After our first afternoon settling into Hemu Village, our second day here was built entirely around Hemu Village horse riding. We rode out to Beauty Peak, walked the birch forest, and hiked an off-path route a hotel staff member recommended that most visitors never do. This is a summer trip (mid-August), not a winter or ski-season one. If you’ve landed here looking for Hemu’s ski resort, that’s a different season and a different post. This guide covers what Hemu Village horse riding actually costs, plus the rest of a full second day here, thunderstorm included.
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Quick Facts: Hemu Village Horse Riding (Day 2)
We paid 280 CNY (39 USD) per person for the round trip to Big Beauty Peak (大美丽峰), after a refund for a booking mix-up. Add a 10 CNY (1 USD) baby goat photo op, a birch forest walk, and an off-path hike to 克什阿什克村 (Kè Shí Ā Shí Kè Cūn) that isn’t in any guidebook we could find.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Horse riding route ridden | Big Beauty Peak (大美丽峰), after a booking mix-up |
| Price paid | 280 CNY (39 USD) per person, post-refund |
| Baby goat photo op | 10 CNY (1 USD) for 10 minutes |
| Off-path hike | 克什阿什克村, locally recommended, ~3km each way |
| Dinner | Hotpot at 小龙坎火锅, with a Dianping voucher discount |
Horse Riding to Beauty Peak: What We Actually Paid
Hemu Village horse riding starts at the Birch Tree Forest ticket booth. We set off around 9:15am and paid 280 CNY (39 USD) per person for Big Beauty Peak (大美丽峰), after a mix-up meant we rode a shorter, cheaper route than the one we’d booked.
Our previous Hemu Village post covers the official committee-set price table at the Birch Tree Forest ticket booth. The board lists Big Beauty Peak (大美丽峰) at 260 CNY (36 USD). We paid 280 CNY (39 USD), a small gap worth flagging. It’s a good reminder that posted prices are a starting point, not a guarantee. Confirm the current rate on the day.
We’d actually wanted the longer 美丽峰小村庄 (Beauty Peak Village) route, priced at 320 CNY (44 USD). A communication mix-up meant the ticket booth only booked us for the shorter Big Beauty Peak route instead. We got a refund for the difference, which was fair enough. Walking to Beauty Peak Village without a horse would have taken five to six hours in brutal heat. Not realistic for us, so riding was really the only sensible way to cover that distance.
What the Ride Was Actually Like
The operators ran things well. We each got a helmet and a small vest to wear. Both of my parents had their own personal handler leading their horse the whole way. I rode more freely, mostly on my own but following behind everyone else. At the top we got off for a break and took in the view. We rested our legs, then headed back down a different path that followed the river. We finished up around 11am. Budget about 1.5-2 hours total for this route.
Gear we used: Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof Hiking Boots earned their place later this same day, on the hike back from 克什阿什克村 in a thunderstorm (more on that below). Check current price at the link.
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A 10 CNY Baby Goat Photo Op by Hemu Bridge
Near Hemu Bridge (禾木桥), close to where the horse routes start, local families rent out baby goats dressed in tiny Kazakh-style outfits for photos, 10 CNY (1 USD) for 10 minutes.
We rented one for a quick photo shoot down by the river. There’s also a longer 30-minute option, which we were told runs around 50 CNY (7 USD). We didn’t confirm that price ourselves, so treat it as a rough guide, not a fixed rate. This isn’t a formally priced, published attraction. It’s a genuinely local, informal thing to look out for near the bridge.
Walking Through the Birch Forest (白桦林)
白桦林 (Báihuà Lín) is a roughly 20-minute walk up from the village, and it’s worth knowing the name isn’t specific to one forest. Locals use it for any patch of birch trees, which turns out to be common right across Xinjiang.
We left the hotel around 2:30pm for the walk up, an easy, mostly flat stretch and a nice cooldown after the morning’s ride. It’s also the starting point for most of the horse routes to Beauty Peak. Even if you skip riding entirely, this walk is worth doing on its own.
The Hike to 克什阿什克村: A Hotel Staff Recommendation
A hotel staff member pointed us to a 3km-each-way hike to 克什阿什克村 (Kè Shí Ā Shí Kè Cūn) that we couldn’t find written up anywhere else, in English or Chinese. If you’re after somewhere genuinely quiet in an increasingly touristy part of Xinjiang, this is it.
We set off around 3pm. The route follows the dirt path at the sharp corner of Hemu road, tracking the river most of the way. It stays alongside the water at first, then opens into a big meadow lined with pine trees on both sides. It looked stunning under a clear blue sky. Keep going until you reach a bridge, cross it, then follow the path left. That’s roughly where the terrain shifts from flat meadow to a mild forested incline. Amap covers most of the route, but not the section past the bridge. The path itself is easy enough to follow by eye.
