Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley is located in Fuling District, Chongqing, and is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. The scenic area has distinct characteristics, renowned for its unique karst landforms and pristine natural landscapes. Covering an area of approximately 29.96 square kilometers, the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley features a high forest coverage rate, rich vegetation, fresh air, and a high content of negative ions, making it a natural "oxygen bar". The scenic area boasts numerous unique geological landscapes, such as cliff cracks, ground fissures, canyons, and karst caves. The drop from the valley bottom to the peak is significant, with the highest point at an altitude of about 1980 meters and an average altitude of around 1300 meters. In addition, the scenic area is equipped with relatively complete tourist facilities, including a visitor center, an ecological parking lot, walking trails, battery car lanes, and suspended plank roads. The visitor center has a construction area of approximately 18,000 square meters, and the ecological parking lot can accommodate about 1600 vehicles.
Historical Culture
The Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley has a profound historical and cultural heritage. At the end of the primitive society, this was an important area where the Ba people lived and multiplied, giving birth to the unique Ba culture. The Ba culture interacted and merged with the local farming culture, forming distinctive regional cultural characteristics. Meanwhile, the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley has a long geological history. The rocks in the canyon record hundreds of millions of years of geological changes on Earth, making it an important site for studying paleogeography and paleoclimate. The scenic area also combines local historical legends and cultural stories to create large-scale situational performances, allowing tourists to appreciate the natural scenery while feeling the charm of the local culture.
Main Attractions
Thin Blade Ridge
Thin Blade Ridge is one of the important attractions in the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley. It is a huge stone wall with a length of about 1000 meters and an average height of about 90 meters. It plunges from the peak to the valley bottom and is composed of Changxing Formation limestone from the Late Permian of the Paleozoic Era, 260 million years ago. Here, tourists can clearly see the remains of the seabed from hundreds of millions of years ago and feel the uncanny craftsmanship of nature.
Qingtian Gorge Ground Fissure
Qingtian Gorge Ground Fissure is located in the lower section of the canyon in the scenic area, with a total length of 1500 meters. The canyon is narrow, only 2 to 5 meters wide, and is known as a natural ground fissure. The cliffs on both sides of the canyon are towering, with heights ranging from 200 to 300 meters. When looking up, only a thread of sky can be seen. The ground fissure is filled with jagged rocks and stalactites of various shapes, presenting a very spectacular scene.
Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley Cableway
The cableway of the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley is named "Wuling Taidou" and enjoys the reputation of "the steepest in Asia". It has a slope of 42.6 degrees, a vertical drop of about 360 meters, an oblique length of 634 meters, and a horizontal line length of 539.88 meters. It is a double-line, double-bearing reciprocating 45+1 passenger cabin cableway with a one-way transport capacity of 700 passengers per hour. It has three speed levels, with a maximum speed of 8 meters per second, and the total journey takes about 3 minutes.
Little Kuimen
Little Kuimen is located in the eastern part of the scenic area, at an altitude of about 1200 meters. It is formed by the long-term wind and rain erosion of limestone. The rock walls here are as if cut by knives and axes, and the windward steep cliffs are rich in color, presenting a very charming scene, making it a paradise for photographers.
Python Mountain
Python Mountain is located in the middle section of the canyon in the scenic area, with an altitude ranging from 1200 to 1500 meters. The mountain shape resembles a giant python. Due to the difference in rock hardness, the relatively soft mudstone and argillaceous limestone are eroded first, presenting a concave landform, while the relatively hard limestone is not easily eroded, forming a convex landform. Finally, a mountain peak shaped like a giant python is formed, with a unique shape that is amazing.
Chicken Crown Ridge
Chicken Crown Ridge is located in the upper section of the scenic area and belongs to a typical karst peak cluster. It is an upright stone wall formed by intense crustal movement, composed of Changxing Formation limestone from the Permian Period of the Paleozoic Era, 250 million years ago. It gets its name because a section of it resembles a chicken crown and is one of the iconic landscapes in the scenic area.
Tathagata's Divine Palm
Tathagata's Divine Palm is located on the lower side of Chicken Crown Ridge, about 200 meters high and 80 centimeters thick, shaped like the fearless seal of Sakyamuni Buddha. This is because the thickness of the single rock layer is different; the thin layer collapses to both sides under rain erosion, while the thick layer has high strength and is not easy to collapse, thus forming a wall-like landform with unique characteristics.
