Lushan Autumn Colors Travel Guide! A Healing Journey Through a World of Oil Paintings

"You cannot see the true face of Lushan because you are in the mountain" — and autumn is the best season to unveil its beauty! From late October to mid-November, sweetgum, phoenix trees, and ginkgo turn this place into a palette, paired with century-old villas, as if traveling back to the literary era of the Republic of China.
🎨 Three Major Autumn Viewing Areas Features
Ruqin Lake - Huajing Area: The lakeside maples gradually change from red to yellow, reflecting in the water like a Monet painting; the maple leaf tunnel in Huajing Park is perfect for photos in plain-colored long dresses.
Lulin Lake - Sanbao Tree Area: The French plane trees on Lulin Bridge shine golden, and the 1,600-year-old ginkgo leaves of the Sanbao Tree form a golden carpet.
Botanical Garden Hidden Gem: The 300-year-old maple king boasts intense colors, and the ginkgo avenue inside the garden is rarely visited, ideal for environmental portrait photography.
📅 3-Day Immersive Itinerary
Day 1: West Line Literary Stroll
Morning: Walk around Ruqin Lake (2 km flat path). Lunch at Huajing Restaurant to try stone chicken stew.
Afternoon: Visit Jinxiu Valley (skywalk with sea of clouds view) and Xianren Cave (where Lü Dongbin practiced Taoism, surrounded by misty fairy aura).
Overnight in Guling Town, recommended stay at "Yunshe" guesthouse with a terrace for stargazing.
Day 2: East Line Natural Wonders
Early morning: Watch sunrise and sea of clouds at Hanpokou. Then hike Wulao Peak (peaks 1-4 offer wide views, peak 5 is the most challenging).
Afternoon: Challenge Sandiequan Waterfall (3,000 steps round trip, moderate water flow in autumn). Return by sightseeing bus at dusk to enjoy the sunset.
Day 3: Cultural Nostalgia Day
Morning: Visit Meilu Villa (Chiang Kai-shek’s summer palace with maple leaf window views) and the old site of the Lushan Conference.
Afternoon: Explore Lushan Museum to learn about geological history and buy cloud mist tea as souvenirs.
🍜 Food Map
Must-try "Lushan Three Stones": Stone ear mushroom stewed with native chicken (Wanglu Shuo Restaurant), stone fish scrambled eggs (Zuiyunlu), stone frog stew (Luwei Caotang).
Snack recommendations: Freshly baked tea cakes on Guling Street, osmanthus rice wine dumplings.
💡 In-Depth Experiences
Morning mist photography: Arrive before 7 AM at Xiaotianchi Nonata Courtyard, where red maples and the white pagoda look like a Japanese garden in the morning mist.
Cultural collectibles: Get a commemorative stamp at Meilu Villa, and preserve ginkgo leaves from the Botanical Garden as bookmarks.