December 1st, Nanjing Qixia Mountain Red Maple Viewing Season ～ Route Included ～

✅ Address: Qixia Mountain ✅ Photographer: Myself, tripod selfie, large size ✅ Transportation: Self-driving is recommended. I arrived at the South Gate parking lot at 10 AM. Entering from the South Gate, there are far fewer people than at the West Gate. The South Gate path involves climbing a steep slope, with red maple trees on both sides, but I think the best red maples are not the ones by the roadside here, and it’s also not ideal for portrait photography. The middle of the path is crowded with pedestrians and cars, so don’t rush. Keep walking upward until you reach the wooden plank bridge where the beautiful scenery begins... Walk along the plank bridge; all my photos were taken on the wooden plank bridge. I also think the red maples by the South Gate’s wooden plank bridge look better than those by the West Gate... they are denser, some maples are fully red, while others are yellow, orange, and green. Compared to fully red maple leaves, I prefer the yellow, orange, and green ones—they have more layers and feel more like an oil painting... I walked from the South Gate carrying my camera and tripod all the way to the West Gate. The West Gate area has Qixia Temple, ginkgo trees, and an ancient town outside the gate worth visiting. However, if you exit from the West Gate, you’ll need to walk about one kilometer back to the South Gate parking lot to get your car... ✅ Portrait photography tips: Angles can be taken from the side of the plank bridge or from below the plank bridge looking up (see photo 5). ✅ Outfit: This time I again chose white paired with red. This little red hat suits me very well, like stepping into a fairy tale world of maple leaves, hahaha...