Laoniuwan Yellow River Grand Canyon Tourist Area is located in Laoniuwan Village, Wanjiazhai Town, Pianguan County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, adjacent to Qingshuihe County, Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. The total area of the scenic area is about 80 square kilometers, with the Yellow River as the axis, integrating canyons, ancient castles, ancient villages and other landscapes. It is a unique natural and cultural composite scenic area in the Yellow River basin. This is the first stop where the Yellow River enters Shanxi, and also the core section of the Shanxi-Inner Mongolia Yellow River Grand Canyon. The Yellow River and the Great Wall meet here, forming the unique landform of "the first bend of the Yellow River entering Shanxi". It has both the magnificent Yellow River, the vicissitudes of the ancient Great Wall, and the simplicity of ancient villages, showing the perfect integration of nature and humanity.
Historical Culture
The history of Laoniuwan can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. At that time, in order to resist the invasion of northern nomadic tribes, the imperial court built Laoniuwan Castle here as an important part of the Great Wall defense system. The ancient castle was built against the mountain, with a dangerous terrain, and together with the natural danger of the Yellow River, it formed a solid military defense line, witnessing the rise and fall of ancient border defense.
Over the long years, Laoniuwan has become a transportation hub and a node of trade between Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, forming a unique culture integrating Shanxi and Inner Mongolia folk customs. Local villagers have lived along the Yellow River for generations, making a living by fishing and farming, and retaining many traditional living customs and crafts, such as the Yellow River fishing skills and cave dwelling construction skills, which are vivid carriers of the Yellow River culture.
In modern times, Laoniuwan, with its unique geographical location and natural landscape, has gradually become known to the outside world, becoming an important sample for studying the Yellow River culture, the Great Wall culture and the Shanxi-Inner Mongolia folk culture, and also letting more people understand the survival wisdom and historical heritage of the people in the Yellow River basin.
Main Attractions
Laoniuwan Ancient Castle
Laoniuwan Ancient Castle was first built in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of about 3,000 square meters. The walls are built with local stone materials, distributed in irregular shapes according to the mountain situation. There are remains of military facilities such as watchtowers, horse faces, and urn cities in the ancient castle, and some residential buildings still retain the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Standing on the top of the ancient castle, you can overlook the magnificent scenery of the Yellow River Grand Canyon and feel the perfect combination of ancient military defense projects and natural dangers.
Yellow River Grand Canyon
The section of the Yellow River Grand Canyon in Laoniuwan presents a "U"-shaped big bend. The river course is tortuous, with the narrowest part only tens of meters and the widest part about 300 meters. The cliffs on both sides of the canyon have an average altitude drop of more than 100 meters. When the Yellow River flows here, the current is turbulent, impacting the rocks on both sides, forming a unique geological landscape. Tourists can take a boat to visit the canyon and feel the majestic momentum of the Yellow River and the dangerous scenery of the canyon at close range.
Laoniuwan Ancient Village
Laoniuwan Ancient Village is built against the mountain and beside the water. Most of the buildings in the village are traditional cave dwellings, with stones as the main building materials, scattered on the hillside. The ancient village retains a complete village pattern, with narrow and deep streets and lanes, and the stone roads are smooth and round after years of polishing. There are many old courtyards with a history of more than 100 years in the village, with exquisite carvings on doors and windows, showing the characteristics of local traditional architecture, and it is an excellent place to understand the folk culture along the Yellow River.
Baozita Bay
Baozita Bay is another important landscape of the Yellow River Grand Canyon, named because the mountain is shaped like a steamed stuffed bun. The Yellow River course here is tortuous, forming multiple "S"-shaped bends. The rocks on both sides are steep and the vegetation is sparse, showing the desolate beauty of the Loess Plateau. Looking from a high place, the Yellow River is like a golden ribbon winding among the mountains, with a spectacular scenery, making it an ideal shooting place for photographers.
Food
Yellow River Carp
Yellow River Carp is a characteristic food in and around the scenic area. It uses carp that grows naturally in the Yellow River, with tender and firm meat. There are various cooking methods, mainly braised and steamed. Braised Yellow River Carp is bright red in color, with rich soup and tasty meat; Steamed Yellow River Carp retains the freshness of the fish to the greatest extent, with green onion and ginger and other seasonings, with a sweet taste. It is a must-choice dish for tourists to taste the flavor of the Yellow River.
Sour Rice
Sour rice is a local traditional food, made from millet or broomcorn millet through fermentation, with a slightly sour and refreshing taste. It is usually eaten with shredded potatoes, pickles, etc., which can appetize and relieve greasiness. It is an important part of the daily diet of local residents, reflecting the characteristics of northern miscellaneous grain diet culture. It can be tasted in farm restaurants around the scenic area.
