I took this small loop at the end of August this year and loved it ❤️. I plan to do it again during the National Day holiday to chase the autumn, and I'm sharing it for your reference~
Taking this route perfectly avoids the crowds 🚫, bypasses traffic jams 🚗, and lets you enjoy the autumn scenery all to yourself 🍂. This hidden gem route is the best!
Enjoy the desolation and tranquility of Chifeng 🌄, the splendor of autumn in Ulan Butong 🍁, the vastness of the Taipusi Banner grasslands and the most beautiful Emerald Lake 💎, check in at Swan Castle 🏰, and finish with the golden birch forests of the Grassland Sky Road 🌳.
🚗 Self-driving the whole way, good road conditions, well-equipped with charging stations, suitable for both sedans and EVs ✅
Ulan Nuoer, Taipusi Banner P1, 2, 3, 4, 15, 16
Xiangshui Lotus Pond P5, 6
Qiguo Mountain P7, 8, 9, 10
Kulun Nuoer (Swan Lake) P11, 12
Daqing Mountain P13, 14
Grassland Sky Road P17
🗺️ Route
Day 1️⃣: Beijing → Chifeng → Chifeng Museum + Liao Dynasty History Museum → Stay in Chifeng
Day 2️⃣: Zhenxing Morning Market for supplies 🥣 → Ongniud Banner (Home of the First Dragon of China) → Qiguo Mountain + Zhaomiao Temple → Stay in Baarin Left Banner
Day 3️⃣: Shangjing Ruins of the Liao Dynasty and Museum → Daqing Mountain (Goulaochang) → Stay in Jingpeng Town
Day 4️⃣: Ulan Butong Sumu → Yudaokou Grassland Forest Scenic Area → Stay in Duolun County (drive along the road, do not enter the scenic area)
Day 5️⃣: Huizong Temple → Shitiao Mountain, Taipusi Banner → Ulan Nuoer (Emerald Lake) → Kulun Nuoer (Swan Castle sunset 🌅) → Stay in Guyuan County
Day 6️⃣: Buy yogurt and milk skin at Lanqi Xinyuan 🥛 → Grassland Sky Road (Guyuan section + Zhangbei section) → Return to Beijing
🌟 Scenery along the way
Chifeng Section 🏔️
Qiguo Mountain's Quaternary glacial potholes, Daqing Mountain's grassland cracks that look like something out of Zelda 💫, and the tranquil, serene reclining Buddha in the thousand-year-old Liao caves 🙏
Taipusi Banner Section 🌾
Vast grasslands 🌿, wild lakes with water birds 🦢, cows and horses by the roadside 🐄. Roll down the car windows, and the wind smells of dried grass and sunshine 🌞
Ulan Butong Section (reverse route) 🎨
Splendor and poetry coexist! Golden birch forests ✨, rolling grasslands, cattle and sheep like scattered musical notes 🎵. You don't need to enter the scenic area; just driving along the road is like a painting 🖼️
Sky Road Section (reverse route) 🌬️
Windmills 🎡, terraced fields 🌾, and golden grasslands. Driving the reverse route from Guyuan means fewer cars and wilder scenery. Stop and take photos whenever you want 📸
🍽️ Hidden gem food spots
· *Ahadu Mongolian Restaurant**: Mongolian food in Taipusi Banner. I've been going there for ten years. Hand-grabbed meat + a big pot of milk tea 🥩☕. The taste of the grasslands is absolutely amazing!
· *Lanqi Xinyuan**: A small shop on the edge of Guyuan County. The yogurt and milk skin are the best I've ever had 🥛✨
📝 Practical Tips
▫️National Day temperatures: Chifeng city in October is about 5–18°C, Baarin Left Banner is about 0–15°C, Jingpeng Town is about -2–12°C, Duolun is about -5–10°C, and Guyuan is about -8–8°C. Large temperature difference between day and night 🌡️, bring a light down jacket + a thick coat 🧥
▫️Daqing Mountain: You need to take a detour during restricted hours, but you can enter directly before 7 AM. Or navigate to "Mongolian Camp" (Menggu Yingzi) for 10 yuan/car, and you can enter directly without restrictions ✅
▫️Ulan Butong: The best autumn scenery is from late September to early October 🍁. Just drive along the road; no need to enter the scenic area 🎉