Things to do in Guyuan
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Top 10 attractions in Guyuan
Liupan Mountain National Forest Park
Liupanshan National Forest Park is located in Jingheyuan Town in Jingyuan County, Guyuan City. The main attractions in the park include Xiaonanchuan, Liangdian Gorge and Erlong River. Entering through the main gate, Liangdian Gorge is to the north, while Erlong River is to the south and Xiaonanchuan lies between them. There is also an ecological museum and botanical garden. Liangdian Gorge stretches several kilometers long and has a clear stream at the very bottom. Climbing to the main peak, Mingang Mountain, hikers are treated to a sight of an seemingly infinite sea of clouds.Jingyuan · 17.6km from downtown
Xumishan Grottoes
Xumi Mountain Grottoes, located about 60 kilometers northwest of Guyuan City, was an important pass in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and also an important gateway on the Silk Road. Xumi Mountain Grottoes were excavated in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557) and continued until the end of the Tang Dynasty. Before the Xumi Mountain Grottoes, most Buddha statues were made of clay. Stone carving techniques were gradually adopted from the Xumi Mountain Grottoes. Numerous grottoes were excavated in Xumi Mountain from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and these grottoes reflect different styles of the times. The Buddha statues in the Northern Wei Dynasty have high nose bridges and retain the style of Indian Buddhism. Some statues have thin faces, slender shoulders, and wide robes with large sleeves; the Buddha statues in the Sui Dynasty have long upper bodies, short lower limbs, short necks, and simple and heavy images; the Buddha statues in the Tang Dynasty have a trend of plump bodies and luxurious and gorgeous clothes, showing the extraordinary temperament of Tang Dynasty art. The whole Attraction is divided into two parts: the museum and the grottoes. The two places are far apart. You can also take the sightseeing bus in the Attraction to go to these two places (10 yuan per round Round-trip, additional fee). Visitors can visit the museum first when entering the Attraction. The exhibits in the museum are themed on grottoes and Buddhist art, and are basically replicas. Here you can learn about the Buddhist caves, collections and stories related to Buddhism in various places on the Silk Road. After visiting the museum, you can follow the signs to go down the mountain and cross the river valley to reach Mount Xumi on the opposite bank, and climb the mountain to visit the grottoes. There were originally more than 100 caves in the Xumi Mountain Grottoes, and the exquisiteness of the caves is comparable to that of the Mogao Grottoes, but many have been destroyed by humans. So far, there are more than 20 caves with relatively intact statues. The color of the Buddha statues from the Sui Dynasty (581-618) in the first cave is well preserved; next to it is Cave No. 5, which is the symbol of the Xumi Mountain Grottoes - the Great Buddha Building built in the Tang Dynasty. It was the achievement of Wu Zetian in worshipping Maitreya Buddha nationwide. This Buddha statue is taller than the large sitting Buddha in the Yungang Grottoes and the Vairocana Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes. The 45th, 46th and 48th caves with the most existing statues in the Attraction are all located within the Yuanguang Temple in the Attraction. There are more than 40 statues larger than real people here. Most of the standing Buddhas in the niches are one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, and the carvings are exquisite. In addition, there are various small Buddhas on the forehead of the niches, and there are musicians holding various musical instruments under the niches. There are reliefs of flying celestial beings flying around the tower pillars on the top of the caves, with various poses and dazzling. These caves were all built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581). The No. 51 cave in Xiangguo Temple is the largest cave in Xumi Mountain, but it is seriously damaged. In the 1960s, when a reservoir was built near Xumi Mountain, tens of thousands of workers lived in these caves. The transportation to Xumi Mountain Grottoes is not very convenient. There is no direct bus. Tourists need to take a minibus in Guyuan City to Sanying Town, and then transfer to a private car in the town to go to the Attraction.Guyuan · 36.9km from downtown
Huoshizhai National Geological (Forest) Park
