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Nature & Landscapes

List of 50 Most Famous Nature & Landscapes in China

China’s diverse geography offers everything from surreal karst mountains to high-altitude glaciers. Below is a list of 50 of the most iconic natural and landscape destinations, categorized by their primary features to help you navigate the "Middle Kingdom."

Updated February 14, 2026

🏔️ Majestic Mountains & Peaks

  1. Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), Anhui: Famous for its "five wonders": twisted pines, odd rocks, sea of clouds, hot springs, and winter snow.
  2. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan: The "Avatar Mountains," home to over 3,000 towering quartz-sandstone pillars.
  3. Mount Everest (Qomolangma), Tibet: The world’s highest peak, viewed from the Everest Base Camp on the Chinese side.
  4. Mount Huashan, Shaanxi: Known as the most precipitous mountain in China, famous for its "Plank Walk in the Sky."
  5. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yunnan: A massif of 13 peaks that resemble a silver dragon draped in snow.
  6. Mount Siguniang, Sichuan: Called the "Oriental Alps," featuring four snow-capped peaks.
  7. Mount Taishan, Shandong: The most important of the Five Great Mountains, a site of imperial worship for 2,000 years.
  8. Mount Emei, Sichuan: One of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains, home to the "Golden Summit."
  9. Mount Wuyi, Fujian: A UNESCO site known for its 36 peaks and the Nine-Bend River.
  10. Changbai Mountain, Jilin: A dormant volcano featuring the stunning Heavenly Lake in its crater.
  11. Mount Kailash, Tibet: A sacred pyramid-shaped peak considered the center of the universe in several religions.
  12. Meili Snow Mountain, Yunnan: Famed for its "Golden Sunrise" hitting the Kawagarbo peak.
  13. Tianmen Mountain, Hunan: Features the massive natural water-eroded "Heaven's Gate" cave.

🌊 Lakes, Rivers & Waterfalls

  1. Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan: A "fairyland" of multi-colored lakes, tiered waterfalls, and snow peaks.
  2. Li River, Guangxi: The quintessential Chinese landscape, snaking through dramatic karst peaks between Guilin and Yangshuo.
  3. West Lake, Hangzhou: A masterpiece of man-meets-nature, surrounded by pagodas, temples, and gardens.
  4. Qinghai Lake, Qinghai: China’s largest inland saltwater lake, vibrant blue and surrounded by yellow rapeseed flowers in summer.
  5. Kanas Lake, Xinjiang: A crescent-shaped alpine lake known for its "lake monster" legends and Siberian-like forests.
  6. Huangguoshu Waterfall, Guizhou: One of the largest waterfalls in Asia, with a curtain of water you can walk behind.
  7. Hukou Waterfall, Shanxi/Shaanxi: The world’s largest yellow waterfall, where the Yellow River surges through a narrow gorge.
  8. The Three Gorges, Yangtze River: A majestic stretch of the Yangtze flanked by steep cliffs (Qutang, Wu, and Xiling gorges).
  9. Lugu Lake, Yunnan/Sichuan: An untouched plateau lake home to the Mosuo "Kingdom of Women."
  10. Namtso Lake, Tibet: One of the highest lakes in the world, with turquoise waters reflecting the Nyenchen Tanglha mountains.
  11. Yamdrok Lake, Tibet: A sacred fan-shaped lake with stunning coral-colored waters.

🌈 Unique Geological Wonders

  1. Zhangye Danxia (Rainbow Mountains), Gansu: Surreal hills striped in vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges.
  2. Shilin Stone Forest, Yunnan: A massive collection of limestone formations that look like petrified trees.
  3. Enshi Grand Canyon, Hubei: Often compared to the U.S. Grand Canyon, featuring the "One Incense Pillar" rock.
  4. Wulong Karst, Chongqing: Giant natural stone bridges and sinkholes (featured in Transformers 4).
  5. Tiger Leaping Gorge, Yunnan: One of the deepest river canyons in the world.
  6. Red Beach, Panjin: A wetland that turns a brilliant crimson in autumn due to Sueda salsa seaweed.
  7. Detian Falls, Guangxi: A transnational waterfall on the border of China and Vietnam.
  8. Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake, Gansu: An oasis spring shaped like a crescent moon nestled in giant sand dunes.
  9. Yellow River First Bend, Sichuan: Where the Yellow River makes a 180-degree turn through lush grasslands.
  10. Daocheng Yading, Sichuan: Known as the "Last Pure Land on Earth," featuring three sacred snow mountains.

🌾 Grasslands & Agricultural Landscapes

  1. Longji Rice Terraces, Guangxi: "The Dragon's Backbone," centuries-old terraces carved into the hillsides.
  2. Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces, Yunnan: Famous for the mosaic-like reflections in the water during winter and spring.
  3. Hulunbuir Grassland, Inner Mongolia: The most well-preserved grassland in China, perfect for the "nomadic" experience.
  4. Nalati Grassland, Xinjiang: A high-mountain meadow known for its lush green carpet and wild flowers.
  5. Dongchuan Red Land, Yunnan: A "God’s Palette" of multi-colored soil, especially vibrant after rain.

❄️ Deserts, Forests & Remote Wonders

  1. Badain Jaran Desert, Inner Mongolia: Home to the world’s tallest stationary sand dunes and over 100 colorful lakes.
  2. Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang: The "Sea of Death," the world's second-largest shifting sand desert.
  3. Ejina Populus Euphratica Forest, Inner Mongolia: A golden forest that glows brilliantly for only two weeks in October.
  4. Shennongjia, Hubei: A vast, mysterious primeval forest rumored to be home to the "Yeti."
  5. Xiapu Mudflats, Fujian: A photographer's paradise of seaweed farms and tidal patterns.
  6. China Snow Town, Heilongjiang: A fairytale winter village where snow can reach 2 meters deep.
  7. Yalong Bay, Hainan: Tropical landscapes with white sands and crystal-clear waters.
  8. Pudacuo National Park, Yunnan: The first national park in China to meet international standards, located in Shangri-La.
  9. Bayanbulak Grassland, Xinjiang: Famous for the "Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns" of the Kaidu River at sunset.
  10. Gulangyu Island, Fujian: A car-free island with subtropical nature and colonial architecture.
  11. Tarim River Poplar Forest, Xinjiang: The oldest and largest desert poplar forest in the world.