Greater Khingan Range (Daxing'anling) travel guide
大兴安岭
Greater Khingan Range (Daxing'anling) travel guide with a day by day itinerary, 4 places with tickets and opening hours, where to eat and stay, and how to get there.
4 places · In the guidebook: pages 2190–2194
Greater Khingan Range (Daxing'anling), Heilongjiang Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Greater Khingan Range (Daxing'anling) in 2 days
- Day 1
- Mohe Jiuqu Shibawan (Nine Bends and Eighteen Curves)→
- Yanzhi Gully→
- Beiji Village (birch forests nearby)
- Day 2
- Beiji Village→
- First Bend of the Heilongjiang River→
- Beihong Village
The feel of the place
Greater Khingan lies in the far north of Heilongjiang and is China's highest-latitude region. Sightseeing routes radiate northwest from Jagdaqi, known as the 'Forest Capital of the North'. West of Jagdaqi you can reach Gaxian Cave, where you can also experience Oroqen hunting culture and folk customs. Heading north, you can reach Beiji Village and Mohe. You can also travel to Huma to experience the China–Russia border.
Dress Warmly
Mohe is the coldest place in China. In winter, wear warm cotton thermal underwear and thick cotton trousers, choose a hat that covers your ears, wear two pairs of gloves and three pairs of socks, and buy shoes 2–3 sizes larger than usual so that your feet stand a chance of staying warm.
Traveling by Train
When travelling to Greater Khingan by train, it's best not to sleep. The train winds through mountains, forests and rivers, offering some of the finest scenery.
Preparation and Information
Language
The Oroqen language belongs to the Tungusic branch of the Manchu-Tungus group within the Altaic family. Oroqen people use Chinese script, and Mandarin can be used for communication.
Climate and Best Time to Visit
Greater Khingan lies at China's northernmost edge, with long winters and short summers. In Mohe and the Luogu area especially, winter lasts more than seven months and daylight is very limited. Summer lasts only about two months, yet from June to August, daylight can last up to 17 hours.
The annual average temperature in Mohe is −4°C, and winter temperatures can drop below −40°C. However, the forests provide shelter from the wind, so although it is very cold, it is not as frightening as many people imagine.
Things to see
Located inside Beiji Village, this post office gives a special meaning to sending a postcard to friends and family from the northernmost point. In December, the post office hosts Christmas-themed events, with exquisite souvenirs and creative products on display. You can soak up the festive atmosphere of the North here, which is very fun and unique.
Mohe Arctic Village
Every year, visitors from across the country and around the world come here in different seasons. It is cold here almost all year round: summer lasts only about half a month, while winter lasts around 10 months. Around the summer solstice, the Aurora Festival turns the village into a “city that never sleeps” for tourists, reporters and photography enthusiasts, and the midnight sun is a spectacle that appears every year. Oh, and don't forget to visit the Arctic Geomagnetic Observatory of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
1–2 days · ¥68; ¥50
Beihong Village
This is China's truly northernmost village. It now has 24-hour electricity, and its drinking water comes mainly from pressure wells. Most visitors are backpackers who want to experience the customs and way of life of the far north.
3–6 hours
Mohe Jiuqu Shibawan (Nine Bends and Eighteen Curves)
Dense pines cover the mountain in a deep, inky green. Its peaks rise and fall like surging waves, and the wind through the pines sounds like a thousand galloping horses. From above, you can admire the magnificent view of the winding river, its nine bends framed by green pines and cypresses. At sunrise, clouds and mist curl around the peaks, giving the feeling of standing on auspicious clouds.
2–3 hours · ¥50
Yanzhi Gully
Yanzhi Gully is located in Mohe Township within Mohe City and lies on the essential route from Xilinji Town to Beiji Village (Arctic Village). It was once a site where earlier generations mined gold. Because the gold here was said to have been exchanged for rouge (胭脂) for Empress Dowager Cixi, it came to be called “Yanzhi Gully,” and it is also known as “Gold Gully.”
3 hours · ¥25
Getting there & around
Getting In and Out
Travel here is mainly by rail. There are direct trains between Mohe and Qiqihar or Harbin.
By Air
You can fly into the Greater Khingan Range. Jagdaqi has scheduled general aviation flights, and Mohe Airport has begun operations.
By Rail
The station closest to Mohe is Mohe Railway Station, formerly known as Xilinji Station.
By Road
Expressway-grade roads now link the entire area. Visitors can drive here on National Highway 311.
Where to stay
Jagdaqi, the prefecture seat, has a range of commercial hotels and government guesthouses. Accommodation is convenient and very inexpensive. Tourist hotels such as Beishan Hotel, Xing'an Hotel and Lintian Grand Hotel have stronger capacity and, naturally, slightly higher prices.
Visitors to Beiji Village and Luohe Ancient Village can stay with local farmers. Their homes are built of timber, with the feel of a forest cabin.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2190–2194. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version