China
Routes, guides, apps and destinations
China overland travel guides for independent travellers
Zantrail's China section collects practical routes, city and destination guides, train travel notes, app and payment planning, and grounded overland advice for travellers moving across China without relying on generic itinerary lists.
Last updated: June 2026
Travel rules, apps and transport information can change quickly.
Start with the main China hubs
These pages remain the broader indexes for the site while this page acts as the country-level entry point for China.
China destinations
Mountain villages, highland towns, hiking bases and practical stops for slower China travel.
Practical China guides
Detailed planning notes for getting around, choosing bases, packing well and avoiding common friction.
Overland routes
Route logic for China travel legs, cross-border movement and independent transport planning.
Featured China destinations
Existing destination pages with practical notes for slower travel, mountain routes and regional planning.
China - Yunnan
Yubeng
A remote mountain village area known for dramatic scenery, rewarding hikes and a sense of isolation that still feels genuine.
China - Yunnan
Shangri-La
A highland town in northwest Yunnan that works as both a cultural stop and a practical base for exploring some of the region's strongest mountain destinations.
China - Sichuan
Yading National Park
A high-altitude alpine park known for sacred peaks, glacial lakes and some of the most visually dramatic hikes in southwest China.
Featured China guides
Practical guides already available in the current guide library.
China Travel - 8 min
How to Get to Yubeng Village
A practical guide to reaching Yubeng from the Ninong side, where to base yourself, what the hike is actually like, and the common mistakes that make the trip harder than it needs to be.
China Travel - 8 min
How to Get to Yubeng Village: Shangri-La, Feilai Temple, Xidang and Ninong Explained
A practical guide to getting to Yubeng Village, including how to approach it from Shangri-La or Lijiang, what Feilai Temple, Xidang and Ninong actually mean, and why the route is easier than the information makes it seem.
China Travel - 6 min
Where to Stay for Yading: Daocheng vs Riwa (Shangri-La Town)
A practical guide to whether you should stay in Daocheng or Riwa before visiting Yading National Park, including price, comfort, distance to the park and what usually makes the most sense for solo travellers.
Featured overland routes
Real route pages for China travel legs and cross-border overland planning.
China - Yunnan
Shangri-La → Feilai Temple → Ninong → Yubeng
Shangri-La to Yubeng
A practical staged route into Yubeng, designed to make the journey smoother by breaking it into the right stopovers before the final hike.
China / Vietnam - Yunnan to Northern Vietnam
Kunming to Hanoi Overland
Kunming to Hanoi
The most practical overland route from Kunming into northern Vietnam, using the Hekou North / Lao Cai border crossing.
China - Yunnan
Lijiang to Dali
Lijiang to Dali
A classic Yunnan backpacker route connecting two of the most popular bases for old towns, cafés, mountains and slower travel.
More China guides coming soon
These topics are planned for the China section. They are listed here without links until the full pages exist.
China Pre-Arrival Checklist
Coming soon
China Apps and Payments Guide
Coming soon
China Train Travel Guide
Coming soon
Chengdu Practical Travel Guide
Coming soon
Chongqing Practical Travel Guide
Coming soon