Day 1 Hanzhong → Guangwushan Eighteen Moon Lake Scenic Area → Guangwushan Town
All day
【Instructions before departure】
This route departs from Hanzhong. Tourists from all over the world can choose their own transportation and arrive in Hanzhong early to explore freely. With the opening of the Xicheng High-Speed Railway, there are now frequent high-speed trains running from Hanzhong to Xi'an or Chengdu. By meeting and distributing in Hanzhong, we avoid wasting time on travel, leaving ample time for everyone to explore.
Please keep your phone connected so the driver can contact you promptly! The driver will usually contact you one day in advance to inform you of the next day's departure time and other important information.
The itinerary is 2 days. China-TravelNote will arrange vehicles according to the number of tourists. Please travel light and do not bring too much luggage.
【Gathering and departure】
7:00-7:30 We will pick you up at your hotel in Hanzhong city and head to Guangwu Mountain, known as the "No. 1 Mountain for Red Leaves";
Note: Due to the heavy traffic during peak season at the Eighteen Moon Lake Scenic Area, the departure time may change during peak season for safety reasons. Please refer to the driver's notification for the specific time.
Guangwu Mountain and Eighteen Moon Lake Scenic Area
We'll head to the Eighteen Moon Lake Scenic Area, once described as the "Jiuzhaigou" of northeastern Sichuan, with waterfalls reminiscent of Jiuzhaigou and crimson foliage unparalleled in the world. Surrounded by lush greenery, dazzling crimson leaves, and azaleas, the mountains are awash with rare birds and animals, frolicking and singing their songs. With a bit of luck, you might even encounter them!
We will stop at a nearby village on the way and take care of our own lunch. You can enjoy the local specialties.
Finally, we arrived at the Eighteen Moon Lake Scenic Area. The approximately 3.5-kilometer-long Pearl Valley is dotted with 18 waterfalls and pools, creating a truly spectacular waterscape. The Pearl Valley's riverbed is entirely granite, and the pools, large and small, resemble a string of pearls. The waterfalls cascading along the gully resemble a curtain of pearls. Stepping into the Eighteen Moon Lake is like wandering through a painting, captivating you and leaving you speechless. We had plenty of time to explore.
In due time, after having enough fun taking photos, we will go to Guangwushan Town to stay.
Notes:
As rooms are very limited during the Guangwu Mountain Red Leaf Festival, please book as early as possible!
During the Red Leaf Festival, there are many tourists, so we may have to depart early. Please refer to the time notified by the driver the day before departure!
If you have a discount certificate, please note it before placing your order! If you are not informed in advance, there will be no refund for the tickets you have booked!
Day 2 Guangwushan Town → Guangwushan-Daba Scenic Area → Natural Gallery-Jiaguo Mountain → Black Bear Valley → Dalang Valley → Hanzhong City
All day
【Guangwushan Dam Scenic Area】
After breakfast, we will head to the Dam Scenic Area. During the Red Leaf Festival, you will need to take a scenic shuttle bus to visit the Dam Scenic Area. The driver will take you to the entrance of the Dam Scenic Area, and you can enter the scenic area on your own!
The first thing that catches your eye is the Natural Gallery, a place that feels like being immersed in a world of oil paintings. This is a great place to enjoy the crimson leaves. The crimson leaves of Guangwu Mountain change color every day and every step, creating a unique and colorful crimson scene. The crimson leaves are so charming and colorful that they create a wonderful scene of "red maples adorning the city, competing with spring flowers for brightness." It is known as "the world's first mountain for crimson leaves."
We then headed to Xianglu Mountain, which stands at 2,300 meters above sea level and forms the border between Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces. If you encounter a sea of clouds, you'll be lucky! Between the rolling clouds, you'll witness magnificent scenery, allowing you to pose and leave behind a unique autumn experience. You can also take the cable car to the summit (fees are at your own expense).
We headed to Black Bear Valley, where crimson leaves, waterfalls, and clear streams create a vibrant natural landscape. A wooden plank road meandered along the gully, and we encountered waterfalls, clear pools, and nearly ten other sights in one trip. It was hard to believe such stunning colors could even be seen in the real world; it felt like stepping into a fantasy world.
It’s noon in the blink of an eye, and everyone can take care of their own lunch in the restaurant in the scenic area!
If the time is right, you can go to [Daxiaolanggou]. Compared with Black Bear Gou, this place has a different feeling. The whole ditch is covered with bluestones, on which thick moss grows, and many red leaves are floating on them. The stream in the ditch is not big, but it is winding, which is another different experience.
After the visit, you can take a sightseeing bus to the entrance of the dam scenic area and contact the driver.
【Return】
At the right time, we gathered and headed to Hanzhong. We arrived at Hanzhong Railway Station around 18:30 and dispersed. We kissed goodbye with tears in our eyes and looked forward to meeting again next time.
Special Note:
With the opening of the Xicheng high-speed railway, tourists who want to leave the group directly from Hanzhong, please book the high-speed rail tickets in advance!
It is recommended that you book train tickets after 20:00 on the same day to avoid boarding delays. If you encounter the peak season around the Red Leaf Festival on October 25, please reserve more time for your trip!
The scenic area is a circular scenic area. Please arrange your visit time appropriately.
During the Red Leaf Festival, you must take the cable car to and from the Xianglu Mountain scenic spot. If you want to go to this scenic spot, you need to pay for the cable car fee yourself.
[A brief introduction to the red leaves of Guangwu Mountain]
The red leaves of Guangwu Mountain have five main characteristics:
1. Large area and magnificent momentum. The scenic area covers 830 square kilometers, of which 580 square kilometers are red leaf landscapes;
2. Rich and colorful. While red leaves are generally predominantly red, Guangwu Mountain's red leaves exhibit a gradient of colors, primarily blue, green, yellow, orange, and red, a phenomenon unmatched by other red leaf viewing areas.
3. Long period, distinct scenery. The viewing period of red leaves lasts for up to one month. The first stage sees the colorful red leaves, the second stage sees the red leaves covering the forest, and the third stage sees the red leaves floating in the sky.
4. A wide variety of leaves. Guangwu Mountain's red leaves include over 40 varieties, including beech, maple, linden, and Rosaceae. They come in over 20 shapes, including palm, feather, boat, and needle shapes, and in over 10 colors, including fiery red, magenta, wine red, ochre, rose red, purple red, and golden red.
5. High taste and noble origin. After visiting the Guangwu Mountain Scenic Area, botanical experts from Britain, Germany, France, Canada and the United States named it the "Golden Area" and the red leaves of Guangwu Mountain the "Golden Leaves".
