On November 11, the International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports (MTOS) 2025, hosted by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), opened in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. Centered on the theme "Integration of Culture, Tourism and Sports Presents a High Quality Life," the Conference featured a series of events including the IMTA Annual Conference 2025, the International Mountain Tourism Promotion Conference 2025, a Field Trip to Guizhou Mountain Tourism Destinations, and the Bank of Guizhou · Mountain Culture, Tourism and Outdoor Sport Equipment Exhibition.
During the IMTA Annual Conference, a new batch of "IMTA International Mountain Hiking Tourism Demonstration Routes" were released. Six hiking routes were selected, including Changbai Mountain Forest Secret Land Mountain Hiking Tourist Route (China), Mundum Trail (Nepal), Wawu Mountain Cliff and Waterfall Hiking Trail (China), Pengzhou Longmenjing Mountain Outdoor Hiking Trail (China), Miluo Shending Mountain Marathon Eco-Hiking (China), and Jinpingshan Outdoor Hiking Trail (China).
To address the needs for specialized and international integrated development of mountain tourism, the IMTA organized experts in 2021, with support from professional institutions such as the European Walking Association, the French Hiking Federation, and the Italian Hiking Tourism Federation, to compile the International Guidebook for the Development of Hiking. Based on this guidebook, the IMTA has now certified a total of 26 "IMTA International Mountain Hiking Tourism Demonstration Routes" globally. These include world-renowned routes like the Chamonix section of the Tour du Mont Blanc (France) and The Lord of the Rings hiking trails (New Zealand), domestic classics like the Five Great Mountains of China hiking routes and Wugong Mountain outdoor traverse, as well as newly popular routes such as the Wawu Mountain Cliff and Waterfall Hiking Trail and the Luang Prabang Nong Khiaw hiking trail. This further expands the global matrix of high-quality mountain hiking destinations, offering hiking enthusiasts more safe, unique, comfortable, and deeply cultural or natural high-quality route options.
Changbai Mountain Forest Secret Land Mountain Hiking Tourist Route (China)
As the highest peak on the eastern edge of the Eurasian continent, Changbai Mountain's 92.2% primary forest coverage creates a unique hiking paradise. This route connects core landscapes including the Underground Forest on the Northern Slope, the Jinjiang Grand Canyon on the Western Slope, the border scenery of the Southern Slope, and the Wangtian'e Waterfall Group, blending volcanic lava rock forests, the spectacular Heavenly Lake (Tianchi), and Korean ethnic culture.
The route offers beginner and intermediate difficulty levels, with daily hiking distances of 5-8 km. Hikers can stroll on wooden boardwalks for fresh air or challenge themselves with 1,442 steps to the summit for a panoramic view of Heavenly Lake. The scenery varies with the seasons: summer offers escape from heat amidst flower fields and stream tracing, while winter reveals a powder snow paradise with rime ice and snow-hot springs.
Changbai Mountain Image source: IMTA
Wawu Mountain Cliff and Waterfall Hiking Trail (China)
This trail within the Wawu Mountain scenic area integrates grandeur, wonder, thrill, and beauty. It primarily consists of the Lanxi Cliffside Plank Road and the Mid-Mountain Gallery. The Lanxi Cliffside Plank Road, with an altitude drop of 310 meters, is carved in a "Z" shape against a 90-degree basalt cliff, connecting the Mid-Mountain Gallery to the mountaintop Lanxi Waterfall, earning it the nickname "First Peril of Wawu".
Here, summer features waterfalls piercing through caves like curtains, while winter transforms them into stunning blue ice falls. Spring brings blooming dove trees (Davidia involucrata), and autumn paints the mountains with colorful foliage.
Wawu Mountain Cliff and Waterfall Image source: Wawu Mountain Investment Co., Ltd.
Mundum Trail of Nepal（Nepal）
Officially opened in 2018, the Mundum Trail traverses ridges and valleys, offering panoramic views of six peaks over 8,000 meters, including Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Makalu, and Lhotse. From the highest point at Shere Hill, one can also enjoy the sunrise over the snow-capped giants.
Furthermore, the route winds through rhododendron forests, alpine meadows, and bamboo groves, home to wildlife such as the red panda, Himalayan eagle, and musk deer.
Mundum Trail of Nepal Image source: NATTA
Pengzhou Longmenjing Mountain Outdoor Hiking Trail (China)
The Longmen Mountain Tourist Resort is located in the northern mountainous area of Pengzhou City, featuring U-shaped river valleys, mountain sea of clouds, numerous distinct "klippen", and cave groups, among other natural wonders.
Longmen Mountain, where the trail is located, is part of a World Natural Heritage site. It boasts geological marvels like klippen groups formed by glacial erratic boulder actions, structural relics such as the "two faults sandwiching one uplift" fault system, stratigraphically inverted klippen, and the Bailu Earthquake Scarp recording co-seismic displacement, making it a "living fossil" of Earth's evolution.
Pengzhou Longmenjing Mountain Outdoor Hiking Trail Image source: Longmen Mountain Tourism Resort Management Committee of Pengzhou City, Chengdu, Sichuan Province
Miluo Shending Mountain Marathon Eco-Hiking (China)
Shending Mountain is located within Shending Mountain Town southeast of Miluo City, Hunan Province, a famous mountain where natural and cultural landscapes complement each other. The mountain features lush green forests, colorful flowers and plants, and natural sights like the Cloud-Sealed Ancient Cave and Emerald Calming the Cold Pine.
This route was developed based on the 2025 China Mountain Marathon Series Hunan Miluo station event. It comprises a 35-km line suitable for professional athletes and a 5-km fun run line for the public. The trail connects diverse scenery including wetlands, mountain wilderness, and ancient villages, while also incorporating the local cultural atmosphere of Miluo.
Shending Mountain Hiking Image source: Hunan Chengyu Sports Culture Industry Development Co., Ltd.
Jinpingshan Outdoor Hiking Trail (China)
Jinpingshan is located in Haizhou District, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province. Comprising 11 independent massifs and 37 peaks, it hosts national-level cultural heritage protection units such as Eastern Han Dynasty Buddhist cliff carvings and the General's Cliff Rock Paintings, making it a famous mountain where natural scenery and historical culture enhance each other.
The Jinpingshan Outdoor Hiking Trail is a hidden gem near the city. The main route is 9.7 km long with gentle cumulative elevation gain, making it easy and suitable for family leisure and beginner hikers. The trail connects 24 scenic spots including the Peach Blossom Valley and Furong Lake, passing by 13 ponds/reservoirs and over ten orchards. The mountain "Little Great Wall" contrasts charmingly with the ancient rock paintings. Spring brings peach blossoms filling the valley, while autumn sets the forests ablaze with color. The route is rich in negative oxygen ions, allowing for an immersive experience of rural beauty while touching the marks of ancient Haizhou civilization, making it an excellent choice for short hikes near the city.
Jinping Mountain in Jiangsu Image source: Jiangsu Yueyueniu Sports Culture Communication Co., Ltd.
Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao
Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang
Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong
