UNESCO World Heritage SiteNational 5A Scenic AreaNorth China
Chengde Mountain Resort
承德避暑山庄 · Hebei, Chengde
The Qing emperors' vast summer retreat, blending palaces, lakes, grassland and forest.
The Mountain Resort in Chengde is a sprawling imperial garden of palaces, lakes, meadows and forested hills where the Qing court escaped Beijing's summer heat. Nearby stand the Eight Outer Temples, including the Putuo Zongcheng temple modelled on Lhasa's Potala Palace. The scale and fusion of architectural styles are exceptional.
Built between 1703 and 1792 during the reigns of Kangxi and Qianlong, the resort served as a second political capital where the court received Mongol, Tibetan and foreign dignitaries. The Mountain Resort and its surrounding temples were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
Day-by-day routes you won't find online — now starting with an 8-day, 1,500 km loop through western Sichuan. New regions are added regularly; tell us where you want to drive next.
