- Celebrated: Dec. 18 to Feb. 16
- Location: Beijing
Yuyuantan Park is currently hosting its 5th annual ice and snow festival. The park, boasting a total area of 338.5 acres (137 ha) in Beijing’s Haidian District, is alive with a traditional winter experience.
This year the festival is the largest ever, and it offers an unprecedentedly wide range of activities for the enjoyment of all. Winter sports, traditional winter games, and more than 10 other themes have been set up by the organizers, making it a wonderland for all winter enthusiasts.
Highlights
Snow Sledding
Snow sledding is popular with visitors of all age groups. At Yuyuantan Park it is considered to be a very safe and entertaining activity. Each snow sledding trail measures about 35 meters in length, and there are 10 trails especially designed for children and beginners. For the adventurous, there is a trail which descends 4.5 meters over 30 meters.
Sleigh riding is available for touring around the area.
The Maze
The maze is specially designed to celebrate the upcoming year of the horse. The maze resembles the shape of the Chinese character for ‘horse’ (马), complementing the festive mood in the park.
Snow Transporters
This is the first time that there are five mini snow transporters in Yuyuantan Park. These transporters can be easily controlled, and their stylistic appearance and maneuverability should not be missed by any Chinese military enthusiasts. Fans of the popular game Counter Strike can choose to play in real life on the transporters to have some offbeat entertainment.
Children's World
Children's World is located at the northeast corner of the activity area, presenting a micro-landscape simulation of the Arctic. There are charmingly na?ve penguin sculptures, bringing life to the snow wonderland. Children can play with snow there, and there are educational programs specially arranged for them to learn more about wildlife in the Arctic and Antarctic, Eskimo life, etc.
Travel Essentials
Open: December – February
Admission:
Yuyuantan Park: 2 yuan/person
Ice and Snow Activity Area: 30 yuan/person (excluding activity admission and equipment rental)
Location: West of the South Gate (Old Water Park)
Transportation:
East Gate: Bus 68, 114, 320, or 717 to Muxidi North
South Gate: Bus 1 or 728, or Metro Line 1 to the Military Museum
West Gate: Bus 300 (Hangtian Bridge only), 323, 368, or 374 to Yuyuantan West Gate or Hangtian Bridge South, or bus 40 to Bayi Lake.
