Chongqing Wulong Karst National Geology Park
Wulong Karst is situated at the junction of China's renowned Daluo and Wuling mountain ranges. The Wujiang River, the largest tributary of the middle Yangtze River, traverses the county, giving rise to China's uniquely rich karst geological wonders—including caves, sinkholes (tiankeng), fissures, canyons, and peak clusters.
Wulong Karst National Geology Park is a hidden gem in South-central China’s Chongqing Municipality, featuring scenic landmarks comprised of limestone rock formations, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as in important part of South China Karst in 2007. With such a tranquil, dreamlike setting, the magical land of Wulong Karst, unsurprisingly, a great spot to venture into and compress, and one of the major film locations of Transformers 4: Age of Extinction and Curse of the Golden Flower.
Chongqing Wulong Karst Facts
- Natural Three Bridges and Furong Cave: 9:00 - 16:00
- Fairy Mountain National Forest Park: Open all day
- Natural Three Bridges: RMB125
- Furong Cave: 150
- Fairy Mountain National Forest Park: RMB50
Wulong Karst landform
Wulong Karst forms a range of massive stone archways, jagged bridges, deep mountain valleys, caves, eroded dolines, etc. It mainly consists of three parts: Lotus Cave (Furong Cave), Three Natural Bridges and Houping Tiankeng (Houping Giant Doline).
So how was Wulong Kasrt formed? It was complicated and took a long time. As we know, the karst landform is a geological feature formed by soluble rocks, such as limestone and dolomite under the erosion effect of water.
The Wulong karst landform was initially formed approximately 250 million years ago from a shallow sea. Through long-term geological movements and the erosion effect of seawater, the current geological features we see today gradually formed. Later, the uplift of the earth's crust and the erosion of rivers further shaped the terrain, therefore the Wulong karst landscape display a rich and diverse geological form.
The karst landscape of Wulong also holds significant ecological value, boasting rich biodiversity that includes numerous rare animal and plant species. For example, it is home to the Chinese merganser, a nationally protected species of the highest level, and the white pheasant, a nationally protected species of the second level.
The Three Natural Bridges (天生三桥)
20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Chongqing City in Xiannushan Town, Wulong County, Three Natural Bridges scenic area is of typical karst landform and a real geological wonder. The three Wulong Karst bridges are Tianlong (Sky Dragon) Bridge, Qinglong Bridge (Blue Dragon) and Heilong (Black Dragon) Bridge, each reaching over 200 meters (656 feet) high, and spanning over 200 meters (656 feet) wide. A sightseeing elevator will lead you into the massive valley, and then the three Bridges, which constitute the largest natural bridge cluster in Asia.
>> Understand Chinese Dragon Types
The Three Natural Bridges of Wulong were documented as early as 500 years ago in the Ming Dynasty's Comprehensive Gazetteer. They are distributed along a 10-kilometer stretch of Lower Triassic carbonate rock riverbed, featuring dry canyons, underground streams, natural bridges, sinkholes, caves, and karst springs. The canyons reach depths of 200–400 meters, with the fissure-type karst gorges of Yangshui Gorge and Longshui Gorge being particularly spectacular.
Lotus Cave (芙蓉洞)
Located in Jiangkou Town, Wulong County, Lotus Cave is 2,846 m (9,337 ft) long and covering an area of 37,000 sq meters (44,251 sq yards). This large limestone cave was formed in the carbonate rocks of Cambrian-Ordovician Period, and has long been a cave adventure’s delight. Lotus Cave boasts dozens of species of sediment from carbonate to stalactites, and is named ‘Cave science museum’ by national geologists. Lotus Cave was celebrated as one 'The World’s Three Greatest Caves', along with Graemes Cave in France, and Mammoth Cave in the US.
Here lie the Steam Pit Cave, the Falling Man Cave, the Weijiang Ridge Cave, the Dongba Cave, the New Junction Cave, the Water Curtain Cave, the Hibiscus Cave, the Dry Shale Cave, and the Four Directions Cave. Vertical caves like the Steam Pit Cave are a paradise for cave exploration enthusiasts and adventurers.
