China is one of the largest countries in the world, with some of the most diverse landscapes, national parks, and natural scenery. From empty, arid desert landscapes to tranquil forests and beautiful lakes, and from spectacular mountain ranges to powerful rivers.

In this travel documentary, I take you on a journey through some of China’s most captivating landscapes and scenic regions. From the bizarre rock formations of Huangshan and Zhangjiajie national parks to the blue turquoise waters of Jiuzhaigou. From the picturesque mountains and hills around Yangshuo to the impressive Hukou waterfall. From the frozen lakes and mountain peaks of Tibet to the beautiful ‘Rainbow Mountains’ of Zhangye Danxia. From the Yuanyang rice terraces to the mysterious Earth and Stone Forests in Yunnan province. And from the mighty Yangtze River traversing China to the empty deserts of Gansu.

I traveled through China independently for more than a decade, on several occasions. The footage in this video was shot between 2010 and 2019, and is accompanied by relaxing music and background information.

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Copyright of all footage: Hoffer Media

Here’s a brief overview of the content in this video:

We begin this tour in Zhangjiajie, one of China’s most recognizable and iconic national parks. It’s highly popular for its surreal pillar like rock formations, and was the inspiration for many Chinese painters and artists, and later also the directors of the movie Avatar. Getting around the park is part of the experience, with elevators, glass bridges, and walkways cutting right through the mountains.

Jiuzhaigou is known for its blue turquoise lakes and waterfalls, and is immensely popular with tourists well. The contrast with the next destination, Dunhuang, could not be bigger. This arid desert boasts tall sand dunes, and has seen many traders and explorers travel through its inhospitable landscape over the centuries.

We travel onwards to Yangshuo, a small town located in an otherworldly panorama of limestone hills and mountains. Cycling or paddling past these imposing peaks is a once in a lifetime experience. The next destination is the Yangtze river, which traverses China for 6,300 kilometers. Along the way, it meets breathtaking mountain scenery, hundreds of tributaries, and some of China’s largest cities. Here, we also briefly look at the environmental impact on the river, caused by dams, water diversion, and pollution.

From the raging waters in the narrow Tiger Leaping Gorge, we arrive at the beautiful Yuanyang rice terraces. This rural landscape gives a good insight into village life and agriculture, and provides stunning vistas. From here, we reach the peculiar Shilin Stone Forest.

We continue our journey in Western China, to visit the high altitude Karakul lake. After spending the night in a traditional Central Asian yurt, we travel to Tibet, a highly spiritual region that captures the imagination of many travelers. It’s filled with captivating nature, including mountains, rivers, lakes, and glaciers.

After briefly showing the Hukou waterfall, we climb the stark mountains of Yulong, after which we arrive in the surreal Earth forest of Yuanmou, and the Zhangye Rainbow Mountains. Finally, we finish our travels in Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain, one of China’s most popular national parks.

Timestamps / video chapters:

0:00 Introduction
1:55 Zhangjiajie National Park
4:28 Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve
6:24 Dunhuang Desert
8:37 Yangshuo
11:19 Yangtze River
14:20 Tiger Leaping Gorge
15:15 Yuanyang Rice Terraces
17:35 Yilin Stone Forest
19:31 Karakul Lake
21:31 Tibet
24:30 Hukou Waterfall
25:43 Yulong
27:37 Yuanmou Earth Forest
28:39 Zhangye Rainbow Mountains
29:46 Huangshan National Park
31:12 End