China hiking tours offerenergetic outdoor peoplefulfilling and exciting options for an adventure holiday. With a vast land area, China has some of thebest landscapesfor hikers to see and experience.
Hiking in China, you can have the awesome experiences of appreciatingmagnificent mountains, fantastic rivers, and stunning wild places, along with China's historical and cultural heritage.
Although rural/remote China isnot as easy to explore, it is actually well worth the effort. Let's experience the natural beauty of Beijing, Guilin, Lijiang, Huangshan, and more far-flung places in a different way.
Check out our China hiking tours… or read on for more on the best hikes. We have sorted out thehiking difficultyyou might come across in China into a 3-level hiking range, from easy to challenging:
- 容易— For ordinary travelers including children. A typical day involves around 2–4 hours of light to moderate walking.
- Moderate— For travelers who are experienced at hiking. A typical day involves around 2–4 hours of hiking and tends to involve a few tough climbs to the best views.
- Challenging— For experienced trekkers looking for a challenge. These treks are a true test of endurance and involve an average of 5–6 hours of serious hiking per day.
1. The Great Wall — The Most Challenging Section from Jiankou to Mutianyu
- Location: Beijing
- 迪fficulty: moderate to challenging
- Duration: 1–2 days
- Best times to hike: April to May, September to October
TheGreat Wallof China is one of the greatest sights in the world. The longest wall in the world, it is an awe-inspiring feat of ancient defensive architecture.
The4小时route from Jiankou tothe Mutianyusection is the most challenging Great Wall hike, featuring decaying and dangerous steps and spectacular cliff-top tower and wall ruins.
Sense the history as you stand on the unrestored Jiankou section of the Great Wall, which you can enjoy without being surrounded by a crowd… or even a soul. You canexperience campingwild on the Wall just like an imperial Chinese soldier.
Having aBBQ dinner, sharing beers with friends or your partner, and appreciating theenchanting views, includingsunsetand asunriseover the Great Wall, would give you unforgettable experiences.
> >阅读更多有关Hiking from Jiankou to Mutianyu on the Great Wall.
2. Tiger Leaping Gorge — Hike Through the Yangtze's Deepest Gorge
- Location: Lijiang
- 迪fficulty: easy to moderate
- Duration: 3 days
- Best times to hike: Consider avoiding the rainy season (June to September)
Tiger Leaping Gorge is considered one ofChina's best hiking areasfor its perfect adventurous and off-the-beaten routes, rustic Naxi culture, and sheer gorge scenery. The scenery is spectacular, and it deserves its renown as one of China's best hikes.
It is on the way from Lijiang (2 hours by car) to Shangri-La (3 hours by car) in Southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Tiger Leaping Gorgeis one of thedeepest canyonsin the world, with a good path high above theYangtze River, to get away from the throbbing roar of the river, and inexpensive accommodation along the way.
Winding around 22 km (14 miles) in total,Tiger Leaping Gorgeprovides various hiking routes, including something to meet most hiking levels. Trekking for a half-day, one-day, or two days is available based on your preference.
> >阅读更多有关Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking
3. Everest Base Camp Trek — Hiking on the Roof of the World
- Location: Tibet
- 迪fficulty: moderate to challenging
- Duration: 4 days
- Best times to hike: May, October
TheEverest Base Camp TrekinTibet是一种最令人垂涎的徒步旅行路线的world. You will trek through Himalayan valleys and remote Tibetan villages, across highland meadows, and desert-like plains.
InRongbuk Monastery, you can talk with a monk and receive a most sacred blessing.
It is 66 km (41 miles) of trekking withaltitudesranging from 4,000m (13,000 ft) to 5,350m (17,500 ft). Thedaily trekkingdistance is from 12 to 22km (7–14 miles), taking 5–8 hours.
>> Read more on theEverest Base Camp Trek
4. Li River Hiking — Stride through "Landscape Poetry"
- Location: Yangshuo, Guilin
- 迪fficulty: easy
- Duration: 1 day
- Best times to hike: All the year-round. A few days a year from May to July, hiking may be unsafe/undoable due to storms.
Boasting fantasticnatural landscapesand lots of precious cultural relics, Guilin is one of the most popular tourist destinations for people from all around the world. The Li River is definitely the centerpiece of a Guilin Tour.
The Li River section fromXingpingtoNine Horse Fresco Hill,那里的Li Riverpasses an endless procession of distinct peaks, bamboo groves, and stunning landscapes, is the most wonderful part of a Li River hike. The total length of hiking is about 7 km, 4 hours.
>>Read more onLi River Hiking
5. The Yellow Mountains — The Most Legendary Natural Scenery in China
- Location: Huangshan
- 迪fficulty: moderate to challenging
- Duration: 2 days
- Best times to hike: All the year-round. A few days a year from May to July, hiking may be unsafe/undoable due to storms.
