Day 1 Various locations → → Xi'an ★ Gathering day
All day
【About Collection】
Today is the all-day gathering day. Tourists from all over the world will choose their own transportation and go to the meeting hotel to check in, arrange their rooms, and then have free time. (When you arrive at the hotel front desk, please report "China-Travel Note + Name" and show your ID card to check in. Check-in is usually after 2:00 PM. If you arrive early, you can leave your luggage at the front desk. Please send a text message to inform the hotel of your travel information 3 days in advance.)
Tourists can climb the ancient city wall, rent a bicycle and cycle around it for a bird's-eye view of Xi'an, see the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, or visit the Shaanxi History Museum (closed on Mondays). In the evening, they can go to the North Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to watch the musical fountain show. Foodies should definitely visit Muslim Street to feast on mutton soup buns, cold noodles, roujiamo (Chinese roujiamo), and biangbiang noodles. Enjoy a bottle of Bingfeng soda, the epitome of old Xi'an, and experience the culinary wonders of Xi'an.
Tips for tourists
1. In the evening, the tour leader will have a small pre-trip meeting with all tourists at the meeting hotel (tourists arriving late don’t need to worry, our tour leader will also find time to talk to you individually about the precautions of the itinerary)
Day 2 Xi'an → Damang River → Houzhenzi Ancient Town → Old County Town
All day
Today we hiked along the Tangluo Trail, a road that goes from Guanzhong over the Qinling Mountains to Hanzhong. There are many ancient villages, pristine jungles, and natural landscapes... Walking along the ancient trail is like walking through an oil painting.
Houjinzi Ancient Town, a hidden paradise deep within the Qinling Mountains, straddling five counties, offers a glimpse into the pristine local customs and charming scenery of the mountains. It's also a starting point for ascents to the summit of Mount Taibai, straddling the Yangtze and Yellow River systems. It boasts not only beautiful natural scenery but also a rich history. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, it was a crucial post station, a site of countless historical events. The lush greenery of the ancient town offers daily close encounters with nature, a destination sought after by busy city dwellers.
Laoxiancheng, known as the "Shangri-La of the Qinling Mountains," is a mountain town that gained fame thanks to Ye Guangqin's book, "Laoxiancheng." It is the farthest village from Xi'an. The air is fresh, and the houses lining the roads are mostly adobe, retaining some of their past charm. The remains of inscribed tablets from the former Confucian Temple and City God Temple still remain, creating a tranquil haven that beckons beautiful summers and autumns. Laoxiancheng was a key stop on the Tangluo Ancient Road. During the early Qing Dynasty, this area became a vital post station for travelers traveling north and south, trading salt from the south and furs from the north.
Tips for tourists
1. Hiking section: Damang River - Houzhenzi Ancient Town, about 5km, about 3 hours, climbing about 450m, descending about 400m
2. Accommodation: The accommodation environment is a multi-person room with beds, randomly assigned, and showers are not allowed (only for this night)
3. Before departure, you need to prepare your personal accommodation supplies for tonight. The bus will not follow you tonight. It is only for this night.
4. You need to hike, wear shoes suitable for hiking, prepare enough water and snacks to replenish energy during the hike
5. Tourists who need to stay alone cannot be accommodated tonight
Day 3 Old County → Huangbaiyuan Walnut Terrace → Qinling Scenic Avenue Taiyang Highway → Taibai County
All day
Today, we'll continue our hike along the Tangluo Trail. Wake up early in the morning in the picturesque old town, enjoy breakfast, and immerse yourself in the slow pace of life. Afterward, we'll pack up and depart this secluded paradise for a hike through Walnut Ping primeval forest, a paradise for hikers, offering close-up views of the pristine natural scenery, lush forests, and crisscrossing rivers.
Afterward, visit Taiyang Road, a scenic Qinling scenic route. Lush green in summer and ablaze with golden yellow in autumn, Taiyang Road is the only way from Taibai County to Huangbai. It also serves as a rural road connecting Taibai County and Yang County from north to south. Along the way, you'll find scenic spots offering breathtaking views of the Qinling Gorge. If you're lucky, you might even see vibrant forests shrouded in mist, creating a fairyland-like scene.
Arriving at Taibai County, a truly small county with a population of only 39,000, it is located in the hinterland of the Qinling Mountains and is named after Taibai Mountain. The temperature here is 19°C in the summer.
Tips for tourists
1. Hiking section: Tangluo Ancient Road Old County Town - Huangbaiyuan, about 4km, about 2 hours, climbing about 120m, descending about 70m
2. You need to hike, so wear shoes suitable for hiking
3. Prepare enough water and snacks to replenish energy during hiking
Day 4 Taibai County → Lingguan Gorge → Liuba → Shimen Plank Road → Hanzhong
All day
Today, we'll explore the Baoxiade Road, a dialogue between past and present. While the Shu Road is said to be harder than ascending to heaven, Liu Bang, while openly building a plank road while secretly crossing Chencang, conquered Xianyang and conquered the world. The Baoxiade Road, traversing the Qinling Mountains, is considered the most extensive plank road in China and a true classic (though only a few remain today). While the remains of this ancient road have been replaced by modern highways and railways, today we'll explore the modern Baocheng Railway, which traverses the Qinling Mountains, and the early man-made tunnels and plank roads, "Visiting the Millennium Shu Road, Tracing the Footprints of the Revolution."
Take a ride on the rail train in Lingguan Gorge, travel on China's first electrified railway, and learn about the construction culture of the Baoji-Chengdu Railway.
