Tongling Grand Canyon

Tongling Grand Canyon

Tongling Grand Canyon is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Tongling Grand Canyon is located in Xinling Village, Huirun Town, 32 kilometers southeast of Jingxi County, at the southern end of the Gulong Mountain Water Source Forest Nature Reserve. It consists of five gorges: Nianba Gorge, Tonglingxia Gorge, Gulaogou Gorge, Xinling Gorge, and Xinqiao Gorge, stretching over 10 kilometers in total. The Nianba River meanders down from the Gulong Mountain Range, successively passing through the five gorges before flowing into the Huirun Plateau. Each gorge boasts an exceptionally rare collection of natural and cultural landscapes, including towering waterfalls, cave waterfalls, underground rivers, canyon streams, spectacular caves, ancient stone walls, cliff burials, and pristine vegetation.

Tongling Gorge was developed in April 1998 by Ling Shuming, Huang Fengzheng, Qin Hailong, and Zeng Dequan of the Jingxi Chamber of Commerce. Located at the southern end of the grand canyon, it is a rectangular, fully enclosed canyon approximately 1,000 meters long, over 200 meters wide, and 300 meters deep—like a sudden fissure in the earth, narrow and profound. The canyon is densely covered with ancient primeval trees, while its steep cliffs are also adorned with graceful, sprawling trees.

The entire valley is lush and green, with babbling streams, exuding a refreshing spiritual essence. It is home to over 2,000 plant species, many of which are rare and under national protection. These include tree ferns and Cyathea spinulosa that coexisted with dinosaurs during the Jurassic period (180 million years ago), as well as rare plants such as golden fig, shorea, machilus, arenga pinnata, and flame tree. After conducting research, a team of five experts from the Institute of Botany at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, including Professor Wang Yinzhen and Professor Zhang Xianchun, gave an authoritative assessment: “Apart from Xishuangbanna, this is the place with the richest diversity of plant species.” According to geologists, the canyon was originally a blind valley. Due to geological movements, the top of the blind valley collapsed, forming a large skylight. The cliffs on either side of the canyon still retain the characteristic arches of a blind valley, with hanging stalactites in various shapes perched on the arched cliffs.

The path into the canyon winds beneath a canopy of ancient, leafy vines and trees, resembling a green tunnel leading to the Earth’s core. About 300 meters down, you’ll find ancient stone walls, and then a sheer cliff blocks the way—until you notice a cave entrance. Inside, there is a spacious karst cave, 100 meters high and 60 meters wide. At the cave’s bottom, a stream flows gently, while the cave ceiling forms a natural skylight. The cave walls and ceiling are covered with uniquely shaped stalactites. Descend to the cave floor via a zigzag cloud ladder, and upon exiting, you’ll enter a dense primeval forest that blocks out the sunlight.

After walking through a stretch of “ancient vines, old trees, small bridges, and flowing streams,” you’ll come face-to-face with the Tongling Ultra-High Waterfall. Standing 168 meters tall and 30 meters wide, it is currently the highest waterfall discovered in southwestern China. The towering waterfall resembles a massive white silk ribbon cascading down with a thunderous roar, sending clouds of white mist into the air. When sunlight hits, it creates a beautiful rainbow. On the left side of the waterfall, the cliff features ancient cliff burial sites. The waterfall plunges into a pool about 50 meters wide, where the waters of the canyon streams and cave rivers converge, then continue as a massive underground river to another gorge, forming yet another waterfall.

At the entrance of the underground river lie four massive karst caves. The caves are deep and winding. When you climb about 30 meters up along the stone ladder along the cave wall, an underground stream rushes toward you, flowing down the wall and forming multi-tiered mini waterfalls, crystal clear. Above the first tier of the waterfall, the cave ceiling is adorned with huge, uniquely shaped stalactites—especially the layered karst landscapes reminiscent of pastoral scenes, which are marvels of nature. The entire canyon is truly “majestic, perilous, serene, mysterious, breathtaking, and beautiful.”

The renowned master painter Guan Shanyue, after visiting, inscribed: “Tongling Precious Cave” and “Spring Deep in the Canyon.” The best way to explore Tongling Grand Canyon is on foot. The canyon remains lush year-round. By following six levels of zigzag staircases into the canyon, you’ll walk through dense forests that block out the sunlight, with a pebble-paved shaded pathway running through.

Huirun Town: Huirun Town is located at the southern tip of Jingxi County, characterized by hilly and stony terrain. To the east, it neighbors Xiayue Town of Daxin County; to the west, Yuewei Town; to the south, it borders Caojiang Province of Vietnam. The town government is less than 10 kilometers away from the 58th Boundary Marker. To the north, it neighbors Huadao and Tongde Townships, and to the northeast, it neighbors Longguang Township of Debao County and Bahoo and Shangying Townships of Tiandeng County.

The town has 14 administrative villages (streets), 96 natural hamlets, and 126 villager groups, with a total population of 23,000 and a total area of 209.7 square kilometers. Huirun has a 105-kilometer border line, facilitating international trade and cross-border commerce… More detailed information about Huirun Town++