Whether it's spring or fall, Saihanba National Forest Park (塞罕坝国家森林公园) will entice you with its unique imperial style. Northern China's largest forest park is a combination of dense forest, sweeping grasslands and marshes. At an average altitude of 1500 meters, the variety of plants and animals will constantly give you new and remarkable species to examine and enjoy. Saihanba National Forest Park enjoys a long and regal history – it was the hunting ground for the royalty of the Qing and Liao Dynasties, and the Emperor Kangxi himself would hunt here every year.

Photo: ccots.com.cn

You’ll enter at the Saihanba National Forest Park South Gate, also known as Mountain Gate. After you pass through this gate you'll be inside the park. Go past Panshan Road and you'll get to Saihanba's first site – Hanhan Tower. This tower is a replica of the famous Liuhe Tower on Hangzhou's West Lake. Originally used as a fire prevention outpost, it climbs up to 1700 meters above sea level. You can see much of the park from the top. After the tower, you can go to Hundred Flower Hills, behind which lies Saihanba's first major lake – Moon Lake. In the shape of a crescent, Moon Lake is natural and unpolluted. The water is so clear you can see straight to the bottom of the lake. As you continue to go west for around half an hour, you'll reach the center of the park. There are hotels, stores, resorts and other places to stay here. The temperature at Saihanba is only around 25 degrees Celsius, even in the summer. You can have evening bonfires on the grasslands and enjoy fresh lamb roasted over the open fire. The stars of the night sky accompany your sleep and you can forget about all your troubles as you pass the time peacefully.     

Costs:
Entrance Ticket: 75 RMB/person
Tolls: 85 RMB/vehicle

Where to Eat and Stay:
There are large hotels in the park, but you can also stay in smaller hostels run by local farmers.
The specialties are roast lamb, milk tofu and lamb steak.

Getting There
By car: Take the Jingcheng Expressway to the Miyunxian Exit. Take G101 National Road in the direction of Jingmi Road. After you get to Gubeikou, take the highway toward Chengde. After getting to Chengde, go to Longhua and go past Weichang County to the new Tourist Road. Drive in the direction of the Saihanba National Forest Park. Pass through the Yudaokou Grassland Forest Tourism Area (Tickets 40 RMB/person) and you will reach Saihanba.

By train: Take the train to Siheyong Station, then get on a bus to Weichang County. From there take a minibus to Jixielinchang and hire a cab or minibus to take you the rest of the way.

By bus: Take the long distance bus to Weichang County from Xizhimen Long distance bus station. When you get to Weichang County, take a minibus to Jixielinchang and from there hire a cab or minibus to take you the rest of the way.

Source: National Geographic Traveler, sina.com.cn

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