Custom TripCustom

Plan Your China Trip

Free consultation with travel experts — custom itineraries, local tips, stress-free planning.

Usually replies within 24 hours

Or leave us a message

5A LevelNature

Wulong Karst Tourism Area

Wulong Karst

Chongqing

0 views

Category:Natural Scenery

Wulong Karst, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, is renowned for its Three Natural Bridges, Longshuixia Ground Fissure, and Furong Cave, showcasing majestic and exquisite karst landscapes. The sinkholes and ground fissures are masterpieces of nature, while the caves and underground rivers are mysterious and profound. This geological wonderland, also a filming location for Transformers 4, is truly awe-inspiring.

INTRODUCTION

About This Attraction

Wulong Karst: A Magnificent Scroll of World Natural Heritage

Overview: A Three-Dimensional Earth History Book

Wulong Karst Tourism Area is located in Wulong District, Chongqing, China, in the lower reaches of the Wu River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. It features typical South China Karst landforms. It is not only a national AAAAA tourist attraction but also a core component of the World Natural Heritage "South China Karst". The tourism area consists of three core scenic areas: Three Natural Bridges, Fairy Mountain, and Furong Cave, covering a total area of about 100 square kilometers. It is hailed as the "World Karst Ecological Museum" for its grand natural bridge groups, deep cave systems, spectacular canyons and sinkholes, and alpine grassland landscapes.

Key Data at a Glance:

Geographic Coordinates: 29°23′N, 107°44′E
Core Scenic Area: Approximately 100 square kilometers
Highest Elevation: Fairy Mountain main peak at 2033 meters
Lowest Elevation: Furong River Gorge at about 200 meters
Climate: Subtropical humid monsoon climate, annual average temperature 17.4°C
World Heritage Inscription: June 27, 2007 (31st Session of the World Heritage Committee)

PRACTICAL INFO

Travel Essentials

Opening Hours

Peak season (Mar-Oct) 8:30-17:00, off season (Nov-Feb) 8:30-16:30, subject to scenic area announcements (recommend checking before travel)

Ticket Price

Tiansheng Three Bridges: peak season ¥135 / off season ¥95; Furong Cave: peak season ¥120 / off season ¥65; Fairy Mountain: ¥50; combo tickets have discounts, subject to official information

How to Get There

External Transportation: The distance from downtown Chongqing to Wulong District is about 180 kilometers. You can drive via the Yu-Xiang Expressway (G65), taking about 2.5 hours. Alternatively, take a high-speed train from Chongqing North Station to Wulong Station, about 1 hour. Internal Transportation: There are tourist shuttle buses from Wulong urban area to each scenic area. There is a shuttle bus between the Three Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain scenic areas. For Furong Cave, you need to transfer to a ferry or cable car at Jiangkou Town.

NEARBY

Nearby Attractions

Chongqing Raffles City

Chongqing Raffles City

重庆来福士位于渝中区朝天门，由萨夫迪建筑事务所设计，以“朝天扬帆”造型成为重庆新地标，集商业、住宅、办公、酒店于一体，总建筑面积约112万平方米。

Chongqing Luohan Temple

Chongqing Luohan Temple

重庆罗汉寺，千年古刹隐于闹市，以五百罗汉彩塑闻名。寺内梵音缭绕，古木参天，与摩天大楼相映成趣，展现都市佛国奇景。

Chongqing Nanshan Yikeshu Observation Deck

You May Also Like

Back to Attractions

Scenic Area Layout: The Exquisite Composition of Three Core Areas

Wulong Karst Tourism Area is not a single attraction but consists of three scenic areas with distinct geological features and relatively independent spatial distribution, together forming a complete karst landform evolution sequence.

Three Natural Bridges Scenic Area: The World's Largest Natural Bridge Group

The Three Natural Bridges Scenic Area is the core and essence of Wulong Karst, located about 15 kilometers southeast of Fairy Mountain Town in Wulong District. The area features three natural stone arch bridges—Tianlong Bridge, Qinglong Bridge, and Heilong Bridge—arranged in parallel, spanning across the Yangshui River Gorge, creating the unique geological structure of "three bridges with two sinkholes".

Tianlong Bridge: The tallest of the three, with a height of 235 meters, thickness of 150 meters, width of 147 meters, length of 120 meters, and span of 20 to 75 meters. Its arch is regular rectangular in shape, appearing magnificent.
Qinglong Bridge: Height 281 meters, thickness 168 meters, width 124 meters, length 120 meters, span 31 to 81 meters. It is named Qinglong (Azure Dragon) because after rain, clouds and mist often swirl in the arch, resembling an azure dragon.
Heilong Bridge: Height 223 meters, thickness 107 meters, width 193 meters, length 116 meters, span 16 to 49 meters. The arch is deep, with spring water dripping from the walls year-round, forming sights like "Threefold Spring" and "Thread Spring".
Two Sinkholes: Refer to Tianlong Sinkhole and Shenying Sinkhole, both over 200 meters deep, which together with the three natural bridges form the world's largest and most complete karst natural bridge group.

