Multi-Day, Light Pack · 20 routes · 6 regions
Two days or more with a bed and a meal at the end of each: guesthouses, monasteries, herders’ camps.
20 of them here, grouped by region. Each entry carries distance, climb and top height, and the last column says what a foreign passport gets you. 3 of these are banned or closed and are marked at the top of the entry. See all six kinds, or the background on hiking.
1 route
North China (华北)
| Route | Where | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Closed: do not attemptXiaowutai Mountain Traverse (Yu County, Hebei) (小五台)Closed to crossing since 2018. The five-summit traverse ran about 40 km over three or four days, with some 3,000 m of accumulated climbing. | Hebei | Closed C, serious |
5 routes
East China (华东)
| Route | Where | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiantangzhai Traverse (Anhui-Hubei Border) (天堂寨穿越（皖鄂交界）)Eight to twelve kilometres on the Anhui side on made path. The crossing into Hubei is fifteen to twenty with about 1,000 m of continuous climbing, and needs tickets for both sides. | Anhui | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Wuyishan National Park Trek (武夷山国家公园徒步)Fifteen to twenty kilometres over two days through danxia rock, tea terraces and the Nine Bends stream. Tianyou peak is a steep stair, and the deeper line runs 25 to 30 km. | Fujian | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Wugong Mountain Traverse (Shenzi Village → Golden Summit → Fayunjie → Mingyue Mountain) (武功山穿越（沈子村—金顶—发云界—明月山，轻装两日版为主）)A ridge of subalpine grassland above the cloud line, and the best-known grassland traverse in eastern China.45 km · 3000 m up · tops out at 1918 m | Pingxiang, Jiangxi | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Kuocang Mountain Traverse (Linhai, Zhejiang) (括苍山穿越（浙江临海）)A sixteen-kilometre loop with 1,200 m of climbing to a summit at 1,382 m, through gorge, waterfall and high meadow. The Jiutaigou steps are steep and parts of the path are overgrown; the north road is gentler but longer. | Zhejiang | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Seven Peaks Traverse, Tianmu Mountains (Lin’an) (七尖穿越（天目山）)The seven-summit traverse is 42 to 50 km over two days with 3,300 to 5,000 m of climbing. Xianrending and the core zone are now closed, and the six-summit line is the legal alternative. | Zhejiang | Permit or a registered club needed B, strong walker Partly open |
2 routes
Central China (华中)
| Route | Where | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Taihang Traverse (Guoliang – Wangmangling – Baligou) (南太行连穿（郭亮—王莽岭—八里沟）)Twenty-five to thirty kilometres over two days through red rock gorges and past the cliff roads, between 800 and 1,700 m. The reverse crossing with full packs takes three days and 40 km. | Henan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Jiucailing Ridge Traverse (Dao County, Hunan) (韭菜岭)Twenty-five kilometres over two days across the main ridge of the Dupang range at 2,009 m, with about 1,700 m of climbing, through old secondary forest. | Hunan | Permit or a registered club needed B, strong walker Partly open |
2 routes
South China (华南)
| Route | Where | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Closed: do not attemptChuandiding Peak Traverse (Shaoguan, Guangdong) (船底顶)Closed to crossing since May 2023. The Luoxin line ran about 30 km over two days with some 2,000 m of climbing, through Nanling meadow, gorge and wetland. | Guangdong | Closed B, strong walker |
| Zhenbaoding Peak Traverse (Quanzhou, Guangxi) (真宝顶)Seventeen kilometres around the Chaping reservoir with about 1,200 m of climbing, or eight kilometres straight up in three to four hours, to a summit at 2,123 m. | Guangxi | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
8 routes
Southwest China (西南)
| Route | Where | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Closed: do not attemptJiuding Mountain Traverse (Mao County, Sichuan) (九顶山穿越)Closed for all of 2026. The classic crossing runs 12 to 20 km past the Couple Trees and Heilongchi at 3,850 m, normally two days with light packs. | Aba (Mao County), Sichuan | Closed B, strong walker |
| Dangling Hulu Lake Trek (Danba, Sichuan) (党岭葫芦海)Six kilometres each way from Dangling village with 800 m of climbing, six to eight hours return. A camp at Feijiping allows a second day, and packs stay light. | Garze (Danba), Sichuan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Dawa Mountain Trek (Jinkouhe, Sichuan) (大瓦山)Twelve kilometres return to the summit with 1,500 m of climbing, nine to ten hours, including a chained scramble on the Gunlonggang section. Most visitors walk the lake circuit instead, about three kilometres. | Leshan (Jinkouhe), Sichuan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Pengzhou Jiufeng Mountain Two-Day Trek (彭州九峰山两日徒步)Fourteen kilometres return with 1,800 m of climbing, normally two days with a night at a temple. Above Zushidian the grade reaches sixty degrees on concrete steps and scree, with crampons needed in winter. | Sichuan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Yading (Daocheng) Three Sacred Lakes Trek (稻城亚丁三海子（冲古寺-珍珠海/洛绒牛场-牛奶海-五色海）)The “last Shangri-La”, three turquoise glacial lakes beneath three 6,000 m sacred peaks, walkable as a short easy loop plus one hard high-alpine push.150-520 m up · tops out at 4700 m | Garze (Daocheng), Sichuan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Haba Snow Mountain Non-Summit Trek (Haba Village – Base Camp 4100m – Black Lake) (哈巴雪山徒步环线（哈巴村—干河/兰花坪—大本营4100m—黑湖，非登顶）)A gentler acclimatization walk toward a 5396m beginner snow peak, the trek only, not the summit.14 km · 1250 m up · tops out at 4100 m | Diqing, Yunnan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Tiger Leaping Gorge High Trail (虎跳峡高路徒步（桥头/纳西雅阁-28道拐-Halfway-张老师客栈-中虎跳，2日轻装）)Two days on a cliff shelf 2,000 m above the Jinsha River, between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, one of the world’s classic two-day walks.22-23 km · 800-900 m up · tops out at 2670 m | Diqing, Yunnan | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
| Yubeng Village Trek (Meili Inner Kora) (雨崩徒步（西当-雨崩-冰湖/神瀑）)A hidden Tibetan village ringed by the Meili Snow Massif, but in 2026 only the sacred-waterfall (Shenpu) route is legally walkable.12-14 km · tops out at 3729 m | Diqing (Deqin), Yunnan | Passport is enough B, strong walker Partly open |
2 routes
Northwest China (西北)
| Route | Where | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Taibai Mountain Standard Route (Tangyu – Baxiantai) (太白山正规线（汤峪—拔仙台）)Shuttle and cable car to Tianyuandifang, then twelve kilometres return to Baxiantai at 3,771 m. Two days is the sensible shape, and one makes for a hard day. | Baoji (Mei County), Shaanxi | Passport is enough A, easy |
| Kanas Grand Loop (Jiadengyu – Hemu – Black Lake – Lake Kanas) (喀纳斯大环线（贾登峪—禾木—黑湖—喀纳斯湖）)Seventy kilometres over four days through taiga, river valley and grassland, staying in guesthouses and yurts. Gradients are gentle, the longest day is 22 km, and packs stay light. | Altay (Burqin), Xinjiang | Passport is enough B, strong walker |
Walking It Legally
Some of these need a Tibet permit, a border pass or a registered club behind you, and a few are closed outright with fines attached. Tell our local team which route and which week, and they will say what has to be arranged and what is currently shut.