China Nature Tours

China, with a territory of 9,600,000 square kilometres, is rich in tourist resources. A foreign tourist can be determining what he or she wants to see.

China is superb in terms of natural beauty. There are many famous mountains, such as the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (known as the Roof of the World), the majestic "Five Sacred Mountain's" (namely Taishan in Shandong- Province, Songshan in Henan Province, Hengshan in Hebei Province, Huashan in Shaanxi Province, and Hengshan in Hunan Province), the famous "Four Buddhist Mountains" (namely Wutai in Shanxi Province, Putuo in Zhejiang Province, Emei in Sichuan Province, and Jiuhua in Anhui Province), as well as Mount Huangshan in Anhui Province, and Mount Lushan in Jiangxi Province. As for rivers and lakes in China, they are equally prominent as tourist attractions. Among the best known water attractions are the heroic Three Gorges of the Yangtze (Changjiang) River, the majestic tides of the Qiantang River, the poetic scenery of Guilin, and the incomparable beauty of West Lake in Hangzhou. In addition, there are cities with such uniqueness as to be referred to as City of Mountains, City of Flowers, City of Ice, City of Springs, etc China has a long coastline, a varied topography, and many mineral springs. There are beaches endowed with soft sand and plenty of sunshine, some situated close to cities such as Dalian, Beidaihe, Qingdao, and Gulangyu. They are not only good for swimming and sea bathing but also excellent as places to visit.

If our recommended nature tours do not suit you, we can plan your own tailor-made trip.

China Nature Resources

Mountains

China is a mountainous country: mountains crisscross from one end of the land to another, and mountainous regions constitute two-thirds of the land area. Many of the world's most famous mountains are found here; about 100 of them soar to a height of 7,000 metres or more, and about 1,000 are as high as 6,000 metres. Altogether there are 14 mountains in the world that are 8,000 metres or more in height; of these 9 are located either inside China or on a Chinese border. Mountains are the source where important rivers originate; they serve as watersheds and as dividing lines for different climates, and they have important geographic implications. Many mountains, though perhaps geographically insignificant, attract tourists for their unusual scenic beauty or because they are good as summer resorts. Other mountains become famous because they are related to some important historical events or because they are held sacred by a religious sect. Then, there are mountainous peaks high and dangerous enough to become a challenge to mountain climbers.

Rivers and Lakes

China has many long rivers, most of which flow eastwards and pour into the Pacific Ocean. The best known and most important are the Yangtze River, the Yellow (Huanghe) River, the Pearl River, the Heilong River, the Haihe River, and the Huahe River.

Originating in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau the Yangtze zigzags for 6 500 kilometres as the longest river in China. In the southern fringe of the Sichuan Basin it passes through the narrow dangerous Three Gorges (Qutangxia, Wuxia, and Xilingxia). The cliffs on the banks of the gorges shoot skyward like perpendicular walls, and rarely can the sun be seen until high noon. The Tang poet Li Bai once wrote:

While the apes are crying unceasingly on both banks of the river, the light boat has travelled thousands of mountains.

The poet vividly described the high mountains, the deep valleys, and the fast-moving boat that sails quickly and effortlessly over a long distance. Sailing eastwards with the current, a tourist can enjoy to the full the scenic beauty of the Three Gorges. The Yangtze drainage area is warm in climate and plentiful in precipitation. It has rich soil and a large population and is an important agricultural region in China.

With a total length of 5,464 kilometres, the Yellow River is the second longest river in China. Originating in Qinghai Province, it travels through nine provinces (autonomous regions) before it pours into the sea. Its drainage marks the original home of the Chinese nation and the cradle of Chinese civilization. In 1964, teeth and broken skulls of a very ancient people were discovered at Gongwangling Lantian County of Shaanxi Province, and the discovery has proved that as early as 800,000 years ago, the Chinese people worked nourished and multiplied in the Yellow River valleys. For a long time' in the past the Yellow River had been known as "China's sorrow " as it changed channels often, broke dams, washed away millions of acres of fertile fields, and caused enormous damage to life and property. Now, because of the successful management and control of the turbulent current, the "sorrow" of the past has been transformed into the "happiness" of the present.

The Tarim River of Xinjiang receives its water supply from the melted snows of the Tianshan Mountains, the Kunlun Mountains, and the Pamir Plateau. With a total length of 2,179 kilometres, it is China's most famous internal river.

Other than natural rivers, there are in China many man-made canals. The most famous among them is the Grand Canal that links Beijing in North China with Hangzhou in South China, connecting the drainages of five different rivers — the Haihe River, Yellow River, Huaihe River, Yangtze River, and Qiantang River. It has a total length of 1,782 kilometres. First built in the fifth century B.C., it was not completed until the Sui Dynasty (581-618), after having been constructed and renovated three times. Ranked with the Great Wall as one of the two major ancient constructions in China, it has a history of more than 2,400 years.

China has more than two thousand lakes, large and small. On the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau there are many salt lakes, the largest of which is Qinghai Lake, followed by Namtso Lake. The lakes on the eastern plains are mostly freshwater lakes, the most important of which are Poyang Lake, Dongting Lake, Hongze Lake, Taihu Lake and Chaohu Lake. Other important lakes include Dianchi Lake and Erhai Lake in Yunnan Province, Jingpo Lake and Wudalian Lake in Heilongjiang Province, and Tianchi Lake in Xinjiang. Most of these freshwater lakes are rich in water supply and most convenient for transportation and irrigation, besides producing fish and other aquatic products. Some of the lake regions are tourist attractions or health and recuperation centres, such as the Taihu Lake Scenic Area, Jingpo Lake Scenic Area, Wudalian Lake Scenic Area, Dali Scenic Area (centred on Erhai Lake of Cangshan, Yunnan), and Tianshan Scenic Area.