Asahatu Stone Forest is located in the northern part of Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and one of the core scenic areas of Hexigten Global Geopark. The total area of the scenic area is approximately 50,000 hectares, with an average altitude of about 1,700 meters and a maximum height of 1,900 meters. "Asahatu" means "steep rocks" in Mongolian. The scenic area is mainly characterized by unique granite stone forest landforms and is a rare glacial stone forest landscape in the world. These stone forests formed in the late Jurassic period, about 180 million years ago. Through geological processes such as glacial movement and weathering erosion, various forms of stone pillars, stalagmites, stone walls and other landscapes have been formed, known as the "Museum of Glacial Stone Forests". The ecological environment in the scenic area is good, with grasslands, forests and stone forests intermingling, and it is also home to wild animals such as red deer and roe deer. It is a tourist resort integrating geological research, ecological tourism and folk custom experience.
Historical Culture
Hexigten Banner, where Asahatu Stone Forest is located, has a long history and is one of the birthplaces of Hongshan Culture and Khitan Culture. As early as the Neolithic Age, there were human activities here, and a large number of jade articles, pottery and other cultural relics from the Hongshan Culture period have been unearthed, witnessing the development of early human civilization.
Historically, this area has been an important inheritance place of Mongolian nomadic culture. The Hexigten tribe is one of the important Mongolian tribes with profound national cultural heritage. The Mongolian herdsmen around the scenic area still retain their traditional nomadic lifestyle, and their dietary, clothing, festival and other cultural customs have distinct national characteristics.
In addition, the geological formation process of Asahatu Stone Forest itself is a "natural history". The granite mass was formed by magmatic activities about 180 million years ago, and then through the erosion and cutting of the Quaternary glacial movement, as well as the weathering effect over a long period of time, the current stone forest landscape was created. These geological relics provide important scientific basis for the study of earth evolution and glacial movement, and have extremely high geological and historical value.
Mongolian ovoos, sacrificial sites and other places in the scenic area are important carriers of local national culture. The annual Hexigten Banner Grassland Culture Tourism Festival will display traditional Mongolian activities such as Nadam, horse racing and wrestling, combining natural landscapes with national culture, attracting many tourists.
Main Attractions
Scenic Area No. 1 (Moon Castle Scenic Area)
Scenic Area No. 1 is the earliest developed and most densely populated area in Asahatu Stone Forest, covering an area of about 5 square kilometers. The stone forests here are mainly landscapes shaped like castles and palaces. The most famous one is "Moon Castle", which is composed of a group of tall stone pillars. The top of the stone pillars is shaped like a crescent moon, hence the name. There are also landscapes such as "General's Bed" and "Arhat Formation" in the scenic area. "General's Bed" is a flat boulder, which is very similar to a big bed; "Arhat Formation" is composed of dozens of neatly arranged stone pillars, like a group of arhats standing in line. Tourists can visit along the wooden plank road, which is about 2.5 kilometers in total and takes about 1.5 hours to visit.
Scenic Area No. 2 (Eagle Spreading Its Wings Scenic Area)
Scenic Area No. 2 is located about 2 kilometers northeast of Scenic Area No. 1, covering an area of about 3 square kilometers, and is famous for its vividly shaped pictographic stones. The core landscape "Eagle Spreading Its Wings" is a huge rock, which looks like an eagle spreading its wings to fly from the side, with a lifelike shape and majestic momentum. In addition, there are landscapes such as "Leaning Tower of Pisa" and "Beauty Watching the Moon" in the scenic area. "Leaning Tower of Pisa" is a tilted stone pillar, which is quite similar to the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy; "Beauty Watching the Moon" is shaped like a woman looking up at the sky, with a moving expression. The wooden plank road in this area is about 1.8 kilometers long, and the visiting time is about 1 hour.
