Dust off your hiking boots and air out your sleeping bag, says Jude Blanchette.

If you live in Shanghai, you’re a city person by definition. Still, we all need some fresh air and as the weather warms, we decided to peek into the slowly (and we do mean slowly) evolving world of camping and hiking around Shanghai.

Camping:

• Meadowbrook Equestrian and Rural Activity Center, Qingpu District

About 35km outside of the city is the Meadowbrook Equestrian and Rural Activity Center, occupying 35 hectares of ponds, open fields, and meadows. While predominantly an equestrian center, they have a small area for camping, complete with an area for fires and cook-outs. Camping is ¥50 per night, and firewood is ¥200 per bundle. For more info, and directions, visit www.meadowbrookshanghai.com or call 6983 0022.

• Sanshan Island, Taihu Lake

Now that the algae bloom has cleared, it’s time to head back to Taihu Lake, specifically Sanshan Island. Admission is ¥45, and the authorities allow you to pitch your own tent and build a fire at no extra cost. If your weekend plans are ruined by rain, there are several farm houses at which you can stay for ¥80-120, including a home-cooked meal. The island is open year round, and is reachable by ferry from the Lugang dock in Suzhou. Ask the cab driver to take you to Lugang Matou. On weekdays, there’s just one trip (¥6), at 3.30pm. On the weekends they add a 10am boat as well. Return ferries (¥4) leave from the Xin Qiqiao dock at 7.30am during the week, and at 8am and 2pm on weekends. The island itself is car-free; bargain with a motorcycle driver to get to the campsite.

• Chongming Island

Chongming is China’s third largest island, and is the site for the planned Dongtan eco-city. It’s also where you can find the Dongping National Forest Park (东平国家森林公园, 6961 0350), and an opportunity to pitch a tent in one of Shanghai’s few stretches of natural habitat. Park admission is ¥20, but camping is free. Tent rentals are available for ¥100, and campfires are allowed, but must be cleared with the staff. To get there, board the ferry at Baoyang Dock (18 Baoyangzhi Lu). The 45-minute ride costs ¥28 each way. Take the ¥12 Tourist Line 5 bus from Shanghai Stadium to the dock in the first place.

• Private home owners

This is a bit trickier, but we’ve heard from several individuals that they’ve had consistent luck asking property owners if they can camp on their land. “If you’re willing to play it by ear,” said Nick Herbert of Bohdisattva Mountain Bikes, “you can camp just about anywhere as long as your group isn’t too big.” You’ll need to get out a few hours from the city towards Anhui or Jiangsu. We’re sorry we can’t offer more information, but most people are reluctant to give out choice spots, so exploring is a must. If you find someplace that looks promising, make sure your group is small (2-3 people) and that you leave your camp site looking better than when you arrived.

For the last option, it can be a little tricky to convince a cab driver to drop you off in the middle of nowhere and pick you up the next day, so renting a van is probably a better option. Jingjie (5630 7841) offers minivan rentals, and will drop you off at your location and pick you up at an arranged time the next day or later, for ¥650 within 80km. Go farther, and there’s a ¥4 per km surcharge. You can also try Chenghuan Car Rental Service (139 1803 3364) but prices are heftier – you’ll need to negotiate.

Don’t want to camp? 

• Huangshan, Anhui

These 37 peaks top out at more than 1,800 meters, and offer one of the country’s most memorable vistas. The Shilin Hotel (www.shilin.com, 800 868 4040) offers cheap bunk beds for ¥50-80 a night. Take the N418 train from Shanghai Railway Station to Tunxi, the main staging area for Huangshan’s tourist hordes. Hotel staff can help with directions to trails.  

• Moganshan, Zhejiang

The mountain itself isn’t that large, but Moganshan offers a wealth of small discoveries, both on and off its network of hiking trails. One of the best known treasures is the Moganshan Lodge (www.moganshanlodge.com, 057 2803 3011), a café and restaurant housed in a 1920s villa. Not only can they serve you a glass of wine after your hike, but they’ll help you figure out where to go. Just down the mountain is Naked Retreats (www.nakedretreats.cn, 5465 9577), offering beautiful reappointed lodges. Moganshan is a three-hour drive from Shanghai.  

• Sheshan National Holiday Area

More park than forest, the Sheshan National Holiday Area still offers a great chance to get outdoors and explore a weird assortment of sculptures, all of which are situated around a central lake and a giant tree house. You can make a weekend out of it and lodge at the Le Méridien She Shan. Tourist Bus Line 1 Route B leaves from Shanghai Stadium every 20-40 minutes, from 7.15am-5pm, but makes many stops (¥81, round trip including park entrance fees). Reaching the park entrance is faster by cab.
1158 Linyin Xin Lu, Sheshan National Holiday Area, Songjiang District, 5779 8090.
松江区林荫新路1158号佘山国家旅游度假区.

• Binhai Forest Park

Part park, part nature preserve, and part wind farm, the Binhai Forest Park is not your typical suburban retreat. The park boasts a BBQ area, a driving range, cycling paths, and plenty of forest area to explore. Take Metro Line 2 to the Longyang Lu station, and find the Longyang line bus stop opposite the B&Q.  The bus goes all the way out to Binhai. 
118 Dongdagong Lu, inside the Binhai Forest Park, 5829 3030.
东大公路118号，滨海森林公园内.

Gear

Decathlon

The Wal-Mart of outdoor camping gear. The selection is huge, and the prices are cheap.

Visit www.decathlon.com.cn for locations. 

Yehuo

Sanfo

Guides

If you want someone else to do all the planning, call these guys:

• Bohdi Bikes, www.bohdi.com.cn

Bodhi has recently begun to offer guided hiking as well as biking. “Most of the good camping is three to four hours out of the city,” says Bohdi’s Nick Herbert. Bohdi can handle everything, from transportation to gear, lodging to food, and can accommodate groups both small and large. Prices vary according to the services required, but the range is somewhere between ¥600-¥1,000 per night for a group.

• Aron Long, www.shanghailocalguide.com

Aron runs private tours and can help arrange gear, transport, and lodging. Typically, he takes groups to the village of Yaoling, and from there a 1 1/2 hour hike to the top of a nearby mountain where individuals can camp outdoors or in the houses of local farmers for a nominal fee.

• Sanfo, www.sanfo.com

The same Sanfo that can sell you gear will also arrange guided trips to Qingliangshan, located at the nexus of Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces. Their trip leaves on Friday nights, and includes lodging in the houses of local residents and two grueling days of hiking. 

• WildChina, www.wildchina.com

If you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous (and upscale), WildChina is a good place to start. Their guided trips cover virtually all of China’s terrain, including Tibet and Xinjiang, and can be tailored to meet your requirements.