The Hulunbuir Steppe, spreading out in all directions from Hailar, is the best grassland landscape in Inner Mongolia. This is not a qualified statement: the grass is taller, the sky is bigger, and the pastoral life is more continuous here than in the more heavily visited grassland parks near Hohhot. In July and August, the steppe turns deep green broken by wildflowers, and Mongolian and Evenki herding families still move their livestock across the open land in the traditional way.
The standard way to experience the grasslands from Hailar is to hire a car and driver for a day or overnight trip to one of the yurt camps within the prefecture. The camps vary in quality and authenticity; the ones operated by local Mongolian families rather than by tourism companies tend to be better on both counts. Horse riding, archery, and evening bonfires are standard inclusions. The most remote areas — past Chenbaerhu Banner and toward the Russian border — require a full day's driving but offer grassland that is genuinely undisturbed by tourism.