Waterfalls and Immortals | 5-Day Guizhou + Huangguoshu Waterfall + Tianlong Tunpu + Fanjing Mountain Nature and Culture Tour

Welcome to Guiyang, the cool and pleasant capital of Guizhou Province, China. Our driver will meet you at the exit of the airport/train station and escort you to your hotel in Guiyang to check in and rest! You can arrange the remaining time freely. Suggestions for free time 1. Qianling Mountain Park: Known as the "urban green lung", the park combines karst landscapes, forests, lakes and cultural relics, and along the way you may encounter lively and amusing wild macaques. It is a leisure spot loved by the people of Guiyang. You can take the cable car up to Kanzhu Pavilion to overlook the panoramic view of Guiyang, then walk to Hongfu Temple, known as "Guizhou's premier temple", to burn incense and pray, and soak up the rich Buddhist atmosphere. 2. Jiaxiu Pavilion: First built in the 26th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1598), it is one of Guiyang's famous historical and cultural landmarks. It is as renowned as the Yellow Crane Tower and Yueyang Tower, and is one of "China's Nine Great Towers". About 20 meters high, it is a three-story, three-eaved, four-cornered pavilion-style structure with a pyramidal roof, standing quietly in the middle of the Nanming River and connected to both banks by a stone arch bridge. This "one bridge, one tower, one pavilion" layout is truly rare in ancient Chinese architecture. You can stroll and admire its architectural wonders and cultural charm; at night in particular, the lights reflected in the Nanming River create the stunning sight of "scenery in the mirror, tower in the water". Tip: The best places to photograph Jiaxiu Pavilion are along the Nanming River and around Xihu Road. After the tour, return to your hotel in Guiyang to rest.

After breakfast, drive 2.5 hours to Anshun to visit the world-famous [Huangguoshu Waterfall], the largest waterfall in China and even Asia, known as the "largest waterfall in Asia." The famous Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake once praised it with the words "the pearl curtain hook is not rolled up, a white silk hangs on the distant peak," which spread its fame far and wide. In addition, Huangguoshu Waterfall was also a filming location for the 1986 TV adaptation of Journey to the West. After arriving at the Huangguoshu Waterfall Scenic Area, first go to the Doupotang Scenic Area. This is the waterfall with the widest crest in the Huangguoshu Waterfall Group, with a crest width of about 105 meters and a height of about 21 meters. It is also the filming location of the classic scene at the end of the 1986 TV adaptation of Journey to the West where the four master and disciples lead the horse past the waterfall, and you can take photos up close. If you visit during the flood season (June to October), you can witness the "roaring waterfall" spectacle, when the turbid waters of Doupotang Waterfall surge and emit a "rumbling" roar like thousands of troops. If you visit during the normal water season, you can enjoy the beauty of the "veil waterfall," when the water of Doupotang Waterfall is clear and gentle, as soft and lovely as a bride's veil. Afterward, take the sightseeing bus to the Tianxingqiao Scenic Area to admire the karst landscape wonders where water stone forests, caves, and waterfalls interweave. As a hidden gem of Huangguoshu, Tianxingqiao is a treasure trove for exploration. You can explore the cave wonders in Tianxing Cave and check in at stalactite formations such as "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" and "Dinghai Shenzhen." The Silver Chain Falling into the Pool Waterfall in the water stone forest and the bridge-on-bridge geological wonder are the sights not to be missed. At dusk, you can take backlit photos of the stone forest silhouettes, and in the morning mist, you can capture rainbows over the waterfall. Then, take the sightseeing bus to the Huangguoshu Grand Waterfall Scenic Area. This is the main waterfall of Huangguoshu and also the most famous waterfall there, with a huge drop of about 77.8 meters and a width of about 101 meters. Even before you approach, you can hear the roaring sound of the waterfall. Whether viewed up close or from afar, the waterfall scenery like a "galaxy pouring down" is breathtaking, and at this moment the line "the flying stream plunges down three thousand feet" becomes more concrete. If you are interested, you can walk to the Water Curtain Cave. This natural karst cave, about 134 meters long, runs across the middle of the waterfall and is an excellent spot to view the waterfall's "thousand-mile rush." It has 6 viewing windows, allowing you to experience the thrill of "the waterfall flying over your head." After sightseeing, take the escalator back. After the visit, you will be escorted to a hotel in Anshun for check-in and rest.

After breakfast, drive about 40 minutes to visit one of Guizhou's four major cultural calling cards—【Tianlong Tunpu】. This is the settlement of the descendants of Han soldiers from Jiangsu and Zhejiang who guarded the frontier 600 years ago, forming a unique "Tunpu culture" and completely preserving the living customs of Jiangnan in the Ming Dynasty. It is known as a "living fossil of Ming Dynasty life." The architecture here blends stone city walls with Jianghuai-style dwellings, combining ruggedness with a touch of beauty. Historical relics such as Ming Dynasty post roads, city walls, and village gates still exist, and the women still wear Ming Dynasty Han clothing—"Fengyang Han costume"—and wear traditional hairstyles. You can chat with them and experience a different local flavor. In addition, be sure not to miss the wonderful intangible cultural heritage—the Dixi performance, which tells historical stories of loyalty and serving the country, including spirit dances, mask plays, and other military Nuo culture. After the tour, you will be escorted to Guiyang, then take high-speed rail (about 1.5 hours) to Tongren. Upon arrival, you will be escorted directly to the carefully selected hotel in Jiangkou County at the foot of Fanjing Mountain to check in and rest.

