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"Every tree is in autumn colors, every mountain is in the setting sun", "The autumn wind blows on the Wei River, and Chang'an is full of fallen leaves."
The ancients recorded such autumn in their poems, but it is actually difficult to see such romantic autumn colors in the city.
Looking at the pictures my colleagues sent back from out-of-town teams, I saw golden rice paddies, fluttering leaves, and persimmons hanging from branches. Nature was gradually taking on a warm hue. I longed to run across the golden prairies, climb the colorful mountains and forests to admire the autumn scenery... I wanted to experience the romance that nature has created for us through the four seasons. You probably want to do the same!
So, You Xiaoxia quickly found the 15 most popular autumn hiking routes that are basically available around National Day.
✔ Vast grasslands ✔ Romantic mountains ✔ Cool deserts...
In some cities, you can enjoy delicious food to your heart's content. For example, in Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Hulunbuir... air tickets start from as low as ￥300, or even less than ￥300!
Hangzhou ✈ Zhengzhou/Xi'an National Day air ticket pictures @OTA
This autumn, why not say goodbye to the crowds and go hiking to experience the changing seasons of this world for yourself!
📍Shaanxi, Sichuan / Number of days: 7 days
The Qin-Shu Ancient Road is a route for economic, political, and cultural exchanges between Shaanxi and Sichuan. Hiking along the pristine ancient road and admiring the autumn scenery of Sichuan and Shaanxi is like stepping back into the days of long carriages and hurried pedestrians.
The enchanting golden ground, the dazzling and romantic red leaves on the mountains, the winding colorful forest road, everything here in autumn is so beautiful that it seems unreal.
Along the ancient trail, you will pass by cliff carvings, murals, ancient buildings, and inscriptions... Walking along the ancient trail is like walking through art and legends.
Staying in a primitive village, you will see misty clouds around the mountains, charming waters along the mountains, scattered houses, and curling smoke from cooking fires, allowing you to feel the tranquility and beauty of this autumn.
📍Shaanxi/Number of days: 4 days
Wugong in the south, Taibai in the north, Taibai Mountain, the highest peak east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, measures the Chinese Dragon's Backbone with your feet and challenges 3762.2m.
The most beautiful season in Taibai Mountain is autumn! Around National Day, Taibai Mountain's autumn night arrives, with sunny days, heavy fog, rain, ice and snow. A journey through the four seasons.
As night falls, the sky is filled with stars, shining brightly and flickering. A mountain range with unprecedented scenery, standing among it, the whole person merges with the world.
📍Shanxi/Number of days: 5 days
"Half Buddhist country, half mountain", Mount Wutai has become a holy place in the hearts of hikers with its majestic mountain scenery, cool climate, and important Buddhist status.
As the highest peak in North China, Mount Wutai is unique in its flat summit and gentle slopes. Towering spruce and pine trees dominate the foothills.
The white pagoda, clever foxes, and herds of cattle and horses together form a beautiful picture, which becomes the most beautiful scenery during the hike.
📍Inner Mongolia/Number of days: 6 days
As the summer heat has faded, the beautiful Ulan Butong Bashang Grassland has regained its former tranquility. In September, the Bashang Grassland is awash with autumn, a vibrant scene of crimson leaves blanketing the mountains and galloping horses.
The meadow is lined with golden birch trees, and flocks of sheep are scattered on the grassland like pearls, forming a series of oil paintings with thick ink and light colors.
Come to Bashang for hiking in autumn, experience the warmest Mongolian welcome ceremony, participate in the most grand song and dance party, and taste the most distinctive Mongolian food.
Go deep into the heart of the grassland, admire the brilliant starry sky, hike on grasslands and sandy lands, cross rivers and forests, measure its boundless grandeur with your feet, and feel the tranquility of "the wind blows the grass low and you can see cattle and sheep".
📍Inner Mongolia/Number of days: 6 days
When the distant autumn wind blows into the dense primeval forests of Daxinganling, the autumn atmosphere spreads wildly across this rugged grassland.
Here you can find vast grasslands, dense primeval forests, white yurts with curling smoke, cattle and sheep grazing leisurely, and horses galloping freely...
