Tired of crowded tourist spots? This cycling route offers stunning scenery and incredible photo opportunities, allowing you to experience the beauty of the region while leaving 90% of the tourists behind.
Why Cycle in Ulan Butong?
Nestled where the North China Plain meets the Inner Mongolian Plateau, the Ulan Butong region boasts a unique blend of history and nature. It holds 300 years of Qing Dynasty heritage from the imperial “Mulan Hunting Grounds,” alongside dramatic landscapes of grasslands, forests, lakes, and canyons.
Guarded by the Yinshan Mountains and the foothills of the Greater Khingan Range, and nourished by the Luan and Liao Rivers, this area offers a distinct natural and cultural experience.
The historical weight of Chengde’s Mountain Resort, the vast grasslands of Ulan Butong, and the “Green Miracle” of the Saihanba Forest create an unmissable feast for the senses.
A Route Steeped in History and Natural Wonder
Your journey begins in Chengde, now easily accessible from Beijing by high-speed train in just 50 minutes. From there, coordinated transport removes the hassle of logistics, allowing you to focus on the ride.
You will cycle through the core area of the historic Mulan Hunting Grounds, established in 1681 by Emperor Kangxi. This vast area, once the world’s largest imperial hunting park, is teeming with life. The route then leads you into the heart of Inner Mongolia.
The Ulan Butong Grassland is the centerpiece. Its endless, green carpets and galloping horses have earned it fame as a film location for major Chinese productions. Your ticket grants 72-hour access to explore its 1,266 square kilometers of diverse scenery, from lakes and canyons to forests.
Next, you will witness the inspiring story of Saihanba. Once a barren wasteland, it was transformed through decades of effort into the “World’s Largest Man-Made Forest,” earning a UN “Champions of the Earth” award. Today, it’s a verdant sea of pines, truly deserving its title as the “source of water, hometown of clouds, world of flowers, ocean of forest, and heaven for rare birds and animals.”
Unique Cultural Encounters
A special highlight of the trip is a visit to a community of the Oroqen people, China’s only reindeer-herding ethnic minority. You will have the chance to learn about their unique lifestyle and the reindeer they have tended for centuries.
This cycling route is more than just a ride; it’s an immersion into a landscape of profound beauty and resilience. It’s your chance to pedal through history, across breathtaking grasslands, and into the story of one of the world’s great environmental triumphs.
