Off Piste at Chishui
The activity begins with a dynamic water adventure involving a kayak trip down a six-kilometer stretch of white water on the river. This section includes navigating through strong currents and negotiating small rapids, accompanied by safety instructors. The route offers an immersive experience in nature, following the river’s path through a vertical valley, providing a different perspective of the landscape compared to land-based travel.
Following the kayaking, the exploration shifts inland, utilizing motorbike taxis to travel deeper into the remote countryside. This off-the-beaten-path journey leads through small villages and along scenic valleys, eventually transitioning into a hike on ancient trails and stone steps. The trek highlights the area’s natural beauty, featuring massive, non-touristy waterfalls tucked away in the mountains, offering a secluded and authentic encounter with the region’s rugged terrain.
DIFFICULTY
DISTANCE
TIME
ELEVATION
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DIRECTIONS
1. Begin at the main visitor center or riverside square in Tucheng Ancient Town, near the Chishui River and the Red Army memorial cluster. This is where you can arrange a local motorcycle driver to take you a ride to destination
2. Leave Tucheng heading west toward the nature reserve. Drive out of town on the westbound county road signposted for Tongmin / Xishui National Nature Reserve / Tongyi Village (统一村). For the first 5–8 km, the road follows the broader Chishui valley, with fruit orchards and small villages on both sides.
3. Follow the “Tucheng–Tongmin tourism corridor” into the hills. Stay on the main paved road that forms part of the “Tucheng–Tongmin” tourism route, which links the low river valley with the core area of the Xishui nature reserve. The gradient begins to increase, and you start a series of long switchbacks away from the river.
4. Climb through mixed farmland and low forest (first 300–400 m ascent). Over the next 8–10 km, the road winds up through scattered hamlets, corn and vegetable fields and patches of secondary woodland. You gain roughly 300–400 m of elevation in this section; there are often small roadside shops where you can pause and buy drinks in season.
5. Enter the Xishui National Nature Reserve buffer zone. As the valley narrows, you pass signs for the Xishui National Nature Reserve and see denser evergreen forest on both sides—this is the transition from agricultural land into a more protected landscape, with higher forest cover and fewer houses.
6. Continue on the mountain road with multiple hairpins (second major climb). Stay on the only main paved road heading toward Tongyi; side tracks to other small valleys can be ignored. This middle section adds another 200–300 m of vertical gain as the road loops repeatedly around the hillsides; expect slower speeds and tight corners.
7. Watch for signage to Tongyi Village and Leocangou / waterfall areaNear the last high ridge, look for roadside boards mentioning “统一村” and “漏仓沟” 或”丹霞瀑布” indicate that you are nearing the entrance to the valley where your destination is located. Keep following the main road downhill into the small interior basin where the village sits.
8. Descend gently into the Tongyi valley (short descent, then.
level). After cresting the highest point, the road drops a short 50–80 m into a sheltered valley; forest cover becomes very dense and the road runs alongside small streams. Here you’re around 1,150–1,200 m above sea level, entering the core “mountain–water–forest–rock” landscape Tongyi is known for.
9. Arrive at Tongyi Village center (village committee / small square). Roll into the Tongyi Village committee area or central square—usually marked by a village name stone and simple public buildings. This is your practical end point: total road distance from Tucheng town is around 30 km, with a net elevation gain of roughly +600 m from the river-side ancient town to this high, cool basin. Or Use Tongyi as your base for hiking to waterfalls and canyons
GALLERY
