When China officially launched its first national park in 2021, it was more than a century behind the United States. But now, with extraordinary speed and ambition, the country is racing to establish a nature reserve network that will dwarf that of any other nation. By 2035, China plans to create 49 national parks across more than 270 million acres — triple the size of the U.S. National Park System and larger than the state of Texas. These new parks are not only conserving rare wildlife and fragile ecosystems, but also reviving cultural traditions, uplifting rural communities, and opening up parts of China few outsiders have ever seen. Though most international visitors still flock to the mega-cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an, that may soon change. “China has the potential to become one of the world’s leading destinations for nature-based tourism,” says Jun Wen, associate professor of tourism at Macau University of Science and Technology.
A new kind of national park system
Rather than replicate existing models, China is building its system from the ground up — and deliberately avoiding some of the missteps made elsewhere. Mei Zhang, CEO of Wild China travel company, notes that while the U.S. pioneered the Yellowstone model of vast, ‘untouched’ wilderness, it often did so at the cost of Indigenous displacement.
“China has the opportunity to chart its own path,” Zhang says. “That means designing a park system where nature conservation works alongside — not against — the local communities who have lived on this land for generations.” The vision is lofty but in line with China’s recent track record of delivering record-breaking infrastructure projects, from high-speed rail to massive hydroelectric dams.
In building this park system, China isn’t just preserving wilderness; it’s showcasing a natural beauty that, until now, has been vastly underappreciated. From rainforests and red rock cliffs to mountain glaciers and vast deserts, the diversity is staggering. Here are five national parks already open to visitors that offer a glimpse into the country’s wild new frontier.
Giant Panda National Park: meet China’s iconic mascot
Few animals are as instantly associated with China as the giant panda — and now there’s a national park built just for them. Giant Panda National Park stretches across 6.6 million acres of rugged forest and mountains in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces, encompassing the primary habitat of most of China’s 1,900 wild pandas.
Best visited between April and October, when pandas are most active, the park offers visitors a chance to observe these elusive animals in their natural environment or visit panda research centers in Wolong and Dujiangyan. “People can actually volunteer to assist with panda caretaking and see pandas playing, eating bamboo, and even tumbling around,” says Jun Wen.
Getting there: Fly into Chengdu, then take a two-hour bus north. Due to its remote location, this park is best visited with a Chinese tour operator who can navigate the logistics.
Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park: saving big cats
In the far northeast of China, along the borders with Russia and North Korea, lies a protected area dedicated to two of the world’s rarest big cats: the Amur tiger and Amur leopard. At 3.5 million acres, this park is larger than Yellowstone and represents one of China’s most successful conservation stories.
“Habitat restoration has been key,” says Professor Bin Zhou of Ningbo University. “By removing fences and reconnecting forest corridors, the park is allowing these species to roam, breed, and thrive again.” Though elusive, the big cats are slowly increasing in number — and scientific eco-tours offer a glimpse into this critical work.
Getting there: Fly to Yanji from major Chinese cities, then drive or bus for three to four hours into the park region.
Sanjiangyuan National Park: the source of Asia’s great rivers
Larger than Florida and spread across the high-altitude plateaus of Qinghai province, Sanjiangyuan National Park is the largest in China, covering 47 million acres. Known as the “Water Tower of Asia,” this park is the source of three of the continent’s most important rivers: the Yangtze, Mekong, and Yellow River.
The landscape here is remote and otherworldly — a mix of snowy peaks, alpine wetlands, grasslands, and desert-like plateaus. Wildlife such as Tibetan antelope and the rare snow leopard roam freely. “Thanks to protection, the antelope population has rebounded to over 70,000,” says Catherine He, editor at Travel China Guide.
Getting there: Fly into Xining or Golmud, then continue by bus. Visit between May and September for better weather and higher chances of wildlife sightings.
Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park: biodiversity in the tropics
On China’s southernmost island province of Hainan — sometimes called “China’s Hawaii” — lies one of the country’s most ecologically diverse parks. Covering 1 million acres, Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park is home to one-third of China’s reptile species, nearly 40% of its birds, and thousands of unique plants.
“It’s the last refuge of the Hainan gibbon, the world’s rarest primate,” says Professor Aliana Leong of Macau University. Visitors can hike beneath the lush rainforest canopy, raft wild rivers like Wuzhishan Grand Canyon, or simply take in the spectacular scenery of this tropical sanctuary.
Getting there: Fly into either of Hainan’s international airports, then take a short transfer to the park’s many trailheads.
Wuyi Mountain National Park: where nature and culture converge
Famous on Chinese social media for its breathtaking red rock landscapes, Wuyi Mountain National Park is a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. Known for its dramatic Danxia formations — vertical red cliffs carved by time — the park spans over 316,000 acres of verdant peaks and river gorges.
Visitors can take bamboo raft rides down the scenic Jiuqu Stream, hike through tea plantations, and explore ancient temples nestled into the cliffs. “It’s one of the most beautiful and spiritually significant places in China,” says Catherine He. “There’s nowhere quite like it.”
Getting there: Easy access from nearby cities makes this one of the more approachable parks for independent travelers.
A bold bet on nature’s future
Behind the tourism headlines is a more serious goal: environmental protection at scale. China’s existing 10,000+ nature reserves rarely met global conservation standards, but this new park system is designed to align with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines — prioritizing long-term ecological preservation above all.
According to Professor Bin Zhou, the new parks have already led to the recovery of more than 200 rare animal species and 100 endangered plants. And while the parks limit tourism to sensitive zones, they also serve another purpose: preserving cultural heritage and boosting rural economies. “National parks help safeguard ancient villages, create jobs, and raise environmental awareness,” says Professor Leong. “They are not just about saving nature — they’re about enriching the human connection to it.”
The road ahead
Building the largest national park system in the world in just over a decade is a staggering feat. But China is betting big — not just on infrastructure and biodiversity, but on a future where nature becomes central to national identity and global prestige.
For now, these early parks are opening a new chapter in China’s story — one written in forests and wetlands, on mountain slopes and riverbanks, in the quiet power of a wild place left intact.
