6 Best Hiking Trails in China, Most Popular Hiking Routes

The best hiking trails in China offers the opportunities to venture deep into the enchanted middle kingdom, to explore its great outdoor for breathtaking views. It will be an adventure like no other, as long as you take the first step. So here’re the trails, from the authentic Great Wall and the ancient Tea-horse Road trail along Tiger Leaping Gorge, to an exhilarating walk along the Li River to the fields and orchards of Yangshuo country. There’re must be one suit your level of fitness and expertise.

#1, Li River -- Surreal Karst Landscape & Pastoral Countryside

Whenever we talk about the classic, best or top hiking trails in China, we think Li River, which connects Guilin and Yangshuo, and is the epitome of South China Karst scenery. Apart from the limestone peaks along the banks of the river, there are a lot more to see, from the rice terraces, tranquil villages, lovely islets, bamboo groves, buffalos grazing the grass, and cormorant fisherman.

The highlight attractions along this trail include Nine-horse Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal and Xingping Old Town.

Li River hiking to Yangshuo

There are three options for Li River hiking:

■ Route 1: Complete Li River hiking trail (currently unavailable)

Distance: abt 54km (33.6 miles)

Route: Dayu Old Town – Caoping Village – Yangdi Whart – Lengshui Du – Xingping Old Town

Duration: 2 days (one night stay at Yangdi)

Type: nature & culture

Trail Condition: mostly mountain path, plus flat road

Difficulty: ★★★

Landscape: ★★★★★

■ Route 2: Essential lLi River hiking trail

Distance: abt 20km (12.4 miles)

Route: Yangdi Whart/Da Qiao Tou Village – Lengshui Du – Xingping Old Town

Duration: 1 day

Type: nature & culture

Trail Condition: mostly mountain path, plus flat trail

Difficulty: ★

Landscape: ★★★★

■ Route 3: Li River hiking from Shangnei to Xingping

Distance: 20km (12.4 miles)

Duration: 5 hours

Type: nature

Trail Condition: mostly mountain path, plus flat trail

Difficulty: ★

Landscape: ★★★★

#2, the Great Wall -- Enormous Historic Military Defensive Project, North China View

An iconic image of China, the Great Wall has a history of over 2000 years and as long as 1,196 km (13,171 mi). It traverses the mountains of north China, and resemble a giant dragon flying on the sky. The famous sections of the Great Wall such as Badaling, Juyong Pass and Mutianyu, are best for sightseeing and leisure walking, while many wild Great Wall around Beijing like Jinshanling, Simatai, JInkou, Gubeikou, which retain their original and authentic features, are great hiking trails.

Be noted that the wild Great Wall are unrepaired, so many parts are eroded and damaged. Besides, some trails are extremely steep and precipitous, requiring great physical strength and special carefulness.

It will be better if combing hikes with camping, night tour (Simatai) and photography.

Beijing Great Wall hiking

There are many options for the Great Wall hiking, here we list three:

■ Route I: Great Wall hiking Jinshanling to Simatai

Distance: 11km (6.8 miles)

Duration: 5 hours

Type: world heritage, history, nature

Best for: photography, night tour

Trail Condition: steep stairs

Difficulty: ★★

Landscape: ★★★★

■ Route 2: Great Wall hiking Jiankou to Mutianyu

Distance: 10km (6.2 miles)

Duration: 5 hours

Type: world heritage, history, nature

Best for: photography

Trail Condition: steep stairs

Difficulty: ★★

Landscape: ★★★★

■ Route 3: Great Wall hiking Gubeikou to Jinshanling

Distance: 10km (6.2 miles)

Duration: 5 hours

Type: world heritage, history, nature

Best for: photography

Trail Condition: steep stairs

Difficulty: ★★

Landscape: ★★★★

#3, Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge – One of the Deepest Canyons in the World

Water roaring under 3900 meters, 216 meters crazy drop in a short distance, 18 rapid dangerous shoal, 28 twists and turns, more than 200 hanging adders, 23 kilometers of mountain wilderness walk, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain in sight -- It is the Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, a world-class hiking trail.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the most popular hiking/ trekking trail in China but there’re never crowds. You feel only the serenity and magic of nature.

