Beijing Longqing Gorge Tour, Ice Lantern Festival, Beijing Attractions

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Longqing Gorge Tour

Longqing Gorge

North of the Badaling Great Wall and 80 kilometers (50 miles) from downtown Beijing, you can discover Longqing Gorge, in northeast Yanqing County. The gorge, reputed to be the 'Little Three Gorges', features clear waters, wooded mountains, curious stones and wonderful karst caves. The gorge's main attractions are the Longqing Gorge Cruise, Baihua (hundred Flowers) Cave, and the Shenxianyuan (Immortal) and Jingang temples.

Near the entrance, a grand waterfall plummets down 50 meters (164 feet) from the dam above. A long, dragon-shaped escalator carries visitors to the dam, where the cruise begins. On both sides, eerie mountains and strange formations inspire visitors' imaginations as they have for centuries. You can marvel at the huge, natural Buddha stone and a hill rising from the water like a great bell. Another hill, named Fengguan (Phoenix Coronet) Isle, is considered the symbol of the gorge. Fengguan is surrounded on three sides by water and closed off by high mountains on the fourth.

Visitors can experience the four seasons, from the heat of the tropics to the heart of the northeastern China, thanks to the colorful lights and elaborately crafted flowers in Baihua Cave. In the Shenxianyuan Temple area, several huge stones halfway up the cliff resemble chessboards. It's said that rubbing on the trunk of the tree near the edge of cliff can cure illnesses, but no one dares get close because of the extreme danger. The Yuhuang Peak is the highest in the area, and the teahouse at the peak offers a wonderful position from which to appreciate the scenery. In the Jingang Temple area, a hill looking like a pen gently dips into the water as if it were clearest ink. A karst cave nearby, Minting Coins Stove, is the place where two brothers made fake money to save the poor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Longqing Gorge scenic area boasts pleasantly cool summer with fresh air, and its average temperature is 6℃ lower than that of Beijing urban area and 0.8℃ lower than that of Chengde Imperial Summer Resort. In the Liao, Jin and Yuan dynasties, Longqing Gorge area used to be the mountain resort where imperial families spent hot summer. Nowadays, Longqing Gorge is still a comfortable resort for people to avoid summer heat. Besides, Longqing Gorge boasts extremely cold winters with long ice period. Thus, in winter, Longqing Gorge becomes a frozen and snow-covered land, boasting the unique wonder of ice lanterns. Every year, the Ice and Snow Festival, held from January to February in the gorge, displays many beautiful ice lanterns. During the festival, the marvelous ice waterfall together with the lanterns attracts many visitors. Except for the Ice and Snow Festival, Longqing Gorge only opens to visitors from April 10 to November 15.

Main Attractions to See in Longqing Gorge

【Ice Lanterns】

The weather is quite cold in winter and ice period is longer than other places near Beijing. Taking advantage of the unique natural conditions, Ice Lanterns Festival has been held since 1987 to attract more tourists. And now watching ice art lanterns has become the tradition of winter tourism in Longqing Gorge. The ice lanterns exhibition area is sited below the reservoir and between two mountains. Huge chunks of ice formed natural water seeping from two mountains become the best natural background of the lanterns exhibition.
You may enjoy seeing spectacular and beautiful designed and sculptured by experienced ice lantern design talents. Ice lanterns look extremely beautiful, especially at night when all the decorated colorful lights are on. Every ice lanterns festival has different theme, which is interesting.

【Shenxian (immortal) Temple】

It is sited on the halfway up highest peak in Longqing Gorge area. And on the top of peak is Taoist Jade Emperor Temple, which can also be reached by cable car. Both of the temples are originally built in Ming Dynasty. There are is 300-hundred-year-old pine tree in front of the Shenxian (immortal) Temple

【Baihua Cave】
Baihua Cave is 320 meters long and contains an exhibition area of 3000 square meters. Here exhibits more than one thousand of artificial flowers and plants, as well as many animals. It is divided into different themed areas. You can take cable way to reach from Baihua Cave to reach directly Shenxian (immortal) Temple.
Entertainment Activities to Do in Longqing Gorge
There are quite a few exciting entertainment projects for tourists to have fun in Longqing Gorge, including taking a cruise to see the view around the reservoir, taking flying rope, doing bungee jumping, etc.. The projects need the courage to meet the challenge.

【Taking a Cruise】
Taking a cruise would be an easy and relaxing way to enjoy the beautiful scenery around the gorge. You will see ruins of Jingang Temple, Jiangjun Cliff (The General Cliff), Cockscomb Islet.

【Taking Flying Rope】
Taking Flying Rope is a kind way to cross mountains, mountain streams or rivers by pulley and slide in mountaineering expeditions. The project is built between two cliffs in Longqing Gorge. It is 200 meters long. The main equipments were all imported, safe and reliable. You would have a feel of flying in the sky when you take it.

【Bungee Jumping】
Bungee Jumping is another challenging sports. The platform for Bungee Jumping is built on a cliff near Jingang Temple, with a height of 48 meters. It is are highly secure. Why not take a challenge?

There are also other exciting projects available, such as rock climbing, slide, ice climbing, skydiving, etc. If you are an extreme sports enthusiast, you must love this place.

Longqing Gorge

Travel Tip:

How to Get to Longqing Gorge?
Chinese name and Pinyin: 龙庆峡 (long qing xia)
Tel: 86-10-69191020
Add: Gucheng Village, Beijing No.13, Guozijian St., Dongcheng District, Beijing
Admission Fee: CNY 40
Opening time: 8am-5.30pm (Jan-early Nov)
By bus:
1. Take Bus 919 in front of Arrow-like Building every five minutes at Deshengmeng to Yanqing County and then change to Bus 875. The bus starts at 05:30 and ends at 18:00.
2. Take Railway S2 at Beijing Northern Station to Yanqing station and then change to Bus 875.

Best Time to Visit

September & October and mid-January to late February are the best time period to visit the gorge area. In September and October, the weather is fine and cool, with less rain, and the gorge dressed with yellow and read leaves looks beautiful. From mid-January to late February is the winter time in this place, and Ice And Snow Festival held in Longqing Goarge during this time is quite famous.

Longqing Gorge