Yuntai Mountain Travel Guide 2026 — Red Stone Gorge, Heavenly Waterfall & Zhuyu Peak

What's inside this guide Bucket List · Highlights · Q&A · Itineraries · Attractions · Activities · Where to Stay · Food · Getting Around · Shopping · Practical Info · Day Trips · Tips · Background · Plan Your Trip

Yuntai Mountain Bucket Listthe little things that make this mountain unforgettable

Walk the Red Stone Gorge

A 1.5 km one-way trail of red Danxia cliffs, jade pools and a sky-slot gorge — the scenery corridor of the Yuntai water world.

See the Yuntai Heavenly Waterfall

A 314 m single-drop cascade, the tallest in China and Asia, pouring from the head of Quanpu Gorge.

Climb Zhuyu Peak

The 1,308 m summit of the Taihang foothills, where Wang Wei wrote his famous poem about remembering brothers on Double Ninth Day.

Ride the Stacked-Cloud Tunnels

Nineteen hairpin tunnels drilled over ten years from 1977, climbing 912 m through the cliff wall.

Meet the Taihang macaques

More than 2,000 wild macaques in Macaque Valley — free shows run six times a day.

Follow the water trail of Tanpu Gorge

Three steps a spring, five steps a waterfall, ten steps a pool — the classic Yuntai creek walk.

Top Highlightswhat Yuntai Mountain does best

No.1
Red Stone Gorge (Hongshixia)A canyon of red Danxia cliffs and emerald pools, praised by landscape architects as "the finest scenery corridor in nature".
No.2
Yuntai Heavenly WaterfallA single drop of 314 m — the tallest waterfall in China and Asia, thundering down from the head of Quanpu Gorge.
No.3
Zhuyu Peak & Wang WeiThe 1,308 m summit where the Tang poet Wang Wei wrote the verse that made cornel and the peak famous.
No.4
Tanpu Gorge water trailsXiaozhai Gully's mantra — three steps a spring, five steps a waterfall, ten steps a pool, in 2 km of green valley.

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Yuntai Mountain

When is the best time to visit Yuntai Mountain?

All four seasons work: spring wildflowers, summer waterfalls at full flow after rain, autumn red leaves and winter snow. May Day and National Day golden weeks are crowded — start early and book ahead.

How much are the tickets?

Peak season (1 Mar – 30 Nov) is ¥210 per person, including the ¥150 scenic ticket and ¥60 shuttle bus. Low season (1 Dec – 28 Feb) is ¥135. The pass is valid for two days and covers all open sights, each checked once at its gate.

How many days do I need?

One day covers the classic circuit — Tanpu Gorge, Quanpu Gorge, Macaque Valley, Red Stone Gorge and Wanshan Temple. Two days add Zhuyu Peak and the Stacked-Cloud Tunnels. A third day reaches Qingtian River.

Can I drive inside the scenic area?

No. Yuntai Mountain runs an internal traffic control system — private cars park at the gate lots and everyone transfers to the green sightseeing shuttles (¥60, included in the pass), with 22 boarding points and onboard guides.

Where should I stay?

The Anshang service area is closest — 1 km from Red Stone Gorge, with inns, restaurants and an ATM. Family rooms start around ¥80 off-season and ¥200–300 in peak season. Jiaozuo city hotels are quieter and often better value.

How do I reach Yuntai Mountain?

Fly to Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport or Luoyang, then train or coach to Jiaozuo. Direct trains link Beijing, Jinan, Taiyuan, Wuhan, Xi'an and Shanghai to Jiaozuo; from Jiaozuo rail station a tourist bus line runs to the park four times a day (¥4).

Sample Itinerariesthe gorge circuit, the peak and the tunnels

Yuntai Mountain Classic 2-Day Tour

The complete Yuntai experience — the gorge circuit on day one, then Zhuyu Peak and the Stacked-Cloud Tunnels on day two. View the plan →

Day 1

Tanpu Gorge – Quanpu Gorge – Red Stone Gorge – Wanshan Temple

Day 2

Zhuyu Peak – Stacked-Cloud Tunnels

Yuntai Mountain Essentials 1-Day Tour

One packed day for first-timers — the two water valleys, Macaque Valley, the Red Stone Gorge and the Ming-dynasty Wanshan Temple. View the plan →

Day 1

Tanpu Gorge – Quanpu Gorge – Macaque Valley – Red Stone Gorge – Wanshan Temple

All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Yuntai Mountain itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Red Stone Gorge (Hongshixia)

Wenpanyu in Chinese — a 1.5 km one-way canyon of red Danxia cliffs and jade pools, with the Sky-Slot Gorge, the Fairy Scattering-Flowers waterfall and the Wandering Stone. Cool in summer, green with moss in winter, and entered from the gorge head above Zifang Lake.

