China Hiking Tours

We have well-trained guides. Hiking with an experienced, well-trained guide will maximize your safety and allow you to enjoy your hiking adventure. If your trip is in an unfamiliar place, it is even more important to have a professional guide. Some guests want to learn as much as possible about the area they are hiking through, so the guide will let you know about the place and the life here by sharing stories, and knowledge. If you are new to hiking, I am sure you will prefer to go hiking with an expert. This way you can learn best practices from the professionals. A guided trip is a great way to start for newbies. For most guests, they join guided hiking and backpacking trips for all of these reasons. Whatever your reason, we're ready to help you create the experience of a lifetime.

Physical activity helps prevent chronic disease, premature death, and improves health and quality of life. A great way to improve your health and reduce health problems is to get outside and go for a hike! Hiking can reduce stress levels, improve mood, and enhance mental health. Secondly hiking can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels. Hiking helps improve control of a healthy weight and can reduce body fat. Hiking can also improve bone density and increase flexibility and coordination.

Hiking is a very popular vacation option. We recommend that you book at least six months in advance. If you are exploring a popular destination during peak times, it is recommended to book even earlier. Doing so will also give you enough time to do the necessary training before your tour begins. That said, most of our active vacations can be booked a few days in advance, depending on room availability. If you would like to book at the last minute, please feel free to contact us.

What to wear when hiking is an important factor to consider. The right clothes will allow you to have a safe and comfortable experience, while inappropriate clothing may cause discomfort and may even put you in danger. In general, we recommend that you do not wear cotton, but choose wool or polyester. And you should also avoid wearing particularly thick clothes. You can bring more layers of lighter clothing that can be added or removed as the temperature changes. But if you're hiking in the winter, a down jacket is essential. Finally, if you're hiking in the mountains or in areas with cooler temperatures and the possibility of precipitation, it's essential to bring a rain jacket and pants. Hiking in the high mountains is even more important not to wear cotton clothing. Mountain environments typically have dramatic, sudden temperature changes and year-round precipitation. Cotton fibers absorb moisture (including sweat) and take a long time to dry. If you are wearing cotton and get wet from sweat or rain, you will feel very uncomfortable once the weather changes. If you get wet when the temperature drops and the wind strengthens, this can be dangerous or even fatal. Polyester and wool do not absorb water like cotton, and they dry faster. Wearing quick-dry clothes will keep moisture away from your body and can be more effective in maintaining body temperature even in bad weather.

Wearing low-top hiking shoes is now considered to be the safest and most comfortable option. Low-top hiking shoes have sturdy soles that protect your feet from rocks and irregular ground. There are two other issues that you need to be aware of when you put on your new hiking shoes. If the shoes are too big, your heel will slip and cause blisters when climbing. If the shoe is too small, your toes will hit the front of your shoe when going downhill, which could lead to problems with toenail injuries. Therefore, when choosing shoes, we recommend testing your shoes using the slopes available at most outdoor stores.

The choice of backpacks is vast and each pack has its own set of features. We recommend that you choose from some of the big outdoor brands and purchase a high-quality pack. It needs to have a sturdy support system, a waist belt and a sternum strap as well as a place to put your water bottle. In general, most backpacks range from 20 to 35 liters in capacity. If you don't need a lot of extra water, snacks, lunch, etc. you can choose a smaller backpack (about 20 liters). This type of backpack is suitable for 2 to 6 hours of hiking. Larger backpacks (about 35 liters) are more suitable for hikes of 7 to 12 hours or longer. You can put first aid items, more food, more water, etc.

During the warmer months, hikers need to carry and drink about one gallon (4 liters) of water a day. In addition, eating enough food will help you replenish your electrolytes (salt). During the summer months, if you go up the mountain during the hottest part of the day, you can lose more than two quarts of electrolytes per hour. And because the air is dry and hot, and your sweat evaporates instantly, you won't even feel the loss of electrolytes. So, don't wait until you start to feel thirsty to start replacing lost water. When you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated. In hot weather, it's recommended that you drink a half to a quart of water or sports drink every hour. You can hold a water bottle in your hand and drink small amounts of water often.

