Day 1 Shanghai → Youfu Ancient Town → Longyou Grottoes → Jiangshan City Hotel
All day
Meet at the designated location of China-TravelNote from 07:15 to 07:30. Depart at 07:30. The tour leader will lead everyone to interact and have fun along the way.
Around 12:30 PM, we arrived at Youbu Ancient Town. This ancient town is famous for its snacks, including meat dumplings, chicken cakes, meat pancakes, tofu dumplings, copper coin pastries, and fried square rice dumplings. The dazzling array of food and the aroma of the street vendors made it impossible to try them all!
Around 14:30, after eating and shopping, we gathered on the bus and continued on our journey.
Around 3:00 PM, we arrived at the Longyou Grottoes, known as the "Ninth Wonder of the World." Over 50 grottoes are scattered across several square kilometers of mountainside. Since their discovery in 1992, the mysteries surrounding their formation have included the storage of troops and grain, sacrificial ceremonies, and stone quarrying. While the Longyou Grottoes offer a glimpse into ancient splendor, they also hold a wealth of unfathomable mysteries.
Around 17:00, we gathered on the bus and headed to Jiangshan City Hotel for check-in.
Arrive in Jiangshan City around 18:00. After checking in, go explore the delicious food in Jiangshan, Quzhou. The director of "Flavorful Origins" commented that "every dish is delicious"!
We went to bed early in the evening and look forward to Jianglang Mountain tomorrow!
Day 2 Jiangshan City → Jianglang Mountain → Nianbadu Ancient Town
All day
Around 8:00, after breakfast, we will depart for the famous World Heritage Site [Jianglang Mountain]. Jianglang Mountain is known as "the most majestic and beautiful in the world, and the most beautiful in the southeast". It is famous for its majestic and unique "Three Pieces of Stone" and has become a "landmark" of Jiangshan since the Tang Dynasty.
Preparing to climb the mountain, we first arrived at the Eighteen Bends, each offering a unique view, like entering a maze. Just beyond the bends lies a thousand-year-old temple. A gentle mountain breeze sweeps away the mist, creating a sudden, open view. The faint sound of the Kaiming Zen Temple bells drifts in. Here, body and mind find peace, and worldly concerns fade away. I wish to transform into a mountain plant, taking root deeply, listening to the mountain's whispers and swirling with the valley's streams, swirling through the long river of time. Nearby are Jianglang Academy and Great Man Peak. After a short rest, we headed towards "One Line of Sky."
Long stone steps stretch forward, like a dragon whose end is never seen. Walking through them brings a chill that chills the spine. Standing tall among the boulders atop the mountains, it is perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, a scene of endless change. It truly deserves to be called the most beautiful "slit of sky" in China. If you have the energy, you can challenge the Langfeng Sky Tour! Climb to the summit of Langfeng Peak!
Around 3:00 PM, we descended the mountain and headed for Nianbadu Ancient Town. Nianbadu, known for its "three provinces within one," is a Jiangnan ancient town with well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. It's known as a "dream lost in the mountains," hidden deep within the mountains and unknown to the world. Through millennia of integration, the town's architecture blends Hui-style horse-head walls, Zhejiang-style roof ridges, Gan-style eaves, and Fujian-style brick walls. Fengxi River flows through the town from north to south, and from its reflection, the whitewashed walls and black tiles ripple on the water, creating a unique and captivating scene.
After checking in, we strolled through Nianbadu, a place with a 99% resemblance to ancient towns across China. Nianbadu is that "1%." It's a place packed with snacks, with a leisurely network of streets and waterways. Its charm awaits you to experience firsthand.
Rest early, tomorrow we will go to Xianxia Ancient Trail for a light hike~
Day 3: Nianbadu Ancient Town → Xianxia Ancient Road → Shanghai
All day
In the morning, you can get up early and stroll freely in the ancient town to experience the quiet and leisurely time.
Around 9:30, we set out from Nianbadu Ancient Town and arrived at the starting point of the Xianxia Ancient Trail.
The Xianxia Ancient Road, known as the "key to the southeast and the throat of Fujian", winds its way through ancient villages and lush green mountains and rivers, passing on legendary stories and folk customs of the past.
The cobblestone road that passes through the mountains and forests has different charm in the woods, on the hillsides, beside the ridges, and under the stone passes, making us linger and unable to extricate ourselves from the beautiful scenery.
Xianxia Pass is hidden deep in the bamboo forest. After thousands of years, the foundation stone is still neat and solid. Thinking of the golden weapons and iron horses that existed thousands of years ago, which have now turned to ashes, I suddenly feel insignificant.
After passing the first checkpoint, you can climb up the winding ancient road to the top of the mountain. This section of the ancient road is the best preserved in the scenic area. When you climb up and look into the distance, the continuous peaks in the background are the magnificent Xianxialing Mountains. When you see the second checkpoint, it means you have reached the top of the mountain. Looking around, you will see lush forests and bamboos, and lush greenery, which is soothing to the body and mind. All tiredness will disappear. At the southern end of the mountain, stands the third checkpoint. After passing the third checkpoint, you will see the fourth checkpoint of Xianxia in just a few minutes.
Around 13:00, after lunch at the exit of the ancient trail, we took a bus back to Shanghai.
Around 19:30, we returned to Shanghai. Everyone was reluctant to leave and kissed goodbye with tears in their eyes.