Picture @Photo.net
The springs meander continuously, the forests are dyed with autumn yellow, and the autumn fairy tale is beautifully depicted by Arshan. The combination of volcanoes and forests sings the unique beauty of Arshan in autumn.
Picture @Photo.net
This time, we take you to hike deep into the Greater Khingan Range, hike along the China-Russia border... and explore the unique autumn colors of Hulunbuir.
📍Jilin/Number of days: 7 days
Autumn in Changbai Mountain is the perfect time to visit. The branches and leaves of different tree species begin to transform into vibrant colors, reflecting the distant snow-capped peaks, creating a vibrant and pristine fairytale world.
Fiery red maple leaves, golden fallen leaves, emerald green pine trees, and the azure blue of Tianchi Lake. We hiked through the primeval forests of Changbai Mountain, trekked up rivers in the Grand Canyon, sought autumn on alpine meadows, and gazed towards North Korea from the banks of the Yalu River... witnessing the earliest arrival of autumn's stunning beauty!
📍Henan/Number of days: 4 days
China National Geographic states that "the most beautiful section of the Taihang Mountains is in the southern part." As the dividing line between my country's second and third terraces, the Taihang Mountains are home to lush forests and vibrant life.
Picture @Photo.net
There are high mountains and steep ridges, deep canyons, gorges, waterfalls, ridges and springs in various shapes and sizes. There are both the majestic and towering cliffs of the northern mountains, and the beautiful and graceful southern mountains with rich vegetation and overlapping brocade.
In autumn, the Taihang Mountains unleash their vibrant colors, with forests, lakes, rivers, and peaks alternately bursting with vibrant colors. Fruits turn red, leaves turn yellow, ponds and lakes become clearer, and peaks stand taller. From afar, the scenery resembles a vibrant oil painting.
The Southern Taihang route covers all kinds of typical landforms in the Southern Taihang Mountains. You can cross canyons, climb the "ladder to heaven", walk on cliffs, and get up early to climb Wangmang Ridge to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds... You can see the essence of the Taihang Mountains and rivers in one trip without any regrets!
📍Jiangxi/Number of days: 2-3 days
Wugong Mountain, a destination worth visiting countless times, is a dream destination for countless tourists. Early autumn is still a beautiful time for Wugong Mountain, with meadows turning from green to yellow, seas of clouds rising, and stars shining brightly.
This is a grassland, a sea of clouds, a jewel fallen from the earth. Known as "the southern grassland feast, a paradise on earth," this place boasts hundreds of square kilometers of mist, a sea of clouds literally right beside you.
Wugong Mountain encompasses the unique alpine grassland scenery at the same latitude in the world. In late autumn, Wugong Mountain is covered with a deep coat. It has different stunning scenery all year round, which is worth your trip!
📍Guangxi/Number of days: 2 days
The Longji Rice Terraces began to be built in the Yuan Dynasty. The Zhuang and Yao ethnic minorities living here have built ridges and opened fields for generations, from the fast-flowing valleys to the misty peaks, from the edge of the forest to the cliffs.
After thousands of years of hard work by generations, the "World's Crown of Terraced Fields" that we see today have been created. From the foot of the mountain all the way to the top, it forms a magnificent landscape of "small hills like snails and large mountains like towers".
We chose the classic hiking route, from Tiantou Village to Ping'an Village, walking among the terraces, watching the sunrise over the terraces, staying in local characteristic inns, and easily experiencing the most authentic Yao life.
📍Sichuan/Number of days: 4 days
When you think of Sichuan's famous mountains, what comes to mind first? Most people think of Mount Gongga, the "King of Sichuan Mountains." However, Mount Genyen, known as the "third highest peak in Sichuan," is lesser known.
Autumn is the most beautiful season of Mount Genyen. On the vast Maoya grassland, the Wuliang River shimmers and meanders, reflecting the silhouettes of forests and snow-capped mountains.
