China

Description

China, Tiger Leaping Gorge

To say China is vast and varied in all respects, is nothing less than an understatement. Climate varies from continental to temperate to subtropical. Landscapes range from relatively low plains and ranges in the east and southeast, to high mountains and plateaus as you move west, culminating in the Tibetan Himalaya and the world's highest: Mount Everest (8848 m). Further to the north and northwest you will encounter merciless deserts like the Gobi and Taklamakan, and more high mountain ranges such as the remote Kunlun, Tianshan and Pamir.

Mighty rivers like the Yangtze (Chang Jiang) and Yellow River (Huang He) flow down from the west through ever more populated areas to find their way into the East and South China Seas. Other famous rivers such as the Mekong (known in China as Lancang), the Brahmaputra and the Indus rivers originate on the Tibetan plateau, and eventually flow south towards the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Without exception these rivers have helped create spectacular mountain landscapes, gorges and isolated valleys, making for wonderful hiking and exploring.

Is hiking a popular Chinese passtime? Long distance hiking as such may not be, but pilgrimages up the so-called Sacred Mountains, be it Taoist or Buddhist, definitely are a Chinese favorite. Countless Chinese, old and young alike, are seen scrambling up the slopes of mountains such as Emeishan, Taishan and Huashan. The same goes for mountains famed as inspiration for poets and painters, such as Huangshan. Hiking famous Chinese mountains often means climbing seemingly endless flights of stairs. Be prepared to share the paths with many, many others, and if lucky you are rewarded with breathtaking views.

A challenge popular with foreigners is hiking the Great Wall, usually as a 1- to 7-day hike along more or less intact Great Wall sections near Beijing. Others go for what is considered full length, all the way from Jiayuguan in the west to Laolongtou, the Old Dragon's Head sticking out into the Yellow Sea in the east near Shanhaiguan pass. Completing this full length hike will take you many months, covering a distance of at least 4000 km. With no real provisions for hikers along the way, it requires serious planning and preparation. Not nearly as popular, but a nonetheless interesting venture is retracing the legendary Long March by Mao Zedong and his Red Army. We have included the Great Wall and the Long March under Trails.

Several regions deserve special mention for hiking: the reasonably accessible mountains and valleys of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and likewise the minority areas of Guizhou and Guangxi provinces. For the more tough and adventurous: the remote Kunlun and Muztag Ata mountains of Xinjiang province near Kashgar and Kalakuli lake, the Pamir (Congling) mountains in the west of Xinjiang on the border with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the Tianshan (Heavenly) mountains in the northwest of Xinjiang province, and last but not least: Tibet with it's most famous hike and pilgrimage trail around Mount Kailash, and so much more...

