No need to go to Inner Mongolia! There’s a 13km windmill grassland hidden in Lancang, and my son named a calf Long Eyelashes
“Mom, aren’t grasslands only on TV?”
Before going to Lancang, my son always thought grasslands meant Inner Mongolia, which is more than halfway across China from the small southern city where we live. Until the car turned the last bend at Bee Rock, and the whole grassy slope came into view through the window—windmills turning slowly, yellow cattle grazing, a lone tree standing in the middle of the open field. He was stunned for a few seconds and said, “So grasslands can be reached by car.”
🎫 Handy tips before the trip
[RoundNails] Address: Mifengyan Village Group, Fuben Village, Menglang Town, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu’er City. Navigate directly by searching “Mifengyan”
🚗 Self-driving: 30-40 minutes from the county town, narrow cement road all the way, no problem for sedans, many winding mountain roads so slow down
🅿️ Parking: Foot of the mountain parking lot charges 10 yuan/car
🎫 Admission: Free, no hidden fees
⏰ Best time: 4:00-7:00 PM for soft light and great photos, around 8 PM for sunset; early morning may have sea of clouds, rainy days bring misty scenery, each with its own charm
👔 What to wear: Adults in light-colored casual clothes + sneakers; kids in quick-dry long sleeves + loose long pants for mosquito and sun protection, plus non-slip sports shoes; avoid skirts as running and jumping on grassland is inconvenient; bring a light jacket as it’s windy and cool on the mountaintop mornings and evenings
🧤 What to bring: Sun protection essentials—hat, sunscreen, umbrella; kids’ mosquito repellent as grassland has many insects; bring your own food and water as supplies are limited on the mountain; canopy, folding chairs, picnic mat, trash bags for leave-no-trace fun
🗺️ Half-day relaxed itinerary
Arrive at 4 PM → run freely on the grassland + chase yellow cattle → picnic under the windmills → watch sunset dye the grassland golden → return before dark
🌿 Running wild on the grassland—he said the grass is holding a concert
From the county town, a 2 km forest path shaded by green trees on both sides. After the last turn, the whole grassland bursts into view: clear blue sky, low-hanging white clouds, a lone tree standing in the open field, yellow cattle grazing, and windmills turning slowly.
My son was stunned for a few seconds, then shouted, “The grass is holding a concert! When the wind blows, all the grass sways like everyone waving glow sticks in a stadium.” Then he took off his shoes and ran on the grass, running very far, so far I could only see a small figure swaying in the sunlight.
☕ Mom’s relaxation moment: While he ran barefoot on the grass, I sat in a folding chair under the canopy drinking water and watching the windmills turn. The grassland slopes gently with a wide view, so no matter how far he ran, he was still within my sight. The breeze carried the scent of grass and earth, and the distant sound of cowbells jingled softly.
🐂 Getting close to the yellow cattle—he named a calf
In the early morning or evening, you can encounter herds of free-range yellow cattle. The cattle are gentle and not afraid of people. He slowly approached a small yellow calf, kept a good distance, and squatted down to watch it graze for a long time. Then he quietly told me, “Mom, this calf’s eyelashes are so long, even longer than yours.” He named that calf “Long Eyelashes,” and every time he sees the herd, he asks if Long Eyelashes is there.
✅ Kid-tested: The yellow cattle are raised by villagers, gentle but don’t chase or feed them; quietly squatting nearby to observe is best. Kids over 3 years old can do this without screaming or running around; younger kids can be held and still enjoy it. Best time to encounter them is early morning and evening; at noon, the herd hides in the shade and is hard to find.
🌇 Picnic under the windmills + chasing the sunset—he said the sun is painting the grass
Bring your own canopy, folding chairs, and snacks, sit under the windmills enjoying the mountain breeze. After 7:30 PM, the sunset dyes the grassland golden-red, and the windmills, cattle, and lone tree are all bathed in warm light. He ran several laps chasing the light and shadow, then suddenly stopped and said, “Mom, the sun is painting the grass, wherever it touches turns golden.” Then he chased the boundary between gold and green, saying he wanted to step on the golden edge so it wouldn’t run away.
☕ Mom’s relaxation moment: While he chased the golden-green boundary, I sat in the folding chair watching the sunset slowly dye the whole grassland red. The windmills turned slowly, the sound of cowbells drifted from afar, and I didn’t take out my phone to take pictures—the scene was enough to keep in my eyes.
📝 Pitfall checklist
1️⃣ I arrived at the grassland at 1 PM, the scorching heat and stuffiness made my child want to get back in the car within ten minutes; it’s better to go after 4 PM
2️⃣ I forgot mosquito repellent; my child got several bites while squatting by the grass watching the cattle; grasslands have many mosquitoes, so kids’ mosquito repellent is a must
3️⃣ I wore a skirt to the grassland; the wind blew the skirt around and running was inconvenient; long pants are most practical for both adults and kids
4️⃣ I didn’t bring snacks or water; there are very few supply points on the mountain, so bring bread, fruit, and small snacks so kids can eat anytime when hungry
💡 Final thoughts
We descended before dark, and my son leaned on the car window looking back. The windmills were still turning, the yellow cattle had gone home, and the lone tree became a silhouette standing in the sunset glow.
“Mom, is this tree the grassland’s monitor? It stands there every day, watching the cattle and windmills.”
I said maybe. He said next time we come, we should hang a sign on the tree that says “Mifengyan Grassland, Monitor Here.”
Not all grasslands are in Inner Mongolia. There’s one just 13 km from Lancang—no plane tickets, no long holidays needed, just a half-hour drive, and kids can run barefoot on the grass chasing the sunset.
Save this article and next time you come to Lancang, don’t forget to bring your kids here to run wild~ What did your kids say the first time they saw a grassland? Share in the comments~