This is a colorful secret place on the plateau. It is home to the "Eye of Genyen" which is very popular in the photography circle. From snow-capped mountains to grasslands, from streams to alpine lakes, the sacred mountain of Genyen is considered by many outdoor enthusiasts to be one of the most beautiful places they have ever visited.
Explore the "Last Secret of Sichuan's Snow Mountains," visit the ancient temple founded by the Karmapa, and wander Litang, inspired by the love poems of Tsangyang Gyatso. Whether you're looking for outdoor mountaineering or a relaxing hike, this is the perfect place.
📍Sichuan/Number of days: 4 days
This is a brand new light hiking route in western Sichuan. At the foot of the snow-capped mountains in western Sichuan, you can cross mountains and ridges to search for the sacred mountains of western Sichuan such as Gongga, Yala, and Meldo. With a unique viewing perspective, you can discover the little-known secrets hidden in the Shu Mountains.
We experience the culture and customs of the Jiarong Tibetans in the mountains, gaze at the clouds surrounding the Yala Snow Mountain from the mountain ridges, worship the Gongga Mountains in the clouds, and look back at the Muya Golden Pagoda with faith.
The middle route passes through the Tibetan village of Shuttlepo Diaolou, the Yala Snow Mountain passes through the Tagong Grassland, and the Red Lake passes through Mugecuo...
No need to camp, you can stay in local B&Bs or hotels every night, strictly control the hiking distance, cross every day without looking back, set off with awe on the new western Sichuan hiking route!
📍Yunnan/Number of days: 5 days
Hidden deep in the mountains of Shigu Town, Lijiang, Anaguo is a secret place unknown to many locals. Some say it is the last pure land in Lijiang!
Anaguo has primeval forests, alpine pastures, sunrise sea of clouds, azalea forests, jagged rocky mountains, iris valley and other attractions. It has the reputation of "Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou on earth, Anaguo in heaven" and "Yubeng 10 years ago".
Due to the average altitude of around 3,000m, the average annual temperature is as low as 12.6℃, so it won’t be hot even in summer!
This is a place that even China Mobile and the Southern Power Grid cannot reach. The power supply on the mountain depends entirely on solar energy. Here, we live with cattle and sheep and experience a day of isolation from the world.
This is a highlight of one of the world's top ten classic hiking routes, and it's also a hike accessible to beginners. Say goodbye to the crowds and traverse pastures and primeval forests, witnessing surging waters and towering cliffs.
📍Yunnan/Number of days: 7 days
Yubeng, a distant yet familiar name, is a small village sheltered by the Meili Snow Mountain. With its unparalleled scenery, it is regarded as a holy place for outdoor hiking in China.
Each season in Yubeng has its own unique charm, but my favorite is autumn. The Buddha's light shines on the Golden Mountain, the colorful hillside forests, and the crisp, clean air of the plateau...
Today, Yubeng is fully equipped with hydropower and convenient access, and it has a more down-to-earth feel. The 55-kilometer hiking route not only allows you to experience beautiful scenery, but also the freedom that bursts out from the depths of your soul.
📍Inner Mongolia/Number of days: 5 days
The vast expanse of Tengger, covering 43,000 square kilometers, is adorned with dreamy and beautiful sand dunes. Beneath these dunes lie 422 lakes, each a spirit of Tengger.
This time we will walk to feel the northwestern style of "lonely smoke rising in the desert, round setting sun over the long river". This is a journey deep into the heart of the desert, where you can experience the desert style that you can't imagine.
Lakes, flying birds, camels, the starry sky and Milky Way visible when you look up, the beautiful sunrise and sunset in the desert... This is a place suitable for "first experience of the desert". The climate is stable, the hiking is not difficult, and you basically won't encounter sandstorms. Desert hiking + camping bonfire carnival is friendly to outdoor novices!
In addition to hiking, there are also wonderful experiences such as off-road sand boarding, camel riding, and kayaking. You can feel the speed and passion in the desert and the wonderful combination of desert and lake.
The crisp autumn weather is perfect for hiking and traveling. For travelers, the best way to embrace autumn might not be by drinking a cup of milk tea, but by climbing a mountain, walking along an ancient trail, and embracing every seasonal change in the world.
