Changbai Mountain

Changbai Mountain Map  Changbai Mountain Photos

Changbai Mountain is situated in Antu County of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in northeast China, bordering the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the south. As a dormant volcano, Changbai Mountain boasts marvelous lakes, amazing hot springs, forests stretching to the horizon and many rare animals & plants like Changbai Mountain ginseng. There is splendid scenery during the four seasons, but it is especially beautiful in winter. To get to Changbai Mountain, tourists can fly to Changbaishan Airport at first, then go to the scenic area by shuttle bus, taxi or chartered bus.
 The most beautiful part of Changbai Mountain in China is undoubtedly Tianchi, or Heavenly Lake. The lake was formed in the crater of the mountain, and it is the source of the Songhua, Tumen and Yalu Rivers. The mountain is also the cradle of Manchu, Korean and Han nationalities. The altitude of the Heavenly Lake is 2,189 meters (about 7,182 ft), and so the average temperature is 7.3°C (45.14°F). With clouds everywhere, Heavenly Lake is like a jade in the sky. You can find a very interesting phenomenon while walking along the Heavenly Lake. On many occasions it is common for sunshine and rain to occur at the same time. It may rain very hard one minute, but you may soon find the sun shining warmly the next minute. Sometimes, you can even watch it rain in the west and shine in the east. Besides the wonderful scenery and astonishing climate, many witnesses have claimed that there are monsters in the lake! Some witnesses even took photos as proof, but there is still no conclusive evidence.

Heavenly Lake

Changbai Waterfall

 To the north of Heavenly Lake there exists an exit for the Chengcha River. Running gently for about 1,200 meters (0.74 miles), the river suddenly becomes a churning rapids and drops from a 68 meters (223 ft) high cliff. This is the famous Changbai Waterfall, the highest volcanic waterfall in the world. Watching it from far away, the waterfall appears like a white ribbon suspended in midair. As you approach it, you can hear the loud roar and feel the chilliness of the waterfall. Another alternative to watch the waterfall is climbing to Heifengkou on the main peak. Gales blow ceaselessly in this col, making it hard for visitors to walk and climb. But it remains the best place to watch the panorama of the waterfall. Apart from Changbai Waterfall, more than ten smaller waterfalls are also available in the mountain. Visitors have to enter the Northern Slope Entrance to see the waterfall.
 Less than 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) away from Changbai Waterfall lie the Changbai Hot Springs. With a special chemical composition inside, the rocks around the hot springs have been dyed many bright colors. Most of the hot springs have temperatures over 60°C(140°F); the highest is 82°C (179.6°F). Hot Spring Eggs have become a special local product. Visitors can bathe in the hot springs, which are very effective for some ailments, such as arthritis, dermatosis and exhaustion. (Tips on Hot Spring for your reference)
 Underground Forest, the attraction with lowest altitude on Changbai Mountain, is famous for its view of virgin forests. Ancient tall trees, huge rocks, special animals and cliffy canyons have lured many scientists, explorers and photographers in recent years. Twin Lakes and Natural Museum along the Northern Slope are also worth visiting. Additionally, the newly exploited Great Valley, Jinjiang Waterfall, King's Lake, Tiger's Back and Tizi River in the Western Slope also attract many visitors. If visitors want to closely observe the borders of the PRC and the DPRK and enjoy the beautiful alpine flowers, they can climb Changbai Mountain through the Southern Slope Entrance.
 

Changbai Mountain

Visitors on the Mountain

The best time to visit Changbai Mountain is September. During the peak seasons, namely June through September, hundreds of flowers blossom on the Southern and Western slopes. It is very cool, so it's an ideal place for escaping from the summer heat. But it is also very rainy in July and August, and visitors cannot watch the Heavenly Lake clearly at that time. Generally, it snows from October. The best time to view snow and to ski is from November to March. During the time, a Changbai Mountain travel  is a tour to the Snow World.  Ice and snow begin to thaw from April, but visitors can still find snow even in May.
 Visitors can stay with Korean families to understand the local life, or they can camp in the forest to breathe the fresh air of woods and flowers. There are also top-ranking hotels, such as Heavenly Hot Spring Hotel, Changbai Mountain International Hotel, and Athletes' Village. Changbai Mountain in Jilin city is also a rich area for wild fungus and traditional Chinese medicine materials, such as ginseng and pilose antler. Visitors can find them in local shops.
 

Take a train from Changchun Railway Station to Baihe at 15:18, which takes nearly 14h. After having a rest, visitors charter a car to the North Slope, which costs CNY 150 – 200.
 Take a train from Changchun Railway Station to Songjianghe at 15:18, which takes about 12h. After having a rest in the Songjianghe Town, visitors can charter a local car to the West Slope, and the fare is around CNY 100 – 120 for a single trip.
 First, visitors need to take a bullet train to Dunhua. One train departs from Harbin Railway Station at 9:04 and the other from Harbin West Railway Station at 14:01. It takes 3 – 3.5h.

From Dunhuang Railway Station or Dunhua Long-distance Bus Station nearby, visitors can take a bus to Erdao Baihe Town. After arrival, charter a local car to the North Slope.
 There is only one bus at 15:30 from Dunhua Long-distance Bus Station to Songjianghe Village, from where visitors can charter a car to the West Slope. Or, visitors can take a bus to Erdao Baihe first, and then take a bus to Songjianghe to find a car to reach the West Slope or charter a car to the West Slope from Erdao Baihe directly.

 Changbai Mountain weather
It is always very cool in Changbai Mountain; bring some thick clothes, such as sweater and overcoat is a perfect choice. For the unexpected weather, visitors are highly recommended to bring water-proof clothes and skid-proof shoes.