The Shimen Plank Road is an early artificial transportation tunnel and the remains of the Baoxiang Plank Road. It is also the birthplace of Liu Bang's Han family business and a military stronghold connecting the north and the south in ancient times.
Tips for tourists
Today's journey is a dialogue between the past and the present, as well as a journey of discovery of transportation from ancient times to the present. First, we'll explore modern railways and learn about the spirit of craftsmanship; then we'll explore ancient transportation through the ruins of ancient roads. In between, we'll stop at Liuba, where we can admire the scenery of the Qinling Mountains and take photos of the highway (this is also the best place to enjoy the autumn scenery).
2. Today's itinerary is casual, so you can wear casual clothes
Day 5: Hanzhong → Mingyue Gorge Ancient Plank Road → Thousand Buddha Cliff → Zhaohua Ancient City
All day
Today we start to enter the Jinniu Road. There are many historical sites along the Jinniu Road, including cliff carvings, murals, ancient buildings, inscriptions... Walking along the ancient road is like walking through art and legends.
The Mingyue Gorge Ancient Plank Road, the key to the Shu Road, is the only passage connecting the north and south. Over thousands of years, people have carved out six ancient and modern roads to open up the Shu Road. It's truly a museum of Chinese transportation history. The scene of the burning plank road in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" was filmed here. Li Bai's lament, "The Shu Road is as difficult as climbing to heaven," originates here.
Thousand Buddha Cliff is one of the most important Buddhist cliff carvings on the Shu Road. Continuously excavated from the Southern and Northern Dynasties through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it now boasts over a thousand grottoes and niches, with over 7,000 statues, most of which date back to the Sui and Tang dynasties. Liang Sicheng described the area as follows: "On the east bank of the Jialing River, four hundred niches, large and small, stretch for miles. Like lotus-like palaces, their azure hues shimmer across the rock face, a truly magnificent spectacle." Climbing the steps to the Buddhist grottoes, touching the thousand-year-old cliff walls, and gazing out at the Jialing River is a truly unforgettable experience. The Jinniu Shu Road passes beneath the cliffs, and travelers along this route would undoubtedly have marveled at the numerous Buddhist grottoes and niches.
Zhaohua Ancient Town is a well-preserved Three Kingdoms period town. Staying here in the evening allows you to explore the Three Kingdoms relics and savor local delicacies! As night falls and the lights come on, we've arranged a storytelling performance for you. Sipping tea and eating sunflower seeds, you can listen to a fascinating story of the Three Kingdoms. It's a truly wonderful experience.
Tips for tourists
1. Starting today, we will leave the Shaanxi section and enter the Sichuan section. Walking along the Shu Road, we will arrive at the well-preserved Jinniu section.
2. You need to hike in the scenic area and wear shoes suitable for hiking
3. Prepare water and snacks in moderation to replenish energy
Day 6 Zhaohua Ancient City → Jianmen Pass Scenic Area → Hanyang Town → Pu'an Town
All day
Today, we'll hike the highlight of the Jinniu Ancient Trail. Jianmen Pass has been a military fortress since ancient times. Li Bai's poem "The Difficult Road to Shu" features the line, "Jiangmen Pass is majestic and towering; one man guards the pass, ten thousand men cannot break through." Today, Jianmen Pass has been developed into a scenic area, featuring attractions such as a suspended glass platform, the Tianti Gorge plank road, and a bird's path. The iconic tower has been rebuilt numerous times throughout history, but was destroyed by war or road damage. The current tower is a recent reconstruction. We'll explore Jianmen Pass on foot (ropeway rides are at your own expense). We'll explore the bird's path and the cliff corridor, a scenic route halfway up the mountain. Alternatively, we can choose a river valley hike to experience a blend of culture and scenery. The Monkey Path is a reflection of the ancient path of that time.
The Cuiyun Corridor is lined with green cypresses, providing shade from the sun. Since the Qin Dynasty, generations of people have planted tens of thousands of ancient cypresses on this road. Over 2,000 years of relay work have created a green ecological corridor.
Tips for tourists
1. Hiking section: Hanyang Town to Pu'an Town, about 13km, about 4 hours, climbing about 200m, descending about 470m
2. Today we will hike in the scenic area and walk along the ancient trail. The whole day is about 20km. It is quite difficult and there are no steep sections. Please wear shoes suitable for hiking.
3. Prepare enough water and snacks to replenish energy during hiking
Day 7 Pu'an Town → Liangshan Township → Guangyuan Disbandment
All day
Today, we continued our hike along the Jinniu Ancient Trail. The Horse-Blocking Wall is the essence of this section of the trail. On the cliff side, a meter-high stone wall constructed from massive boulders was used as a safety feature in ancient times to prevent horses from falling off the cliff, similar in function to today's guardrails on highways. Even more impressive is the long, narrow grooves carved into the bluestone slabs on the downhill slope, similar in function to modern highway speed bumps.
The hike concluded around noon, and after lunch, we set off on our return journey to Guangyuan, arriving at Guangyuan Panlong Airport around 3:00 PM and disbanding at Guangyuan Station around 3:30 PM. We recommend booking flights and trains after 4:30 PM.
If your flight doesn't fit your airport/station drop-off time or you have other travel plans, we will disband at Guangyuan Station and will not arrange additional airport/station drop-offs. Thank you for your understanding!
It was a tearful farewell, and we look forward to seeing you again!
Tips for tourists
1. Hiking section: Jinniu Ancient Road Pu'an Town - Liangshan Township, about 10km, about 3.5 hours, climbing about 470m, descending about 220m
2. You need to hike, so wear shoes suitable for hiking
3. Prepare enough water and snacks to replenish energy during hiking
