "Top Photo Spots Ranking" 🥇 Film Base Sunrise Mist + Grassland Panorama Early morning 5:00-7:00 🥈 Frog Dam Golden White Birch Forest + Haystack Shepherding Afternoon 3:00-5:00 🥉 Princess Lake Golden White Birch Reflection on the Lake Early morning or evening 🎖 European-style Scenic Area Rolling Hills + Sunset Glow Sunset time 🎖 Colorful Mountain Vibrant Autumn Leaves Morning 9:00-11:00 --- 🍜 "Food Highlights and Warnings" 👍 Highlights: · 🐑 Whole Roasted Lamb: Golden crispy skin, tender juicy meat, aromatic · 🥩 Hand-held Meat: Bone-in lamb boiled in water, served with chive flower sauce, tender and original flavor · 🍵 Mongolian Boiled Tea: Made from fried rice, milk skin, beef jerky, etc., savory and warming · 🍳 Sand Onion Scrambled Eggs: Unique wild vegetable from the grassland with a distinctive fragrance 👎 Warnings: · ❌ Expensive "wild mushrooms" at the scenic area entrance may be a scam · ❌ Instant noodles inside the scenic area (5 RMB for hot water, better bring your own food) · ❌ Be cautious buying expensive silver jewelry inside the scenic area, choose reputable shops --- 🏨 "Accommodation Recommendations" 🏡 Hongshan Military Horse Ranch Town Hotel 200-400 RMB/night Convenient living, cost-effective 🌿 Featured Homestay Ulan Butong Moshang Huakai Homestay 300-500 RMB/night Open the door to see the Milky Way, experience grassland life 🏞️ Luxury Enjoyment Junlan Ulan Butong Resort 1500-3000 RMB/night Independent wooden cabins and private hot springs, comfortable and private --- 1️⃣ Clothing Guide · 🧥 Layered dressing: Long-sleeve T-shirt + light jacket during the day, thick jacket at night (such as a windbreaker or light down jacket) · 🥾 Essential gear: Non-slip hiking shoes, thermos, gloves, hat 2️⃣ Photography Gear · 📷 Lens choice: Wide-angle for grasslands, telephoto for details · 🌅 Filter preparation: Polarizer to reduce glare and enhance autumn color saturation · 🔋 Other gear: Tripod, spare batteries (cold grassland drains batteries quickly) 3️⃣ Pitfall Avoidance · ⚠️ Beware of low-price tickets from unofficial platforms to avoid fake or expired tickets · ⚠️ Negotiate price and route duration before horse riding to prevent hidden charges · ⚠️ Be cautious when choosing "wild mushrooms" inside the scenic area 4️⃣ Cultural Etiquette · Respect local culture, do not enter herders’ fenced pastures without permission · Obtain consent before photographing others · When receiving Mongolian tea, accept it with both hands to show respect to the host --- 💬 Random Thoughts Every day in Ulan Butong is touched by the moment when the first ray of morning sunlight illuminates the golden white birch forest. Here, there are not only endless grasslands and herds of cattle and sheep, but also a healing power that makes you forget the city's noise. Standing on the film base hilltop watching the morning mist roll over the golden meadow, listening to the rustling white birch leaves by Princess Lake, sharing drinks with Mongolian friends by the bonfire, every moment becomes a precious memory in life. ✨ This autumn, let’s embark on this golden journey together, and in the vast embrace of Ulan Butong, find our original selves. --- Updated: October 2025 Original content, please credit when reprinting