Every autumn, my ears echo with the familiar opening remarks from school sports day ceremonies – "In this golden October, when osmanthus blossoms fill the air, we welcome the season of harvest as we celebrate..." Though such clichés may sound trite, they hold a certain truth. Autumn is the best time of year, a season of abundance. In ancient times, people would hold rituals to give thanks for nature’s and the gods’ blessings, celebrating the rewards of a year’s hard work. Although we no longer hold these ceremonies, I still believe that one ought to do something meaningful in autumn to make the most of this splendid season.
It’s the transitional period of late autumn – wear too much and you’ll get hot, wear too little and you’ll get cold, and with one wrong move, you might catch a cold. Just the other day, I couldn’t stop sneezing and sniffling. Truth be told, it’s mostly because I’ve been sitting indoors all day without exercise, which has weakened my immune system. Autumn outings are a great opportunity to relieve stress, relax the mind, and stay physically active – especially when traveling with family, not only allowing you to connect with nature but also to strengthen familial bonds. Knowing what to do is one thing, but deciding where to go for an autumn trip can be quite a headache.
Traveling abroad isn’t feasible due to limited holiday time and exhaustion from the journey; going somewhere too close to home doesn’t feel like a real getaway; overly urbanized or commercialized destinations are no good either – too crowded and not enjoyable; too natural and remote, and things get boring and inconvenient. So why not choose a place that is close to nature, fun, and convenient? Sounds easy enough, but where exactly is such a place? As luck would have it, there is one such destination that is both natural, entertaining, and budget-friendly – the Dreamy Ordovician Park.
Ordovician Park is located in Shilin Town, Wansheng District, Chongqing, at an altitude of around 1,300 meters. Because the scenic area is built atop cliffs over 300 meters high and features rare landscapes and high-altitude attractions that leave visitors in awe, Ordovician Park is also known as the "Cliff Scenic Area." Since the opening of its various high-altitude attractions, the park has seen a continuous stream of visitors, and Ordovician quickly became an internet sensation. Yet many people may not know that autumn is actually the most comfortable season to visit Ordovician – it’s when the park truly shines.
Friends who don’t want to let their autumn go to waste, grab your little shoulder bag, bring your family and friends, and head to Ordovician for a relaxing and joyful autumn getaway.
I. A Million Reasons to Visit Ordovician
Since we’re saying this is the best time to visit Ordovician, we’d better back it up with solid reasons – so why is that?
What’s the most important thing when traveling? Of course, it’s the scenery. Ordovician is situated within the Chongqing Hu Natural Scenic Area in Shilin Town, Wansheng District. Whether it’s sunny or rainy, the views here are breathtaking. On sunny days, sunlight spills over the mountains and cliffs, draping Ordovician in a thin golden veil – warm, dazzling, and radiant. On rainy or cloudy days, the mountains are shrouded in mist, resembling the robes of celestial beings, with peaks, valleys, and cliffs emerging and disappearing within the clouds, like a scene from a fairyland.
If you’re lucky, you might even witness the rare sight of sun showers. After the rain, Ordovician is filled with the earthy aroma of grass and soil, and you might spot a rainbow in the distance from the edge of the cliffs. For those who love nature and photography, it’s an absolutely perfect destination and a fantastic spot for capturing memories. When traveling with family or friends, use your camera lens to record those beautiful, precious moments – who knows, years later when you flip through the album, it just might move you.
Another major advantage of this season is the cool weather. Ordovician is in Chongqing – what kind of place is that? It’s both a furnace and a fog city. Summers average 40°C, and even just stepping out to pick up a delivery feels unbearable, making you want to stay locked inside with the air conditioning, eating watermelon and playing games day and night. Who would want to go out and play under the scorching sun in such "sauna-like" weather? That’s a challenge only for the bravest of souls. In winter, Chongqing’s humid air combined with single-digit temperatures makes you feel like your clothes are damp and the cold seeps right into your bones. So this time of year is just right – not too hot, not too cold, with pleasant weather and beautiful scenery.
