Catch the Tail of Winter to Enjoy the Ice and Snow Wonderland

Typically, travelers have two options of a winter tour in China - escaping the cold weather in in the southern region or indulging into the ice and snow fun in northern China. Our valued customer, Jennifer, opted for the latter and spent an incredible 15 days exploring the wonderland of Northeastern China. When asked about her experience, she praised that "The entire tour was really fantastic, one of my best travels in China so far. The trip was very well organized, information was clear from the beginning from the travel agency, drivers and tour guides were great. Before the trip, Leo was very prompt in providing detailed information and itineraries. I asked for quotes for different hotels as well as added on extra days, all which Leo accommodated. Thank you for an unforgettable trip." Let's read her story and get inspiration for an amazing winter.

Day 1-4 The City of Ice Exploration

Jennifer's trip embarked on a memorable journey that commenced in the enchanting city of Harbin, where the magic of winter unfolds with stunning ice sculptures, glittering snow-covered streets, and a unique winter culture. During her four-day stay, she traversed the illuminated landmarks of Harbin, such as Harbin Ice and Snow World, Sun Island, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Zhongyang Pedestrian Street, Siberian Tiger Park, etc. The most remarkable attraction, Harbin Ice and Snow World, housed over with over 2,000 pieces of sculptures of ice and snow, creating an awe-inspiring experience for Jennifer. Walking around the festival, Jennifer felt like she was in a winter wonderland, surrounded by glittering towers, castles, and even a giant slide made entirely out of ice, as well as snow carvings.

Jennifer's Happy Moments in Harbin

Day 5-6 The Snow Fun and Sightseeing

The next two days were expected to be snowy. Jennifer spent one full day in Yabuli Ski Resort, the largest ski resort in China offering more than 40 trails, ranging from beginner to expert levels, and over 30 ski lifts, ensuring that guests can spend as much time on the slopes as possible. Skiing in Yabuli Ski Resort was an exhilarating experience that brought me immense joy and satisfaction. During her time at the resort, Jennifer have had a lot of fun experiencing the different snow sports. Off the slopes, the resort also provided a lively and interesting atmosphere, with plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops to explore. Jennifer enjoyed sampling the featured local food, warming up with a hot drink in a cozy café.

Jennifer enjoyed Skiing in Yabuli Ski Resort

On the following day, she journeyed to China Snow Town, a picturesque village nestled in the heart of snowy mountains. She delighted in a true winter wonderland, complete with snow-laden streets and traditional wooden houses. Although the air was chilly, the village was so enchanting that Jennifer couldn't resist strolling through it. The panoramic view of the China Snow Town was incredibly amazing. Jennifer had the pleasure of visiting the observation deck twice, once during the day and once at night, bask in the breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding area. During the day, she witnessed the majestic snow-covered landscape stretching out as far as the eye could see. At night, the scenery transformed into a magical winter wonderland, with the sparkling lights of the town. Jennifer was in awe of the sheer beauty of the scenery, and she felt incredibly grateful to have witnessed such an enchanting display of nature.

Dreamlike China Snow Town

Day 7-10: The Frozen Lake to the Snowy Changbaishan

In the morning of the 7th day, Jennifer was escorted by the guide and driver to Jingpo Lake (Mirror Lake), the largest alpine lava barrier lake in China and the second largest in the world. It was designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015. In such a season, the scenic area became a silver world. Glittering rime, translucent ice lake and solemn icefall were shining under the bright ray of the sun. Jennifer watched the live dive performance off the Diaoshuilou Waterfall cliff and the rare Ice Fishing scene. She also witnessed the amazing Ice Fishing scene before heading to Changbai Mountain.

Jingpo Lake with Frozen Waterfall Scenery

After a comfortable stay in Erdao Baihe Town, Jennifer started her trip to Changbai Mountain via the Northern Slope on the next day. Highlights of Changbaishan are a lot, including its Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), waterfalls, hot springs, alpine lake & garden, lava forests, canyons, and so on. The Heavenly Lake covered with thick snow looked like a white gem embedded in the mountain clusters of Changbaishan. It was hard to walk in the snow, but Jennifer really liked the scenery and thought it worthed the time and effort to get there.

Ever-white Changbai Mountain

The 9th and 10th days was for Jilin City, and Wusong Island, famous for Jilin rime - one of China's Four Natural Wonders, is the biggest highlight. The weeping willows with the peculiar shape of trees were covered with translucent frost flowers, delighting Jennifer so much.

Jilin Rime in Wusong Island Scenic Area

"Both the driver and tour guide were extremely lovely. From the moment I stepped off the plane, Dora said she would take care of me like a little sister and that she did. She was always there to help me and accompany me even in the freezing cold weather. She had prepared extra heat packs for my time in China and again gave me some recommendations of some extra places we could go to on the way if there was time permitting. We struck up a really good friendship talking about our family and friends and I really enjoyed her company. She really went beyond a tour guide and wanted me to have the best possible time." Jennifer commented her guide and driver like that when speaking of this experience.

Day 11-15: Getting All the Way North

On the 11th day, Jennifer took a train to Mohe, a small town located in the northernmost of China. She visited Longjiang First Bay - a stunning scenic area, Wusuli Shoal - a shallow section of the Wusuli River, Beihong Village - a small village located on the banks of the Beihong River, etc. on day 12. On the following day, she also had a good time seeing and interacting with reindeer up close in Eenki Reindeer Park, the home to the Ewenki people, a group of indigenous people who rely on reindeer for their traditional way of life. After another day in Mohe, Jennifer went back to Harbin by train on and left on day 15.

Jennifer went all the way north to Arctic Village

Apart from the fascinating sceneries and activities, Jennifer also liked her driver and guide. She said that "Again both the driver and interpreter were very lovely for my entire time there and although it was sort it was one of my favourite parts of the whole trip. The driver was one of the best I have ever had, he was extremely knowledgeable, talking about all aspects of the different places in Mohe".

Tour ended here. Though Jennifer traveler alone, but she never felt lonely, because of the accompaniment of the guides and the driver. She also enjoyed the solo tour in that she could finish faster in some areas than a normal tour group so sometimes had a lot of spare time in the afternoon/evening so would be great to have back up places to go to.

(Above travel story was written by our editor, inspired by our customer Jennifer's real experience and the feedback she sent to Leo.)