A. Hiking in Yangshuo allows you to enjoy the essence of Guilin's landscape up close. The phrase "Guilin's landscape is the best in China" is well known, so people come incessantly. But most people come with a group, so it is difficult to really appreciate its beauty in detail. And hiking can be a great way to experience its beauty from a close distance. Walking along the Li River, you can see the picturesque Li River, fishermen fishing on the bamboo rafts, and the endless green hills. The beauty is so close in front of you as if you have walked into a gallery. The usual hiking route in Yangshuo is to take a bus to Yangtixiang and start hiking along the Li River from the Yangti Ferry. Yangshuo is suitable for hiking all year round.

Recommended route: Yangdixiang - Langshi - Quanjiazhou - Lengshui - Huashan - Xingping Town

B. Tiger Leaping Gorge is also a very popular hiking destination. There are many foreigners who come to Tiger Leaping Gorge to hike, and people of different colors and languages travel together, so you will feel like you have crossed into Manhattan in the United States. Tiger Leaping Gorge is on the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La, and it takes nearly three hours from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge Town. Hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge, you will sometimes be on edge treading the cliff-side paths and watching out for slippery rocks from time to time. At the next corner of the trail, you will suddenly find the Haba Snow Mountain in front of your eyes, so you will be enchanted and admire. There are shuttle buses from Shangri-La and Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge Town (Qiaotou) and Daju, both of which are accessible to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. And it is recommended to go from Qiaotou. Tiger Leaping Gorge is suitable for hiking all year round.

Recommended route: Qiaotou - Naxi Family Guesthouse- 28 Turns - One Line of Sky|Sky Ladder - Walnut Garden - Old Ferry - Daju (back to Lijiang or to Shangri-La)

C. Kanas is a comprehensive scenic spot integrating glaciers, lakes, forests, grasslands, pastures, rivers, ethnic customs, and rare flora and fauna. Kanas Lake is the core attraction. You will mainly enjoy the mysterious Kanas Lake, the Bay of Gods, Wolong Bay, and Moon Bay. It is famous for the beautiful scenery of Kanas Lake and the surrounding snow-capped mountains, grasslands, and birch forests, and is known as the "Switzerland of the East" and "photographer's paradise". The spectacular glaciers reflecting the tranquil lake, the vast grasslands embracing the deep primitive forests, and the ancient Tuva people living in the primitive villages of Hemu and Baihaba are all fascinating. The best time for hiking in Kanas is from June to September every year. You can go there by plane or car from Urumqi.

Recommended route: Urumqi - Orku - Hemu - Kanas - Baikhaba - Wucai Riverbank - Burqin - Urumqi

D. The Great Wall is the symbol of China and hiking at the Great Wall is a very memorable thing. However, for the average person, it is certainly a huge challenge to complete the full Great Wall hike. The average person hiking the Great Wall will pick a section of it and use it as a goal. So, hiking the Great Wall, the distance can often be long or short, with the most prominent choice of places concentrated around Beijing. If anyone can complete the entire hike from Shanhai Pass to Jiayu Pass, he will have achieved a new feat in his life. The best time to hike the Great Wall in Beijing is during spring and autumn. There are more routes to choose from, so you can choose according to your physical strength and preference.

E. For those who like hiking, there are two places in Sichuan that you can't miss - Daocheng Yading and Mount Siguniang. Because of its beautiful southern European scenery, Mount Siguniang is also known as "China's Alps". Mount Siguniang is rich in flora and fauna resources. The landscape here is primitive, simple, quiet, and mysterious. In spring, flowers bloom here. In summer, grasses are lush. In autumn, the scenery is colorful. In winter, the mountain is snow-capped. There is no direct shuttle bus from Chengdu to Mount Siguniang. So, visitors need to go to Xiaojin County first and then take a bus to Mount Siguniang. The best time for hiking on Mount Siguniang is from July to August.

