Self-Driving Tour Guide to Destinations around Xi’an in Winter – Route Recommendations

There are many great places to go on a self-driving tour from Xi’an. Xi’an’s surrounding area has many famous attractions. Here are some self-driving tour routes that recommend several famous attractions around Xi’an. Let’s see if there are any destinations you want to go to!

1、Xi’an – Yulin

Route recommendation: Xi’an – Huangling – Hukou – Yan’an – Yulin (approximately 880 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart from Xi’an and head north on the Xi-Tong Expressway to Huangling to pay homage to the Yellow Emperor. Continue north and take the Fuxian exit to the east to Hukou. Experience the charm of China’s second largest waterfall – Hukou Waterfall. Stay in Yichuan County for the night.

Huangdi Mausoleum

Day 2: From Yichuan, drive 19 kilometers east along Provincial Highway 201, go north to Yunyan, and then turn west onto Provincial Highway 303 to reach Nanniwan, the “Small Jiangnan” of northern Shaanxi. The road conditions are generally average, relatively narrow but relatively flat. Make a brief stop and continue on your journey. Arrive in the revolutionary holy land of Yan’an around noon.

Hukou Waterfall

Day 3: Visit the Dazhai and other revolutionary sites in the morning. Then drive to Yulin. You can stop at the Li Zicheng Palace in Mizhi County along the way. Arrive in Yulin in the afternoon. After a brief rest, you can go to Zhenbeitai, Hongshi Gorge, and the Yulin Great Wall, located 3 kilometers north of the city, to experience the desert sunset. Stay in Yulin for the night.

Zhenbeitai

Day 4: Take the Yulin-Jingbian Expressway to Jingbian and visit the Tongwan City Ruins, located about 80 kilometers northeast of Jingbian County. It is the ruins of the capital city of the “Great Xia State” and is also one of the earliest imperial city ruins that have been relatively well preserved in China. Drive back to Xi’an on the highway in the afternoon.

Friendly reminder: If you have enough time, you can consider visiting Hongjinniao, located in the northwestern part of Shenmu County, known as the “Pearl of the Desert.”

2、Yinchuan Direction

Route recommendation: Xi’an – Pingliang – Guyuan – Zhongwei – Yinchuan (approximately 640 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart from Xi’an at 7 am and take National Highway 312 through Xianyang. Pass through Liquan, Qianxian, and Changwu to enter Gansu Province. Arrive in Pingliang around noon, the road conditions are generally good. Have lunch and rest in Pingliang. Depart at 1pm, continue along National Highway 312 towards Guyuan. After reaching Guyuan, take the expressway to Zhongning and get off at the exit. Turn west and follow the signs to Zhongwei County to check into your hotel.

Shapotou

Day 2: Drive westward from Zhongwei County for more than 20 kilometers to visit Shapotou. Shapotou was once very desolate. Nowadays, the Yellow River, oasis, desert, and Great Wall form a beautiful landscape. After lunch, leave Zhongwei and head to Yinchuan. Take the national highway through Qingtongxia. The road conditions are good, and you can take a look at the scenery of Qingtongxia. Stay in Yinchuan for the night and visit the Yellow River night scene in the city.

Shahu

Day 3: Drive north on the expressway to Yao Fu and get off. Go north to Shahu. Shahu is 56 kilometers from Yinchuan City and is a bird paradise. Return to Yinchuan City at noon without stopping, and then drive westward for ten kilometers to visit the Western Xia Tombs. Stay in Yinchuan City again for the night.

Day 4: Return to Xi’an along the original route. You can visit the Taoist holy land of Kongtong Mountain when passing through Pingliang.

Friendly reminder: There is a 42-kilometer section of provincial highway from Pingliang to Guyuan, the road conditions are not very good, drive slowly and carefully.

3、Chengdu Direction

Route recommendation: Xi’an – Zhouzhi – Yangxian – Hanzhong – Mianxian – Guangyuan – Mianyang – Chengdu (approximately 820 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart from Xi’an in the morning. Take the Xi-Hu Expressway and then turn onto the Huan Shan Highway. Take National Highway 108 through Foping and Yangxian to Hanzhong City. The Qinling Mountain scenery along the way is breathtaking. Visit the Ancient Hantai and the Baigang Altar in Hanzhong. If time permits, you can visit the Baohe Ancient Plank Road and Nanhu Lake. Stay in Hanzhong for the night and enjoy local specialties such as Caidofu (bean curd) and Re Mipi (hot rice skin).

Wuhou Temple

Day 2: After breakfast, depart from Hanzhong. Take National Highway 108 to Mianxian to visit the Wuhou Temple. Then take the Guang-Han Expressway to Guangyuan. Along the way, you can visit the Chaotianyue Mingxia, the ancient plank road, and the Guangyuan Thousand Buddha Cliff, known as the “China Transportation Museum.”

Jianmen Pass

Depart from Guangyuan. Take the Guang-Mian Expressway to Mianyang. Along the way, you can visit the famous Zhao Hua Ancient City, Fei Yi Tomb, and Huangze Temple during the Three Kingdoms period. Upon reaching Jianmen, you can admire the Cuiyun Lang and Jianmen Pass, one of the wonders of the world. Enjoy the famous Jianmen Tofu Feast. Upon arriving in Mianyang, directly take the Cheng-Mian Expressway to your final destination – Chengdu.

Friendly reminder: Some sections of the Qinling Mountain road have poor conditions and may encounter road repairs. At the same time, there are many trucks on this road section. Pay special attention when driving and control your speed.