Scenic Area No. 3 (Siege Scenic Area)
Scenic Area No. 3, also known as "Siege Scenic Area", covers an area of about 4 square kilometers. It gets its name because the stone forests form a landscape similar to a city wall. The stone forest walls here are tall and thick, with a maximum height of 20 meters. The walls are covered with vertical cracks, as if they are manually built city walls. The "Thousand-layer Cake" landscape in the scenic area is particularly unique. The rock layers are distinct, like stacked thousand-layer cakes, showing the layered structure of granite. In addition, landscapes such as "Camel Peak" and "Tethering Post" also have their own characteristics. The wooden plank road in this scenic area is about 2 kilometers long, and the visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
Scenic Area No. 4 (Goddess Scenic Area)
Scenic Area No. 4 is the most mysterious area in Asahatu Stone Forest, covering an area of about 3.5 square kilometers, mainly featuring pictographic stones in the image of women. The core landscape "Goddess Peak" is about 15 meters high, and its overall shape is like a graceful girl with clear outlines of the head and body, which is amazing. There are also landscapes such as "Sisters Peak" and "Mother-child Affection" in the scenic area. "Sisters Peak" is composed of two interdependent stone pillars, like a pair of close sisters; "Mother-child Affection" is shaped like a mother holding a child, full of warmth. The wooden plank road in this area is about 2.2 kilometers long, and the visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
Cuisine
Hand-held Mutton
Hand-held mutton is a traditional food of the Mongolian people around Asahatu Stone Forest. It uses locally raised goats or sheep, cut into large pieces with bones, boiled in clear water, and eaten with salt or leek flower sauce. The meat is tender, not muttony or greasy, retaining the most authentic taste of mutton. In the yurt restaurants around the scenic area, tourists can taste hand-held mutton while feeling the hospitality of the Mongolian people, which is a must-try dish to experience grassland food culture.
Milk Curd
Milk curd is a traditional dairy product of the Mongolian people, which can be tasted in the herdsmen's homes and restaurants around Asahatu Stone Forest. It is made from milk or goat's milk through fermentation, boiling and solidification. It has a firm taste and a slightly sour flavor, and is rich in protein and calcium. Milk curd can be eaten directly, soaked in milk tea, or fried. It is an important food for local herdsmen to supplement nutrition.
Roast Whole Lamb
Roast whole lamb is the highest courtesy of the Mongolian people to entertain guests, and can be booked in large catering establishments around the scenic area. A lamb of about 30 catties is selected, cleaned, coated with secret seasonings, and slowly roasted over charcoal fire for several hours until the outer skin is golden and crispy, and the meat is tender and juicy. Roast whole lamb is usually served with shredded green onions, thin pancakes, etc. When eating, the meat is cut with a knife and rolled in the thin pancakes, with a unique flavor. This dish is suitable for sharing among many people and is a characteristic delicacy during festivals or gatherings.
Milk Tea
Milk tea is an indispensable drink in the daily life of the Mongolian people, and can be found in restaurants around Asahatu Stone Forest. It is made from brick tea and milk, boiled with an appropriate amount of salt, with a reddish-brown color and a salty and fragrant taste. Milk tea is usually eaten with milk curd, fried rice, butter, etc. It can quench thirst and satisfy hunger, and is an "energy drink" on the grassland. Tourists can experience the production process of milk tea in yurts and feel the traditional food culture.
Tickets
The ticket price is 160 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "克旗融创一阿斯哈图石林景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of Asahatu Stone Forest Scenic Area are slightly adjusted according to the season: from April 1 to October 31, the opening hours are 7:30-18:00; from November 1 to March 31 of the next year, it is winter, and some areas of the scenic area are open, with opening hours of 9:00-16:00. In winter, due to the cold weather, some wooden plank roads may be closed. It is recommended that tourists check the official notice of the scenic area before traveling.
Tour Route
On the morning of the first day, arrive at the tourist center of Asahatu Stone Forest Scenic Area, go through the admission procedures, and then go to Scenic Area No. 1 (Moon Castle Scenic Area) first. Visit landscapes such as "Moon Castle" and "General's Bed" along the wooden plank road, which takes about 1.5 hours; then go to Scenic Area No. 2 (Eagle Spreading Its Wings Scenic Area) to watch pictographic stones such as "Eagle Spreading Its Wings" and "Leaning Tower of Pisa", which takes about 1 hour; at noon, have a meal in the catering area of the scenic area or near the tourist center, tasting foods such as hand-held mutton and milk tea, which takes about 1 hour.
