Bashang Grasslands

Bashang means above the ridge, and the name describes the geography: north of Beijing the North China Plain climbs an escarpment onto the edge of the Mongolian plateau, and the country changes to open grassland, birch and larch woods and shallow lakes at around fifteen hundred metres. The area was an imperial hunting ground under the Qing, and the Mulan Weichang, the emperor's autumn hunt reserve, covered much of it. For Beijing residents it is the nearest steppe: horse riding, yurt stays, off-road driving and, in autumn, the birch and larch turning gold. Photographers come for the light and the herds, and the Wulanbutong area on the Inner Mongolian side is the best known.

What you actually see

• The open steppe - rolling grassland with herds of horses and sheep.
• The birch and larch - woodland turning gold in September and October.
• The yurt camps - accommodation set up for visitors across the grassland.
• The autumn light - the season photographers travel here for.

When to go

July to September, with the grass greenest in July and August and the woods turning in late September; winter is severely cold and most facilities close. Autumn weekends are heavily booked. Nights are cold even in summer.

Honest expectations

The area is spread over hundreds of kilometres and needs a car. Tourist infrastructure varies from basic to poor, with much of it seasonal. Overgrazing and off-road driving have damaged parts of the grassland visibly. Weekend crowds from Beijing are heavy.

Nearby

Chongli and its ski resorts lie south; Inner Mongolia begins just north.