Pass · 08:00–17:00 · Canyon · 1.5 h · 1.5 h

View details →

Tanpu Gorge (Xiaozhaigou)

The water valley of the north — a 2 km trail of springs, waterfalls and pools, including the Y-Shaped Waterfall, the Water-Curtain Cave and the Harvest Picture. The Bulao Spring filters through 50 km of mountain before it surfaces here.

Pass · 08:00–17:00 · Valley · 1.5 h · 1.5 h

View details →

Quanpu Gorge & the Heavenly Waterfall

The "Lesser Jiuzhai" — the Yuntai Heavenly Waterfall drops 314 m at the gorge head, the tallest single-drop waterfall in China and Asia. Electric carts (¥5) cover part of the 3 km valley; oolitic limestone and 180-million-year-old ripple marks survive on the walls.

Pass · 08:00–17:00 · Waterfall · 2.5 h · 2.5 h

View details →

Zhuyu Peak (Zhuyufeng)

The 1,308 m main peak where the Taoist Emperor Zhenwu is said to have attained immortality, and where Wang Wei wrote his famous Double Ninth Day poem. Red-barked yew, five-lobed maples and 93% forest cover make it the mountain's "natural oxygen bar".

Pass · 08:00–17:00 · Summit · 1 h · 1 h

View details →

Stacked-Cloud Tunnels (Diecai Dong)

Nineteen tunnels 4,831 m long, hand-blasted 1977–1987 — every one a 180° hairpin, the road rising 5 m per 100 m. Between the tunnels you look down on the plain and up at Sanxiu Peak's 40 m rock pillar.

Pass (shuttle) · 08:00–17:00 · Drive · 30 min · 30 min

View details →

Macaque Valley (Mihougu)

A national nature reserve since 1998 — more than 2,000 northern Taihang macaques, the most northerly wild macaque population in the world, living in troops led by a king monkey. Free shows run six times a day at the valley floor.

Pass · 08:00–17:00 · Wildlife · 1 h · 1 h

View details →

More in the region on the Henan attractions page.

Activities & Festivalstai chi, macaque shows and lake play

Chen-style Tai Chi performances

Free performances at Xiaozhaigou Square — solo forms, sword, spear and push-hands — at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 in the morning, and 14:00 to 17:00 in the afternoon, each set about half an hour.

Macaque shows

Free shows in Macaque Valley at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00 — training drills, acrobatics, cart-pushing and playful "military" routines.

Bamboo rafting

Pole a bamboo raft along the creek at the Xiaozhaigou entrance — ¥5 per person, a lazy half-hour among the pools and willows.

Speedboat on Zifang Lake

Cross the 4 km lake where the Han statesman Zhang Liang once hid — ¥20 per person; at noon the lake mirrors the peaks like a bronze mirror.

Where to Stayservice-area inns and Jiaozuo hotels

Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Henan hotels directory.

Anshang service area

The closest stay to Red Stone Gorge (1 km) — the biggest service area, with shops, restaurants, ticket windows and an ATM. Family inns from ¥80 off-season, ¥200–300 in peak season.

Phone: +86 139 3816 1759 · Book: Henan hotels · or email [email protected]

Yuntai Mountain Villa (Yuntaishanzhuang)

The in-park hotel, 5,500 m² with 80 beds, restaurant, meeting rooms and parking. Standard room ¥300 peak / ¥260 low season; triple ¥200; quad ¥100.

Phone: +86 391 770 9062 · Book: Henan hotels · or email [email protected]

Gudongyao service area inns

Family-run guesthouses with full meals, cable TV and clean baths in the Gudongyao service area — from ¥80, with optional farmyard activities like bonfires and fruit-picking.

Phone: +86 391 770 9081 · Book: Henan hotels · or email [email protected]

Jiaozuo city hotels

Star-rated hotels in Jiaozuo from about ¥200 — quieter and often better value than in-park inns. The nearest town, Fangzhuang, is 8 km from the gate; the park tourist bus links both.