Now that we’ve covered why this season is the best for visiting, let’s talk about why, among so many amusement parks, you should choose Ordovician. First, in terms of attractions, Ordovician is the theme park with the most diverse range of activities I’ve ever seen – a total of 38 attractions. But when I say “most,” I don’t just mean quantity – I mean variety. Unlike ordinary theme parks, it has its own unique character, focusing on "cliff and high-altitude extreme attractions," which are incredibly eye-catching. At the same time, Ordovician also emphasizes the development of other types of attractions. Aside from the famous "Sky Corridor" and "Cliff Swing," there are also educational and entertaining options like the "Ice Cave" and "Sci-Fi Dream Factory," ensuring visitors have a meaningful and valuable experience. And of course, the most exciting part is that Ordovician also has snow-related attractions – but what exactly they are, we’ll keep you in suspense for now. Keep reading if you want to find out more.
Think about it – what’s the most painful thing about visiting an amusement park? For me, waiting in line is definitely number one. It’s common to wait over an hour just for one ride, and spending your precious vacation time queuing up can feel like a waste. But at Ordovician, that pain is greatly reduced – because there are so many attractions and the crowd is well distributed, even popular rides like the Sky Corridor can accommodate large numbers of people at once, so you won’t have to wait too long even if there is a queue. Plus, with such beautiful natural scenery, even waiting in line isn’t boring.
Another advantage of having a wide variety of attractions is that they cater to a broad range of visitors. In other words, Ordovician is a theme park suitable for all ages. Thrill-seekers can walk on air at the Sky Corridor, feel the cool breeze on the Cliff Swing, or take thrilling steps across the Glass Suspension Bridge. Those who enjoy hands-on fun can challenge themselves on the Jungle Flight or experience the satisfaction of "climbing higher" hand-over-hand on the Cliff Ladder. Nature lovers can explore the Ice Cave to learn about karst formations or solve complex puzzles in the Stone Forest Maze. Younger children can freely enjoy themselves at the Kids' Happy Valley. Beyond that, Ordovician will also open two snow-themed attractions in early November – the Dream Ice Sculpture Kingdom and Dinosaur Snow World.
But some might say, so many attractions and not enough time to try them all – what’s the point? That’s where another reason to visit Ordovician comes in – it’s cost-effective. How so? The entrance ticket to Ordovician is 180 yuan, and once you’re inside, there are no additional fees for any attractions. The park also has a food court and camping facilities, so you can "get everything in one stop" whether you want to eat or stay. Spending three or four days there allows you to enjoy the entire park from start to finish. Staying on-site also has the advantage of letting you skip the morning rush and still be among the first in line for each attraction – a true blessing for someone like me who loves sleeping in.
Of course, I have to admit I have a little personal motive for wanting to visit Ordovician – it’s so popular on TikTok, and I’m hoping to bump into a few really good-looking guys and girls while I’m there. That alone would make the trip worth it.
II. New Attractions Open – Ordovician Unleashes Its “Snow” Big Move
Earlier, I teased about snow-related attractions at Ordovician – the two new ones set to open in early November, the "Dream Ice Sculpture Kingdom" and "Dinosaur Snow World." These two attractions are truly surprising and mind-blowing. The surprises come from being able to see ice sculptures like those in Harbin’s "Ice and Snow World" and even go skiing – in Chongqing. The mind-blowing part? The "Dinosaur Snow World" skiing attraction operates at a temperature of 10°C above zero – yes, skiing without even needing thermal leggings. Have you ever seen a ski slope you don’t need long johns for? I sure haven’t. If I recall correctly, water freezes at 0°C, so where does the snow come from at 10°C above freezing?
"The Dream Ice Sculpture Kingdom is as dreamy as its name suggests" – that’s what I thought the moment I walked through the doors. Whether it’s the effect of the ice itself or the lighting, the atmosphere inside is a deep blue, accented by the silvery-blue lights along one wall and the sub-zero temperatures inside. In that moment, I felt as if I had traveled back to my senior year of high school, to the winter vacation when I was waiting to see the aurora in Mohe.
