For first-time visitors, riding a mapali is a completely new experience. Bumpy but surprisingly fast, it shows how practical this transport was in the harsh winter. It's also quietly comfortable — sitting on the sled in the wide snowy fields and forests feels refreshingly relaxing.

Historically, mapali, or horse-drawn sleighs, were essential transportation tools for the local people in Mohe, the northernmost city in China, during the long winter months. With no wheels and pulled by horses, they could travel across ice, snowfields, forests and frozen rivers.

Today, in Beiji Village in Mohe, mapali has transitioned from survival tools to a winter travel experience.