One day is too rushed? Take two days to slowly experience the charm of this famous mountain in Northwest China. Besides forests and streams, there are also red revolutionary memories, grotto art, and terraced landscapes. Spend the Dragon Boat Festival holiday on an in-depth tour, feeling the dual healing of nature and culture in the cool 18℃.
🗓️ 2 Days 1 Night Itinerary
Day 1: Forest Oxygen Bar Route (Summer Escape + Lung Cleansing)
Morning: Xiaonanchuan + Liangdian Gorge
Same as the one-day tour, spend the morning at the most essential Xiaonanchuan and Liangdian Gorge. Walk slowly, don’t rush, linger by the stream to enjoy the rare coolness and tranquility. You can soak a watermelon in the stream, making it refreshingly cool to eat at noon.
Afternoon: Wild Lotus Valley + Old Dragon Pool
Wild Lotus Valley is a 10-kilometer-long canyon, full of wild lotus flowers in summer, with leaves as big as umbrellas. Stroll along the canyon trail, with cliffs on both sides and a babbling stream in the middle, giving a feeling straight out of a martial arts novel. Very few people visit; you can often walk for half an hour without meeting anyone.
Old Dragon Pool is the source of the Jing River, which is where the phrase "clear distinction between Jing and Wei rivers" comes from. The water here is especially clear, the pool is jade-green, surrounded by high mountains and canyons, with magnificent scenery. The scenic area is small and can be toured in an hour, but every spot is worth savoring.
Evening: Stay in Jingyuan County Town
It is recommended to stay in Jingyuan County Town, where there are many affordable options. In the evening, you can visit the county night market and try local specialties like hot pot, steamed chicken, and lamb stew with bread. The county town is at a high altitude, so it’s especially cool at night; no need for air conditioning and you’ll still need a blanket.
Day 2: Cultural & Historical Route (Red Tourism + Grottoes)
Morning: Liupan Mountain Red Army Long March Scenic Area
This is a nationally famous red tourism site and a great place for hiking and sightseeing. Walk along the 2.5-kilometer Red Army trail, where 18 miniature scenes vividly recreate the hardships of the Red Army’s Long March. At the summit pavilion, Chairman Mao wrote the famous poem "Qing Ping Yue · Liupan Mountain." The panoramic mountain views are spectacular.
Afternoon: Xumishan Grottoes
One of China’s top ten grottoes, built during the Northern Wei Dynasty over 1,500 years ago. The grottoes are carved into cliffs, with the Maitreya Buddha in the Great Buddha Hall standing 20.6 meters tall, grand and imposing. There are very few visitors here, allowing quiet appreciation of ancient craftsmanship. The pine trees in the scenic area are very old, making it especially cool in summer.
🌄 Off-the-Beaten-Path Secret Spots
Longde Old Alley
An ancient village with hundreds of years of history, featuring bluestone paths, earthen walls, wooden doors, and red lanterns, full of the charm of a Northwest ancient town. Very few people visit and it’s not commercialized, so you can stroll leisurely. There are many intangible cultural heritage craft experiences inside, such as clay sculpture, paper cutting, and rubbing.
Pengyang Terraces
If you come in early June, you must visit the Pengyang Terraces! The terraced fields are covered with blooming rapeseed flowers, yellow and green interspersed, looking spectacular from the mountaintop. There are far fewer people here than in Yunnan, so you can have the entire terrace area for photos.
Huoshizhai Danxia Landform
A rare Danxia landform in Northwest China, with red mountains contrasting sharply with green forests, very stunning. You can take a cable car up the mountain to overlook the entire Danxia landform cluster, and there is a glass walkway to experience.
🍃 Slow Life Experiences
Forest Yoga: Find a flat stone by the stream in Xiaonanchuan, do yoga accompanied by birdsong and flowing water, purifying body and mind.
Tea by the Stream: Bring a tea set, brew tea with mountain spring water, and enjoy slow time in nature.
Starry Sky Camping: The scenic area has a dedicated camping zone where you can watch the Milky Way at night and fall asleep to the sound of insects.
Hiking Adventure: You can hire a local forest ranger to guide you to explore undeveloped primeval forests.
📝 Preparation Tips
1. Check the weather in advance: Mountain weather is changeable and often rainy, so bring a raincoat.
2. Book accommodation early: Lodging is tight during the Dragon Boat Festival, so book at least a week in advance.
3. Fill up your gas tank: Distances between scenic spots are long and gas stations are few.
4. Bring enough cash: Some remote areas do not accept mobile payments.
5. Download offline maps: Signal is poor in the mountains, offline maps are essential.
The beauty of Liupan Mountain lies in its originality and purity. There is no over-commercialization, no crowds, only green mountains, clear waters, and cool 18℃ air. Come here during the Dragon Boat Festival and give your body and mind a break.
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Accommodation
🏨 Liupan Mountain · Yunqi Wild Lodge
Luxury tents with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows on the mountaintop, equipped with private bathrooms, floor heating, and coffee machines. Open the window to see endless mountain ranges and sea of clouds, lie down at night to watch the Milky Way.
🏨 Longde Old Alley Luxurious Wild Courtyard
A courtyard hotel in the core area of intangible cultural heritage, with blue brick siheyuan full of historical atmosphere, offering private banquets and craft experiences, the top choice for cultural vacations.
🏨 Jingyuan Hot Spring Forest Villa
A hot spring hotel in the forest, with natural geothermal hot spring wooden cabins, private hot spring baths, a healing getaway far from the hustle and bustle.
🏨 Guyuan Guige · Stargazing Homestay
Panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights, the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye on clear nights, sunflower fields right outside the door, 16 rooms ensuring privacy, with 1-on-1 butler service.
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