Recommended route: Entrance of Changping Village- Mountain Pass-Bipenggou Main Road

F. Legend has it that in a hidden place deep in the snowy mountains of the Tibetan plateau, there is a kingdom surrounded by a double layer of snowy mountains, where there are snowy mountains, glaciers, canyons, forests, meadows, lakes, gold mines and pure air. This kingdom is the Kingdom of Shambhala, known as the last piece of pure land on the blue planet, which is today's Daocheng Yading. In Daocheng Yading, you will see the vastness of the world which is shocked. 1145 alpine lakes are scattered among the jagged rocks, as blue as jade, and the scenery is extremely spectacular. Therefore, Daocheng Yading is known as the last Shambhala. The best time for hiking in Daocheng Yading is from April to October.

Recommended route: Riva—Mapa—Chonggu Temple—Luorong Cattle Farm—Milk Sea—Five Color Sea

G. The Three Gorges accommodates endless charming scenery and is the most wondrous and magnificent landscape corridor on the Yangtze River, where hiking is an absolute pleasure of beauty. In ancient times, many poets have written many poems that have been passed down to this day while visiting the Three Gorges. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of city life, you can take time to look at the white clouds and flowing water, enjoy the green hills on both sides of the river, recite a poem and sing a fishing song ...... To hike in the Three Gorges, you first need to travel to Chongqing by plane or car, etc. The best time to hike along the Three Gorges is in the spring and fall.

Recommended route: Three Gorges Dam site - Sanyou Cave - Gezhouba Dam - Wu Gorge - Daning River Little Three Gorges - White Emperor City - Zhangfei Temple

H. Motuo County was the only county in China that has no road access. It is not very famous, but it is indeed a holy place for travelers on foot. In Tibetan Buddhism, Motuo means "hidden lotus". There are many mountains and waterfalls in Motuo, and there are also rare forest areas where you can also see Bengal tigers, cows, long-tailed gray leaf monkeys, big hornbills and other rare animals. However, if you are not an experienced hiker, please do not go there without permission. The plateau reaction, bad weather and dangerous environment are definitely a challenge to physical strength, perseverance and wisdom. To get to Motuo you need to take a bus from Lhasa to Pai Village in Linzhi and start your trekking journey from Pai Village. The best time for trekking in Motuo is October.

Recommended route: Pai Village - Songlingkou - Doxiongla Snow Mountain - Lage - Hanmi - Beibeng – Motuo

The Great Wall is one of Beijing's icons: Badaling, Juyongguan, Mutianyu, etc. Besides these famous Great Wall, there are also many Wild Great Wall around Beijing that have survived thousands of years. They have unlimited scenery and attract countless outdoor enthusiasts to challenge them.

A. Jiankou Great Wall is one of the most famous Great Wall in Beijing, and one of the most popular places for hikers! Backed by steep mountains, this section of the Great Wall is precipitous and beautiful, dilapidated and ancient. The rustic bricks stretches through the mountains and hills, full of untouched natural beauty. The Jiankou Great Wall is located in Huairou District, a suburb of Beijing. It is at an altitude of 1,141 meters, 10 kilometers west of the Mutianyu Great Wall. It is named after the entire section of the Great Wall that winds in the shape of a W, shaped like a full bow with arrows. From the north to the south, there are many dangerous and beautiful scenery such as Beijing Knot, Eagle Flying Backwards and Heavenly Staircase, and it is also the core area for hikers to challenge the Jiankou Great Wall.

B. Jinshanling Great Wall, located in Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, is adjacent to Miyun District of Beijing, 130 kilometers from downtown Beijing. It was built under the auspices of Qi Jiguang, a famous general who fought against Japanese in the Ming Dynasty. It has the reputation of being a "photographer's paradise". The gift of nature makes Jinshanling Great Wall extremely beautiful all year round. At the same time, the area around Jinshanling was a key location in the capital and was also a front line of war. The Ming Dynasty spend heavily to build Jinshanling. Jinshanling has a complete defense system and well-preserved facilities, which is called the essence of the Great Wall of China and the ancient defense museum.

