Tanpu Gorge

Yuntai Mountain

When people mention Yuntai Mountain, many different places north and south of the Yangtze may come to mind, but the one meant here is the Yuntai Mountain of the line 'Everyone has a sprig of cornel in their hair but one', and the main production area of the famous 'Yuntai landform'.

¥120; sightseeing shuttle ¥60 · 1–3 days

Qingtian River

Daquan Lake is the highlight of Qingtian River. Here you can see northern pastoral scenery and feel the charm of southern waterside villages at the same time. Its middle section closely resembles the Wu Gorge, earning it the nickname 'Three Gorges of the North'. Inside the scenic area, Jinjialing Ridge turns a sea of red every autumn, arguably the finest autumn foliage in the Central Plains, and the thousand-year-old Yueshan Temple holds plaques and couplets bestowed by Emperor Qianlong, which are well worth seeing.

¥70; boat ticket ¥90 (full route); cable car ¥80 (full route) · 0.5–1 day

Shennong Mountain Scenic Area

To find out just how beautiful the 'Beauty Pine' is, you must visit Shennong Mountain. Nearly 16,000 white crane pines grow on sheer cliff tops, forming a 'Dragon Ridge Great Wall' that is quite spectacular from afar. This is where Emperor Yan, Shennong, is said to have distinguished the hundred grains and tasted the hundred herbs, so the mountain holds many precious medicinal herbs. A saying still circulates: 'One trip through Shennong Valley, and even illness cures itself.'

¥65; cable car ¥70 (full route) · 1 day

Zhuyu Peak

Speaking of Zhuyu Peak, you may recall the poet Wang Wei's line 'Everyone has a sprig of cornel in their hair but one'? Although the peak takes its name from this, Wang Wei was not a travel writer, and the claim that he wrote 'Thinking of My Brothers in Shandong on the Double Ninth' here is not accurate. Climb the ladder-and-plank walkway to the peak, 1,308 metres above sea level, and the view over the rolling mountain ranges will not disappoint you.

Zifang Lake

The name sounds elegant, and the scenery has an artistic flair. The lake is half shaded and half sunlit: one side glitters with golden light while the other is clear and emerald green. At midday the lake surface acts like a giant mirror, reflecting the direct sunlight back out and dazzling the eye.

Macaque Valley

Large numbers of wild macaques live in groups throughout the scenic area.