China’s sweeping and diverse landscape makes it one of the world’s most gratifying countries for nature enthusiasts. Beyond its surging cities and legendary sites, the nation is filled with breathtaking scenery — from sweeping sandstone spires and mist-shrouded hills to multi-hued lakes, plateaus above which deserts shimmer, and sinuous rivers lined by karst peaks.
Whether you’re into hiking, photography, or simply soaking in breathtaking views, China offers an incredible range of natural destinations that go far beyond the typical tourist path.
But with so many destinations and such a vast territory, it is dizzying to decide where to venture first. Some areas are off the beaten track and need to be planned, yet others are more convenient but still full of natural beauty.
Whether you are a new visitor to China or an old hand who wants to go deeper into the raw beauty of the country, this guide will set you on the right path.
In this guide, we will describe the Best Places to Travel in China and discover breathtaking landscapes.
Best Places to Travel in China to Explore Stunning Landscapes
China’s wide geography contains some of the world’s most lovely and dramatic natural scenery. From mountains that touch the sky and vibrant lakes to sand dunes and deep gorges, it presents a vast array of landscapes that attract outdoors enthusiasts, photographers, trekkers, and travelers who want to experience something other than common city tours.
Here is a practical, step-by-step guide to the best China natural scenic areas — each section describes what to see, how to go, and when to visit. Let’s take a look.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park – Hunan Province
Zhangjiajie is one of China’s most visually dramatic natural attractions. Situated in Hunan Province, this forest park is famous for its towering, thin sandstone pillars, many of which are more than 200 meters tall.
They were formed through millions of years of erosion by nature and have a distinctive vertical structure, so that they seem to be floating above the earth — an appearance that saw the movie world of Avatar being inspired by them. The park is usually blanketed with mist, giving it an otherworldly quality to the scenery.
Tourists can tour the park along a network of walking paths, cableways, and even the renowned Bailong Elevator — a 326-meter-tall glass elevator constructed into the face of a cliff. The Golden Whip Stream path is favored for a less crowded and more shaded stroll, with great views of the surrounding summits.
Spring and autumn are the best times to visit when weather is warm and visibility is excellent. You can travel to Zhangjiajie by flight or train to Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport or Zhangjiajie Railway Station.
Jiuzhaigou Valley – Sichuan Province
Jiuzhaigou is a national park and nature reserve in northern Sichuan Province. It’s famous for its lakes in brilliant colors, from turquoise to emerald green. These are filled with calcium carbonate and algae that combine with the sun to form their resplendent color. The park also features snow peaks, tiered waterfalls, and forests, which make it a full natural retreat.
This area is particularly beautiful during the autumn months, especially in October, when the leaves change color and reflect off the lakes. Jiuzhaigou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and limits the number of visitors each day, so it’s important to book your entrance ticket in advance.
Access is typically via Chengdu, followed by a flight or an 8- to 10-hour bus ride. While the region was damaged by a 2017 earthquake, numerous large attractions have opened again and look as beautiful as before.
Guilin and Yangshuo – Guangxi Province
The Guilin-Yangshuo area is renowned worldwide for its stunning karst scenery — the abruptly rising limestone mountains from the plains and riverbanks. The quintessential experience of this region is to ride a boat along the 83-kilometer-long Li River that flows from Guilin to Yangshuo. The riverbanks have vegetation-covered peaks, rice fields, and ancient fishing villages.
Upon arrival in Yangshuo, visitors can hire bikes or electric scooters to ride through the countryside and see the karst scenery close up. Local tracks provide quiet routes through villages and fields. Spring and autumn are the best times to travel, missing the hot, wet summers.
Guilin is also efficiently connected by air and rail, and most tourists prefer to fly and then travel to Yangshuo by boat or bus for a relaxed experience.
The Yellow Mountains (Huangshan) – Anhui Province
The Yellow Mountains, or Huangshan, are in Anhui Province and are among the most recognized mountain ranges of China. The region is famous for its strange granite peaks, distorted pine trees, dramatic cliff faces, and the breathtaking “sea of clouds” — a natural phenomenon where clouds collect under the mountain tops, creating the illusion of floating mountains.
This region boasts nicely maintained trekking trails, cableways, and a number of peaks that are available for sunrise and sunset viewing. Prominent viewing points include Bright Summit and Lion Peak. Overnight stay facilities are present on the mountain so people can sleep overnight and get up early for sunrise trekking.