4、Xi’an – Shennongjia – Wuhan

Route recommendation: Xi’an – Shangluo – Shiyan City – Shennongjia – Wuhan (approximately 1800 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart from Xi’an and take the Xi-Lan Expressway to National Highway 312 to Shangnan. Enter Henan and turn onto National Highway 209 to drive south directly to Shiyan City in Hubei. Stay in Shiyan for the night.

Day 2: Drive southeast from Shiyan City to Wudang Mountain. Wudang Mountain has majestic terrain. It is backed by the Shennongjia Forest Area. Taoist buildings are scattered all over the mountain. Visit Wutai Mountain and return to Shiyan for the night. You can enjoy local specialties in Wudang Mountain.

Shennongjia

Day 3: Drive south from Shiyan City through Fangxian to reach the Shennongjia Forest Area. The journey takes about 4 hours. Visit the Wild Man Cave in Fangxian. The cave hides a mountain, and there is a cave in the mountain. Stay in Muyu Town for the night. The local bacon, lazy tofu, wild vegetables, and Tujia banquets are worth trying in Shennongjia.

Day 4: Return from Shennongjia along the original route. Take the Shiyan-Xiangfan Expressway. You can visit the ancient Longzhong along the way. Continue along National Highway 316 in the afternoon to reach Wuhan. Visit the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, the Yellow Crane Tower, and other attractions. Taste Wuhan snacks.

Friendly reminder: The road conditions from Shiyan City to Wudang Mountain and Shennongjia are good, but there are many bends on the mountain road. Don’t drive too fast.

5、Xi’an – Taiyuan

Route recommendation: Xi’an – Heyang – Hancheng – Pingyao – Taiyuan (approximately 660 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Take the Xi-Yu Expressway from Xi’an to Heyang and get off. Turn right and head east to Qiaochuan Town, 23 kilometers east of Heyang County, to visit the Yellow River Wetland. It is located east of the Yellow River and is known as “Small Jiangnan.” Return to Heyang along the original route in the afternoon and take National Highway 108 to Hancheng. Visit the Sima Qian Temple and Dangjia Village. Stay in Hancheng for the night.

Qiaochuan Yellow River Wetland

Day 2: Take National Highway 108 from Longmen to cross the Yellow River and enter Shanxi Province. Pass through Hejin, Jishan, and get on the Dayun Expressway from Houma City to the north. Get off at the Mahe toll station and visit the Wang Family Courtyard. Stay in Pingyao for the night.

Pingyao Ancient City

Day 3: Visit Pingyao Ancient City. Pingyao is one of the most complete Ming and Qing county towns in China. The ancient city layout is basically preserved. After lunch, continue along the Dayun Expressway and then turn onto the Xiafen Expressway to reach Taiyuan City. Attractions include Jinci Temple and Longshan Grottoes.

Day 4: Return to Xi’an along the original route.

Friendly reminder: When returning to Xi’an, you can return along the original route, or you can continue southward along the Dayun Expressway, and then turn southwest after reaching Yuncheng. Cross the Fenglingdu Bridge to enter Shaanxi Province, and then take the Xi-Tong Expressway back to Xi’an.

6、Xi’an – Zhengzhou

Route recommendation: Xi’an – Weinan – Tongguan – Sanmenxia – Luoyang – Zhengzhou (approximately 580 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Take the Xi-Tong Expressway in the morning, pass through Weinan, Tongguan, and Sanmenxia, to Luoyang. You can admire the beautiful scenery of “The Yellow River Water Comes From Heaven” and taste Yellow River fish in Tongguan. Stay in Luoyang for the night.

Longmen Grottoes

Day 2: Visit the Longmen Grottoes, located 13 kilometers south of Luoyang City. The Longmen Grottoes are one of the four major grottoes in China and are worth spending a day to appreciate. It showcases the most magnificent and excellent sculptural art during the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, representing the peak of Chinese stone carving art. Stay in Dengfeng for the night.

Day 3: Rejuvenate and head to Shaolin Temple, located at the foot of Mount Song in the northwest of Dengfeng County. It is the famous first ancient temple in the world. After visiting, continue eastward along the expressway, passing through Zhengzhou to Kaifeng.

Shaolin Temple

Day 4: Visit the Daxiangguo Temple and the ruins of the Northern Song Dynasty Tokyo City in Kaifeng. After lunch, take the Lianhuo Expressway back to Xi’an.

Friendly reminder: Don’t take the Lianhuo Expressway from Luoyang to the Longmen Grottoes and Shaolin Temple, otherwise you will take a detour. There is a newly built expressway connecting the two attractions of the Longmen Grottoes and Shaolin Temple.

Self-driving tour around Xi’an route and attractions recommendations – West direction: Xi’an – Tianshui

7、Xi’an – Baoji – Tianshui (approximately 350 kilometers)

Itinerary:

Day 1: Depart from Xi’an in the morning. Take the Xi-Bao Expressway. You can arrive in Baoji City in about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Along the way, you can visit the Famen Temple in Fufeng County and the Wuzhangyuan Zhuge Liang Temple in Qishan County. Visit the Yandi Mausoleum in Baoji City. Stay in Baoji.

Famen Temple

Day 2: Drive west from Baoji City. Take National Highway 310 directly to Maijishan. Maijishan Grottoes are one of the four major grottoes in China. It is located 45 kilometers from Tianshui City. The grottoes were built in the Later Qin period of the Sixteen Kingdoms. They have been continuously excavated and repaired for over 1500 years during the Northern Wei, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. They have become one of the most famous large-scale grottoes in China and are known as the “Oriental Sculpture Art Museum”. Stay in Tianshui City for the night.

Maijishan

Day 3: Return to Xi’an along the original route.

Friendly reminder: The road from Baoji to Tianshui is basically a mountain road, and it is narrow and winding. Be sure to drive slowly. Safety first.