Furong Cave Scenic Area: One of China's Most Beautiful Caves

Furong Cave is located on the banks of the Furong River in Jiangkou Town, Wulong District. It is a large limestone cave, about 2700 meters long, with an interior area of 37,000 square meters. It formed during the Quaternary Period (about 1.2 million years ago). The cave contains a rich variety of deposits, including stalagmites, stalactites, stone curtains, stone waterfalls, stone corals, and helictites, among dozens of forms.

Giant Curtain Waterfall: One of the most spectacular sights in the cave, a huge stone curtain about 30 meters high and 20 meters wide, resembling a cascading waterfall, with a milky white surface that glistens under the lights.
Source of Life: A giant stalagmite 21 meters high, with a base diameter of about 8 meters and a sharp tip, one of the tallest in the cave. Its growth rate is extremely slow, increasing only about 1 centimeter per century.
Coral Jade Pool: A pool with stone coral formations made of calcite. The pool water is clear, about 0.5 meters deep, and the bottom is covered with calcite crystal flowers resembling corals, hailed as a "world wonder".

Fairy Mountain Scenic Area: The First Alpine Grassland in the South

Fairy Mountain is located in the northern part of Wulong District, with elevations ranging from 1650 to 2033 meters. It boasts about 100,000 mu (about 6,667 hectares) of natural grassland and 330,000 mu (about 22,000 hectares) of forest. Its landform is a typical karst middle mountain platform with gentle surface undulations, forming a unique "mountain-top grassland" landscape. Unlike the grandeur of the Three Natural Bridges and the mystery of Furong Cave, Fairy Mountain is known for its open, tranquil alpine grassland scenery, and is an important part of the ecological diversity of Wulong Karst Tourism Area.

Visitor Information: Practical Guide

Best Time to Visit

Wulong Karst Tourism Area is suitable for visits all year round, but each season has its own characteristics:

Spring (March-May): Pleasant temperatures, the grassland of Fairy Mountain turns green, and wildflowers bloom, making it the best time for outings and flower appreciation.
Summer (June-August): The average temperature on Fairy Mountain is only about 20°C, making it a summer resort; the Three Natural Bridges and Furong Cave are cool and comfortable, ideal for summer visits.
Autumn (September-November): Clear skies and colorful forests, the golden season for photography enthusiasts.
Winter (December-February): Fairy Mountain often has snow, offering alpine skiing and snow scenery, a rare winter tourism destination in the south.

Transportation

External Transportation: The distance from downtown Chongqing to Wulong District is about 180 kilometers. You can drive via the Yu-Xiang Expressway (G65), taking about 2.5 hours. Alternatively, take a high-speed train from Chongqing North Station to Wulong Station, about 1 hour.
Internal Transportation: There are tourist shuttle buses from Wulong urban area to each scenic area. There is a shuttle bus between the Three Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain scenic areas. For Furong Cave, you need to transfer to a ferry or cable car at Jiangkou Town.

Recommended Itineraries

One-Day Essence Tour: Visit the Three Natural Bridges in the morning (about 3 hours), then Furong Cave in the afternoon (about 2 hours), and return to Wulong urban area in the evening.
Two-Day In-Depth Tour: Day 1: Visit the Three Natural Bridges and Fairy Mountain (stay overnight in Fairy Mountain Town); Day 2: Visit Furong Cave in the morning, and in the afternoon visit the Wulong Karst Museum to learn about geological evolution.

Notes

Safety Tips: The Three Natural Bridges scenic area requires walking many steps, about 4 kilometers in total. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes. Furong Cave has high humidity and slippery floors, so be careful.
Environmental Requirements: As a World Natural Heritage site, it is strictly forbidden to pick flowers or trees, litter, or smoke (except in designated areas).
Ticket Information: Tickets for each scenic area can be purchased separately or as a combined ticket. It is recommended to book in advance through official channels. During peak seasons (May Day, National Day, summer), be aware of visitor flow control policies.
Special Tips: The Three Natural Bridges scenic area has a vertical sightseeing elevator (about 80 meters high) to save some energy; Furong Cave offers a boat ride to experience the underground river scenery.

Wulong Karst is a masterpiece carved by nature over hundreds of millions of years. It is not only a treasure trove for geologists but also an excellent destination for every traveler to feel the pulse of the Earth and appreciate the beauty of nature. When you stand under Tianlong Bridge and look up at the sky, or stroll among the stalactites of Furong Cave, what you witness is the oldest and most magnificent memory of this planet.