The most ideal time to visit is during spring and autumn when the view is clear. Huangshan City or Tunxi is the nearest transportation center and can be accessed by high-speed train or air from major cities such as Shanghai.
Gobi Desert and Badain Jaran – Inner Mongolia
The Gobi Desert is found in northern China and southern Mongolia and has extensive areas of desolate land, sand dunes, and rocky plateaus. The Badain Jaran Desert, a particular section of the Gobi found in Inner Mongolia, is particularly notable for its enormous sand dunes — up to 500 meters high — and its concealed desert lakes, maintained by underground springs.
This region is very remote and less visited by international tourists, making it ideal for those looking for adventure and solitude. You’ll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle and a local guide to explore the interior areas.
Visitors often stay in nearby cities like Zhangye and then arrange transport into the desert. The best time to visit is late spring or early fall when temperatures are milder, as summers can be extremely hot and winters bitterly cold.
Tiger Leaping Gorge – Yunnan Province
The Tiger Leaping Gorge is a profound canyon cut by the Jinsha River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. The gorge is situated between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain and has a total depth of almost 3,800 meters from the river to the top — deeper than the Grand Canyon.
It is a hikers’ favorite. The principal trail follows the south side of the gorge and takes two to three days to hike. Throughout the journey, travelers experience small villages, guest houses, and scenic viewpoints. The trail is rocky in spots but overall achievable for someone with average experience hiking.
March to May and September to November are the optimal times to visit. The access point to the trail begins at Lijiang or Shangri-La, both of which can be reached by plane or train.
Qinghai Lake – Qinghai Province
Qinghai Lake is China’s largest salt lake and is situated on the northeastern border of the Tibetan Plateau. The lake is at an altitude of approximately 3,200 meters and is edged by grasslands, white-capped mountains, and open fields of intense yellow rape flowers that bloom in July.
This place provides a serene environment and is best suited for nature watching, photography, and slow cycling. You may also go to nearby Tibetan monasteries or catch migratory birds that migrate to the lake during summer. The majority of tourists reside in Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, and then go to the lake by bus or car — approximately a 2.5-hour drive. Expect strong sun because of the high altitude, and pack layers, since weather can shift suddenly.
Mount Everest Base Camp (Tibet Side)
Tibet side Mount Everest Base Camp is one of the most coveted tourism adventures for travelers wishing to be near the world’s tallest mountain. The base camp is at 5,200 meters and has unobstructed views of Mount Everest, locally referred to as Qomolangma.
The trek to the base camp can be reached by road, but visitors must have a Tibet Travel Permit, which should be organized through an approved travel agency. Itineraries usually commence in Lhasa and then proceed overland, visiting monasteries and viewpoints en route.
Acclimatization is important, and it’s advisable to spend a couple of days acclimatizing to the height before visiting base camp. Best time to visit is from April to June and September to October.
Kanas Lake – Xinjiang Province
Kanas Lake lies in the Altai Mountains of northern Xinjiang and is China’s most stunning alpine lake. The water of the lake originates from glacial melt and varies in color seasonally, going from deep blue to milky green. Forests, grasslands, and wooden houses erected by the local Kazakh and Tuvan people encompass the surrounding region.
Being far from the main centers, Kanas Lake is comparatively less populated. Travel normally begins at Burqin or Altay City, with onward transport by road. There is hiking, boating, and cultural visits in the area. Autumn is best to visit when trees on the lake’s periphery turn golden and the sky is blue. One has to book the tour through accredited agencies, and local facilities are being upgraded but primitive in some places.
Wulingyuan Scenic Area – Hunan Province
Wulingyuan is a vast scenic region that encompasses the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park along with other neighboring areas like Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie. It has a total area of approximately 690 square kilometers and comprises more than 3,000 sandstone pillars, gorges, caves, and waterfalls.
The whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is highly developed for tourism, with shuttle buses, cable cars, and viewing platforms. Every part is different and travelers are encouraged to spend at least two to three days discovering the various sections. Multi-day entrance tickets are offered and good value. The best time to go is in spring or autumn, and accommodation based in Wulingyuan town allows easy access to all park entrances.
Mount Emei – Sichuan Province
Mount Emei, alternatively spelled as Emeishan, is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains in China and is both a religious site as well as a site of great natural beauty. The mountain slopes up to more than 3,000 meters and has dense forests, waterfalls, hot springs, and a rich variety of wildlife, including monkeys that are frequently encountered along the paths.
