Tianyi Lane
The one-line sky.
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A mountain area of red danxia rock in Xinning County, scattered with peaks, rock pillars and narrow gorges among the forests; UNESCO inscribed it in 2010 as part of the China Danxia World Heritage site, and it is a national geopark rated 5A, its highest peak 818 metres. Its best-known sights are Tianyi Lane, the «one-line sky», a rock cleft about 238 metres long that narrows until only one person can pass, Chili Peak and Camel Peak, named for their shapes, the summit of Bajiaozhai looking over a sea of danxia peaks, and Zixia Cave. The clear Fuyi River runs through the valley, where rafts float between the cliffs. The route B combined ticket costs CNY 136 and covers Bajiaozhai, Tianyi Lane, Chili Peak, Camel Peak and the cave; route A at 186 adds rafting on the Fuyi River; under-14s go free and students and seniors pay half, per visitor guides.
The one-line sky.
A sea of peaks.
Rafting.
Xinning County, about 110 km south-west of central Shaoyang, Hunan
Choices are few in the countryside around the mountain, so bring food; Shaoyang city has restaurants run by Muslims under the halal sign, while local Hunan cooking uses a lot of pork.