A visitor enjoys dog-sledding in Genhe, Inner Mongolia autonomous region. (Photo provided to China Daily)

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has recently launched 10 winter routes to tap into the delights hidden in the snow and ice and encourage public participation in winter sports and tourism.

The routes cover seven northern provinces and regions, including Beijing, Hebei and Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang Uygur and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions, as well as provinces that have seen rapid winter tourism development, like Gansu, Sichuan and Hubei.

Tourists visit an ice and snow world in Qingzhou, Shandong province. (Photo provided to China Daily)

Connecting winter tourism highlights in Beijing and Hebei, this route also provides travelers with winter carnivals, hot springs and ice lanterns.

Tourist attractions:

National Speed Skating Oval

Big Air Shougang 

Shijinglong and Badaling ski resorts 

Genting Resort Secret Garden (Yunding Ski Field)

National Ski Jumping Center 

Chongli winter culture museum 

Jimingyi ancient town

The route runs through seven cities in Hebei and Inner Mongolia and offers skiing, hiking, photography and winter fishing.

Tourist attractions:

Jinshanling International Skiing Tourist Resort

Yudaokou Grassland and Forest Scenic Area 

Chengde Mountain Resort

Daogunan Mountain Ski Field

Asihatu Stone Forest

Dalinur Lake

Yulong Sand Lake

The pasture route meanders through the vast grassland of Inner Mongolia and offers ski and winter fun destinations in eight cities, including Arxan of Hinggan League, and Hailaar, Genhe and Manzhouli of Hulunbuir.

Tourist attractions:

Taiwei ski resort

Dongshan ski resort

Canglang Bailu Winter Sport Base

Ewenki reindeer tribe in the Aoluguya Ewenki ethnic township of Genhe

Manzhouli China-Russia Border Tourist Area

Matryoshka Resort

No. 41 Border Monument 

Locomotive Square

With a focus on seven major cities, this route takes visitors across Northeast China's Liaoning province.

Tourist attractions:

Guaipo International Ski Resort

Shenyang Palace Museum 

Yunshan ski resort

Benxi Water Cave

Hejiagou sports town

This route takes visitors across Northeast China's Jilin province.

Tourist attractions:

Changchun Ice and Snow New World

Songhua Lake Resort 

Changbai Mountains International Resort 

This route visits eight cities across Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces and offers various winter recreation and sport experiences, as well as local art and folk celebrations. 

Tourist attractions:

Harbin Ice-Snow World

Yabuli Ski Resort

Songhua Lake Resort

Beidahu ski resort 

Going deeper into Heilongjiang, the route takes travelers to the country's northernmost point of Mohe city and the easternmost point of Fuyuan city.

Tourist attractions:

Zhalong National Nature Reserve

Wudalianchi, or "Five Connected Lakes"

Beiji village

This route starts off in Gansu's Pingliang city and crosses 17 cities to end in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. There are more than 30 winter tourism hot spots and major scenic spots.

Tourist attractions:

Longshan international ski resort

Tianshan Grand Canyon

The ancient city of Kashgar

Taking travelers north of Xinjiang, and covering eight cities across the region, this route offers 10 major ski resorts, including the Silk Road International Ski Resort in Urumqi, the Longshan Ski Field in Karamay, and Jiangjunshan Ski Resort in the city of Altay.

Tourist attractions:

Tianshan Tianchi National Park

Dushanzi Grand Canyon

The route takes in 22 cities in Central China's Hubei and Southwest China's Sichuan provinces and Chongqing municipality, all of which boast well-developed winter tourism packages.

Tourist attractions:

Enshi Grand Canyon

Shennongjia

Wulong Karst National Geology Park

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

Source: China Daily

Editor: Annie, Pauline