Homestays in Bole

The landlady's sister picked us up by car. We needed to take a shuttle bus to the Xihai Grassland station, and then drive for another 10 minutes to reach the heart of the grassland where there were many cattle and sheep. The only downside was that the landlady didn't have her own horses for guests to ride in the yurt. The landlady's sister was an excellent cook. We didn't know that reservations were required for meals. It was already past 10 pm when we arrived, and we were starving. We told the landlady's sister, and she generously brought out half a bowl of noodles—tomato and lamb noodles with three lamb trotters! My child and I finished the noodles, paying her 60 yuan. My child said the noodles were great value! Since we forgot our warm clothes in the car, it was too cold at the yurt. We borrowed the landlady's sister's vest and her daughter's sweatshirt. We were very grateful! The landlady's sister is not only beautiful, but also a superb driver, and most importantly, her food is truly delicious!

This is the guesthouse I booked when I went to Sayram Lake with my parents. The environment exceeded my expectations, and my parents were very satisfied. The location was easy to find, parking was convenient, and there were guesthouses all around. I was also quite lucky; we even caught a party event in the square next door, with thousands of people having a bonfire and dancing – it was so much fun! We booked a triple room, with each person having their own bed, and the beds were very comfortable. The owner and the receptionist were very friendly and even helped with our luggage – thumbs up! 👍 After comparing several places, I think this one was great value for money! Unfortunately, we got back too late yesterday and just video chatted with my friends, so I didn't take any pictures.

When I booked the yurt, my simple desire was to bring my 4-and-a-half-year-old to experience Kazakh culture and a different way of life. But... Surprise 1: Located at the highest point of Sai Lake, I could wake up to watch the sunrise and even see the entire lake. For adults, the view is incredible. Surprise 2: The owners are a family of three. Their son is a handsome Kazakh man who speaks Mandarin the best in the family. He handles all customer communications, making communication seamless. The family is incredibly friendly and helpful, and they'll do their best to satisfy any request, as long as they can. Surprise 3: They have a herd of cattle, and another family on the hill behind them has a herd of sheep. They also have two sheepdogs and several horses. It's a truly delightful experience for children. They can play with the dogs, talk to the lambs, ride horses, and ride horses... And they even learned to distinguish between sheep and cow dung, as it's so common and natural. Surprise 4: For dinner, we ordered lamb skewers, braised lamb chops, and pilaf. Two adults and one child couldn't finish them all; the portions were generous and the flavors were excellent. The clear mutton soup had no mutton smell at all (it's best to order it in advance, as it takes about two hours to simmer). Of course, if you're choosing a yurt, you should be prepared. Only consider choosing one if you can accept the following: 1) There's no private toilet, only a dry toilet, and no showers. 2) There's a stove inside, and you have to add the charcoal yourself at night, otherwise it won't last until the next morning. 3) The standard of cleanliness should be comparable to other yurts, not five-star hotels. Overall, if I were to stay in this area again, I would still choose this yurt.

I specifically chose this place for my trip. Since you can't stay inside the scenic area, I opted for this campsite right next to it. It's just a 5-minute drive, which saved a lot of hassle. The camp environment is tranquil, and the air is exceptionally fresh. The room facilities are well-equipped, the bathroom is clean and hygienic, and the bedding is comfortable for a good night's sleep. From sunrise to stargazing, every moment of the scenery is captivating, and the service is meticulous and attentive. It's a great place to stay when visiting Sayram Lake.

Outside, cattle and sheep roam freely on the grasslands, while inside, the hearth is warm and cozy. It's a beautiful sight. Visiting a herder's home is a truly unique experience, more memorable than any journey or landscape.

We booked the guest rooms, which are actually a “盲盒” concept where you get whichever room is available upon check-in. Luckily, we were upgraded to wooden cabins with two rooms each. Since I booked 3 rooms, they arranged 2 wooden cabins for us. Each cabin came with two independent bedrooms with attached bathrooms, plus a shared living room. We absolutely loved it because we could gather and spend time together in the living room. We even had steamboat there one evening, which made the stay feel extra cozy, lovely, and convenient. There was also a huge open area in front of the cabins, but unfortunately the wind during our stay was too strong for us to sit outside. In the evening, sheep were grazing right outside our unit. On good weather days, you can even see Sayram Lake and the snow mountains directly from the cabin, which was really beautiful. The cabins are spread across a large area, so you do need to walk to your unit, but the pathways are properly paved and easy to walk on. Our cabin was about 200m from the car park. Special shoutout to the staff, Hemu and Dan Ni Er, who were extremely helpful. They used their small transport buggy to help move our luggage during check-in and check-out. Since we were travelling with elderly family members who had difficulty walking, they also kindly gave them rides to and from the cabin, which we truly appreciated. Highly recommended for those looking for a different and more memorable experience compared to a normal hotel stay.

If you can stand the dry toilets in the countryside, come here! I actually lived in the summer pasture of Kazakh herdsmen! The experience is superb! The sunset, the starry sky, the sunrise, the flock of cattle and sheep, the enthusiastic puppy. There are so many sheep's screams. The mottled rats running on the hillside in the morning. Before going up the mountain, I washed the parking lot at the point. I also brought some tap water in the bottle and prepared some wet tissues. I could clean it myself and simply washed it at night. The boudoir was built with a stove, not cold, and hot water was burned. The landlord sent small peach and small apricots, sweet! The key is to see the sheep up close, and also ride the horse, happy! There is electricity available at night.

It is close to the old east gate, and it can be reached in ten minutes on foot. It takes about half an hour to walk from the entrance of the new scenic spot. There are a lot of food around, and the supermarket is very convenient. The floor heating is very sufficient, the duplex room type can accommodate 6 people, it is too suitable for a family to stay, the off-season price is relatively high, it is OK to stay for one night. Sailimu Lake is really beautiful! ! ! !

I finally get it! There's a shade of blue in this world called Sayram Lake Blue 🌊 Staying in this yurt, you open the door to this breathtaking blue that's etched into your soul. Standing by the monument, watching the lake's waves, with snow-capped mountains in the distance – every single frame is so beautiful it leaves you speechless! The yurt is clean and has a unique Kazakh charm. The owner is super friendly and even pointed out the best photo spots. If you're coming to Sayram Lake, staying here is an instant romance booster!

It was my first time staying in a yurt, and it was a novel experience. The dormitory-style bed was advertised as a six-person room, but it was big enough for ten people. The children were very happy, doing somersaults and rolling around on it. It was cold at night, but there was a stove inside, which made it more comfortable. In the morning, there was a service where cattle and horses would ”wake them up.” The owner's Kazakh potatoes were delicious, but the mutton soup was a bit too fatty; I only drank half of it. Overall, it was a pretty good experience.