A Week on the Grasslands

My husband and I had been wanting to see real grasslands for a long time. We live in a city with tall buildings everywhere, so the idea of wide open space with nothing but sky and grass sounded amazing. When we found this trip to Hulunbuir through China Comfort Travel, we just went for it. The consultant who helped us book was very patient and gave us plenty of tips.

Our guide on the ground was a local Mongolian man named Mr. Bat, probably in his late thirties, with a warm smile and a deep, calm voice. He grew up on the grassland and knew every inch of it. He was also incredibly proud of his culture and loved sharing it with us.

We flew into Hailar and the driver picked us up at the airport. The first day we had free time, so we walked around the Hulunbuir Ancient City. It's not really ancient, more like a rebuilt old town with shops and food stalls, but it was fun to wander through. My husband bought some weird dried meat that he insisted was delicious. I took one bite and gave the rest back to him.

The next morning we went off road along the Mergel River. The river twisted through the grassland like a silver ribbon, and the green hills rolled on forever in every direction. Our driver took us to a spot where we could stand on a small hill and see the river bend around in a big curve. Mr. Bat pointed out the best angle for photos and even took a few of us together. My husband took about a hundred photos and kept saying it looked like a postcard. We also visited the Erguna Wetland Park, which was a total change of scenery. The wetlands stretched out with little ponds and reeds, and we saw deer wandering around like they owned the place. One of them came pretty close to us, and my husband tried to get a selfie with it. The deer just looked at him, snorted, and walked away. I told him that deer had better judgment than I did. Mr. Bat laughed and told us the deer were used to people but still had their wild instincts.

After that we drove through a White Birch Forest. The trees were so white and straight, standing tall against the bright blue sky, and the sunlight filtered through the leaves in little patches. We walked along the wooden walkway for a while, just enjoying the quiet. Mr. Bat walked with us and told us about how the local people used birch bark for making everyday items. My husband started humming some old song and I told him to stop because he was ruining the peaceful vibe. He hummed louder just to annoy me.

The third day was horseback riding at Black Mountain Head. I was a little nervous because I had only ridden a horse once before and it was not a great experience. But once I was up there, looking out at the endless grassland while the horse walked slowly along, I felt so calm. My husband, of course, acted like he was born on a horse. He kept trying to go faster and Mr. Bat had to tell him to slow down. He looked ridiculous but he was having the time of his life. Later we went to the 186 Ribbon River for grass sliding, which is basically sliding down a hill on a plastic board. My husband went first and flew down so fast he rolled off at the bottom and got grass all over his clothes. I laughed so hard I almost couldn't go myself.

We spent the night in Manzhouli, which is right on the border with Russia. The next day we visited the Matryoshka Scenic Area, which has these giant nesting doll statues everywhere. They were huge and colorful, painted with bright flowers and smiling faces, and they looked completely out of place against the Mongolian landscape. We also went to the Balhu Mongolian Tribe village, where we tried traditional folk activities. We shot some arrows at targets, which went about as well as you would expect. My husband hit the target exactly once and then acted like he was some kind of champion. A little Mongolian boy shot better than both of us combined, and my husband pretended not to notice. Mr. Bat arranged for us to try on traditional Mongolian clothing, which was a lot of fun. The robes were heavy and colorful, with ornate belts and hats. We took so many photos that my phone battery nearly died. My husband looked like a Mongolian warrior, or at least he thought he did.

That evening, Mr. Bat took us to a local family's yurt for dinner. They prepared a traditional roasted whole lamb for us, which was the highlight of the entire trip. The lamb was cooked over an open fire, slowly rotating until the skin turned golden and crispy. Mr. Bat showed us how the locals carve the meat and which parts were the most tender. The flavor was incredible, smoky and rich, and we ate far more than we should have. They also served fresh dairy products, creamy yogurt, thick cheese, and a salty milk tea that we weren't sure about at first but ended up loving. My husband kept going back for more yogurt.

That night we stayed in a traditional yurt on the grassland. The yurt was round and cozy, with thick felt walls and a little stove in the middle. When I stepped outside at night, the sky was so full of stars that it almost looked fake. My husband tried to point out constellations but he only knew the Big Dipper, so he just kept pointing at the same one. We sat outside for a long time, wrapped in blankets, just staring up and saying nothing. It was one of those moments you want to remember forever.

We drove back to Hailar the next day and flew home. My husband already started talking about coming back in winter, but I told him to let us recover from this trip first. My legs were so sore from the horse riding that I could barely walk through the airport. Totally worth it though. And a big thanks to Mr.Bat, who made the whole experience feel authentic and personal.