All the Leaves are Red: Head to the Fragrant Hills

It’s an autumn tradition for a large portion of Beijing’s population to head to the western hills in order to take in the beauty of the changing color of the foilage, scale the heights in high heels and pose for a few pics with some red leaves. The number of people who swarm to Badachu, Xiang Shan and the Botanic Gardens area normally turns people’s plans of enjoying a picnic in the picturesque surroundings into a chaotic struggle to emerge from the crowds on the roads.

Although Beijing's newspapers recently announced that early-Nov will be the best period for red leaf appreciation, given the weather, it looks like this weekend is the perfect time to get amongst it all. This year authorities have done the darndest to make getting to the hills to the west of Beijing more convenient. They've launched a new No. 919 bus route that leaves Deshengmen station from 6.30am to noon and returns from the area from 9.30am to 3pm. A bus leaves every 20 min, but the best thing is that the bus takes the highway directly to Xiang Shan and there are no stops along the way. The single trip ticket costs RMB 12, with yikatong users getting a 60% discount and students 80%.

For more details on the best places to go and what to expect, take a look at this article from the October issue of Beijing Kids. You can also get your hands on the latest issue of agenda which includes an excerpt of the Immersion Guide's introduction to the Fragrant Hills.

Tips: Wear comfortable shoes for hiking and consider wearing layers or a windproof jacket, since it is quite windy at the peak.

Xiangshan Park
Daily 6am-6.30pm (Sep-Nov 15); 6am-6pm (Nov 16-Mar)
Fees: RMB 10, RMB 5 for students and kids (Apr-Nov 15); RMB 5 for adults, RMB 2.5 for students and kids (Nov 16-Mar). The Temple of Azure Clouds: RMB 10. Cableway: RMB 50 on weekdays; RMB 60 on weekends and holidays, RMB 20 for kids.
Xiangshan Park, Haidian District (6259 1264)

By public transportation: Bus 318 from Pingguoyuan terminal on Line 1 subway to Xiangshan stop. Bus 904 from Xizhimen to Xiangshan stop.
By car: From West Third Ring Road, drive west on Zizhuqiao Bridge until you reach the West Fourth Ring Road. Follow signs for Xiangshan.

Links and Sources
Beijing Kids: Autumn Pickings
Immersion Guides: Beijing Excursions Guide
agenda: latest issue
The Beijing News: 919路“红叶专线”开通
Qianlong: 北京香山红叶节正式登场 11月初为最佳观赏期