The ambiance inside the Ice Sculpture Kingdom is wonderful, and it’s a great attraction for all ages. There are colorful, exquisitely crafted ice sculptures, but it’s not just a viewing space – the venue also features playful elements like ice slides, snow slopes, and an artificial snow pool. There are three slides in total: one long slide that wraps halfway around the arena, a shorter one that cuts through an ice wall directly opposite the long slide, and a spiral slide. The spiral slide’s track is fully enclosed – it’s more like a tunnel than a slide. But to ride it, you have to sit in a small snow tube that looks a bit like a tire, and you must adjust your angle before descending. On my run, I found I couldn’t steer and ended up facing the wall, my shoes scraping against the ice wall the whole way down. When I got off, I looked at the scuff marks on my little leather shoes and almost cried.
Aside from the spiral slide, the other two slides are double lanes, allowing two people to ride together. From my personal experience, I think the shorter slide that cuts through the ice wall is more fun because it has a slightly steeper slope, making it easier to slide down. Also, the most recommended riding position is sitting down, as clothing creates less friction than shoe soles.
The ice sculptures inside are equally delightful – castles, cakes, arch bridges, pirate ships, pumpkin carriages… many elements from fairy tales are brought to life in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom. The vibrant colors and diverse shapes fill the space with a sweet, storybook atmosphere, making everyone feel as though they’ve received a bit of fairy-tale magic.
The snow pool near the pirate ship is also open to visitors. I saw many guests having snowball fights, building snowmen, or carefully scooping up snow before tossing it joyfully into the air. Flakes fell gently onto heads, shoulders, and shoes, creating a romantic, almost literary scene filtered through the soft light.
On the side near the "light wall" is a snow slope. Seeing others having so much fun, I couldn’t resist giving it a try. I grabbed a large snow tube – about a meter in diameter and quite heavy – and hauled myself up to the top of the slope. But once seated, I realized I couldn’t move – or rather, I ended up lying down. Luckily, a kind guy gave me a push. The slope is designed with several bumpy ridges, causing a few jolts mid-slide, adding a bit of excitement.
That said, the Dream Ice Sculpture Kingdom maintains extremely low temperatures to preserve the ice sculptures, so you’ll need to dress warmly. Fortunately, the venue rents out down jackets for 20 yuan per use.
If sledding isn’t thrilling enough for you, you can also try real skiing. Exit the Dream Ice Sculpture Kingdom and walk west for a short while, and you’ll soon arrive at Dinosaur Snow World. The "dinosaurs" in Snow World look incredibly realistic – their tails even move, which startled me the first time I saw them. But upon closer inspection, I realized the movement was just from the wind catching their slender tails.
The most surprising thing about Dinosaur Snow World is the temperature – 10°C above zero. Even without heavy ski gear, you won’t feel too cold. On ski slopes in northern China, you need to bundle up in thermal underwear, sweaters, and thick ski suits, making you feel as bulky as a bear. Every time you fall while skiing, getting back up takes a huge effort – not to mention how uncomfortable it is. At Dinosaur Snow World, you don’t need to wrap yourself up like a mummy, eliminating all that awkwardness.
III. More Thrills Added – Discover Ordovician’s Attractions
When it comes to Ordovician, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the "Sky Corridor," which holds a Guinness World Record. But Ordovician offers far more than just the Sky Corridor. In addition to the upcoming Dream Ice Sculpture Kingdom and Dinosaur Snow World, the park also features a wide range of attractions that are thrilling, relaxing, and enjoyable.
Category 1: High-altitude Extreme Activities
Target Audience: Adventure Seekers
Skywalk Corridor & Cloud Bridge — Stand on Them, and the World Is at Your Feet
The Skywalk Corridor is a large "A"-shaped hallway built on steel frames atop a cliff, extending 70 meters out over the edge — it's the longest skywalk in the world. The moment you step onto the corridor, it feels as though everyone else’s life is tied closely to yours. It may sound eerie, but in reality, it’s quite a marvelous sensation. With every step, you can feel the vibrations from others’ movements and the swaying caused by mountain winds. The further you go, the more intense the swaying becomes. If you’re a bit timid, it’s easy to get scared and end up clutching the railing, crouching on the ground, refusing to move forward.
