China is a great destination for mountain enthusiasts. Some of the world’s most legendary mountain ranges and peaks rose here millions of years ago—some are sacred with religious and secular significance, others are endowed with breathtaking natural scenery. If you are planning a China tour, never miss the top 18 beautiful mountains in China.
1. Mount Everest
- Location: At the border between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Nepal
- Elevation: 8,848.86 meters
- What to see: Golden sunrise and sunset views, undulating snow-capped peaks, vast and boundless glaciers, and crystal-clear lakes
- Best time to visit: April to May, September to October
- Recommended tour: 8 Days Journey to Mt. Everest
Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in China and the world. It’s the main peak of the Himalayan mountains in China, the highest and most magnificent mountain range on Earth. You can summon up the courage to ascend the highest peak on earth, or sit outside a tea house in the nearby village, admiring silently the soaring, majestic peaks of Mount Everest.
2. Mount Kailash
- Location: Pulan County, Ali Region, Tibet Autonomous Region
- Elevation: 6,656 meters
- What to see: Zhuomala Pass, Mercy Lake, Jiangzha Temple, Selong Temple, and the Thirteen Golden Pagodas
- Best time to visit: May to September
- Recommended tour: 15-Day Mt. Everest & Mt Kailash Kora Group Tour
Mount Kailash holds an irreplaceable lofty status in the religious field, and it is recognized as the center of the world by the four major religious sects of Bon, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Every year, believers from all over the world travel here with devout hearts to circumambulate around this sacred mountain in China. This is where the Gods live—you can have a spiritual journey or a tough yet most rewarding hiking experience.
3. Mount Gongga
- Location: Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
- Elevation: 7,556 meters
- What to see: Gongga Temple, snow-capped mountain peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes, and Tibetan Buddhist temples 、
- Best time to visit: May to October
Mount Gongga is known as the "King of Sichuan Mountains" and is the highest peak in Sichuan Province. This beautiful mountain in China is a sacred place for mountaineering enthusiasts. You can hike along the off-the-beaten-path trails to appreciate the magnificent scenery of glaciers and snow-capped mountains and deeply experience the folk customs of Tibetan areas.
4. Meili Snow Mountain
- Location: Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China
- Elevation: 6,740 meters
- What to see: Moon Bay, Feilai Temple, Mingyong Glacier, and Yubeng Village
- Best time to visit: October to May
- Recommended tour:9-Day Meili Snow Mountain & Yubeng Village Trek Tour
Meili Snow Mountain is one of the four sacred mountains in Tibetan Buddhism and one of the most beautiful mountains in China. The snow-capped peaks here are undulating and magnificent. It reminds you to conquer it. Aside from the stunning sunrise and sunset views, you’ll also discover the vertical vegetation distribution—fruits along the river valleys, precious traditional Chinese medicines, teas, and lesser pandas on alpine meadows.
5. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
- Location: Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province
- Elevation: 5,596 meters
- What to see: Spruce Meadow, Yak Meadow, Blue Moon Valley, and Glacier ParkBest time to visit: November to April
- Recommended tour:3-Day Lijiang Tour with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the lowest latitude snow-capped mountain range throughout the year in the Northern Hemisphere. With 13 continuous peaks, this beautiful mountain in China resembles silver dragons dancing in the sky, hence its name. From the foot to the summit, there are subtropical, temperate, and frigid zones unfolding in sequence. You can take a cable car directly up the mountain to effortlessly admire the magnificent glaciers and the snow-capped summits.
6. Mount Emei
- Location: Emeishan City, Leshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province
- Elevation: 3,099 meters
- What to see: Ten-Thousand Buddha Peak, Qingyin Pavilion, Golden Summit, Baoguo Temple, and Elephant Bathing Pool
- Best time to visit: April to October
- Recommended tour:4-Day Mount Emei Buddhism Pilgrim Tour
Mount Emei is a famous Buddhist sanctuary in Sichuan and one of the most beautiful mountains in China. It once had more than 100 temples and is recognized as the "Buddhist Paradise". The scenery here is picturesque, and the Golden Summit is an excellent spot for enjoying the sea of clouds and sunrise. Standing in front of the statue of Samantabhadra in Ten Directions, watching the sea of clouds surging like waves, you may feel as if you are in a fairyland.
