Things to do in Zhenyuan County

Overall, it was alright. Climbing up the mountain was quite tiring; the whole trip took about 3 hours. The path was quiet with few people, but the signs weren't very clear. We ended up on a set of steps without railings (we weren't sure if we were on the right path, because the people behind us disappeared, and we didn't know which way they went). I think this was a pleasant surprise for adventurous people, but a little unsafe for those who aren't. The descent was another pleasant surprise; we entered an ancient alleyway with many Ming and Qing dynasty courtyards (I had thought the ancient city was just the outer streets and riverbanks). Don't forget these ancient alleyways when you visit the ancient city!

VIPs have a dedicated reception center with shuttle service and a special lane to the starting point (this convenience is only available when there are many people; otherwise, there's no need to queue). However, there's room for improvement in the service.

I have heard of Gaoguo River for a long time, but I have never seen its beauty. Hiking and sightseeing, the canyon scenery is very beautiful, the most unexpected is the 108-meter Guer Falls, very shocking! The whole journey is lush with vegetation and the river water is clear. I took two sightseeing buses along the way, and the total time was about 【Scenery】two and a half hours.

Surprisingly, the architecture is very distinctive, historical, and culturally rich, complementing the ancient town of Zhenyuan beautifully. My parents, nearing eighty, still managed to climb to the top and enjoy the panoramic views, completing the entire hike. Highly recommended!

It took 30 minutes to go up and 15 minutes to go down, with continuous steps, so it was a little tiring, but the view from the top was amazing 👍🏻 The highest point in pictures 1 and 2 is the mountaintop viewing platform.

The Wuyang River is considered the mother river of Zhenyuan. The water is emerald green and it is especially beautiful when the weather is sunny. There are cruise boats, but I personally think they are not worth the price. Walking along the boardwalk by the river is a very pleasant experience.

The cruise is recommended to depart between 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM for the excellent night view. However, the windows are large sliding windows, and if opened even slightly, they may obstruct the view of those in front or behind. Avoid sitting in the back; you don't want to smell the diesel engine.

Zhusheng Bridge is a landmark ancient building in Zhenyuan Ancient City. It is a free attraction next to the entrance of Qinglong Cave Scenic Area. This is a historical ancient bridge that has gone through more than 600 years of wind and rain. It is said that the construction process took as long as 250 years. Because it was to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Kangxi, it was renamed "Zhusheng Bridge". Zhusheng Bridge was the only way for students from Yunnan and Guizhou in ancient times to go to Beijing for the imperial examinations. The pavilion on the bridge is called Kuixing Pavilion.

After several days of rain, the sun finally came out during our boat trip on the Wuyang River. The scenery on both banks was beautiful. The boat trip took about an hour. When we reached Gaobei Lake upstream, the boat asked if anyone wanted to disembark and explore. We were told that after the trip, we could return on our own, or stay on the boat and return to the dock. Since no one knew what was there to do at Gaobei Lake, everyone wanted to return to the dock. Just before leaving the scenic area, we saw a sightseeing bus and curiously asked where it went. We then learned that if we disembarked at Gaobei Lake, we didn't need to find our own way back; the park provided shuttle buses to take everyone back to the parking lot. Later, when we went to the Huayang River to see the roses, we finally understood that the rose fields were actually at Gaobei Lake. The crew hadn't explained it clearly…

The Tiexi Scenic Area in Zhenyuan is a natural oxygen bar with lush vegetation and springs surrounding the entire scenic area. There is no artificial landscape. It is a natural scenic area gifted to us by nature. The water in Longtan is really beautiful.