9-Day Hulunbuir Grassland In-depth Tour

Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Hulunbuir

Welcome to Hulunbuir! Upon your arrival, your guide and driver will wait you at the arrival hall of the airport and then escort you to your hotel in Hailar District (9 kilometers and 20 minutes around by car), the downtown area of Hulunbuir City, by a comfortable licensed private vehicle (non-smoking). Your guide will help you check in. The rest of today is on your own to explore Hailar.

Attractions: Hulunbuir Grassland, Morigele River, Erguna Wetland Scenic Area
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Erguna

This morning, you will visit Morigele River, Hulunbuir’s classic sightseeing site where most of the online pictures of Hulunbuir Grassland you’ve seen are taken. First, get an exciting driving along the road in between the vast prairie. If you like, make a stop at where you love for sightseeing. Upon arriving at the slope near Morigele River, you will be rewarded with the wonderful view of the zigzag river shirring under the sunshine. Free yourself to stroll around the prairie and river to feel the charm of this open place and to get some secret talks with the animals. After that, keep driving north for about 1.5 hours to Ergun Wetland – the No.1 Wetland in Asia. You will get perfect broad view of these all at the wooden viewing platform. 

Attractions: Aoluguya Reindeer Village, Aoluguya Museum, Shiwei Russian Town
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Russian-style wooden Mukeden houses 

Good morning! After breakfast, your guide and driver will escort you (1.5 hours around by car) to Aoluguya Reindeer Village, the last reindeer village in China and the home of Santa Claus in China. Here, you will first admire their unique Cuoluozi houses, a kind of cottage made up of a stick and barks of white birch or white stones, and then date with groups of adorable reindeers, feed them, touch them and take photos with them up close. Later, visit the Aoluguya Museum to know the history and legend of this mysterious branch of Ewenki Ethnic Minority.

After that, drive north (4 hours around) to Shiwei Russian Town, which faces the small towns in Russia across the Ergun River. Enjoy your leisure moments in the small town. You can stroll around the rows of well-kept Russian-style buildings and streets or gaze the real Russian towns across the river to taste the Russian flavor. Thereafter, hike up to the “Fairy Slope” to get stunning sunset views. After night falls, you will accommodate in the unique Russian-style wooden Mukeden houses.

Attractions: Haur River Scenic Area, White Birch Forest
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Mongolian yurts

Good morning! Your forest and grassland tour continues! After breakfast, your guide and driver will escort you to Haur River Scenic Area. The secluded Haur River, which means “spring-like river” in Mongolian language, zigzags the Haur Wetland, forming an impressive picture. You will stand on the viewing platform to overlook the meandering river and its lush surroundings. After that, wander around the forest to relax yourself and to seek traces of reindeers and take a glimpse the Ewenki traditions and culture. Enjoy your blissful moments with dappled shadows of the sunshine kissing your face every now and then.

Then, continue the driving to Heishantou. Along the way, you will pass through White Birch Forest, the only pure White Birch Landscape in the whole Great Khingan area. Let’s indulge in the forest-crossing driving with amazing white birch trees standing on the two sides of road.

Then, drive for about 1.5 hours to Heishantou. Enjoy a moderate hiking to the “Sundown Slope” to enjoy the intoxicating sunset scenery over the vast wetland. When the red glow of the sunset fades away, you will go down the slope and then be escorted to the nearby Mongolian tribe for accommodation. Tonight, you will enjoy happy Bonfire Party with Mongolian girls and boys (free, but it may be cancelled in case of bad weather), and then stay overnight in adorable Mongolian yurts (with private bathroom) that you have seen many times. Have a nice sleep with the fresh smell of grasses.

Attractions: the Sino-Russian border road, Hulun Lake
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Manzhouli
 

Good morning! Today you will wake up in the grassland. After breakfast, you will spend your blissful morning in Heishantou, where you can enjoy galloping across the plains on horseback at the most professional horse ranch in the whole Hulunbuir region (optional activities with extra fees). Or, you can indulge in the emerald-like grassland that is awash with a blanket of multi-colored wildflowers.

Then, you will first enjoy an exciting driving trip along the Sino-Russian border road. On your left is the vast Hulunbuir Grassland, and on your right is the gurgling Ergun River and Russia.

