Qimen County Travel, Huangshan City, Anhui Province

Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province - known as the 'Hometown of Chinese Black Tea', boasts the national-level nature reserve Guniujiang, a group of thousand-year-old ancient villages, and a century-old Qihong culture. Famous for its primitive landscape scenery, profound Huizhou cultural context, and mellow black tea heritage, it offers a unique charm of 'intertwined landscape and tea fragrance' to be explored in 2 days.

2257

square kilometers of regional area

140,000+

permanent resident population

30+

cultural relics protection units

1800 years

history of county establishment

Guniujiang - Little Jiuzhaigou in Southern Anhui

As a national-level nature reserve, it is known as 'the last primeval forest in East China'. Famous for its magnificent mountain scenery, beautiful water scenery, and rich ecological resources, it has scenic spots such as Longmen Pool, Four-tier Waterfall, and Yanjia Ancient Village. It is an ideal destination for hiking, summer vacation, and photography.

2-Day Exploration Tour of Landscape and Tea Culture in Qimen

Seeking seclusion in secret realms, tasting black tea, exploring the context of ancient villages, and tracing cultural roots

                    
Trip Duration
2 Days

                    
Main Destinations
Guniujiang, Qimen Black Tea Cultural Park, Lixi Ancient Village, Zhukou Ancient Village, Xiangyuan Qihong Town

                    
Suitable for
Nature lovers, tea culture enthusiasts, hikers, history explorers, family with kids

                    
Per Capita Budget
¥350-¥800

Day 1

Landscape Secret Realm and Black Tea Tasting

Guniujiang · Qimen Black Tea Cultural Park

Itinerary Highlights

Explore Guniujiang in the morning, hike through the primeval forest to experience the beauty of mountains and rivers; walk into Qimen Black Tea Cultural Park in the afternoon to learn about the century-old production process of Qihong; taste authentic Qimen Black Tea in the evening and experience the elegance of tea culture.

Attraction Arrangement

Guniujiang

A national-level nature reserve and 4A-level scenic area, its main peak is 1727 meters above sea level, named because the mountain shape resembles a buffalo standing tall to the sky. The forest coverage rate in the area reaches 97%, known as the 'Green Natural Museum'. The water scenery such as Longmen Pool, Lover's Valley, and Four-tier Waterfall set off against the primeval forest, and Yanjia Ancient Village is embedded in the mountains and rivers, retaining the complete style of Huizhou ancient villages.

Qimen Black Tea Cultural Park

A cultural park integrating Qihong history display, production experience, and tasting exchange, with facilities such as Qihong Museum, traditional tea-making workshop, and tea art performance hall. Here you can learn about the development history of Qimen Black Tea since its creation in 1875, watch intangible cultural heritage inheritors demonstrate the traditional processes of 'withering, rolling, fermenting, and drying', participate in tea-making by hand, and taste the fragrance of different grades of Qihong.

Practical Information

Transportation Guide

There are tourist buses from Qimen County to Guniujiang Scenic Area (about 1 hour)
After returning to the county from Guniujiang, you can take a taxi to the Black Tea Cultural Park (about 15 minutes)
Self-driving or chartered car is recommended for more convenient transportation between scenic spots
Hiking is required in Guniujiang Scenic Area, it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes

Ticket Information

Guniujiang: ¥100 (including scenic area transportation)
Qimen Black Tea Cultural Park: ¥40 (including tea-making experience)
Students and the elderly enjoy half-price discount with valid certificates
Combined ticket for Guniujiang + Black Tea Cultural Park: ¥130

Accommodation Recommendation

Homestays in Guniujiang Scenic Area: surrounded by mountains and rivers, experience mountain night stay
Hotels in Qimen County: complete facilities and convenient transportation
Black tea-themed homestays: immersive experience of tea culture atmosphere

Day 2

Ancient Village Cultural Context and Tea Town Elegance

Lixi · Zhukou · Xiangyuan Qihong Town

Itinerary Highlights

Visit Lixi Ancient Village in the morning to find the former residence and ancient ancestral hall of the imperial physician of the Ming Dynasty; stroll through Zhukou Ancient Village in the afternoon to interpret the code of Huizhou clan culture; visit Xiangyuan Qihong Town in the evening to experience the black tea customs blending tradition and modernity.

Attraction Arrangement

Lixi Ancient Village

A Huizhou ancient village founded in the Tang Dynasty, named after the 'Lishui' stream beside the village, it is the hometown of Wang Dian, the imperial physician of the Ming Dynasty. More than 30 buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties are preserved in the village. The Wang Clan Ancestral Hall 'Heyi Hall' is large in scale with exquisite wood carving and brick carving craftsmanship. Outside the village, there are landscapes such as thousand-year-old ginkgo trees and ancient post roads, known as the 'First Village of Huizhou Imperial Physicians'.

