Two-Day Trip to Fengning Bashang Grassland

How should I enjoy the last holiday of 2018, National Day? I chose to join a group tour, Beijing Chuxin Outdoor, to go horseback riding on the Bashang Grassland in Fengning, Hebei. At 19:30 on the evening of September 30, we gathered at the south entrance of Huitong West Street and got on the bus. We headed north. By the time we reached a service area at the northernmost part of Beijing around 9:30, it already felt cold. When we arrived at a farmhouse lodging in Fengning County near midnight, the weather was already very cold. According to the host, it had just snowed the day before, so these two days were especially cold. Later, after National Day, when scrolling through Moments, I saw that people who went to deserts, Gobi, or volcanoes were all cold without exception. So in autumn, going to these places really requires careful thought and full preparation. Before departure, the tour leader repeatedly emphasized bringing thick clothes, preferably a down jacket. I have been afraid of cold since childhood, so I directly brought my thickest down jacket, a Canada Goose with 500g of down. It is said that this jacket can even handle Antarctica. I have never been to Antarctica, so I do not know whether that is true. But it had no problem resisting the temperature of an autumn grassland night.

On the morning of the first day, we went horseback riding near the village, 80 yuan per hour. There were more than 40 people in this tour group who came to ride horses, and mounting the horses was chaotic. Somehow, I followed one group and left. That group consisted of about 20 tourists and 3 horse handlers. Through later conversation, I learned that I had boarded a “pirate ship”. What made it a pirate ship? First, we made a huge loop and took the farthest route. That meant the longest time, 4 hours, and the highest cost. For me, riding a horse for such a long time, especially as a first-time rider, was exciting at first when galloping, but by the return trip it was simply torture. The horse was eager to go home and always wanted to run fast, while my internal organs felt like they were about to be shaken apart. After returning, my waist and back hurt for four days, my tailbone was scraped, and the middle of my shin was worn raw by the stirrup. It took a week to slowly heal. Of course, taking the long route had benefits. We passed through the nearby “Lovers’ Valley”, the place with the most beautiful scenery. Hills, grassland, blue sky, and white clouds reflected one another, forming picture after picture worthy of a screensaver. Any casual shot from horseback was beautiful. In particular, we could also see large stretches of birch forest, groups of wind turbines at varying distances, and snow-covered mountain peaks. Second, we took three breaks in the middle. Each break was at a rough tea house, and the total break time reached one hour. Yet all of this was still charged. You could say the horses and handlers were taking paid vacations. Finally, by the time we returned to the farmhouse, it was already 1 p.m. Lunch started at 12. Those who returned early had fish and meat; those who returned late only had leftovers.

In the afternoon, we took a bus to visit the outside of Khan Palace and Lightning Lake.

In the evening, we tasted roast whole lamb, lit a bonfire with everyone, and set off fireworks.

On the morning of the second day, we went to the grassland amusement park.

Finally, here is a horseback-riding photo. Since I am tall, the horse assigned to me was also large.

Postscript

All expenses for this trip:

• Registration fee 350
• Horseback riding 350
• Lightning Lake 20
• Amusement park 40
• Snacks on the road 10
• Total 770