Taihang Mountain - scenic road is a long adventure with breathtaking view

"The road that hangs on the cliff"?- that is how locals describe the precarious winding route up to the Taihang Mountain on the border of Shanxi and Henan province.

It is a long channel carved from the mountainside and is almost a deep tunnel-cave. When the road was being cut in the 1970s and 1980s, it was the only way in or out of the mountain and served villages which had been isolated from the outside world for many years.

The tunneled road was meant to facilitate better transport, but it is also known for its tremendous visual impact. Traveling through this gallery is an eye-opener, and creates tremendous opportunities for the shutterbugs.

You may also want to set your cameras aside for a while to listen to the old stories about the construction of this legendary road.

In the southern part of Taihang Mountain, the Loess Plateau dramatically morphs into the China Plain, and creates a significant change in landscape and scenery. The transition takes place in just a few hours as you drive through deep gullies and steep mountains which suddenly open out into a vast greenness soothed by the gentle splashing of waterfalls.

The canyon is also a treasure trove of flora and fauna which marries species from both North and South China. Visitors will have chance to get close to rare animals like monkeys and birds in the natural reserves.

Occasional temple or other historical relics are often hidden deep in the mountains and it will take the keen eye of a photographer to seek these out. History buffs may also want to take note that this area was a strategic stronghold in ancient times, and has been fought over in many battles.

If you go:

Visitors can take the bus from Changzhi, Shanxi province to different scenic spots at Taihang Mountain. The journey is about 2 hours on average, but you may have to charter a minibus if you intend to go deeper into the villages. It takes about 8 hours driving from Beijing to Taihang Mountain through the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway. There are some affordable guesthouses in the scenic area, which costs about 100 yuan ($15.8) a day for a double room.