Tianchi
A crater lake.
維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 維基小霸王 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A forest and volcano park at the south-western foot of the Greater Khingan Range in north-east Inner Mongolia, about 40 km from Arxan city, whose Mongolian name means «hot springs»; it combines lava fields, untouched forest and lakes. Its best-known sights are Tianchi, a lake in the crater of an extinct volcano; Shitanglin, a wide field of black basalt covered in moss, pine and larch; Azalea Lake, dammed by lava and mirroring the forest; and the park's Grand Canyon. The park is at its most colourful in autumn, from mid-September, when the larches turn gold. Tickets with the park bus cost CNY 285 in the season from 1 May to mid-October and are valid for 48 hours, and it is open from 8 am to 5 pm, per visitor guides. Winters here are long and harsh, so summer and autumn are the best times.
A crater lake.
Black basalt.
Mirroring the woods.
About 40 km north-east of Arxan city, Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia
June to September, with the best colours from mid-September when the larches turn gold; winter is long and bitterly cold, and the ticket includes the park buses.