The First Davy Crockett Camp in Western Beijing

The First Davy Crockett Camp in Western Beijing

As you drive westward along the Zhang-Shang Highway and soon enter the territory of Shangyi County, what greets your eyes is a landscape of undulating hills, lush trees, shimmering mist and rosy clouds, and a vast expanse of fragrant grass. China’s first private ranch — the Chahar Private Ranch — is located in this ancient, vibrant, and richly forested wilderness.

The ranch was invested in and constructed in 2003 by Hong Kong’s First Longhao Agricultural Strategy Holdings Limited. It is situated on the north side of the Zhang-Shang Highway, surrounded by stone walls that follow the natural terrain, encircling a 2,580-acre natural scenic park. The ranch is a high-end private club, serving as a venue for Hong Kong businesspeople to relax, vacation, and conduct meetings and other events related to Longhao Company.

The ranch is divided into four functional areas: the living area, the tourism area, the natural experience woodland, and the leisure woodland.

The living area is located in the center of the ranch. It is spacious, serene, and harmoniously blends North American-style villas among sparse woodlands and rolling hills and grasslands, exuding an intoxicating pastoral charm. In front of the villas, there are lawns and parking lots. The interiors of the villas are splendid and elegant, radiating luxury and brilliance. They feature European medieval-style fireplaces and wine cellars, as well as fully equipped modern facilities such as swimming pools. The entire villa complex spans over 1,000 square meters, is bright and airy, and the eight exclusive VIP rooms offer an exceptionally luxurious experience. Strolling through the living area, you’ll encounter various cultural symbols everywhere: covered bridges, wooden footbridges, and the emerald pond all stir your sense of humanistic nostalgia. The living area also includes vegetable plots and a ranch experience zone, where you can personally enjoy the fun of agricultural and pastoral work.

The western half of the ranch is the grazing area. Here, gentle grassy slopes gradually rise to the mountaintop helicopter pad, dotted with sparse woods that take on a charming appearance in the setting sun. Galloping horses descending the slopes and the drifting sounds of herding songs present a vivid scene straight out of a grassland painting.

Following a winding path, you pass through the natural experience woodland and enter the secluded leisure woodland, where exquisitely crafted log cabins are nestled within. The joy of a hidden paradise can truly be found here. Amidst the ancient ruins of imperial palaces in the woods, your thoughts can transcend time and space, tracing the paths of ancient rulers and indulging in nostalgic musings.

Shangyi has long been a convergence point of nomadic and farming civilizations. Historically, the area around the ranch boasted lush water and grass, enjoying a long period of prosperous agriculture and animal husbandry. In recent years, due to the implementation of the “Returning Farmland to Forests and Grasslands” project, vegetation once damaged has gradually returned to its former glory. With abundant grass and thriving forests and springs, the Chahar Private Ranch came into being.

The beauty of the ranch is not confined to any single season. Spring is vibrant, summer is fresh, autumn is lush, and winter is tranquil. Distant mountains resemble delicate brows, and idle clouds drift by — no wonder it’s hailed as the “First Davy Crockett Camp in Western Beijing.”

The beauty of the ranch knows no seasonal bounds. In spring, it blooms in splendor; in summer, it offers refreshing serenity; in autumn, it thrives in lush abundance; and in winter, it rests in tranquil charm. With distant mountains like delicate brows and idle clouds drifting by, it’s no wonder it’s hailed as the “Camp David of Western Beijing.”