Ten new routes conceived to tap into the country's passion for the great outdoors have been launched by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Yang Feiyue reports.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has recently launched 10 winter routes to tap into the delights hidden in the snow and ice and encourage public participation in winter sports and tourism.
The routes cover seven northern provinces and regions, including Beijing, Hebei and Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang Uygur and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions, as well as provinces that have seen rapid winter tourism development, like Gansu, Sichuan and Hubei.
The ministry has asked cultural and tourism departments at all levels that are involved in the routes to strengthen cooperation with other relevant departments and increase support for tourist attractions and services based on the premise of regular pandemic prevention and control.
Winter Olympic cities
Connecting winter tourism highlights in Beijing and Hebei, this route also provides travelers with winter carnivals, hot springs and ice lanterns.
The National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the "ice ribbon", is a new venue built for ice competitions in Beijing. It will hold speed skating events and award 14 gold medals. The design facilitates an intense arena atmosphere, where every move and every sound from the skates on ice will be seen and heard by all at the oval. Twenty-two separate light strands flow up around the oval. It is an exciting spectacle at night, with each of the strands becoming dynamic ribbons of light.
The Big Air Shougang in Beijing's Shijingshan district is part of an urban rejuvenation project in which the 100-year-old Shougang steel plant is located. It sits in the Shougang Industrial Park, which underwent a symbolic transformation to house the headquarters of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will serve the snowboard and freestyle skiing events. After the Games, the venue will offer fitness-for-all experiences for the public and stage winter sports carnivals.
Beijing's Yanqing district is home to the Shijinglong and Badaling ski resorts. Visitors can also tour the Great Wall, the Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park, and attend the nearby Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival.
Top-notch ski resorts can also be found in Zhangjiakou of Hebei province, including the Genting Resort Secret Garden (Yunding Ski Field), the National Ski Jumping Center. Other highlights in Zhangjiakou include the Chongli winter culture museum and the Jimingyi ancient town, once a fortified courier station during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Snow tubing is popular at an ice and snow carnival in Beijing's Taoranting Park during the Lunar New Year holiday.[Photo bu Du Lianyi/China Daily]
Along the Great Wall
The route runs through seven cities in Hebei and Inner Mongolia and offers skiing, hiking, photography and winter fishing.
Jinshanling International Skiing Tourist Resort sits in Chengde city in Hebei, and offers more than 10 ski trails for the public. It covers an area of 25 square kilometers and boasts the biggest altitude drop, around 600 meters, among the ski slopes surrounding Beijing. The Yudaokou Grassland and Forest Scenic Area and the Chengde Mountain Resort, which used to be where emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) spent their summers, are an ideal complement to local snow sport experiences.
Daogunan Mountain Ski Field in Chifeng city of Inner Mongolia offers ski slopes catering to skiers of all levels. Its winter recreation park offers snowmobile and dog sleigh experiences for family travelers. Other highlights in the city include the Asihatu Stone Forest-which is the result of years of wind and sand erosion, creating rock formations resembling ancient castle towers and bamboo shoots-the winter fishing at the Dalinur Lake, and the Yulong Sand Lake, which is a clear and dazzling oasis in an arid landscape.
Pastures new
The pasture route meanders through the vast grassland of Inner Mongolia and offers ski and winter fun destinations in eight cities, including Arxan of Hinggan League, and Hailaar, Genhe and Manzhouli of Hulunbuir. Ski resorts in those cities, including Taiwei ski resort in Arxan and Dongshan ski resort in Hailaar, await those in search of some on-piste action. In addition to skiing, the Canglang Bailu Winter Sport Base in Hailaar offers diverse winter thrills, including professional winter sport competitions, as well as customized cross-country snowmobile experiences. The Ewenki reindeer tribe, living in the Aoluguya Ewenki ethnic township of Genhe, also offers travelers a glimpse into its exotic folk culture. Historically known as "the last hunting tribe", they have preserved their culture of raising reindeer. The Manzhouli China-Russia Border Tourist Area consists of the matryoshka and national gate resorts. The Matryoshka Resort not only features elements of its namesake traditional Russian nesting doll craft, but also provides a wider taste of Russian culture. Other attractions within the scenic area are the No 41 Border Monument and the Locomotive Square.
Two girls relish the attractions of the ice and snow festival in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Fun in Liaoning
With a focus on seven major cities, this route takes visitors across Northeast China's Liaoning province.
The Guaipo International Ski Resort in the provincial capital Shenyang is the biggest in the city. It has eight ski slopes that satisfy the needs of skiers of all levels. A winter recreational zone offers ice activities at the resort. Shenyang Palace Museum is a well-preserved ancient palace complex, including imperial buildings from the Qing Dynasty. The museum was established in 1926 and was added to the World Cultural Heritage List in 2004.
In Benxi city, the Yunshan ski resort promises full-on winter fun with its ski slopes, an ice and snow paradise, winter sport center and an ice castle. Winter performances are staged from time to time to spice up the experience. Visitors can appreciate a long cave with karst formations and underground lake at the city's Benxi Water Cave.
Other highlights on the route include Hejiagou sports town in Yingkou city, where visitors can not only engage in various winter sports but enjoy health and wellness offerings, hot springs, camping and rural experiences.