7. Mount Tai
- Location: Daiyue District, Taian City, Shandong Province
- Elevation: 1,532.7 meters
- What to see: Jade Emperor Peak, Wuyue Duzun Inscription, Daimiao Temple
- Best time to visit: March to May, September to November
- Recommended tour:2-Day Qufu and Mt. Tai Tour
Known as the "Olympus of China", Taishan Mountain in China is the first of the Five Sacred Mountains. It is not only a natural wonder but also a symbol of Chinese civilization, carrying the awe and spiritual beliefs of the ancients towards heaven and earth. The peaks are steep and towering, presenting a spectacular sight. Imagine yourself standing on the peak of Mount Tai, facing the dazzling sunrise and overlooking the rolling sea of clouds. Isn't it very breathtaking
8. Mt. Hua
- Location: Huayin City, Weinan, Shaanxi Province
- Elevation: 2,154.9 meters
- What to see: Qianchi Cliff, Southern Heavenly Gate, Changkong Plank Path, Canglong Ridge, and Baichi Gorge\
- Best time to visit: March to May, September to November
- Recommended tour: 5-Day Xian Tour with Extension to Mt. Huashan
Huashan Mountain is one of the Five Sacred Mountains in China, also known for its dangerously steep landscape and treacherous mountain roads and cliffside walkways. It must be thrilling to hike and pass the Changkong Plan Path, which is one of the most treacherous paths of Mount Hua. Besides the adventure travel experience of hiking, there are also magnificent scenery, religious culture, and historical relics for you to explore.
9. Yellow Mountain
- Location: Huangshan District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province
- Elevation: 1,864.8 meters
- What to see: Guangming Peak, Guest-Greeting Pine, Western Sea Grand Canyon, and Tiandu Peak
- Best time to visit: March to May, September to November
- Recommended tour: 4-Day Huangshan Discovery Tour
Also known as Huangshan Mountain, the Yellow Mountain is one of the most beautiful places in China and a World Heritage Site dual-listed for both natural and cultural significance. As one of the famous mountains in China, it is renowned worldwide for its exotic pines, grotesque rocks, seas of clouds, and hot springs. Waterfalls are also a highlight of Mount Huangshan. Whether you are climbing the mountain or admiring natural beauty, it will surprise you.
10. Fanjingshan
- Location: At the juncture of Jiangkou, Yinjiang, and Songtao counties in Tongren City, Guizhou Province
- Elevation: 2,575 meters
- What to see: Mushroom Rock, Old Golden Summit, Red Cloud Golden Summit, Cheng'en Temple, and Ten Thousand-Meter Sleeping Buddha
- Best time to visit: March to May, September to November
- Recommended tour:13-Day Chengdu to Guizhou & Zhangjiajie Discovery
Fanjingshan is one of the five major Buddhist mountains in China, which is famous for its mysterious "Buddha's Light" phenomenon. As far back as the Tang Dynasty, there were Buddhist activities and temples built here, and by the Ming Dynasty, four major imperial nunneries and 48 branch nunneries had been established. The Mushroom Rock here is a peculiar stone formed by weathering over 1 billion years and is absolutely the best spot for photography.
11. Mount Lu
- Location: Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province
- Elevation: 1,474 meters
- What to see: Ruqin Lake, Brocade Valley, Three-Tiered Waterfall, Five Old Men Peaks, and Hanpo Pass
- Best time to visit: May to September
Mount Lu is a popular summer resort and is considered one of the cool mountains in China, with an average summer temperature of around 22 degrees Celsius. Here, you can admire the lake views and mountain scenery, unique peaks and rocks, as well as deep valleys with magnificent waterfalls. If you are willing to get up early to see the sunrise and sea of clouds on Mount Lu, it will certainly make your tour of China worthwhile.
12. Wuyi Mountain
- Location: Wuyishan City, Nanping, Fujian Province
- Elevation: 2,158 meters
- What to see: Tianyou Peak, Nine-Bend River, Wuyi Palace, Tiger Hissing Peak, Yixiantian
- Best time to visit: April to October
- Recommended tour: 5-Day Xiamen and Wuyi Mountain Tour
Wuyi Mountain is a natural summer resort in Fujian with a typical Danxia landform and a great place for a Chinese tea culture experience. Stepping into this beautiful mountain in China, you can witness magnificent and continuous mountain ranges, clear and emerald-green streams, as well as lush forests. Sometimes, clouds and mist fill the air, creating a picturesque scenery. Don't forget to taste the Wuyi Rock Tea here, which has a history of several hundred years.
