3 Days Bashang Grassland Tour from Beijing

As the first stop of this 3 days’ independent Beijing & Zhangjiakou tour, the Bashang Grassland is 280 kilometers (175 miles) north of Beijing and is the nearest wide natural grassland to Beijing. It lies on the junction of the Inner Mongolia Plateau and the Great Khingan Mountains, having an average altitude of 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) above sea level. The special climate and the geographical position endow Bashang with unique natural landscapes and make it a popular destination for backpackers and photographers.

You can easily get to Bashang Grassland by public transportation. From downtown Beijing, take available bus or metro to the passenger stations of Liuliqiao or Yongdingmen, and then you might take a coach from either bus station to Zhangbei County (about 3.5 hours, CNY 90 per person) and hail a taxi to Bashang Grassland at a cost of CNY 50 or so. The whole trip takes about 4 hours, so please get to the bus station before 08:00 and catch an early bus to Zhangbei.

After arrival in Bashang Grassland, you might choose to choose the home stay at a local farmer’s house to enjoy roast mutton and other plain food, chat with the host, and sleep on heated brick beds.

You are suggested to spend the whole morning taking in the beautiful scenery of Bashang Grassland. You can try on Mongolian dresses and take photos on the grassland, ride horses or camels and shoot arrows. Or just strolling on the grassland is also a good way to make good use of your time on the grassland.

Afterwards, take your entire belongings to hail a taxi back to Zhangbei Bus Station and catch bus No. 101 from there to Zhangjiakou City. Alight at Pingmen Stop and then take a cab for a few minutes to Dajingmen Great Wall to continue your independent Beijing & Zhangjiakou tour.

As a precious impregnable pass of the Great Wall, Dajingmen is one of the landmarks located in the north of Zhangjiakou. There are four vigorous Chinese characters “Da Hao He Shan” inscribed above the gate, signifying the grand mountains and rivers of China. Built in Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911), Great Wall of Dajingmen stretches endlessly upon the rolling mountains. Mounting the Dajingmen Great Wall, you will have a great view of the spacious landscape and overlook the whole city.

After that, you can reverse the trip back to downtown area and find yourself a comfortable hotel in the city to have a good rest.

After breakfast, you can take a taxi to Buzili – an old town in the city to take a close look at the authentic ancient buildings constructed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 – 1911). With a history of more than 600 years, this antiquated town houses lofty Yu Huang Pavilion, Wenchang Pavilion, perfectly preserved Luncai Academy, as well as a palatial general’s office and many well-arranged folk dwellings.

When the visit is over, your independent Beijing & Zhangjiakou tour will come to an end as well. Get back to check out from the hotel and take a taxi to Shalingzi West Railway Station or Zhangjiakou North Bus Station. After arrival, catch a train at Shalingzi West Railway Station (about 3.5 hours, CNY 30 per person) or a bus at Zhangjiakou North Bus Station (about 3.5 hours, CNY 70 per person) back to Beijing. The high speed train between Zhangjiakou and Beijing will operate after 2019. You may also take it for your return trip by that time, which will reduce the trip to 50 minutes.