Hulunbuir Grassland

Hulunbuir Grassland

The Hulunbuir Grassland is a world-famous natural pasture, covering a total area of about 100,000 square kilometers, with natural grasslands accounting for 80%. It is one of the world’s three most renowned grasslands. The region is vast, featuring more than 3,000 crisscrossing rivers and over 500 scattered lakes, extending all the way to the undulating Greater Khingan Mountains.

The Hulunbuir Grassland in Inner Mongolia is a place of beautiful scenery and pleasant landscapes. It boasts endless greenery, the rolling Greater Khingan Mountains, and the beautiful, fertile Hulun Lake and Buir Lake. It is hailed as the "Jade of the North" and a "Paradise on Earth."

In spring, Hulunbuir bursts into a riot of colors, breathtakingly beautiful; in summer, the air is fresh and the weather cool, making it an ideal summer retreat; in autumn, the land turns golden; in winter, frequent heavy snowfalls transform the earth into jade-like trees and silvered grass.

At the top of China’s rooster-shaped map lies a place resembling the comb of a rooster—that is the world-renowned Hulunbuir City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, acclaimed as the "Jade of the North." Hulunbuir gets its name from the two major lakes, Hulun and Buir. In Mongolian, Hulun means "otter," and Buir means "male otter," as these lakes were once abundant with otters. After driving over 2,000 kilometers from Hohhot in three days to reach the beautiful, fertile, and magical Hulunbuir Grassland, we truly came to understand what "blue skies and green land" and "pure green earth" mean. The Hulunbuir Grassland is like a vast green scroll, stretching endlessly. It is the best-preserved grassland in China today, rich in water and grass, growing more than 120 types of nutritious forage such as alkaligrass, needlegrass, alfalfa, and icegrass, earning it the title "Kingdom of Forage." The Hulunbuir Grassland is also a pristine green land free from pollution, producing livestock products such as meat, milk, hides, and wool that are highly favored by consumers both at home and abroad—even its forage is exported in large quantities to countries like Japan. It is the birthplace of the great Genghis Khan and also a world-famous tourist destination. Covering a total area of 149 million mu (about 24.8 million acres), the Hulunbuir Grassland is such a captivating land, located in the northeast of Inner Mongolia and named after Hulun and Buir Lakes within its borders. In the height of summer, birds sing and flowers bloom across the grasslands, the air is fresh; dotted Mongolian yurts emit trails of cooking smoke; gentle breezes blow the grass, revealing cattle and sheep in the classic scene of "wind blowing low to reveal grazing herds"; beneath blue skies and white clouds, the endless grassland, herds of livestock, galloping horses, and the heroic figures of herders cracking whips and racing on horseback are all in full view. The Hulunbuir Grassland is China’s most lush and well-preserved prime pasture, and because it remains nearly untouched by pollution, it is also called the "purest grassland." Nourished by thousands of rivers of various sizes, every summer sees birds flying and grass growing, with cattle and sheep everywhere. Here you can ride horses or camels, watch wrestling, horse racing, and performances by the Ulan Muqir (Red Banner Song and Dance Troupe), enjoy a traditional Mongolian "whole lamb feast," and experience the unique culture of nomadic tribes at the evening bonfire party.

Hulunbuir is a piece of pure land woven by nature's magic, a heaven-on-earth of fantasy, and an ideal homeland that modern people inadvertently let go of but spare no effort to reclaim. This grassland was ranked first among the "Six Most Beautiful Grasslands in China" by the "China's Most Beautiful" campaign organized by Chinese National Geography. It is said to be vast and boundless, capable of accommodating all the cattle and sheep of China; it is said to be beautiful, as it has many legends, each one of which never tires the ear. Hulunbuir is a name filled with the tenderness of clouds and water.

Hulunbuir is a source of pride for the Chinese people. Its vastness, openness, beauty, and charm make it a place of longing. When you come to the beautiful Hulunbuir Grassland, you will find it just as the lyrics describe: “My beloved is at the edge of the sky, where there lies a vast grassland. Amidst the boundless plains, white yurts dot the riverside…”

The Hulunbuir Grassland covers a total area of about 100,000 square kilometers, with natural grasslands accounting for 80%, and is one of the world’s three most renowned grasslands. The region is vast, picturesque, rich in water and grass, with more than 3,000 crisscrossing rivers and over 500 scattered lakes forming a magnificent tapestry that extends all the way to the undulating Greater Khingan Mountains.

The Hulunbuir Grassland is the best-preserved grassland in China today, rich in water and grass, and grows more than 120 types of nutritious forage such as alkaligrass, needlegrass, alfalfa, and icegrass, earning it the title "Kingdom of Forage." The Hulunbuir Grassland is also a pristine green land free from pollution. The vastness, lushness, and richness of Hulunbuir are unparalleled among grasslands. Only when you come to this beautiful, fertile, and magical Hulunbuir Grassland can you truly understand what "blue skies and green land" and "pure green earth" mean.

In the height of summer, birds sing and flowers bloom across the grasslands, the air is fresh; dotted Mongolian yurts emit trails of cooking smoke; gentle breezes blow the grass, revealing cattle and sheep in the classic scene of "wind blowing low to reveal grazing herds"; beneath blue skies and white clouds, the endless grassland, herds of livestock, galloping horses, and the heroic figures of herders cracking whips and racing on horseback are all in full view.

The Hulunbuir Grassland is a great place to escape the summer heat. It welcomes visitors from all directions with its open arms. The beautiful Hulunbuir’s slopes and valleys are all soft and gentle, and its vast, endless grassland is forever so grand and tranquil. The Morigele River in Chenbarhu Grassland is known locally as the "First Meandering River," and the area is a tourist attraction themed around nomadic tribes. This is a famous natural pasture in Hulunbuir, and during seasons when water and grass are abundant, many nomadic herders gather here, forming a natural nomadic community. Across the vast grasslands grow lush pastures, winding rivers flow, and herds of cattle and sheep along with scattered yurts dot the landscape... The Golden Khan Mongolian Tribe by the Morigele River is built in the style of Genghis Khan’s traveling tent, recreating the look of a traditional Mongolian tribe. Every summer, Mongolian and Ewenki herders from Chen Barga Banner who go "aotao" (seasonal migration) naturally form a nomadic group in this picturesque land of clear waters and lush grass.

Hulun Lake is another absolutely unmissable highlight of Hulunbuir. Standing by the lake, the view stretches as far as the eye can see—it’s as vast as the sea. By the lakeshore, you might encounter sudden weather changes: the sky may turn from sunny to stormy in moments, bringing heavy rain, yet the setting sun in the west remains undimmed, creating a rare urban spectacle known as a "sun shower." As lightning crackles and thunder rumbles under dark rolling clouds, the setting sun casts a blush of crimson light. At this moment, you’ll be amazed to see a rainbow bridge arch high in the sky above Hulun Lake—so vivid in color and long in span that it’s called a "double rainbow," a good omen, as if the grassland is blessing you with its grandest ceremony. The double rainbow stubbornly gazes down upon the world through the rainy sky. Then comes yet another beautiful sight: the post-rain sunset shakes off its golden cloak, pouring torrents of golden light onto the grassland, while the lake shimmers with golden hues, opening its arms wide to embrace the massive golden sun.

Hulunbuir is so rich, yet the grassland remains silent, indifferent to the praise or forgetfulness of visitors, year after year proving the greatness and continuity of life with its thriving existence and sincere dedication.