C. Dazhenyu Great Wall is undulating and picturesque. The best shooting angles are at 711 meters above sea level at Niuyibian and 915 meters above sea level at West Building. Looking west, the peak of the West Building is shaped like a barrier and stands high in the clouds. Standing on top of the West Building, there is no other high point under the Great Wall, so you can enjoy the view of the peaks and the winding mountains. The total length of the Great Wall is about 9 kilometers and can be divided into three sections in the middle.

D. Qilian Pass is located in Yanqi Town, built during the Ming Dynasty. It is then the westernmost pass under the jurisdiction of Miyun area. At the same time it is also the westernmost point of the Great Wall of Jizhen, which begins at Shanhai Pass. One end of Qilian Pass is also connected to Mutianyu Great Wall.

E. The Great Wall of Zhuangdaokou is adjacent to the Huanghuacheng Reservoir to the east and the Xishuiyu Reservoir to the west. It is located in Huairou County, Beijing, about more than 80 kilometers from the city center. The village where the Zhuangdaokou Great Wall is located used to be a castle guarding the pass, and is only 2 kilometers away from the Huanghuacheng Water Great Wall scenic spot (Xishuiyu Reservoir). The famous pass of the Great Wall "Zhenluguan" is located 500 meters north of the village, so the Great Wall is also known as Zhenluguan Great Wall.

F. If someone asks, which is the highest beacon tower among these Great Wall in Beijing? Hikers will definitely tell you that it is the Nine Eyes Tower. The Nine Eyes Tower was built in the Ming Dynasty and has a history of more than 460 years. It is the highest of all the Great Wall beacon towers in Beijing, with an altitude of 1141 meters, located on the border of Huairou Yanqi Town and Yanqing Sihai Town. When you climb up the tower, you can see the Jiankou Great Wall and the Mutianyu Great Wall. Secondly, the Nine Eyes Tower is said to be one of the largest beacon towers in the Great Wall, with nine observation holes (like nine eyes) on each of the four sides, so it is called the Nine Eyes Tower.

G. Panlongshan Great Wall is located in Gubeikou Town, Miyun. This section of Great Wall is on a dangerous terrain and has been an essential place for soldiers since ancient times. There are 19 beacon towers, General Tower and 24-eye tower on the 5-kilometer-long Great Wall, which are the architectural essence of this section. The walls of the Panlongshan Great Wall have not been repaired and are still preserved in their original form. The walls of this section have different styles of earthen walls and brick walls.

H. In the northwest of Changping District lies the Great Wall section with the highest average elevation in Beijing, the Great Wall of Changyucheng. Built in the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall of Changyucheng is 8 kilometers long. The Great Wall's beacon tower is called "Gaolou (high buildings)" by the locals, with an elevation of 1439.3 meters, which is the highest beacon tower in Beijing. When you stand on the beacon tower and look far away, you will have a feeling of seeing all the mountains. At the foot of the Great Wall, there is also an ancient city - Changyu City. In the Ming Dynasty, Changyu City was a military stronghold in ancient times. Although it has been more than 500 years since the Ming Dynasty built the city, the ancient city walls, battlements and barbicans are still visible in front of the village, and the old city gates still exist. As if you can clearly hear the footsteps of history here.

I.Shibadeng Great Wall is located in Jiuduhe Town, Huairou District, Beijing, which is a big steep staircase almost vertical. The Shibadeng Great Wall is one of the three dangers of the Great Wall. It is not an easy task to climb to the top.The slope here is very big, and it is almost all straight up. There is only a small cushion when you reach the beacon tower. And the Great Wall is badly damaged, and most of the rocks are rubble, so almost every step you take may cause you to slip and fall. So, climbing here is particularly strenuous.

J. The Great Wall of Xiangtun is located in the lofty mountains and high ranges of Yanqing District. Behind the village, a crumbling Great Wall stretches to the east, all the way to the area of the Great Wall of Huanghuacheng. Xiangtun Great Wall is 4,057 meters long, with 13 hollow beacon towers, all of which are of masonry construction. The crumbling Great Wall here is not very high and the road is not very difficult, but the climb over Tianshou Mountain makes the elevation rise steeply by more than 1000 meters.