In the afternoon, go to Scenic Area No. 3 (Siege Scenic Area) to visit landscapes such as "Thousand-layer Cake" and "Camel Peak", which takes about 1.5 hours; then go to Scenic Area No. 4 (Goddess Scenic Area) to enjoy characteristic scenic spots such as "Goddess Peak" and "Sisters Peak", which takes about 1.5 hours. In the evening, return to the yurt resort around the scenic area for accommodation and experience the Mongolian bonfire party, which takes about 2 hours. The total playing time is about 1 day. If you want to visit in depth or take photos of sunrise and sunset, you can arrange for two days.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Chifeng City, take Danxi Expressway (G16) to Daguang Expressway (G45), then transfer to S105 Provincial Road to Jingpeng Town, Hexigten Banner, then take G303 National Road to X502 County Road to Asahatu Stone Forest Scenic Area, with a total distance of about 420 kilometers and a driving time of about 6 hours; from Jingpeng Town to the scenic area is about 135 kilometers, with a driving time of about 2.5 hours. The charging standard of the parking lot in the scenic area is 10 yuan per time.
- Tourist special line: Jingpeng Town Passenger Station of Hexigten Banner has daily tourist special line buses to and from Asahatu Stone Forest Scenic Area, departing at 7:30 and returning at 16:00, with a driving time of about 2.5 hours and a fare of 50 yuan per person.
- Chartered car: It is more convenient to charter a car to the scenic area in Jingpeng Town. The round-trip cost of a 5-seat car is about 300-400 yuan, which can be round-trip on the same day or chartered for multiple days according to the itinerary.
- Train: The nearest railway station to the scenic area is Jingpeng Station, which has trains to and from Chifeng, Tongliao and other places. From Jingpeng Station to the scenic area, you can transfer to a tourist special line or a chartered car, with a driving time of about 2.5 hours.
Must-visit Attractions
- "Moon Castle" in Scenic Area No. 1: Composed of tall stone pillars, with the top shaped like a crescent moon, it is one of the iconic landscapes of Asahatu Stone Forest. The area has dense scenic spots, and the visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
- "Eagle Spreading Its Wings" in Scenic Area No. 2: A huge rock shaped like an eagle spreading its wings, with a lifelike shape. It is the most famous pictographic stone landscape in the scenic area, with a visiting time of about 1 hour.
- "Goddess Peak" in Scenic Area No. 4: A 15-meter-high stone pillar shaped like a girl, with a beautiful shape and full of mystery. It is a popular photo spot for tourists, with a visiting time of about 1.5 hours.
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 1-2 days for the tour. One day can be used to visit the main attractions, and two days can be used for in-depth experience and watching sunrise and sunset.
- The best travel seasons are June-August (green grasslands and cool climate) and September-October (colorful mountains and forests in autumn, and more magnificent stone forest landscapes). In winter, you can experience the ice and snow stone forest, but you need to pay attention to keeping warm.
- The total length of the wooden plank road in the scenic area is about 8 kilometers. It is recommended to wear comfortable hiking shoes and carry sufficient drinking water and a small amount of snacks.
- In summer, the ultraviolet rays in the scenic area are strong, so you need to take sun protection measures, such as carrying sun hats, sunglasses and sunscreen; in autumn, the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, so you need to carry coats.
- The catering price in the scenic area is relatively high. You can bring some dry food and fruits by yourself. You can book in advance to eat in the yurt resort to experience characteristic food.
Matters Needing Attention
- The stone forest landform in the scenic area is complex, and some areas are steep. When visiting, you must walk along the designated wooden plank road, and it is forbidden to enter undeveloped areas without permission to prevent danger.
- The ecological environment in the scenic area is fragile. It is forbidden to litter, pick flowers and plants, or carve on rocks to protect the natural landscape.
- In winter, the temperature in the scenic area is as low as -20℃, and the road surface is easy to freeze. When visiting, you need to wear non-slip shoes and warm clothes and walk carefully.
- The mobile phone signal in the scenic area is weak, and there may be no signal in some areas. It is recommended to travel with a partner, avoid acting alone, and agree on a meeting place with your partner in advance.
- Respect the customs and habits of the local Mongolian people. You need to get the owner's permission before entering the yurt, and do not touch the stones and prayer flags on the ovoo at will.