The Cloud Bridge is much smaller than the Skywalk Corridor, but the glass is much more transparent because every visitor is required to wear shoe covers under the supervision of staff. This minimizes wear and tear on the glass. Looking down from the Cloud Bridge, you can see the Golden Ox Waterfall beneath the cliff, where the clear waterfall water rhythmically strikes the rock face, sending up sprays of water.
There’s only one way not to be afraid when facing such a view — a rule I’ve learned after walking across so many glass surfaces: no matter what’s below, never look down. The more you look, the more scared you’ll become. It’s just like being afraid of ghosts — the more you think about it, the scarier it gets. Stop thinking about it, and you’ll be fine.
Glass Suspension Bridge — Let’s Sway Together
The Glass Suspension Bridge is located beyond the 4m, 6m, and 8m Cliff Swings. Spanning 150 meters, it connects two cliffs and is equipped with safety nets on both sides. Compared to the Skywalk Corridor, the swaying on the Glass Suspension Bridge is even more pronounced. In this case, the most stable approach is to let your body sway along with the bridge’s rhythm. If the view from the Skywalk Corridor and Cloud Bridge is described as “expansive,” then the scenery on the Glass Suspension Bridge is “transparent.” The former offers views directly in front of you, while the latter connects one side of your body to the other. Walking on the Glass Suspension Bridge feels like floating mid-air, walking on clouds.
Scary Swing — 18 + 3 = ∞
The Cliff Swings at Ordovician Park are also very famous. There are now five different sizes: 4m, 6m, 8m, 18m, and 21m. Among them, the 18m and 21m swings are called the “Scary Swings,” located directly to the left of the Skywalk Corridor, right across from the park’s west entrance. Someone once asked me, “What’s the big difference between the 18m and 21m swings? They’re both super high — what’s a few extra meters?” But there is a significant difference. An extra three meters in rope length might not seem like much, but it means you’ll spend more time suspended in the air. For someone being flung high up with a cliff directly beneath their feet, an extra second can feel like an eternity.
The other three swings are also Cliff Swings, located at the entrance to the Glass Suspension Bridge. Except for the 4m swing, which is manually pushed, all are machine-operated. Here’s a tip: if you’re going to ride a swing, make sure to hand over any valuables to family or friends. With a cliff directly below, anything that falls will be gone forever.
Giant Swing — You’re a Planet, Spinning 360° + 360° Nonstop
When I first heard the name “Giant Swing,” I thought, “That name is not very fitting.” If it’s a giant swing, shouldn’t it swing back and forth like a pendulum? But the Giant Swing actually rotates 360° around the top of a steel frame as its axis, with the radius being the iron wall, while the “swing” at the bottom also spins 360° around the top of the iron wall. Rather than calling it a Giant Swing, “Planet” might be a more romantic term. But this ride is truly amazing — I really wonder if the genius who designed it would dare try it themselves.
Although it’s terrifying, I still think it’s a great way to relieve stress from daily work and life. When you’re flung into the sky and spinning wildly, it feels like worries and frustrations are thrown out of your brain by centrifugal force.
Rocket Bungee — Higher Than the Sky
Rocket Bungee is a two-person activity. Two people sit inside a hollow iron sphere, with steel cables connecting both ends of the sphere to a ground-based frame. When the ride starts, the sphere suddenly shoots upward like a rocket, then falls, shoots up again, falls again, repeating the cycle until time runs out. If you want to describe Rocket Bungee using a cliff-diving machine analogy, it’s an upside-down cliff-diving machine. The cliff-diving machine plummets downward rapidly, while Rocket Bungee launches upward at high speed, and during the ascent, the iron sphere even spins in mid-air.
But what Rocket Bungee gave me the most was a sense of “novelty,” because all the amusement rides I’d tried before followed the laws of physics. Only Rocket Bungee goes against gravity. Each upward launch is a fresh and unfamiliar experience. When you’re on it, you feel like Nezha himself.
Besides these, high-altitude extreme activities also include the Cliff Scream Ride, Cliff Diving Machine, and High-altitude Flying. If none of the above satisfy you, remember to turn left at the Skywalk Corridor and march straight ahead — there are three massive attractions waiting for you.