Tours can either walk up to the summit — a several-hour trek — or ride in a mix of buses and cable cars. One of the standout experiences is viewing the sunrise at the Golden Summit, where you can also experience the “Buddha’s Halo,” a rainbow-hued halo of light that sometimes manifests in clouds. The spring and autumn months are the best time to visit because of more moderate temperatures and better vistas. Emei can be reached conveniently by high-speed train from Chengdu and is an excellent addition to a Sichuan trip.
Wuyishan (Wuyi Mountains) – Fujian Province
Wuyishan lies in south-east China and is renowned for its green-covered mountains, river gorges, and tea-producing past. It’s part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and provides a more relaxed natural getaway. Tourists can ride bamboo rafts down the Nine-Bend River, which flows between steep cliffs and green valleys, or hike trails leading to scenic viewpoints such as Tianyou Peak and Water Curtain Cave.
The region is also renowned for Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) tea, among China’s most valued oolong teas. Visiting the plantations provides a cultural dimension to the natural tour. Wuyishan has both an airport and a high-speed rail station, so it is simple to visit from bigger cities such as Xiamen or Shanghai. It’s best visited during spring and autumn when the climate is cooler and the scenery is particularly verdant.
Yading Nature Reserve – Sichuan Province
Yading Nature Reserve, a.k.a. “the last Shangri-La,” is a farthest-west corner of far western China that is still farthest from being developed. It is one of the least developed and scenically stunning places in western China.
It boasts snow-capped sacred mountains, glacial lakes, and untouched meadows at altitudes of more than 4,000 meters. Three holy peaks — Chenresig, Jampayang, and Chanadorje — belonging to the reserve are revered by Tibetan Buddhists.
Travelers can trek to a number of high-altitude lakes such as Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake, amidst dramatic scenery and quiet. Because it is remote, Yading is not touristy, but preparation for altitude and limited accommodations are necessary.
Travel usually begins in Daocheng or Kangding, with flights to Daocheng Yading Airport — one of the world’s highest airports. Best time to visit is May, June, September, and October when weather is more favorable and the scenery is at its best.
Mount Tai (Taishan) – Shandong Province
Mount Tai is not just a natural wonder but also one of the most culturally important mountains of China. It has been a place of imperial pilgrimage for centuries and has connections with sunrise worship and Daoist belief. The mountain is blanketed with stone inscriptions, temples, and ancient paths, some of which are more than a thousand years old.
Hiking up Mount Tai involves climbing over 6,000 stone steps, though cable cars are available for those who want a shorter or easier route. The view from the summit, especially at sunrise, is worth the effort.
Tai’an City at the base of the mountain is well-connected by high-speed rail, and the mountain can be visited year-round, though spring and autumn are best for clear skies and comfortable weather.
The Rainbow Mountains – Zhangye Danxia, Gansu Province
The Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye Danxia Geopark are among China’s most striking landscapes. The natural phenomenon consists of red, yellow, orange, and white mineral-rich rocks that are stacked together in horizontal stripes on the undulating hills.
The colors are particularly vivid during rain or at sunrise and sunset, providing dramatic photographic opportunities.
Well-constructed boardwalks and observation decks render the site convenient to visit. Although the park may be crowded during high-tourist season, visiting early morning or later evening is less busy and provides optimal light conditions for photography.
Zhangye city of Gansu Province is the primary entry point and access by train or airplane. The optimum visiting time is June to September when there are clear skies and open access roads.
Conclusion
China is a nation of unparalleled natural richness, with a scenery that varies from imposing mountains and foggy forests to vibrant lakes, vast deserts, and dramatic river gorges. Whether you are captivated by the fantastical sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie, the serene waters of Qinghai Lake, or the multicolored slopes of the Rainbow Mountains, each location offers a distinctive window into China’s immense ecological and cultural diversity.
These scenic areas not only offer stunning views but also an opportunity to witness local culture, old temples, and the peacefulness of unspoiled nature.
Touring China’s natural attractions enables you to leave behind bustling cities and into areas where nature holds the foreground. From thrill-filled treks to peaceful contemplating by a lake, the diversity of experiences is as expansive as the nation. The good news is that many of them can be reached with planning and local insight, whether you are a seasoned traveler or are new to discovering Asia.
In short, Best Places to Travel in China is an unforgettable ride through a few of the world’s most breathtaking and diverse natural scenery.