Book: Henan hotels · or email [email protected]

Food & RestaurantsHenan classics from huimian to donkey meat

Huimian pulled noodles

The Henan staple — hand-pulled noodles in lamb broth, about ¥10 at roadside eateries; Wuzhi oil tea is the classic breakfast to go with it.

Nao Tang donkey meat

Jiaozuo's famous spiced donkey meat — "dragon meat on earth, donkey meat on the ground" — stewed for generations since the Qing-era Huaiquing shops, rich in protein and said to nourish the blood.

Honey Huai yam

Steamed wild yam dipped in honey — sweet, mild and easy on the stomach; one of the Four Huai herbs cooked as a dessert.

Niuxi-braised chicken

Free-range mountain chicken braised with Achyranthes root (niuxi) — a local tonic dish that warms you up after a day on the gorges.

Mountain wild dishes

Farm inns serve wild mountain fungus, free-range chicken, wild boar and mountain greens; a meat dish runs about ¥50, and the whole set is best shared between four.

Shopping & SouvenirsHuai herbs, persimmons and mountain treats

The Four Huai Herbs

Rehmannia, yam, Achyranthes root and chrysanthemum — Henan's "half-medicine", prized across Southeast Asia since Ming times and still the best-known local export.

Jiaozuo dried persimmons

Dried to a white-frosted "chrysanthemum heart" that slices clean — buy them at the Anshang supermarkets or from mountain villages in autumn.

Haichangong preserved eggs

Century eggs from Wuliyuan township, made with duck eggs fed on stone-shell insects from Mapang Spring — a Song-dynasty tribute food.

Wuzhi oil tea

The ancient tribute tea of Wuzhi county — rich, smooth and a warming local breakfast; the shops at Anshang carry it in jars.

Full local-product guides live on the Henan specialties page.

Getting There & Aroundair, rail and road to the Taihang foothills

Fly to Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport — direct flights from Beijing, Xi'an and Nanjing — then take a train or coach to Jiaozuo; Luoyang airport also works.

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Direct trains reach Jiaozuo from Beijing, Jinan, Taiyuan, Lianyungang, Xuzhou, Chongqing, Xi'an and Wuhan; special Yuntai tourist trains run from Beijing and Wuhan on weekends, departing Friday nights.

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A tourist bus line from Jiaozuo rail station runs to the park four times a day (¥4, about 1 h 30 m). Long-distance coaches also leave Xinxiang daily and Luoyang (¥45) and Zhengzhou (¥45) each morning.

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By car

Take the G4 or G45 expressway to the Xiuwu South exit, then follow signs to the gate — the park lots hold about 5,000 cars (¥10 small / ¥15 medium / ¥20 large, monitored around the clock).

Park shuttle

Green sightseeing buses loop the 22 boarding points with onboard guides; the ¥60 shuttle fare is included in the pass and valid on both days.

Taxi & city buses

Jiaozuo taxis start at ¥5 for the first kilometre, then ¥2 per kilometre; city buses run 06:30–19:30 at ¥1–2.

Day Trips From Yuntai Mountaincanyons, sacred peaks and the home of tai chi

Qingtian River (1 day)

The "Northern Three Gorges" — 308 sights around a 7.5 km lake, the Sangu Spring, natural Buddhist cliffs and 1,500-year-old carvings.

Shennong Mountain (1 day)

The 1,028 m Zijin Peak where the mythic Shennong tasted herbs — sheer cliffs and the oldest Three Gates of Heaven in China, 23 km north-west of the park.

Green Dragon Gorge & Peak Forest Gorge (1 day)

Yuntai's twin side valleys — the "first great canyon of Yuntai" and the "Sky Pool" — reached by the park's scenic shuttle.

Chenjiagou, Home of Tai Chi (1 day)

The village where Chen Wangting created Chen-style tai chi 300 years ago — see the ancestral hall, the practice yards and the locals at their morning forms.

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Wear grippy, waterproof shoes

The gorge trails are wet and slick — the locals say "don't look at the view while walking, don't walk while looking at the view".

2 · Book your bed early

Weekends and golden weeks fill every inn — reserve at least a week ahead, especially in the Anshang service area.

3 · Use the pass across two days

Your ticket is valid for two days with one check per sight — plan the route so you do not re-enter a sight you have already visited.