TheYellow Mountainsare famous for their marvelous andbeautiful scenery. The legendary pines, oddly-shaped rocks, phantasmagoric seas of cloud, hot springs, and winter snowscapes give the Yellow Mountains the reputation of having five celebrated attractions.
The Yellow Mountains bring together all the strong points of other famous mountains in one place: grand, strange, baffling, arduous, steep, flourishing, quiet, and spacious.
The most popular activity on Huangshan ishikingaround to see the awesome views. Besides, the picturesque ancient villages nearby have also become popular as idyllic hiking destinations.
>>Read more aboutYellow Mountain Hiking
6. Mount. Kailash Circuit Trek — A Pilgrimage Journey
- Location: Tibet
- 迪fficulty: challenging
- Duration: 3 days
- Best times to hike: May to September. From October to April, the Mount Kailash circuit may be impassable due to heavy snow.
SacredMount Kailashis in the remotest region ofTibet. InTibetan Buddhism(and three other faiths), hiking around Mount Kailash is a journey of pilgrimage that is of special importance to a person's beliefs and faith.
Even when it has nothing to do withreligion or beliefs, many travelers are still attracted by the area's remote beauty, the atmosphere of reverence, and the extreme challenge of the trek.
ThedistancearoundMount Kailashis 58 kilometers (36 miles) with thelowest altitudeof 4,675 meters (15,338 feet) and thehighestof 5,648 meters (18,530 feet) during the trek.
>>Read more about aMount Kailash Trek
7. Ganden Monastery to Samye Monastery — Experience the Beauty of High-Altitude Vistas
- Location: Tibet
- 迪fficulty: challenging
- Duration: 4 days
- Best times to hike: May to October
Hiking fromGanden MonasterytoSamye Monasteryis one of themost popularadventure trips in Tibet. The trek starts and ends at one of two monasteries that have great significance toTibetan Buddhism.
Thesceneryon the way includes lakes, snow-capped mountains, alpine forests, and meadows, as well as Buddhist monasteries. This trek ishigh-altitude, remote, a decent distance, and rough underfoot with stream crossings.
Thedaily walking distanceis about 15 km (9 miles), taking 5–6 hours. Most of theroute's altitudeis around 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level.
8. Yubeng Village Hiking — Stunning Views of Snow-Capped Mountains
- Location: Shangri-La
- 迪fficulty: moderate to challenging
- Duration: 4 days
- Best times to hike: April to May, October to December.
The Yubeng Village trek is thetop hiking routefor snow-capped mountains in Yunnan.Yubeng villagehides in the hinterland of theMeili Snow Mountainsat an altitude of 3,000 m (9,800 ft). It can only be accessed on foot.
During the trek, you canenjoy Shangri-La's snowy peaks, glaciers, forests, lakes, and waterfalls. The averagehiking distanceis about 13 km (8 miles) per day. Thehighest placeyou would trek to is about 3,800 m (12,400 ft) above sea level.
>>Read more aboutYubeng Village in Shangri-La
9. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Hiking — Sacred Mountain of the Naxi people
- Location: Lijiang
- 迪fficulty: moderate
- Duration: 1 day
- Best times to hike: November to April
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the most southerlyalways-snowcapped mountainin China, and it is well-situated within a short road journey from the popular Lijiang Ancient Town in Yunnan Province.
It is more rewarding to explore the holy mountain of local Naxi people's hearts by hiking, skipping the cable car and avoiding the tourist crowds.
Starting fromYuhu Village, where famous explorer Joseph Rock lived for 27 years, you can hike through the bushes, wade across a little stream, lie down on an alpine meadow, and enjoy exclusive views ofJade Dragon Snow Mountainthat only hikers can.
Theaverage hiking distanceis about 12.5 km (7.7 miles) at an altitude of around 2,700–3,300 m (8,800–10,800 ft) above sea level.
>>Read more about aJade Dragon Snow Mountain Hike
10. Longji Terraced Fields Hiking — World's Most Incredible Scenery
- Location: Guilin
- 迪fficulty: Easy to moderate
- Duration: 1 day
- Best times to hike: May to October
TheLongji Terraced Fieldsare located in Longsheng County, about 100 km (60 miles) northwest ofGuilin. Longji's terraced fields offer some of the most fantastic scenery in Guilin or indeed China.
As the rice terraces are built into the hillsides, the best, and also only, way to view these fields from many angles is by hiking.
There are numeroushiking trailsto explore the rice terraces, and the most frequented trail is fromPing'an Villageto Dazhai, or vice versa. The scenery along this route is fantastic, with seasonal colors and traditional minority houses.
The 4-hour hike, during which you canfully appreciate the rice paddiesand other beautiful landscapes along the way, has been well-trod over the centuries and most paths are paved with stone slabs.
