Live Your Best Lives
When people mention northern Shaanxi, they may only think of the Loess Plateau, Ansai waist drums, cave dwellings, and red tours. However, the changes over the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the magnificent natural scenery of northern Shaanxi, the collision of time, the collision of ancient traces and modern industry, and those beautiful scenery that you may not imagine can now be seen in this charming place of northern Shaanxi!
As I set foot on this yellow land, a rugged and desolate atmosphere hit me, and the long-lost passion in my heart suddenly burst out. This is the authentic scenery of northern Shaanxi, and this is a place with unique scenery!
Northern Shaanxi boasts a unique landscape, with the vast loess plateau, a starry night sky, and barren mountain ridges and ravines. The villages, fields, mountains, and rivers of Northern Shaanxi all appear before your eyes.
You deserve to have the following ten new ways to play in northern Shaanxi:
The Yellow River Highway, Northwest China's stunningly beautiful Highway 1, runs alongside the Yellow River, starting in Qiangtou Township, Fugu County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province in the north and ending at the foot of Mount Hua in Huayin City, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province in the south. Spanning 828.5 kilometers, it spans four cities and 12 counties, offering over 50 scenic spots along the way. Experience the majesty of the Yellow River, the vastness of the Guanzhong Plain, the winding landscape of the northern Shaanxi Plateau, and marvel at the breathtaking natural wonders of the land.
Along the way, the customs, delicious food and historical vicissitudes of the Loess Plateau are unforgettable. It is a pleasant trip and worth recommending.
Hukou Waterfall is a famous waterfall on the Yellow River in China and the largest yellow waterfall in the world. Its surging momentum symbolizes the spirit of the Chinese nation. It borders Hukou Town, Ji County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province to the east and Hukou Township, Yichuan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province to the west.
After the surging Yellow River enters the Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon, its wide riverbed slowly converges. When the vast rapids hundreds of meters wide upstream reach Longwang Mountain, the river water suddenly converges due to the influence of the riverbed trend. The Yellow River surges, rolls, and pours down into an unfathomable stone trough, forming a huge yellow waterfall with a width of 50 meters and a drop of more than 30 meters. Because its shape resembles a teapot filling with water, it is called "Hukou Waterfall".
Tips:
Address: Hukou Waterfall Scenic Area, Yanhu Road, Hukou Town, Yichuan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province
Ticket price: 91 yuan per person
Jingjiao Bus: 40 yuan
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Play time: 2 hours
China's Antelope Canyon was created eons ago when a powerful earthquake tore through the loess mountains, and over hundreds of millions of years, heavy rains on the plateau caused flash floods, which gradually cut and eroded the surface, creating this unique canyon landscape. The landscape is characterized by a vibrant play of light and shadow, rich colors, and a strong sense of lines.
The Yucha Grand Canyon is very similar to the Antelope Canyon in the United States. It has not yet been developed and is still hidden in the mountains of northern Shaanxi. [Birch Valley] is the most exciting and beautiful place. Let us unveil the mystery of this virgin land together.
Tips:
Address: Yucha Village, Xiasiwan Town, 56 kilometers northwest of Ganquan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province
Tickets: None
Jingjiao Bus: 70 yuan
Opening hours: 08:30-17:00
Play time: 3-4 hours
The Jingbian Longzhou Danxia Wave Valley is located in Longzhou Town, Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. It is the most typical and largest Danxia landform landscape in China's arid areas. It was revealed after tens of millions of years of wind and rain erosion to form isolated peaks and various strange rocks and stones.
The patterns on each sandstone in Longzhou Danxia are ever-changing, some resembling waves, animal heads, flowing water, clouds, and even spinning tops. Each form is vivid and captivating. The red sandstone here presents a variety of different landscapes. After rain, when the sky clears, the color of the red sandstone becomes even more vibrant, creating a spectacular and unique scene.
Wave Valley is divided into 3 parts:
/Area C Water Danxia/
The lines of the Danxia landform by the water are prominent, the lake below the cliff is clear, the water surface is wide and green, and it is in sharp contrast to the barren mountains in the distance. Under the effect of light and shadow, the colors are very beautiful.
/B Area Flame Danxia/
The texture is like flowing water and the color is like bright clouds. It is a popular photo-taking spot on the Internet. Here, patches of wavy red rocks are like a surging tide. Under the illumination of the morning sun, they are like waves rising in the sea, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes violent, sometimes soft, like a group of burning flames rising up.
/Area A Geocentric Danxia/
The main landform here is canyon. You can climb up to overlook the whole canyon, or go down to the bottom of the canyon to visit the "One Line Sky". However, it is currently under construction and not open to the public.