Yunnan Tiger Leaping Gorge hiking

■ You may challenge 3 days Tiger Leaping Gorge hike route:

Distance: 23km (14.3 miles)

Day 1, Qiaotou Village – Upper Trekking Route – 28 Bends – Tea Horse Guesthouse (around 5.5 hrs)

Day 2, Tea Horse Guesthouse – Halfway Guesthouse – Tina’s Guesthouse – Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge - Walnut Orchard (around 5 hrs)

Day 3, Walnut Orchard – Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge – Upper Ferry – Daju (around 3hrs)

Altitude: 1,600m - 2,650m

Type: nature, alpine valley

Trail Condition: alpine trekking trail

Difficulty: ★★★

Landscape: ★★★★

>> Recommended 16-day China Hiking Adventure to the Great Wall, Li River & Tiger Leaping Gorge

#4 Yellow Mountain – Walking on the Seas of Clouds

One of the most famous and beautiful mountains in China, Yellow Mountain (Mt. Huangshan) is a UNESCO Cultural and Natural Heritage, a world geology park, and a paradise for hiking in China. Hiking Yellow Mountain trails, you can admire its four wonders – peculiar pine trees, fantastic rock peaks, seas of clouds and hot spring. Most of the mountain trails are paved and built with stone stairs. Nevertheless, take care of the camera and mobile when taking photos, as some of the trails (especially the West Sea Canyon) are very precipitous.

Hiking Yellow Mountain Huangshan

■ Suggested 2 days Mt. Huangshan hike route:

Day 1, Yungu Temple – Eastern Steps – Bridge of Immortals – White Goose Ridge – Flying-over Rock – the Bright Top - Cloud-dispelling Pavilion (around 6 hrs)

Day 2, West Sea Grand Canyon: the 1st ring - 2nd ring – Button - Plunk Way - Fairy-Walking Bridge

Max altitude: 1,841m (6040ft)

Type: nature, world heritage

Trail Condition: steep stairs, flat road

Difficulty: ★★★

Landscape: ★★★★

>> Recommended 16-day China Walking Holiday to the Great Wall, Li River and Yellow Mountain

#5, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park – Avatar Mountain

Due to it’s the other-worldly concentration of quartz sandstone peaks, ZJJ National Forest Park becomes the first national forest park in China, and another geology park and UNESCO heritage in the world. The floating Avatar Mountain makes world famous, and nature lovers and serious hikers find it one of the best places to hike in China. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park trails combine unpaved mountain trails, stone stairs and flat roads. To save time, shuttle bus sometimes is recommended.

Hiking Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

■ Suggested 3 days Zhangjiajie National Forest Park hike route:

Day 1, Huangshi Village + Golden Whip Brook (about 7hrs)

Day 2, Ten Mile Gallery + Tianzi Mountain (about 5hrs)

Day 3, Yangjiajie + Yuanjiajie scenic areas including Avatar Mountain, World’s No. 1 Bridge, Wulong Village, Tianbo Mansion, Air Corridor and Eight-mile Shop (6-7hrs)

Max altitude: 1,262 m (4140ft)

Type: nature, world heritage

Trail Condition: mountain trails, stairs, flat road

Difficulty: ★★★

Landscape: ★★★★★

#6, Meili Snow Mountain-Yubeng Trek

Looking for an epic hiking adventure in China? Consider trek to Yubeng Village in Shangri-La, Yunnan. Located in the holy Meili Snow Mountain area (one of the four holy mountains of Tibetan Buddhism), the Yubeng trail is considered as one of the top 10 hiking trails in the world, and a challenge hiking in china.

The Yubeng Village is vital to Meili Snow Mountain Kora, and connects the outside world with only two hiking trails – one leads to Xidang Village, and the other leads to Ninong Valley. It is an untouched world and a real Shangri-La. You’ll see the majestic Kawakarpo (6740m, the main peak of Meili, and still a virgin peak), ancient Mingyong Glacier, the Ice Lake, the Sacred Waterfall, and the Sacred Lake.

>> Read more about Meili-Yubeng Trekking Guide & Tips

Trekking Yubeng Village MeiliSnow Mountain in Shangri-la Yunnan