After about 3 hours, you will arrive at Hulun Lake, the ocean-like lake in Mongolian language. Occupying an enormous area of 2,339 s.q.k, Hulun Lake, one of China’s largest freshwater lakes, is the pearl on the Hulunbuir Prairie. Indulging yourself in the natural music full of singing of birds, wind and water. The glittering water, lovely birds wheeling over your head and leisurely sheep and horses grazing nearby will certainly leave you a once-in-a-lifetime memory.

After the lake tour, keep driving to Manzhouli, where China meets Russia and Mongolia. The evening is for you to freely enjoy the cheerful night view of this prosperous border city. Tonight, you will accommodate in the luxury hotel in Manzhouli.

Attractions: Manzhouli Matryoshka Plaza 
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Arxan
 

Today after breakfast, you will visit Manzhouli Matryoshka Plaza to savor the mixed flavor of three countries. Over 200 lovely Matryoshka dolls, large or small, spread the square, forming the largest scale of the irregular architectural complex in the world. Then, your guide and driver will escort you to Arxan City in Xing’an League (about 5~6 hours by car).

Tonight you will accommodate in Arxan City.

Attractions: Arxan UNESCO Global Geopark
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Heavenly Lake Scenic Area

Morning after breakfast, your wonderful Arxan tour begins. Your guide and driver will escort you to Arxan UNESCO Global Geopark with a 1.5-hour driving from Arxan City.

Arxan UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the hinterland of the Great Khingan and the junction of four grasslands in northeastern China, including Hulunbuir Grassland, Xilingol Grassland, Horqin Grassland and Mongolian Steppe. It has breathtaking volcanic landscape waiting for your steps. Your first site is the pearl of the scenic area – Heavenly Lake (Average Altitude: 1,322 meters above the sea level). Your driver will take you to the entrance of Tianchi Scenic Area, from where you will start your 998 steps leisurely forest hiking to get close to the holy lake. Heavenly Lake is a crater lake created after a volcanic eruption about 300,000 years ago. It is pure and crystal clean, with the reflections of the blue sky, lush trees and beautiful flowers waving on the water surface. The white gull and ducks leisurely playing around the lake add more vitality to this area. Take a short walk in the primitive forest there. After that, go down the stairs to visit the next site.

Warm tips: 1) During the peak season in July and August, all the cars will be suspended to go into the scenic area, and thus we will take you to the entrance and then change to a sightseeing bus to travel around. 2) The traffic fee (CNY 105/pp) is charged whether we take our private car or the required sightseeing bus.

Then, you will visit the 3-kilometer-long Three Lakes Gorge. The south side of the gorge are magnificent rugged cliffs, while the north side is full of unique basaltic lava deposits, which are special turtle shell patterns left on the surface after the volcanic eruption. The swift Haraha River runs through the gorge, accompanying with tinkling of the water striking the stones at the river bed.

After that, you will visit Shitang Forest, the largest and best-preserved lava landscapes in the world. The large area of lava stones are very thin, without any soil covered, however, the tall Xing’an larches and silver birches are rooted in the lava cracks, forming an impressive landscape.

After today’s discovery, your will accommodate in your hotel at the foot of Heavenly Lake Scenic Area.

Attractions: Not included
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Hailar

Good morning. After breakfast, your guide and driver will escort you to Azalea Lake of Arxan UNESCO Global Geopark.

When the volcano erupted, the lava flow blocked up the valley and thus the Azalea Lake formed. When spring comes, the lake will be surrounded by blossoming Azalea, hence the name. Azalea Lake is a paradise for photographer. There are beautiful scenery all the year round. Spring with mountains of beautiful Azalea flowers is awe-inspiring. In summer, Azalea Lake is full of duckweed swaying in the wind. Lush water plants and the clouds in the sky set each other off, which will certainly let you marvel at the charm of nature. The lake in autumn is still in pure blue, with the trees nearby turning to golden yellow. In winter, the lake will be frozen, and becomes a white fairy world.

Enjoy your peaceful moment at the lake area. Then, your guide and driver will escort you to Hailar District for accommodation. Today’s tour ends. Have a good sleep.

Attractions: Not included
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Not included

Today, your guide and driver will escort you to the airport to catch your flight to your next destination or home. Tour ends!