Tips:
Address: Yanjiazhai, Longzhou Township, Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province
Tickets: No tickets available
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Play time: 3-4 hours
The Qiankun Bend of the Yellow River is located in the Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon at the junction of Yanchuan County, Shaanxi Province and Yonghe County, Shanxi Province. It is a 320-degree turn formed when the Yellow River flows through the Qin-Jin Canyon in Yanchuan for 68 kilometers. It can be called the "No. 1 Bend of the Yellow River in the World".
Qiankun Bay, shaped like a Tai Chi diagram, is a spectacular sight. This natural Tai Chi diagram, a masterpiece of nature, is a remarkable natural wonder along the Qin-Jin Gorge of the Yellow River Ancient Road. Other scenic spots include Huifeng Village, Qingshui Bay, Qiankun Bay, the Yellow River plank road, the Millennium Ancient Kiln, the Nianpan Folk Museum, and Nuwa Peak.
Tips:
address:
Ticket price: 90 yuan (valid for 3 days)
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Play time: 4-5 hours
Many people say that Yan’an’s red history is too heavy and boring, and not lively at all when played out. Then you need a red performance that will bring tears to your eyes.
We recommend "Yan'an Nursery" and "Yan'an Yan'an." In people's eyes, it is a must-see red performance in Yan'an and an important carrier of revolutionary traditional education. I have returned to Yan'an in my dreams many times, with my arms around Pagoda Mountain. Thousands of voices call out to you—Mother Yan'an is here.
Yan'an is full of red. The most commonly heard phrase in the local area is: The Chinese revolution marched from Yan'an to victory. The Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall, the Yangjialing Revolutionary Site, the Zaoyuan Revolutionary Site... every inch of land bears traces of the struggles of our predecessors.
Take a spontaneous City Walk, explore every corner of the city on foot, see the intersection of red history and modern development, and see the towering Pagoda Mountain and the slowly flowing Yanhe River.
In northern Shaanxi, there's a slow city: a love triangle between sunflowers beneath windmills and the blue sky, and gesang flowers blanketing the mountains, telling the story of a charming "Shangri-La" town in northern Shaanxi. With summer temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius, this small town in northern Shaanxi will transport you to a dreamlike springtime in the south of the Yangtze River. This is Huanglong, the Pearl of Northern Shaanxi, a slow city known as the "Lung Cleansing Capital."
Located within Huanglongshan National Forest Park, Treetop Walk offers fresh air and breathtaking scenery. A pioneering interactive and experiential forest science education, it's a comprehensive nature education camp integrating ecological science, forest sports, outdoor activities, cultural performances, and modern agriculture, making it an ideal choice for family outings.
Tips:
Be sure to book in advance during holidays
Liangjiahe is a small village on the Loess Plateau. General Secretary Xi Jinping once said, "Everything I learned in my first steps in life was in Liangjiahe." Forty-nine years ago, Xi Jinping arrived in northern Shaanxi and spent seven years of his youth there. Forty-nine years have passed, and the once rugged Loess Plateau is now lush and green. The only things that remain unchanged are the vastness of the land and the sounds of Xintianyou.
Wen'anyi Ancient Town, located 5 kilometers north of Liangji, boasts a history of over 1,400 years. This authentic ancient town on the Loess Plateau is a breathtaking sight, as towering memorial archways and winding stone paths offer a breathtaking view of ancient charm. This rich history has left behind numerous cultural relics, including ancient city walls, ancient academies, ancient post stations, beacon towers, and Kuixing Tower.
In addition, it is particularly worth seeing that the local government has set up a tall educated youth wall here, which records the names of all Beijing educated youth who have worked in the countryside in Yanchuan County, including Xi Jinping. It is of far-reaching significance.
In the ancient and rich land of northern Shaanxi, people have always lived in poverty, constantly striving for food. Furthermore, this region has historically been a vibrant hub of war, coexistence, and integration among northern ethnic minorities. Consequently, the local diet has naturally incorporated elements of these minorities, resulting in a diverse and diverse culinary scene. Potato skewers, mutton, rice buns, flower buns, buckwheat noodles, and bowl trays are all daily delicacies for the people of northern Shaanxi.
I have returned to Yan'an many times in my dreams, with my arms around Pagoda Mountain. The difficult historical civilization of Yan'an will never be forgotten, and the modern development and civilization of Yan'an are also obvious to all. There are so many natural scenery and undeveloped niche attractions that are worth our repeated returns to Yan'an.