Lotus Platform Guanyin
Lotus Platform Guanyin is located on the lower side of Chicken Crown Ridge. The stone is shaped like Guanyin Bodhisattva meditating on a lotus platform, with hands clasped, kind eyebrows and a benevolent smile. The headscarf and cassock are lifelike, as if guarding this land, giving people a sacred and mysterious feeling.
Tianmen Cave Suspension Bridge
Tianmen Cave Suspension Bridge has a total length of 180 meters (main span 140 meters) and a width of 2.5 meters, with a design safety level of grade II. The number of people allowed to pass is controlled within 350. The suspension bridge starts from "Tongqiang Tiebi (Bronze Wall and Iron Fortress)" and spans spectacularly across the famous scenic spot "Fengyakou (Wind Gap)" from "Tianmen Cave".
Tianmen Cave
Tianmen Cave is located in the middle of Thin Blade Ridge, with a height of about 3 meters and a width of about 4 meters. The shape of the cave is like a gate connecting the human world and the heavenly realm. The environment inside the cave is unique. When tourists pass through Tianmen Cave, it feels like entering another world, full of fantasy colors.
Tongqiang Tiebi (Bronze Wall and Iron Fortress)
Tongqiang Tiebi is a fault in the karst landform, located east of Thin Blade Ridge. The cliff wall is rust-colored and glows golden under the sun. It stands thousands of feet high, shaped like a thin blade, with a smooth, flat, vertical and steep surface, stretching for thousands of meters. Marine shell fossils can also be seen on the wall, witnessing the geological changes here.
Male and Female Giant Apes
The Male and Female Giant Apes are located in Happy Valley. The stones are shaped like two apes sitting at the bottom of the canyon, with different body shapes, allowing people to distinguish between male and female. This is formed by the erosion of surface water, which causes part of the rock formation to collapse along the cracks. Their lifelike shapes give people a strong visual impact.
Time and Space Tunnel
The Time and Space Tunnel is about 400 meters long and is a unique tourist passage in the scenic area. It uses photoelectric and sound effects to create a fantasy atmosphere. When tourists walk through it, it is like starting a mysterious journey through time. Within 5 minutes, they can listen to the story of the Grand Rift Valley 250 million years ago, understand its past, present and future, feel the passage of time, as if alternating between history and reality, leaving an unforgettable and novel experience.
General Stone
General Stone is located on the right rock wall below the plank road. It gets its name because the stone looks very much like the profile of General Ba Manzi, a hero of the ancient Ba State. It is said that this is the site where General Ba's fossil guards Wuling Mountain. It is formed by water erosion, which makes the rock form a weak surface along the joint cracks and topple to the opposite side under the action of gravity, and has important historical and cultural significance.
Yunwu Pavilion
Yunwu Pavilion is a mountain-clinging viewing platform in the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley, located at an altitude of about 1,100 meters with a total area of approximately 60 square meters. Backed by steep cliffs and facing a deep canyon, it gets its name from being perpetually enshrouded in clouds and mist. The platform features a wooden structure that blends subtly with the natural landscape. Here, visitors can lean on the railings and look into the distance, watching the sea of clouds surge between the canyons and the mountains loom faintly in the mist. Especially in the early morning or after rain, when clouds and mist rise, it feels like being in a fairyland, making it an ideal spot to enjoy the grand rift valley's sea of clouds spectacle.
Tu Yu Square
Tu Yu Square is a landscape square in the Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley that integrates geological culture and folk customs. Located in the entrance area of the scenic spot, it covers an area of about 800 square meters. The ground of the square displays the geological evolution map of the grand rift valley and the ancient pictographic symbols of the Tujia people in the form of stone carvings. These patterns record the formation process of the canyon and the life wisdom of the local ethnic minorities, boasting both popular science value and ornamental value. Surrounding the square are rest seats and cultural display boards that detail the meanings of the pictographs and the stories behind them. Visitors can stop here to interpret the mysterious symbols, understand the roots of the regional culture, and lay a cultural cognitive foundation for exploring the canyon. It is an important cultural node connecting the scenic spot entrance and the core landscapes.
