Post the golden week in October, there are actually very few tourism activities especially in Inner Mongolia. If you are not into crowd but love an autumn adventure, head towards the vast land of Inner Mongolia to escape. Using Chifeng as the base, there are quite a number of routes moving west to visit various attractions. The attractions actually spread over a few provinces including Hebei, Inner Mongolia, & Gansu.
Saihanba National Park & Enroute (Hebei Province)
Heading towards west is the route to Saihanba National Park. The route is an easy drive along, with many smaller trails & scenic lakes. Unfortunately for us, the national park is mostly closed (other than allowing vehicles to pass through) due to precaution for managing forest fire. The local authority takes precautionary actions against bush/ forest fire very seriously – banners on “prevention of forest fire are everyone’s responsibilities are significantly posted everywhere. There are even individuals posted at specific areas to remind everyone and probably to provide feedback. Was made to understand these individuals are mainly local employed temporarily to assist in fire prevention.
The route is actually pleasant as it is almost desolate. However, the colour of autumn herewith is beautifully yellowish brown. In a week or so, apparently the leaves quickly turned dark brownish and the strong wind whooshes away for a balding-tree look.
Taking a short trail for a walk, there are many trails when the national park is open. There is also a Moon Lake within the park. Walking around the lake, the weather changes are apparent with the sun blaring down at the start, with clouds blown over in a short period, gathering speed and gloom very fast.
Muse #1 : Although considered desolate, along the way, there are many embedded sustainable practices in the rural area. Lights along the roads are mainly solar-panel sourced. From afar, you can always see windmills generating electricity. In actual fact on the highway, there are big trucks transporting these windmills, perhaps for installations & even fixing. Hence, the country’s determination to embed sustainability in far-flung places is great & already done.
Horsing around Wulan Butong Grassland, awaiting sunset (Inner Mongolia, Hexigten Banner)
Crossing over to the grassland, Wulan Butong awaits us after a long drive. Scenery totally different, it is reminiscence of England’s bland countryside. With lots of horses in country farms, roaming freely on the grassland. There are farms that offer horse rides, which would have been a great ride considering how the grassland is flat & nice for a run.
Post summer, the grass are nicely cut & rolled. Walking across the grassland, just be careful of droppings from horses and cows. Climbing uphill a little, wait for the sunset amidst the horses neighing from afar.
Driving enroute & along Duolun Lake (Inner Mongolia, Xilingol League)
Weather in Inner Mongolia is a little finicky during autumn. The differences in temperature during day & night is vast, cover up with layers. Weather can be sunny & bright in early morning, before noon it may already be gloomy under cloudy sky. Halfway through driving on the highway, fogs may even blow over with visibility reduced to short distances only.
Duolun Lake is a scenic place, whereby you can drive or take a electric vehicles along the whole lake for an enjoyment of the beautiful sceneries along the lake. On the day we arrive, there are hardly any tourists even though the weather is still breezy autumn wind. The sceneries along the lake is really beautiful, and if you have additional time to spend, take a walk along the scenic spots. There is one on the northeast with a nicely paved staircases leading up to a small hill for a breathtaking views of the nearby sceneries.
Muse #2 : Whenever we drive into Inner Mongolian areas, the road signs are bi-lingual with Chinese characters and Mongolian characters. Surprisingly Inner Mongolia is also considered as a autonomous province.
Visiting the historical ruins of Yuan Shangdu aka Xanadu (Inner Mongolia, Zhenglan Banner)
I have first heard of Xanadu from English literature, littered from readings of Marco Polo’s travels in the East. Upon reading more on the Yuan’s Dynasty, the more I am intrigued with the history of this place. Yuan Shangdu (literally translated as Yuan’s Dynasty’s Upper City) was the summer city during the Yuan Dynasty (under Genghis Khan & his descendants). The descriptions in English literature paints a beautiful city enshrouded with great architecture of a city inhabited by a hundred thousand citizens.
But when you reach there, there is a sadness on how the once beautiful & great city was destroyed by the subsequent ruler under the Ming Dynasty. The site of Yuan Shangdu is literally a ruin. Nothing but flat lands with little rocks remaining of the foundation of the once great city inhabited by hundred of thousands.
However, a museum is set up to provide some colours on how the ancient citizen lives with remnants of their tools & architecture. Both ruin site & museum are literally deserted when we visit. The site requires a quick electrical vehicle to send us to nearby areas, while the museum is accessible until 4 pm. What I love about the museum is the location provides a beautiful view of the ruin sites of the original Shangdu. For history buffs, take out your history books to read while enjoying the views of the ruins.
Muse #3 : The nearby sceneries actually reminds me of Jin Yong’s Condor Heroes series, especially on the link with Genghis Khan & the Mongols. Beautiful grassland amidst the flat land. Riding a horse across the beautiful prairie land.
Cheng's Musings 