4 · Start early in summer

Afternoon rain and queues make mornings the best time for the water valleys; the shuttle queues build from mid-morning.

5 · Pack a light jacket

The mountain is cooler than the city and evenings are chilly; the local insects bite, so wear long sleeves at dusk.

Background & Historygeopark, poets and the spirit of the tunnels

Geography & climate

Yuntai Mountain rises from the southern Taihang range in Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo — a karst landscape of red Danxia cliffs, forested valleys and more than 270 named waterfalls, listed among the world's first UNESCO Global Geoparks. Four distinct seasons, about 711 mm of rain a year, most of it May–September.

History & culture

The Han emperor Xian spent summers at Baijiayan after being made Duke of Shanyang, and the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove — Ji Kang, Liu Ling, Xiang Xiu and their circle — lived among the bamboo here for twenty years. Buddhists and Taoists both built on the mountain: Wanshan Temple dates to the Ming Wanli era, and the Taoist Emperor Zhenwu is said to have attained immortality on Zhuyu Peak.

The spirit of the tunnels

From 1977 to 1987, local villagers spent ten years hand-blasting the 19 Stacked-Cloud Tunnels — 4,831 m through the cliff, rising 912 m — a local "Foolish Old Man" project that opened the summit road and became part of the mountain's story.

Plan Your Yuntai Mountain Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place

Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Yuntai Mountain trip lives on the site.

Yuntai Mountain Travel Guide — the Waterfall Kingdom of the North

Yuntai Mountain Bucket Listthe little things that make this mountain unforgettable

Walk the Red Stone Gorge

See the Yuntai Heavenly Waterfall

Climb Zhuyu Peak

Ride the Stacked-Cloud Tunnels

Meet the Taihang macaques

Follow the water trail of Tanpu Gorge

Top Highlightswhat Yuntai Mountain does best

Red Stone Gorge (Hongshixia)

Yuntai Heavenly Waterfall

Zhuyu Peak & Wang Wei

Tanpu Gorge water trails

Questions & Answerswhat travellers always ask about Yuntai Mountain

When is the best time to visit Yuntai Mountain?

How much are the tickets?

How many days do I need?

Can I drive inside the scenic area?

Where should I stay?

How do I reach Yuntai Mountain?

Sample Itinerariesthe gorge circuit, the peak and the tunnels

Top Attractionstickets, hours, transport & insider tips

Activities & Festivalstai chi, macaque shows and lake play

Chen-style Tai Chi performances

Macaque shows

Bamboo rafting

Speedboat on Zifang Lake

Where to Stayservice-area inns and Jiaozuo hotels

Anshang service area

Yuntai Mountain Villa (Yuntaishanzhuang)

Gudongyao service area inns

Jiaozuo city hotels

Food & RestaurantsHenan classics from huimian to donkey meat

Huimian pulled noodles

Nao Tang donkey meat

Honey Huai yam

Niuxi-braised chicken

Mountain wild dishes

Shopping & SouvenirsHuai herbs, persimmons and mountain treats

The Four Huai Herbs

Jiaozuo dried persimmons

Haichangong preserved eggs

Wuzhi oil tea

Getting There & Aroundair, rail and road to the Taihang foothills

Fly to Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport — direct flights from Beijing, Xi'an and Nanjing — then take a train or coach to Jiaozuo; Luoyang airport also works.

Direct trains reach Jiaozuo from Beijing, Jinan, Taiyuan, Lianyungang, Xuzhou, Chongqing, Xi'an and Wuhan; special Yuntai tourist trains run from Beijing and Wuhan on weekends, departing Friday nights.

A tourist bus line from Jiaozuo rail station runs to the park four times a day (¥4, about 1 h 30 m). Long-distance coaches also leave Xinxiang daily and Luoyang (¥45) and Zhengzhou (¥45) each morning.

By car

Park shuttle

Taxi & city buses

Day Trips From Yuntai Mountaincanyons, sacred peaks and the home of tai chi

Travel Tipsthings to remember

1 · Wear grippy, waterproof shoes

2 · Book your bed early

3 · Use the pass across two days

4 · Start early in summer

5 · Pack a light jacket

Background & Historygeopark, poets and the spirit of the tunnels

Geography & climate

History & culture

The spirit of the tunnels

Plan Your Yuntai Mountain Tripattractions, hotels, flights and specialties — all in one place