After breakfast, the guide and driver will escort you from the hotel to Fanjing Mountain. Today you will have a full day to fully explore this "pure land." 【Fanjing Mountain】 is the fifth largest Buddhist mountain in China, equally renowned as Mount Wutai and Mount Emei. In the Ming Dynasty, it was imperially designated as the Bodhimanda of Maitreya Bodhisattva, and has the reputation of "the foremost among all famous mountains under heaven," with incense offerings continuing for a thousand years. Its geological age exceeds 1 billion years. It is home to Jurassic living fossils such as dove trees and tree ferns, the only habitat of the Guizhou golden monkey, and unique geological wonders. It is a rare global "double miracle of geography and culture" and was inscribed on the World Natural Heritage List in 2018. Recommended route for today's visit to Fanjing Mountain: Fanjing Mountain sightseeing bus → cable car → Mushroom Stone → Hongyun Golden Summit → Cheng'en Temple → cable car → sightseeing bus → return to the hotel at the foot of the mountain. The climbing time is about 4 to 5 hours, including sightseeing bus and cable car. First, you will take a sightseeing bus uphill for about 30 minutes, and then take a cable car for about 20 minutes to continue uphill. Looking down from the mountain, the distant skyline is clearly visible, and the ever-changing clouds occasionally shroud the cable car. When you encounter mist and clouds, you can also glimpse the wonder of a "sea of forest and clouds." After getting off the cable car, you will hike along the winding forest boardwalk. After about 40 minutes on foot, you will reach the landmark wonder of Fanjing Mountain, Mushroom Stone. This is a giant rock shaped like a mushroom. After a billion years of weathering and erosion, it still stands firm. You can take photos with it and capture the elegance of this geological miracle. Optional attraction: Walk about 10 minutes to Old Golden Summit (altitude about 2,493 meters) to overlook the magnificent panorama of Fanjing Mountain. Next, go down along the stone steps, pass through Pudu Square, and continue forward for about 1.5 hours to reach the iconic attraction of Fanjing Mountain, Hongyun Golden Summit. Its altitude is about 2,336 meters, and it is named because it is often surrounded by auspicious red clouds. Its homophone "Hongyun Golden Summit" means good fortune. The top of the Golden Summit is divided into two by a natural fissure, "Jindao Gorge," connected in the middle by Tianxian Bridge. Temples are built on both sides, respectively enshrining Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha. It has the reputation of a "Buddhist realm reaching heaven." At dawn and dusk, clouds and mist swirl around it, and under sunlight, wonders such as sea of clouds and Buddha's halo often appear, just like a fairyland suspended in the sky. To reach the summit, you need to climb nearly vertical steps using both hands and feet, experiencing the thrill and shock of a "city in the sky." After reaching the top, first pay respects to Shakyamuni Buddha to pray for blessings in this life; then cross the stone bridge and pay respects to Maitreya Buddha to pray for blessings in the next life. Tip: At sunrise, rosy clouds appear on the eastern horizon and pierce through layers of mist, allowing you to capture the magnificent scene of "ten thousand rays of red clouds." After visiting the must-see attractions of Fanjing Mountain, go downhill back to Pudu Square. If you are lucky, you can photograph the reflection of Hongyun Golden Summit from the viewing platform. If time permits, you can visit Cheng'en Temple near Pudu Square. This is a Buddhist temple imperially built and named by Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli period. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was a royal site for offerings to heaven and earth and was honored as an "ancient Buddhist bodhimanda." After the thrilling hike, you can relax here and enjoy the amazing natural scenery. After the Fanjing Mountain hiking trip, take the cable car and sightseeing bus back along the original route. Our driver will escort you to a hotel in Jiangkou County to rest. Tips 1. Due to crowding, please avoid visiting Fanjing Mountain on weekends and major Chinese holidays (such as Spring Festival, National Day, and May Day). 2. The mountain path to the Golden Summit is narrow and only for one-way walking, so please be careful. 3. When hiking, it is recommended to bring snacks such as biscuits, bread, and chocolate to replenish energy.

After breakfast, you will drive about 1 hour back to Tongren, and our driver will escort you to the airport/train station for your next destination. If you would like to extend your nature journey into a cultural one: Tongren is 35 kilometers from Fenghuang Ancient Town in Hunan (1 hour by high-speed train). Or, if you wish to continue your Guizhou journey, you can take a 1-hour high-speed train to Kaili, home to Guizhou's ethnic villages.