Tour Routes
Half-day Route: Starting from the Visitor Center, tourists take the Tangyakou Cableway from the upper station to the lower station, then visit in sequence Denggan Stone, Lover's Valley, Shendao Cliff, Qingtian Gorge Ground Fissure, Kaimen Stone, Zhentian Seal, General Stone, and Laojun Cave. Finally, they reach the auxiliary Visitor Center through the Time and Space Tunnel and take the Ping'an Pavilion Cableway. The whole journey is about 4 kilometers.
Full-day Route: Starting from the Visitor Center, tourists pass through Tu Yu Square and visit Xiaokui Gate, Zhangzi Fort, Yunwu Pavilion, Python Mountain, Jiguan Ridge, Liantai Guanyin, Tathagata's Palm, Tortoise and Hare Race, Tianmen Cave, Tianmen Cave Suspension Bridge, Tongqiang Tiebi, Fengyakou, Yunmeng Stream, Crystal Lake, Guyue Square, Male and Female Giant Apes, Happy Valley, and Journey to the West. Then they reach the battery car starting station and continue to visit Biyun Shenfeng, Heart Rock, Shijia Gate, Haohan Slope, Wanjuan Book, and Wangyou Valley. After that, they arrive at the lower station of Tangyakou Cableway, go on to visit Denggan Stone, Lover's Valley, Shendao Cliff, Qingtian Gorge Ground Fissure, Kaimen Stone, Zhentian Seal, General Stone, and Laojun Cave, and finally reach the auxiliary Visitor Center through the Time and Space Tunnel and take the Ping'an Pavilion Cableway. The entire journey is about 9 kilometers, with almost all downhill sections.
Tour Suggestions
- It is recommended that tourists learn about the opening hours and ticket discount policies of the scenic spot in advance to arrange their tour time and ticket purchase method reasonably.
- Some sections in the scenic spot are relatively steep, so tourists are advised to wear comfortable sports shoes and appropriate clothing and pay attention to walking safety.
- Due to the large area of the scenic spot, the full-day tour takes a long time. Tourists can choose the half-day or full-day route according to their own conditions. The half-day route is suitable for tourists with limited time or weak physical strength, while the full-day route allows tourists to enjoy the beauty of the scenic spot more comprehensively, but requires physical preparation.
- The ecological environment in the scenic spot is good. Tourists should protect the environment, not litter at will, and not damage the natural landscapes and vegetation.
- When dining in the scenic spot, tourists can choose restaurants in the scenic spot or nearby to taste local characteristic foods, but they should pay attention to food hygiene.
- There are large-scale situational performances in the scenic spot. Tourists can arrange their itinerary according to the performance schedule to experience the local history and culture.
Matters Needing Attention
- Some scenic spots may be temporarily closed due to weather or maintenance. Tourists should pay attention to the announcement information of the scenic spot and adjust their tour routes reasonably.
- There are cableways, battery cars and other means of transportation in the scenic spot. Tourists must abide by the relevant regulations, follow the arrangement of the staff, and ensure the safety of the ride.
- When visiting in summer, pay attention to sun protection and heatstroke prevention; when visiting in winter, keep warm.
- When visiting attractions such as suspended plank roads, pay attention to safety and do not get close to the edge to avoid accidents.
- It is strictly forbidden to carry inflammable and explosive materials, controlled knives and other dangerous items into the scenic spot. Tourists must abide by the relevant regulations of the scenic spot.
- In case of emergency, you can ask the staff in the scenic spot for help or call the rescue phone of the scenic spot.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from downtown Chongqing, you can reach Fuling District via Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, Changshou-Fuling Expressway and other sections, then go to Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley Scenic Spot according to the navigation. The scenic spot has an ecological parking lot that can park about 1,600 vehicles.
- Public transportation: Tourists can take a bus to Wuling Mountain at the Fuling Urban Passenger Transport Center, and then transfer to local transportation to the scenic spot after arriving at Wuling Mountain. They can also take relevant tourist special lines to the scenic spot at Fuling High-speed Railway Station or Railway Station, but they need to pay attention to the operation time and frequency of the special lines.
Opening Hours
The opening hours of Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley Scenic Spot are: 9:00-15:30 in the off-season; 8:30-16:00 in the peak season.
Tickets
The price of the package ticket for Wuling Mountain Grand Rift Valley Scenic Spot starts at 145 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "武陵山大裂谷景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.