Category 2: Hands-On Experiences
Target Audience: Do-It-Yourselfers and Physically Fit Adventurers
Jungle Zip-lining — Forge Your Own Path, No Matter How Smooth Others’ Are
There are six Jungle Zip-line routes, each varying in length and difficulty based on design. You can choose a suitable one according to your physical condition and mental readiness. I chose Route 3. Let me tell you, Jungle Zip-lining is really challenging. The height isn’t extremely high, but just high enough that falling would hurt. Plus, with only a safety rope around your waist, you must rely entirely on yourself rather than trusting the rope to maintain balance. Also, when you’re nervous, you tend to tire out faster. But no matter how tired you are, you can’t give up — you have to keep going until the end, because stopping will block others behind you.
Jungle Zip-lining is great for building mental strength, physical endurance, and teamwork spirit. It’s perfect for families or groups of friends. Unlike single-person activities, the more people involved, the more fun it is. Since each section has different challenges and techniques, those at the front share their experiences with those behind, and the knowledge gets passed along. Together, you overcome difficulties, conquer obstacles, reach the finish line, and achieve victory — it’s reminiscent of the scenes in Japanese youth manga where protagonists and their friends unite to defeat evil.
Cliff Ladder — Not Thrilled by Horizontal Movement? How About Vertical?
The Cliff Ladder is located between the 18m and 21m Scary Swings and the Skywalk Corridor. The ladder ropes hang straight down the edge of the cliff. With a safety rope attached to your body and your hands gripping the rope ladder, you climb up little by little from the base of the cliff until you reach the top. If the horizontal obstacles of Jungle Zip-lining don’t satisfy you, how about the vertical challenge of the Cliff Ladder, where you rely on your own strength to “climb higher”?
Category 3: Leisurely Sightseeing
Target Audience: Nature Lovers and Scenery Admirers
High-altitude Zipline — Reach Out Your Hands, I Want to Embrace the Entire Universe
I think the best place to enjoy the view is during the High-altitude Zipline ride. A cable stretches from east to west. While enjoying the cool mountain breeze, open your eyes and you’ll see cliffs hundreds of meters away, endless greenery, and bustling crowds of tourists. Close your eyes, and you’ll hear the noise of visitors, the chirping of birds, and the sound of leaves growing. It feels as if, by reaching out my hands, I could embrace nature and the whole universe.
The High-altitude Zipline also has different routes, each offering unique views. I personally recommend Route 5 — it’s the longest route, spending the most time in the air, thus providing the richest scenery. Looking diagonally upward to the left, you can even see people cautiously making their way across the Glass Suspension Bridge. Sliding down from several hundred meters in the air, for a brief moment I almost felt like I had become a shooting star, falling from the sky. When gliding through the valley, 360-degree views surround you — no matter where you look, there’s always a stunning, breathtaking sight.
Ice Cave —— Five hundred million years ago, I had an appointment with you
The Ice Cave is one of the four major scenic spots in the Ordovician Scenic Area. The temperature difference between inside and outside the cave is huge in summer. Even on a sweltering 40°C day in Chongqing during dog days, the temperature inside the Ice Cave is below 15°C, hence its name. It is a natural karst cave formed during the Ordovician period 500 million years ago, gradually taking shape over millennia. With its complex underground terrain, it’s no exaggeration to call it an "underground labyrinth."
The interior of the Ice Cave features karst landforms, where colorful stalactites illuminated by vibrant lights create a magnificent and fantastical scene. Visitors can admire the wonders of lava rock formations and capture stunning photographic works. Photography enthusiasts and those interested in natural geography simply must not miss the Ice Cave when visiting the Ordovician Scenic Area.
After zooming down the high-altitude zip line and taking in the sights above ground, exploring the stunning underground world of the Ice Cave — doesn’t that feel like a journey “to the heavens and into the earth”? Besides the Ice Cave, the Ordovician area also boasts natural attractions such as the Stone Forest Labyrinth and General Guarding the City, all equally captivating. If waiting in lines for various amusement rides gets tedious, why not come to these natural wonders like the Ice Cave and witness the power of nature?
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