Trails

Regions

Mountains

Books

The Book Depository
United Kingdom
  • Also available from:
  • Stanfords, United Kingdom
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Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Beijing Walks - Exploring the Heritage
  • Beijing Walks in the Odyssey Guides series; aimed at travellers particularly interested in the culture and history of their destination; the guides focus on the atmosphere, customs, and distinctive character of a country, region or city. As the only English language publisher based in China, Odyssey Guides specialize in Asian destinations,... Read more
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The Book Depository
United Kingdom
2014
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  • De Zwerver, Netherlands
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De Zwerver
Netherlands
2014
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Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Insight Guides Explore Shanghai (Travel Guide with Free eBook)
  • INSIGHT GUIDES EXPLORE SHANGHAI Let us guide you on every step of your travels...Focused travel guides featuring the very best routes and itineraries, now with free eBook.Discover the best of Shanghai with this unique travel guide, packed full of insider information and stunning images. From making sure you don`t miss out on must-see, top... Read more
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Out Of Steppe
  • Central Asia is the general name for the landmass between Iran, China, Siberia and Afghanistan. An area of enormous diversity both geographically and ethnically, it has been shaped by trade and commerce (the Silk Road) and by many invaders, including Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Stalin. Today the area is divided into five 'stans:... Read more
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  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
  • Out Of Steppe
  • Central Asia is the general name for the landmass between Iran, China, Siberia and Afghanistan. An area of enormous diversity both geographically and ethnically, it has been shaped by trade and commerce (the Silk Road) and by many invaders, including Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Stalin. Today the area is divided into five 'stans:... Read more
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Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Beijing & Shanghai
  • DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Beijing and Shanghai is your in-depth guide to the very best of these two metropolitan cities.Take in the major sights, from the breathtaking Great Wall of China to the imperial splendor of the Forbidden City; go on a canal cruise for your chance to contrast the old and new sides of Shanghai; or simply wander the... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
  • Beijing & Shanghai
  • DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Beijing and Shanghai is your in-depth guide to the very best of these two metropolitan cities.Take in the major sights, from the breathtaking Great Wall of China to the imperial splendor of the Forbidden City; go on a canal cruise for your chance to contrast the old and new sides of Shanghai; or simply wander the... Read more
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Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
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Bol.com
Netherlands
  • A Learning Curve
  • Do you enjoy reading about myths and legends, ancient cities, Asian culture and cuisine? A Learning Curve takes readers on an interesting series of adventures through Southeast Asia. With a carefully selected amalgam of different stories from the author's own amusing expeditions to tales of ancient history, famous travellers, and legends that... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
  • A Learning Curve
  • Do you enjoy reading about myths and legends, ancient cities, Asian culture and cuisine? A Learning Curve takes readers on an interesting series of adventures through Southeast Asia. With a carefully selected amalgam of different stories from the author's own amusing expeditions to tales of ancient history, famous travellers, and legends that... Read more
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Bol.com
Netherlands
2009
  • Yunnan
  • Wedged between Tibet and the exotic lands of Southeast Asia, Yunnan Province is one of the least known and most beguiling regions of China. A mountainous wonderland, it is home to 24 diverse, colourful ethnic cultures. With a name meaning 'South of the Clouds', Yunnan boasts sparkling blue skies, red earth and green forests. The picturesque... Read more
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  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
2009
  • Yunnan
  • Wedged between Tibet and the exotic lands of Southeast Asia, Yunnan Province is one of the least known and most beguiling regions of China. A mountainous wonderland, it is home to 24 diverse, colourful ethnic cultures. With a name meaning 'South of the Clouds', Yunnan boasts sparkling blue skies, red earth and green forests. The picturesque... Read more
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Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Wildlife Wonders of China
  • China is a country rich in bio-diversity that boasts gorgeous natural landscapes and wildlife, many unique to its land. Award winning nature photographer Xi Zhinong spent 30 years taking photos along rivers and across mountains, capturing the animals and natural wonders of China. Through his lens, a Yunnan snub-nosed monkey can be seen jumping... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
  • Wildlife Wonders of China
  • China is a country rich in bio-diversity that boasts gorgeous natural landscapes and wildlife, many unique to its land. Award winning nature photographer Xi Zhinong spent 30 years taking photos along rivers and across mountains, capturing the animals and natural wonders of China. Through his lens, a Yunnan snub-nosed monkey can be seen jumping... Read more
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De Zwerver
Netherlands
2012
  • Reisgids Silk Road (China) - Monks, Warriors & Merchants | Odyssey
  • To the modern reader, the Silk Road conjures up images of fabled cities and exotic lands, of long-gone empires and great conquerors. Place names such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khotan or Chang'an continue to fascinate with the richness of their past. In this authoritative book, Luce Boulnois explores the encounter between East and West across the... Read more
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Yan Wang Preston
  • My friend, the tree: a photographic exploration in China, with sometimes harrowing results. In 2013, during a long-term photography project along the Yangtze river, Yan Wang Preston made an incisive observation: In the small village of Xialiu stood an over three-hundred-year-old tree in all of its glory, right in the center of a community that... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
  • Yan Wang Preston
  • My friend, the tree: a photographic exploration in China, with sometimes harrowing results. In 2013, during a long-term photography project along the Yangtze river, Yan Wang Preston made an incisive observation: In the small village of Xialiu stood an over three-hundred-year-old tree in all of its glory, right in the center of a community that... Read more
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De Zwerver
Netherlands
2016
  • Reisgids Capitool Reisgidsen China | Unieboek
  • In de bekende reeks Capitoolgidsen is dit dikke en zwaar uitgevallen exemplaar (meer dan een kilo) gewijd aan China en Tibet. Ook deze gids voldoet aan het Capitool-concept: een luxe gids met enorm veel kleurenfoto`s in alle formaten, driedimensionale overzichtstekeningen, opengewerkte tekeningen van musea en paleizen, plattegronden van steden... Read more
Bol.com
Netherlands
  • Killing for profit
  • Rhino horn is worth more than cocaine, heroin or even gold on the black markets of Southeast Asia and China. Now, Killing for Profit brings you the story of one man s journey into a violent underworld where ruthless criminal syndicates will stop at nothing to attain their prize a tale of greed and corruption and of an increasingly desperate... Read more
  • Also available from:
  • Bol.com, Belgium
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Bol.com
Belgium
  • Killing for profit
  • Rhino horn is worth more than cocaine, heroin or even gold on the black markets of Southeast Asia and China. Now, Killing for Profit brings you the story of one man s journey into a violent underworld where ruthless criminal syndicates will stop at nothing to attain their prize a tale of greed and corruption and of an increasingly desperate... Read more
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More books…

Maps

Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5150(3) - East China Sea - March
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5150(11) - East China Sea - November
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • China West ITMB
  • Western China on a double-sided, indexed road map from ITMB at 1:3,000,000, with three insets providing a street plan of central Lhasa, a wider coverage of the city and a plan of the Norbulingka complex. The map divides the region north/south and coverage extends east to approx. 106° (Lanzhou/Chengou).The map has altitude colouring in feet,... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(7) - South China Sea - July
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(8) - South China Sea - August
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5150(4) - East China Sea - April
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5150(12) - East China Sea - December
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(9) - South China Sea - September
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5150(5) - East China Sea - May
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(1) - South China Sea - January
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(10) - South China Sea - October
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5150(6) - East China Sea - June
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(2) - South China Sea - February
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
Stanfords
United Kingdom
  • Admiralty Routeing Chart 5149(11) - South China Sea - November
  • Essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages, Routeing Charts include routes and distances between major ports, ocean currents, ice limits, load lines and wind roses. They also contain expected meteorological and oceanographic conditions for each month of the year.Individual chart scales of 1:5,000,000, 1:10,000,000 and 1:20,000,000... Read more
More maps…

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