Trips into the forest have become a new trend among Chinese tourists to spend their holidays or just a weekend. And the more primitive the forest, the more attractive it is to visitors.

Primitive forests most likely disappeared hundreds years ago around Beijing, though there are some scenic spots near Beijing, which are still called "Primitive Forest Parks."

The municipality has made efforts to recreate some of these forests to offer its residents and visitors a taste of a real forest adventure .

Located northeast of the town of Yanqing, about 90 kilometers from downtown Beijing, Songshan Mountain area is one of the municipality's forest parks, and the only forest in northern China under state protection.

With an altitude of 2,199 meters, Songshan Mountain is the second highest peak around Beijing, just after Lingshan Mountain.

Covering 4,660 hectares, Songshan Forest Park offers various sites and activities for urban visitors.

The main attractions in Songshan Forest Park are the mountain's valleys, gorges rock formations, old trees, waterfalls and hot spring.

According to local legends, the hot spring, known as Tangzimiao, has healed the aches and pains of Chinese for ages. The tradition of hot spring treatment has lasted about 1,500 years among the local people, since the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534).

Today there are three hot spring pools at Songshan, covering 120 square meters, for up to 300 bathers at once.

Planning your trip

Many travel agencies organize a two-day trip to the forest park.

Beijing Kangxiang Holiday Travel Agency offers package travel service to the park every week.

Depart: 7:50 AM at Fulllink Plaza at Chaowai Dajie, or 8:20 AM at Dangdai Shopping Mall, which is opposite of the East Gate of the People's University.

Day 1: Leave downtown at 8 AM and arrive at Songshan Forest Park around 10 AM. Tour the park until lunch time. Check in at a local hotel at 3 PM. Supper is served at 6 PM.

Day 2: Breakfast at 8 AM; Get to the hot spring pools at 8:30 and relax at the springs until noon then enjoy lunch.

Return: Leave the park at 2 PM and arrive to downtown Beijing around 4 PM.

Price: About 200 yuan to 300 yuan (US$24 to US$36).

Tel: 86-10-51666583 86-10-51666584

Getting there by car

Drive along Badaling Highway to the town of Yanqing and then go north along the Jingzhang (Beijing-Zhangjiakou) Highway another 25 kilometers. Please note the road signs.

Getting there by bus

First take bus route 919 at Deshengmen, on the north side of the North Second Ring Road to the town of Yanqing (10 yuan/US$1.20) and then change local bus route 920 (5 yuan/60 US cents) to the forest park.

Entrance: 30 yuan (US$30).

Tel: 69112634 69112020 for Songshan Forest Park (Chinese only).

(China Daily May 13, 2005)