Changbai Mountains
Forging a path across Northeast China's Jilin province, this route takes in the Changchun Ice and Snow New World, a large-scale winter-themed park in the provincial capital Changchun. It will provide visitors with a glimpse into the fascinating world of ice buildings, snow sculptures and ice slides. At night, it holds spectacular fireworks and light shows. In Jilin city, Songhua Lake Resort is an ideal site for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts, with more than 3 km of slopes available. Beginners can also enjoy the excitement from the peak to the bottom of the hill. Visitors can take a ride that offers a stunning view of the Songhua Lake and the wild, snowy mountain. The Changbai Mountains International Resort in Baishan city shouldn't be missed. Tourists can enjoy performances featuring the Changbai Mountains as their backdrop, sing karaoke, go to bars and taste gourmet food. Hot springs are also available.
Moreover, a winter industry expo and an international rime festival will also be held in Changchun.
Slide between provinces
This route visits eight cities across Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces and offers various winter recreation and sport experiences, as well as local art and folk celebrations. Harbin Ice-Snow World in Heilongjiang's capital city, Harbin, covering an area of 820,000 square meters, has used some 230,000 cubic meters of ice and snow to create 65 different landscapes, with the popular attraction, the super ice slide, extended to 423 meters. Another place visitors shouldn't miss in Harbin is Yabuli Ski Resort, where majestic snow-covered mountains await skiers and snowboarders. The snow is thick and moderately hard. There are junior, middle and senior ski runs. Professional staff are available to offer training.
Other alluring sites in Jilin include the Songhua Lake Resort and the Beidahu ski resort in Jilin city. Beidahu offers steep trails for ski team training, while a large portion of the trails have been developed to satisfy the needs of intermediate skiers.
In addition to winter sport experiences, a snow sculpture expo in Harbin and rime and winter fishing festivals in Jilin, are also welcoming travelers.
A visitor enjoys dog-sledding in Genhe, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Due north
Going deeper into Heilongjiang, the route takes travelers to the country's northernmost point of Mohe city and the easternmost point of Fuyuan city.
In addition to the rich winter fun offerings in the provincial capital of Harbin, travelers can visit the Zhalong National Nature Reserve in Qiqihar, which is the world's biggest habitat and reproduction base of wild red-crowned cranes. In Heihe city, the Wudalianchi, or "Five Connected Lakes", preserves typical volcanic landforms and serves as a giant natural volcanic museum. Beiji village, about 88 km from the central city, is a perennial favorite for tourists who come to Mohe. It boasts China's northernmost bank and post office. Tourists can look out across the border with Russia from the village.
A shining pearl
This route starts off in Gansu's Pingliang city and crosses 17 cities to end in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. There are more than 30 winter tourism hot spots and major scenic spots.
Gansu's capital Lanzhou offers rich ski experiences, such as the Longshan international ski resort. Other highlights in Gansu include Jiayuguan, a pass at the western end of the Great Wall dating back to the Ming Dynasty, the Danxia landform in Zhangye, a landscape characterized by its red sandstone, and Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.
In Xinjiang, ski enthusiasts can easily find their fun in the region's capital Urumqi, and nature enthusiasts can take a trip to the Tianshan Grand Canyon about 40 km from the city center. The canyon stands 1,600 meters above sea level, with its highest peak reaching 2,048 meters, and is made up of ranges of reddish brown massifs. The ancient city of Kashgar is home to Uygur folk customs, culture, art and architectural styles. It has been widely considered a shining pearl on the Xinjiang section of the Silk Road and a must-visit place when in the region.
Driven by the pure snow
Taking travelers north of Xinjiang, and covering eight cities across the region, this route offers 10 major ski resorts, including the Silk Road International Ski Resort in Urumqi, the Longshan Ski Field in Karamay, and Jiangjunshan Ski Resort in the city of Altay.
Great views and a closeness to nature can be experienced at the Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), a small mountain lake in Tianshan Tianchi National Park, which offers magnificent vistas of the surrounding snow-capped peaks, as well as the Dushanzi Grand Canyon in Karamay city. The canyon was listed by the National Geographic magazine as one of the most beautiful canyons in Xinjiang.
Multiple winter tourism festivals will also be staged along the route to heat up the cold air.
Southern slopes
The route takes in 22 cities in Central China's Hubei and Southwest China's Sichuan provinces and Chongqing municipality, all of which boast well-developed winter tourism packages.
Ski experiences have been prepared in the three provinces, where there's more worth exploring than just snow and ice. Shennongjia in Hubei protects the largest primary forests remaining in Central China and provides habitats for many rare animal species, including the Chinese giant salamander, the golden, or Sichuan snub-nosed monkey, the clouded leopard and the Asian black bear. It is a major center of biodiversity in the country. The Enshi Grand Canyon is another great attraction in Hubei. It sits in the Enshi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture and is home to cliffs stretching hundreds of kilometers.
In Chongqing, visitors shouldn't miss the Wulong Karst National Geology Park, which sits on the lower reaches of the Wujiang River in the southwest of municipality. The area was named a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007. It is a cluster of several karst landscapes, including gorges, natural bridges, caves, shafts and underground streams.
In Sichuan, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Leshan Giant Buddha and Emei Mountain Resort will all promise an unforgettable experience.
Tourists visit an ice and snow world in Qingzhou, Shandong province.[Photo provided to China Daily]