>>Read more aboutLongji Terraced Fields Hiking
11. Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve Trekking — Tread Through the Hidden Pure-land
- Location: Western Sichuan Province, 750 km from Chengdu
- 迪fficulty: Easy
- Duration: 1 or 2 days
- Best times to hike: April to May, September to October
Daochengis located in the south ofGarze Tibetan Prefecture,around 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Chengdu.Yading National Reserveis one of the most famous places near Daocheng and is great foreco-travel.
As aholy land of the Tibetan people, Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve is well known for itssnow-capped mountains, crystal clear lakes, vast grasslands, and colorful forests.
Daocheng Yading Nature Reserve is ahiking paradisewith manyhiking routesfrom classic short hikes to in-depth long treks, which usually take 1 to 2 days. Many trails are located above 4,000 meters above sea level.
Contact usand we'll tailor-make your own hiking trip in Daocheng.
>>Read more aboutDaochengandYading.
12. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon — Step onto the 'Sky Ladder'
- Location: Zhangjiajie
- 迪fficulty: easy
- Duration: half a day
- Best times to hike: April to May, September to October
Zhangjiajieis an ideal place toexplore on footas it is renowned for its stunning mountain views. No matter which scenic area you visit, some hiking is required.
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyonhiking is particularly popular because of theworld-record-holding glass bridge. But the Grand Canyon is about more than just the bridge.
It is a beautiful combination of waterfalls, mountains, streams, cliffs, and caves. Walking in the Grand Canyon, you will encounter many magnificent views, such as 'A Strip of Sky' (a very narrow valley) and 'Sky Ladder', which is a wooden walkway and steps along steep cliffs.
The scenic walk down into the valley takes about3 hours. Then, you will take a boat ride to the exit.
13. Hiking in Pristine Tropical Rainforest — Have a "Man vs. Wild" Experience
- Location: Xishuangbanna
- 迪fficulty: easy
- Duration: Half-day
- Best times to hike: November to March
Xishuangbannalies in the very south ofYunnan Province, it is one of three provinces in China where you can experience a truly tropical flavor.
徒步旅行在一个rainforest, you can have a genuine jungle experience that is more interesting than visiting a well-developed rainforest tourist area.
Besides enjoying the peaceful and beautiful forest scenery, you can have a "Man vs. Wild" experience by discovering edible plants and survival skills.
Thelength of the hikeis about 11 km (7 miles). The journey there is about 1½ hours by car from Jinghong (the main city of Xishuangbanna).
14. Trekking around Gongga Shan — Tallest Peak East of the Himalayas
- Location: Western Sichuan Province, 260 km from Chengdu
- 迪fficulty: challenging
- Duration: 5 days
- Best times to hike: April to October
Gongga Shan is the highest mountain in Sichuan Province and the most easterly peak over 7,000 m, standing at a staggering 7,556 m (24,790 ft), and is of huge spiritual importance to Tibetans. There is a more accessible trail that snakes around the west of the mountain, following the sacred pilgrimage kora undertaken by many Tibetans each year.
The starting point of the kora is just a short drive from Kangding, 260 km (160 miles) from Chengdu. The route takes you past snow-capped peaks, alpine views of classic "Tibetan" landscapes, nomadic Tibetan camps, glaciers, and Tibetan monasteries.
A trek around the Gongga Shan normally needs about 5 days and it is a serious camping trek. Each day the walking distance is about 15 km (9 miles), which usually takes about 6–7 hours, and involves walking at altitudes over 3,500 meters (11,000 feet), the highest place being 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).
>>Read more aboutTrekking Around Gongga Shan
15. Kanas Hiking — Meet the Switzerland of the East
- Location: Xinjiang
- 迪fficulty: challenging
- Duration: 4 days
- Best times to hike: May to September
Kanasis located in Altay Prefecture, the northernmost tip of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The tophiking routefrom Jaden Valley to Kanas Lake is a popular one.
Along the path, you can see beautifulKanas River, quiet Hemu River, misty Hemu Village, mysterious Black Lake, and finally colorful Kanas Lake.
Thewhole distanceis 78 kilometers (48 miles) on foot. The hiking isn't difficult, but it takes a long time to finish the trek.
Why Hike with Us
- COVID-19 travel restrictions first-hand updates and advice for registered clients
- Trekking route road collapse, village flooding, snake blockade, etc. alerts received from local sources; flexible alternatives arranged according to client preference
- 20 years serving 10,000+ Western clients per year with private tours
- China's besttailor-madetour company! See TripAdvisor.
- Free cancellation and full refunds (in these uncertain times), plus unlimited consultancy for a truly personalized itinerary
- We pursue the ideals of discovery, authenticity, and fun in our tour product design. We will help you avoid commercial and touristy places, according to your requirements. Let us know your ideal Yunnan hiking experience and we'llcreate your trip.
