Chengbu & Nanshan

Nanshan National Park, a high-altitude grassland in southern China, with meadows and wind turbines at nearly 2,000 m, set off by the Liangjiang Gorge and Miao culture.

Chengbu Miao Autonomous County is in southwestern Hunan at the southern tip of Shaoyang, where the Xuefeng Mountains meet the Nanling Mountains, bordering Ziyuan and Longsheng in Guangxi. It has many peaks over 1,000 m and is home to most of Nanshan National Park, Hunan's first national park pilot. The main draw is Nanshan in the southwest: rolling meadows spread across a high plateau averaging about 1,700 m, where dairy cows, wind turbines and seas of cloud create the look of 'southern China's Hulunbuir'. Cool in summer, it's a favorite spot for Hunan locals to escape the heat, camp and watch the sunrise. Around the county seat, Rulin Town, are Baiyun Lake and Baiyun Cave; the road to Nanshan winds through the Liangjiang Gorge, passing the Miao village of Taolin and the ancient fir groves of the Dong village of Chang'anying. In the south, the Shiwan Gutian area of Tingping Township is a hidden realm of highland wetlands and azaleas. The best times are Jun–Sep for cool weather and October for autumn colors; in winter Nanshan often sees ice and snow, and roads may be closed. Self-driving is the main way to get around: the county seat is about 2.5 hours from Shaoyang and about 3 hours from Guilin, and Nanshan Pasture is 60–80 km of mountain road (1.5–2 hours) from town. Allow 2–3 days, spending a night on Nanshan for the sunrise and sea of clouds. Highlights include the Miao Liuyueliu (6th-day-of-the-6th-month) Folk Song Festival, insect tea, oil tea and the Miao long-table banquet.

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