We barely saw anyone else out there the entire way, which says a lot given how busy the main village gets. That’s really the whole appeal: a walk that doesn’t feel like it’s on every tourist’s list. Go in expecting no signage, no facilities, and no crowd to follow if you lose the path.
We Got Caught in a Thunderstorm
Thunder and light rain started on the way there. We got properly soaked on the way back, lightning flashing overhead the whole time. We were out in it for close to an hour. By the time we reached the road at the village edge, we were as wet as if we’d jumped straight into a pool. A blue park bus spotted us walking. We weren’t at an official stop, but the driver pulled over anyway, dropping us the last two stops back to the hotel.
We got back around 5:30pm and spent a couple of hours drying off, warming up, and wringing out our clothes and shoes before dinner. If you’re hiking here in summer, pack for a sudden storm. Xinjiang’s weather runs 30-38°C and dry through the day. Afternoon thunderstorms are a real possibility, and there’s no shelter along most of this route.
Dinner: Hotpot at 小龙坎火锅, Again
We went back to the same 小龙坎火锅 (Xiǎolóngkǎn Huǒguō) branch as the night before. A Dianping voucher saved us about 70 CNY (10 USD) off the bill.
With only two restaurants near our accommodation, going back to a place we already knew was the easy choice. We ordered mostly the same as the previous night, with a couple of swaps:
- 自助调味碟 (self-serve seasoning dish) x3 — 24 CNY (3 USD)
- 全清滋补锅底 (clear nourishing hotpot base) — 68 CNY (9 USD)
- 现切鲜牛肉 (freshly cut fresh beef) — 98 CNY (14 USD)
- 雪花肥牛 (snowflake fatty beef) — 98 CNY (14 USD)
- 平菇 (oyster mushroom) — 22 CNY (3 USD)
- 油麦菜 (romaine lettuce) — 22 CNY (3 USD)
- 白米饭 (white rice) x3 bowls — 15 CNY (2 USD)
We found a voucher on 大众点评 (Dianping) before sitting down: two 100 CNY vouchers for 64 CNY (9 USD) each. That saved about 70 CNY (10 USD) off the total. If you’re eating out often in China, it’s worth getting familiar with Dianping or Meituan vouchers before your trip. See our essential apps guide for how to set both up.
Costs: Day 2 in Hemu Village Tally
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Horse riding, Big Beauty Peak route (after refund, x3 people) | 840 CNY (117 USD) |
| Baby goat photo rental | 10 CNY (1 USD) |
| Accommodation at 兰溪酒店 (2 of 3 nights, 3-person cabin) | 1,408 CNY (196 USD) |
| Dinner, hotpot at 小龙坎火锅 (with Dianping voucher) | 347 CNY (48 USD) |
| Total | ~2,605 CNY (362 USD) |
Accommodation here continues the same three-night stay at 兰溪酒店 (Lánxī Jiǔdiàn) that started on our first day in Hemu (4,224 CNY total across three nights, split evenly).
Hemu Village Horse Riding FAQ
Is Hemu Village horse riding a summer or winter activity?
Both, but this guide covers summer riding to Beauty Peak on grass trails, not the winter ski season at the nearby Jikepulin resort. If you’re searching for skiing, you’re after a different post and a different time of year.
How much does horse riding to Beauty Peak actually cost in Hemu Village?
We paid 280 CNY (39 USD) per person for the Big Beauty Peak route, after a refund for a booking mix-up. Published prices for the same route vary between about 200 and 400 CNY, depending on the source, season, and whether a guide’s fee is included. Treat any figure you find online as a starting point, and confirm on the day.
How hot does it get in Hemu Village in summer?
Expect 30-38°C and dry heat through the day, similar to a hot Australian summer. Afternoon thunderstorms are a real possibility, as we found out on the hike to 克什阿什克村, so pack for both heat and sudden rain.
Is the hike to 克什阿什克村 an official, marked trail?
No. A hotel staff member recommended it to us directly, and we couldn’t find it written up in any published guide, English or Chinese. Expect no signage past a certain point and no crowd to follow if you lose the path, so go prepared and don’t attempt it if the weather looks unstable.
How’s the food in Hemu Village?
Genuinely good, if not typically Xinjiang. Hotpot isn’t a regional specialty here, but it let us keep eating the area’s excellent meat in a different form. A Dianping voucher also shaved a real chunk off the bill both nights we went.
Have a question this Hemu Village guide missed? Drop it in the comments below for a reply.
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