Yellow Rice Cold Cake
Yellow Rice Cold Cake is made from yellow rice, which is steamed and then added with red dates, red bean paste and other fillings, and eaten after refrigeration. It has a soft, glutinous and sweet taste, and is cool and refreshing. Yellow rice is one of the main miscellaneous grains in the local area, rich in nutrition. This delicacy not only retains the healthy characteristics of miscellaneous grains, but also has a sweet taste. It is an excellent dessert when visiting in summer, and can be found in snack stalls and farmyards in the scenic area.
Tickets
The ticket is 40 yuan per person, and the combined ticket is 60 yuan per person (including the ticket and round-trip shuttle bus).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "清水河老牛湾黄河大峡谷旅游区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of the scenic area are from 8:00 to 18:00 (admission stops at 17:30) from April 1 to October 31 every year; from 9:00 to 17:00 (admission stops at 16:30) from November 1 to March 31 of the next year. Some areas may be closed in winter due to weather reasons. It is recommended to confirm the opening status through official channels before traveling.
Tour Route
After entering the scenic area, tourists can first go to Laoniuwan Ancient Castle to visit the remains of the ancient castle and learn about its military history, which takes about 1 hour; then go to Laoniuwan Ancient Village to walk through the streets and lanes of the ancient village and feel the cave architecture and folk culture, which takes about 1.5 hours; have lunch in the farm restaurant in the ancient village at noon to taste local characteristic food. In the afternoon, take a boat to visit the Yellow River Grand Canyon to enjoy the canyon scenery, which takes about 2 hours round trip; finally, go to Baozita Bay viewing platform to overlook the beautiful scenery of the bend from a height, which takes about 1 hour. The whole tour takes about 6-7 hours, allowing you to fully appreciate the natural and cultural landscapes of the scenic area.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, drive along Cangyu Expressway and Hubei Expressway, get off at Pianguan Exit, then go to Laoniuwan Village along the county road. The whole journey is about 250 kilometers, and the driving time is about 4.5 hours; Starting from Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia, drive along Jingzang Expressway and Xingba Expressway, get off at Qingshuihe Exit, then go to Laoniuwan. The whole journey is about 180 kilometers, and the driving time is about 3.5 hours. There is a parking lot in the scenic area, and the charging standard is 10 yuan per car per day.
- Public transportation: You can take a bus from Pianguan County Bus Station to Wanjiazhai Town, then transfer to a local taxi or agricultural tricycle to Laoniuwan Village. The bus departs at 8:00 and 13:00 every day, with a journey of about 1.5 hours, the fare is about 20 yuan per person, and the taxi fare is about 30 yuan per car.
Must-visit Attractions
- Laoniuwan Ancient Castle: The remains of the military castle in the Ming Dynasty, where you can overlook the unique landscape of the intersection of the Yellow River and the Great Wall, and learn about the history of ancient border defense. It covers an area of about 3,000 square meters, with complete watchtowers, urn cities and other facilities.
- Yellow River Grand Canyon: Taking a boat tour allows you to feel the grandeur of the Yellow River and the steepness of the canyon at close range. The "U"-shaped big bend has a unique landform, with cliffs on both sides and spectacular scenery. The one-way distance of the cruise ship is about 10 kilometers, and the tour time is about 1 hour.
- Baozita Bay: Overlooking the beautiful scenery of the Yellow River bend from a height, with unique mountain shapes, it is a paradise for photographers. The viewing platform is about 1200 meters above sea level, with a wide view, allowing you to see the "S"-shaped river course in full view.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 1-2 days on the tour. If time permits, you can stay in a cave homestay in the ancient village for one night to experience the rural night view and the Yellow River scenery in the early morning.
- The best time to visit is from April to October. Among them, June to August is cool, suitable for boat tours; September to October is crisp and clear, with mountains covered in colorful vegetation, which is good for photography.
- There are many mountain roads in the scenic area. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes and carry sun protection products, drinking water and a small amount of snacks in case of need.
- You can ask local villagers to be guides to learn more about the historical stories and folk culture of Laoniuwan. The guide fee is about 100 yuan per day.
Matters Needing Attention
- Some areas of the Yellow River Canyon have steep terrain. When visiting, please pay attention to safety, follow the instructions of the scenic area signs, and do not enter unopened areas without permission.
- When taking a boat tour, please wear a life jacket, follow the command of the crew, and do not walk or stand casually on the boat to prevent accidents.
- Respect the living customs and religious beliefs of local villagers. Do not enter villagers' homes or touch private property at will, and ask for permission before taking photos.
- The catering price in the scenic area is relatively high. You can bring some dry food and drinking water by yourself. When dining, choose regular farm restaurants to ensure food hygiene.
- In winter, some roads in the scenic area may be icy. If driving by yourself, drive carefully and install snow chains if necessary; The number of public transport trips may be reduced, so please confirm the departure time in advance.