>> Related reading: Reed Flute Cave in Guilin | Yellow Dragon Cave in Zhangjiajie
Houping Tiankeng Cluster (后坪天坑群)
Houping Tiankeng Cluster of Wulong Karst is located around Houping Town, 88 kilometers (55 miles) to Wulong County. It is the only currently known sinkhole (karst doline) cluster type formed by water erosion in the world. This 150,000-square-meter karst doline cluster is mainly composed of five smaller tiankengs developed in the soluble limestone of Ordovician Period, among which, Qingkou Tiankeng is known as the most beautiful one. Showcased in gorges, dolines, shafts and underground caves, the tiankengs constitute an integrated karst ecosystem, ideal for sightseeing, adventure and scientific study of the geological evolution.
More to Explore around Wulong Karst Geological Park
Apart from the karst topography, Wulong also boasts many other attractive scenic spots, such as Longshui Gorge Geosuture, Fairy Mountain National Forest Park, ancient Tianfu Post Station, Furong River, etc.
Fairy Mountain
It is located in Wulong District, Chongqing City. Fairy Mountain National Forest Park has an average altitude of 1,900 meters, with the highest peak reaching 2,033 meters. It is renowned as "the Eastern Switzerland" for its unique highland grassland, rare southern forest and snowland, as well as the beautiful green and lush jungle scenery. The average temperature of Fairy Mountain is 15 degrees lower than that of the main urban area of Chongqing, thus earning the reputation of "Summer Palace of the Mountain City".
Chongqing Wulong Karst World Natural Heritage Museum
As the first museum in Chongqing dedicated to the karst geological wonders, the museum covers an area of approximately 5,800 square meters and features five main exhibition halls: "A Thousand Rock Faces", "The Encounter of Limestone and Water", "Exploration of Caves", "Coexistence of Life", and "The Enchanted Wulong". The museum is open daily from 8:30 to 17:30 and the ticket price is 50 yuan. The museum adopts a combination of modern and traditional design methods, equipping with flying cinemas, 5D cinemas, and VR experience projects. Through interactive installations, multimedia exhibits, and physical displays, it systematically presents the formation principle of karst landforms, biodiversity, and the protection process for the World Heritage application.
>> Related reading: Best Museums in China
Impressions of Wulong
With Zhang Yimou serving as artistic consultant, Impressions of Wulong centers on the nearly extinct “haozi” folk songs. During the 70-minute performance, audiences immerse themselves in Wulong's karst landscape and experience the customs and traditions of the Ba-Shu region.
Longshui Gorge
Located within the jurisdiction of Fairy Mountain Subdistrict, Wulong District, 15 kilometers from the county seat, this gorge was formed by orogenic movements tens of millions of years ago and represents a classic karst landscape. Stretching 5 kilometers in length with depths ranging from 200 to 500 meters, the Wulong Gorge comprises three distinct sections: the entrance gorge, the mid-cave passage, and the exit gorge. Towering cliffs rise on both sides, featuring sheer rock walls and dense vegetation.
Wulong Karst Weather & Best Time to Visit
Wulong Karst features a subtropical monsoon humid climate characterized by mild temperatures, abundant rainfall, insufficient sunshine, distinct seasons, a long frost-free period, and high humidity. The annual average sunshine duration is 1,160.5 hours (with interannual variation ranging from 1,024.6 to 1,276.6 hours). The annual average temperature is 17.9°C, with an extreme high of 41.7°C and an extreme low of -3.5°C.
Autumn from September to November is generally considered the best time to visit Wulong Karst with cool and dry with clear skies, perfect for hiking and outdoor photography. If you go visit it in summer, you will find Wulong Karst Geopark like a summer retreat.
How to Get to Wulong Karst from Chongqing
From Chongqing to Wulong Karst Scenic Area, you can take a bus from the Qianping Fourth Kilometer Bus Station in Chongqing. The journey to the county town takes 2 hours. Or you can take a train from the Longtusi Railway Station in Chongqing, with the journey taking 2 and a half hours. From the county town to the scenic area, you can take a bus at the Wulong Bus Station.
To reach Tian Sheng Sanqiao and Longshui Gorge Gully, you need to purchase tickets from the Fairy Mountain Street Station. Get off at the Tourist Reception Center and then take a transfer bus to the scenic area.
Plan a Wulong Karst Tour with ETC
When travel in Chongqing, Wulong Karst is highly recommended for nature and outdoor lovers. Browse below our Wulong karst tours and then contact our experts - we'll customize your trip, be it one-day Chongqing tour to Wulong or a combination with Yangtze River Cruise and Chongqing food experiences.
