The Ultimate Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Autumn Foliage Guide! Qixia Mountain's 20,000 Maple Trees in Full Red Splendor

🍁 Part 1: Essential Pre-Trip Info: Best Time + Transportation Peak Season: - Foliage Prime: Mid-to-late November (60%+ mountain coverage, layered crimson vistas); - Off-Season Charm: March-May (peach blossoms, fewer crowds). Transport Tips: - Bus: Take Route 206/Nanqi Line from Nanjing Station, or Metro Line 2 to Xuezelu Station then transfer to Bus 138 (~1hr); - Drive: Navigate to "Qixia Mountain West Gate" parking (¥10/entry; arrive before 7am in peak season to avoid brutal traffic); - Free Entry Hack: Enter before 6:30am (saves ¥40! Photographers’ secret). --- 🚶 Part 2: One-Day Itinerary Morning: Cultural Trail (3hrs) - Qixia Temple (7:00-8:30): 1,500-year-old Buddhist monastery with golden ginkgo carpets + morning incense rituals & vegan breakfast (¥20/pax); - Sheli Pagoda & Thousand-Buddha Cliffs (8:30-9:30): Sui Dynasty stone carvings, Jiangnan’s "Little Dunhuang" grottoes; - Mirror Lake (9:30-10:00): Qianlong Emperor’s inscribed "Rainbow Mirror" with postcard-perfect maple reflections. Afternoon: Foliage Feast (3hrs) - Red Leaf Valley → Peach Blossom Lake (10:30-12:00): Japanese maples & sweetgums create fiery tunnels; - First Emperor’s River Viewpoint (13:00-14:00): Panoramic Yangtze vistas over crimson peaks; - Phoenix Peak Summit (14:30-15:30): 360° observatory for "half-pine-half-red" landscapes. > 📌 Lazy Hack: Shuttle buses (¥10/segment) + downhill plank path saves energy. --- 🏯 Part 3: Cultural Deep Dive - Imperial Relics Hunt: Qianlong’s stone poems & ruined palaces; - Dawn Chanting: 6:00am sutra recitals at Qixia Temple; - Night Maple Magic: Limited autumn evenings with illuminated foliage (check official notices). --- ⚠️ Part 4: Pro Tips 1. Route Warnings: - ❌ Avoid "Direct Summit Stairs" (steep, viewless); - ✅ Choose "Scenic Loop Road" for foliage density. 2. Gear Checklist: - Non-slip shoes (mossy steps) + windbreaker (peak gusts); - Mosquito repellent (wooded areas) + telephoto lens (pagoda+maple shots). 3. Must-Eats: - Temple vegan: Arhat Noodles (¥15), "mock goose"; - Local bites: Xixia Town’s crab roe buns, osmanthus taro balls. --- 🌄 Closing: Qixia’s Invitation > "Spring at Niushou, Autumn at Qixia" Where Six Dynasties’ mist clings to temple eaves, and infinite maples ignite Nanjing’s autumn. Dawn chants, crimson waves, twilight river winds— This mountain rewards early risers, contemplators, and dreamers. Go now—before the last leaf falls—to claim Nanjing’s most majestic autumn! 🍂 --- Quick Facts | Item | Details | Ticket | Off-season ¥25, Peak ¥40 (Maple Festival) | Hours | 6:00-17:30 (free before 6:30) | Top Foliage Spots | Mirror Lake, Red Leaf Valley, Peach Blossom Lake, Emperor’s Viewpoint | Stay | Hantian·Qiyun Mountain Lodge (¥200+/pax, mountain-view windows)