Zhukou Ancient Village

A Huizhou ancient village featuring 'single-surname settlement', with more than 90% of the villagers surnamed Ni. More than 50 residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties are preserved in the village. The core building 'Zhenyi Hall' is one of the largest existing ancestral halls in Huizhou area. The 'Five Phoenix Tower' shape on the brick carving gatehouse is a fine product of Huizhou architecture. The village has crisscrossing lanes, dotted with ancient bridges and wells, showing the charm of the ancient village to the full.

Xiangyuan Qihong Town

A cultural tourism town themed on Qimen Black Tea, integrating traditional Huizhou architecture with modern design style. The town has facilities such as Qihong intangible cultural heritage workshop, black tea-themed hotel, and tea culture commercial street. You can visit the modern black tea production line, participate in high-end tea art courses, and when the lights are on at night, the ancient streets and lanes are more charming.

Practical Information

Transportation Guide

You can take a rural bus from Qimen County to Lixi Ancient Village (about 50 minutes)
Self-driving or chartered car is required from Lixi to Zhukou (about 40 minutes)
After returning to the county from Zhukou, take a taxi to Xiangyuan Qihong Town (about 10 minutes)
It is recommended to walk around the ancient village to experience the slow-paced atmosphere

Ticket Information

Lixi Ancient Village: ¥50
Zhukou Ancient Village: ¥30
Xiangyuan Qihong Town: Free (some experience projects charge fees)
Combined ticket for Lixi + Zhukou: ¥70

Food Recommendation

Qimen Zhonghe Soup
Qimen Clay Oven Rolls
Chiling Horseshoe Crisp
Qimen Black Tea Crisp
Huizhou Fermented Tofu
Guniujiang Stone Ear Braised Chicken

Must-Try Food in Qimen County

Qimen Zhonghe Soup

A traditional famous dish of Qimen, named for the emphasis on the 'neutralization' principle in ingredient matching. Made with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, eggs and other ingredients, cut into small cubes and simmered, it has a fresh and mellow taste with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables. It is said to be created by Wang Dian, the imperial physician of the Ming Dynasty, and is an essential soup for Qimen banquets.

Qimen Clay Oven Rolls

A special snack of Qimen, also known as 'Crab Shell Yellow' because its shape resembles a crab shell and its color is golden yellow. With flour as the crust, wrapped with dried plum vegetable and meat filling, baked on the wall of a special oven, the outer crust is crispy and the inner filling is salty and fragrant. It tastes best when eaten hot, and is a favorite daily snack of local people.

Qimen Black Tea Crisp

A special pastry made with Qimen Black Tea as raw material, incorporating broken Qihong tea into the crispy crust filling and made through multi-layer lamination technology. It has a crispy taste, rich tea fragrance, sweet but not greasy, with both the crispness of traditional pastries and the unique 'Qimen fragrance' of Qihong, making it an excellent match for tea snacks.

Guniujiang Stone Ear Braised Chicken

A special dish in Qimen mountain area, stewed with stone ear, a specialty of Guniujiang, and local free-range chicken. Stone ear is a rare fungus growing on steep cliffs, rich in nutrients. Combined with the umami taste of local chicken, the soup is mellow and the meat is tender, with nourishing and health-preserving effects. It is a famous dish for entertaining distinguished guests locally.

Qimen County Travel Tips

Best Travel Time

Spring (April-May): Guniujiang is full of blooming flowers, and rapeseed flowers bloom in ancient villages
Summer (June-August): Guniujiang has a cool climate, suitable for summer vacation and hiking
Autumn (September-October): Tea fruits are harvested, you can experience the fun of tea picking and making
Winter (December-February): Fewer tourists, and the snow scenery of ancient villages has a unique charm

Must-Experience Projects

Shoot the panoramic view of the water flow at the Four-tier Waterfall in Guniujiang
Participate in the traditional production process of Qimen Black Tea by hand
Listen to villagers tell stories about imperial physicians in Lixi Ancient Village
Appreciate Huizhou brick carving art at Zhenyi Hall in Zhukou Ancient Village
Taste Qihong with tea snacks in Xiangyuan Qihong Town and experience a slow life

Budget Reference

Tickets: About ¥200-250
Catering: ¥120-220 per day
Accommodation: ¥180-450 per night
Transportation: ¥150-250
Total: ¥350-800 (2 days)

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the characteristics of Qimen Black Tea? → Famous for its unique 'Qimen fragrance', known as the 'Queen of Black Tea'
Is Guniujiang suitable for hiking? → Yes, there are trails of different difficulty levels, suitable for families to professional hikers
What is the difference between Lixi Ancient Village and Zhukou Ancient Village? → Lixi is characterized by imperial physician culture, while Zhukou is famous for ancestral hall architecture
What are the specialties of Qimen? → Qimen Black Tea, Qimen Clay Oven Rolls, Zhonghe Soup seasoning package, Huizhou bamboo weaving

Explore Travel in Each District and County of Huangshan City