13. Kunlun Mountain
- Location: Western China, spanning Xinjiang, Qinghai, Tibet, and Sichuan
- Average elevation: 5,500 to 6,000 meters
- What to see: Yuxu Peak, Yuzhu Peak, Heihai Lake, Kunlun Spring, Kunlun Mountain Pass
- Best time to visit: May to October
Kunlun Mountain, known as the "Ancestor of All Mountains," is one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in China. This vast and majestic mountain range is not only the source of rivers such as the Yangtze, Yellow River, and Tarim River but also one of the birthplaces of several ancient civilizations. Many Chinese myths also unfold with Mount Kunlun as the setting. The natural scenery of Mount Kunlun is extremely attractive. You can hike to Kunlun Pass to obtain a panoramic view of the entire Kunlun Mountain Range.
14. Rainbow Mountains in China
- Location: Linze County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province
- Average elevation: 1,820 meters
- What to see: Colorful mountains and rocks, stunning sunrises and sunsets, Wohu Gorge, Wanxiang Earth Forest Valley
- Best time to visit: June to September
- Recommended tour:6-Day Wonders Tour of Badain Jaran Desert & Danxia Landform
The Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye Danxia Geopark are one of the most beautiful and colorful mountains in China. Hiking up to the Colorful Sea of Clouds Platform, the undulating mountains sparkle under the sunlight. The colorful rocks come into view, as if you have stepped into a natural palette. It's a feast of colors, and also offers excellent opportunities for photography.
15. Guilin Mountains
The natural wonders of the Guilin karst mountains, with their unique limestone landscape, add a dreamlike hue to this land. These mountain peaks in China are not continuous and majestic high mountains, but stand straight up, with their bases connected yet presenting isolated peaks.
The incredible workmanship of nature has "sculpted" myriad peculiar peaks here, such as Elephant Trunk Hill, Moon Hill, Laozhai Mountain, Yao Mountain, Old Man Mountain, and more. Whether you are hiking or sitting quietly atop the mountain, the mountains of Guilin in China will provide you with an unforgettable travel experience.
16. Tianzi Mountains
- Location: Northwest of Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Elevation: 1,262.5 meters
- What to see: The Air Field, Helong Park, Yubi Peak, Dianjiang Terrace, and Tianzi Peak
- Best time to visit: April and October
- Recommended tour:3-Day Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Tour with Tianzi Mountains
Tianzi Mountains in China are named after Xiang Dakun, an ancient Tujia leader who styled himself as the "Son of Heaven." It is in the prime stage of peak forest evolution and is known as the "King of Peak Forests." Tianzi Mountains in Zhangjiajie provide breathtaking views of natural wonders such as seas of clouds, rock waves, winter snow, and sunrise glow. When you embark on hiking in the lush forests there, you may encounter rare animals.
17. Tianmen Mountain
- Location: Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province
- Elevation: 1,518.6 meters
- What to see: Tianmen Cave, Mixian Qijing, Biye Yaotai, Tianmen Mountain Temple
- Best time to visit: March to May, September to November
- Recommended tour: 4-day Zhangjiajie Highlights Tour with Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain is a World Cultural Heritage site famous for its magnificent peaks, deep canyons, waterfalls, and hot springs. When visiting Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park during your Zhangjiajie tours, you can take the world’s longest cable car to admire the spectacular panoramic view of Tianmen Mountain in China. Also, you can climb the 999 steps to appreciate the Tianmen Cave, or challenge the thrilling glass skywalk there, which is definitely a unique experience.
18. Hallelujah Mountain in Zhangjiajie
Hallelujah Mountain in Zhangjiajie is the prototype for the floating mountains of Pandora in "Avatar." This peak is located at the southern end of Yuanjiajie in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area and is considered one of Zhangjiajie's "Three Great Wonders." You can take the Bailong Elevator to admire the floating mountains in China. As the elevator rises and you catch sight of the floating mountains, you'll feel as if you've stumbled upon the planet Pandora.
Camel Peak in Sichuan
Mount Wudang
A holy Taoist mountain in Shiyan, Hubei Province and a great place to practice Tai Chi in China