Mount Tai is the top of the five Chinese Mountains and is the highest peak in Shandong at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters. To climb Mount Tai, you should know the weather conditions in advance and try to climb when the sky is clear and sunny. The steps are slippery and dangerous on rainy days. The classic hiking route of Mount Tai is the Red Gate line. Climbing Mount Tai without taking this line cannot be considered to have been to Mount Tai. This hiking route is highly recommended, but there are more options for you to choose to climb Mount Tai.

Option one is to hike up during the day and go down on the same day. If you choose to hike during the day, you need to go up early in the morning. Because it takes 4-6 hours just to walk up the mountain and 4 hours to walk down the mountain. If you choose to take the cable car and shuttle bus, you can save about 1.5 hours. The advantage of daytime hiking is that you can enjoy the scenery and cliff carvings along the way, and appreciate the long and rich history and culture of Mount Tai. Secondly, you will have more energy during the day, so you will not feel so hard when climbing, which will increase the pleasure of climbing. Since the temperature at the top of Mount Tai is about 10 degrees lower than the bottom, even if you don't spend the night at the top, you should prepare a jacket properly, and a thin jacket or a thin sweater in summer. Before climbing, you should also prepare 2-3 bottles of water and a small amount of bread, fruit, and other snacks to replenish your strength on the way. If you don't want to eat at the restaurant at the top of the mountain, you need to prepare more food, but try to reduce the weight to the lightest. It is very tiring to climb Mount Tai with weight. Walking up from the Red Gate to the Zhongtian Gate (halfway up the mountain) is a process that takes about two hours. At Zhongtian Gate, you can take a short rest to recover your strength and continue climbing. Next, you will pass by the Five Gentlemen Pines, Guest Welcoming Pine, Chaoyang cave (the cave facing the sun). After climbing up the Eighteen Mountain Bends, and Shengxian Archway, you will reach the Nantian Gate, and it will be noon by then. After the tour, you can walk down the mountain to the Nantian Gate. We suggest you take the cable car from the Nantian Gate to the Zhongtian Gate, and then change to the tour bus at the Zhongtian Gate to the bottom of the mountain, and then take the bus back.

The second option is to climb the mountain during the day and then stay overnight at the top of the mountain. If you want to try your luck to see the sunrise on Mount Tai and don't want to climb at night, then you can choose to climb after lunch. Then you will have more time to visit the Dai Temple first. Before climbing, you need to prepare clothes and food. If you want to stay in a hotel at the top of the mountain, it is best to book in advance. If you want to see the sunrise in the morning, you need to do a good job of keeping warm, because the weather in the morning is still very cold, even in summer.

The third option is to climb at night and go down the next day. Many people choose this option because they don't have to stay at the top of the mountain at night, so they can save some money. Also, you can wait for the sunrise directly after you reach the top of the mountain, which saves time. In addition, when climbing at night, physical exertion is slower than during the day, especially in summer. However, this plan also has disadvantages, such as people are not as energetic as during the day. You may feel more tired than daytime hiking. Also, at night, you can't see the scenery along the way, so you will feel that the hiking process is very long. There is also the fact that after watching the sunrise in the morning, you will immediately go down the mountain, so your body will not get complete rest and recovery, and you will feel very tired when you go down the mountain. You can take the cable car from the Nantian Gate to the Zhongtian Gate and then take the tour bus to go down the mountain. But then you will not be able to visit any of the famous sights along the way. If you want to visit the sights of Mount Tai, you have to walk down the mountain. So it is best to prepare a hiking pole, which will definitely be useful. If you are going to climb at night, you should get enough rest during the day to ensure that you get enough sleep and build up your strength. Climbing time can generally choose 10-11 pm. It takes about 4-6 hours to climb to the top of Mount Tai.

It should be reminded that almost all visitors to Mount Tai are eager to see the sunrise on Mount Tai. However, the sunrise on Mount Tai is affected by various weather conditions. Sometimes it may be raining on the mountain even though the sky below is clear. Therefore, not all people who visit Mount Tai can witness this magnificent view. However, sometimes a little regret is also a kind of beauty in the journey, isn't it?