In spring and summer, the mountains are full of flowers and grass, colorful, bees and butterflies dancing, full of vitality. Among the sparse trees, there are clusters of arrow bamboo, adding a bit of southern beauty to the northern mountains and rivers. Within a hundred miles of Huoshizhai, there are many large and small towering peaks, among which the famous ones are Saozhuling, Shisi Mountain, Zhaobi Mountain, etc., and the natural stone city is particularly amazing. Huoshizhai not only has fascinating natural landscapes, but also more than ten cave buildings, which are in the same vein as the Xumi Mountain Grottoes. The Chan Buddhist Temple Grottoes are connected to Mount Xumi, also known as the "Xumeru Mountain Chan Buddhist Temple". It was a holy place for the spread of the Zen sect of Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty. The grottoes were carved on a pointed pagoda-style stone peak, which is about 120 meters high, like a spear piercing the sky, with four walls hanging in the air, which is strange and unusual. If you climb to the top of the peak, clouds and mist float under your feet. There are 10 caves in the east and west of the stone peak, with remaining murals, stone carved Xumi pedestals, etc. Among them, the grotto is 15 meters away from the top of the peak, with a rectangular flat roof. Local residents offer three clay statues. There is a grotto in the lower half of the stone peak, which is 15 meters deep, 4 meters wide and 5 meters high. The cave can accommodate more than 100 people. The main peak of the grotto is surrounded by strange peaks and rocks, some rising in the sky, some sinking into the valley, with different shapes. Saozhuling Grottoes are located in a group of stone peaks 5 kilometers south of Huoshizhai Township. They are named after the bamboos that grow on the mountain to make brooms. They are also called "Yuntai Mountain" and "Western Wudang". The forests here are lush and the water is clear. In particular, the unique and towering stone mountains give people the feeling of "Guilin landscape". The peaks are fairy-like and quite charming. The main peak of Saozhuling is surrounded by cliffs on all sides, but there are stone steps carved in the northeast corner for climbing. The magical natural landscape and the humanistic buildings on the mountain are integrated. More than 30 caves, including the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the Great Buddha Hall, the Bodhisattva Hall, the Bull King Hall, and the Longevity Palace, are distributed on a stone wall about 330 meters long from east to west. Most of the caves are rectangular with flat roofs and round dome roofs. The rectangular Great Buddha Hall is 9 meters deep, 6.1 meters wide, and 5.45 meters high. Most of the statues in the grottoes have been destroyed, and only stone-carved Sumeru pedestals, niches, and murals remain. There are four relatively complete stone statues, with a height of 4.8 meters and a waist circumference of 4.4 meters. There are also three bronze Buddha statues in the grottoes, one of which was made during the reign of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty (424-452); the other is a gilded bronze statue of Sakyamuni from the Song Dynasty, 46 cm high and weighing 18 kg.Xiji · 15.6km from downtown
Wild Lotus Valley
Yehe Valley is located 5 km northwest of Jingyuan County. It is another source of the Jing River. The gorge is 15 km long and is also called Xiangshui Gorge. Because the gorge is full of "Dahuang Ligusticum chuanxiong" (the shape of its leaves is similar to lotus leaves, so people call it wild lotus), it is also called Lotus Garden.Jingyuan · 7.5km from downtown
Laoxiangzi Sceneic Area
The Liupanrenjia Hongya Folk Culture Village in Longde County, Ningxia is located in Hongya Village, Chengguan Town, Longde County. There is a 200-meter-long old alley in the village, covering an area of 10,000 square meters. There are 10 farmhouse courtyards, old theaters, old mills, old wells and other ancient rural buildings.Longde · 3.4km from downtown
Laolongtan
Laolongtan consists of four pools. The first and second pools are located downstream of the reservoir dam. They are deep pools with dangerous cliffs and rapids, which are mysterious and unpredictable. The three pools are now submerged by the reservoir, which stores more than 400,000 cubic meters of water. The water in the pool is surprisingly calm. The sun shines on the deep water surface, and a thin mist floats on the surface of the pool, just like a precious mirror, magnificent and charming, and is known as "high clouds and flat lakes". The four pools upstream of the reservoir are the gateway to Longtan, and the deep valley and dangerous cliffs hold the flying pool. The water is clear and winding like a swimming dragon. The mountains and rivers are interdependent, and the peaks are reflected. The scenery is picturesque and quite spectacular.Jingyuan · 12.6km from downtown
Guyuan Ancient City Wall Ruins Park
Guyuan · 3.4km from downtown
Ruhe Waterfall
Located in Yangping Village, east of Pengyang County, it has magnificent momentum and spectacular scenery. It was naturally formed by crustal movement and riverbed movement. It is a rare natural landscape on the Loess Plateau.Pengyang · 22.7km from downtown
Xiaonanchuan
Jingyuan · 15.1km from downtown
Yanzhi Gorge
Yanzhi Gorge is located on the east side of Yangcao Village, Huanghua Township, 8 kilometers northeast of Jingyuan County. It is adjacent to Kongtong Mountain in the east, Liupan Mountain in the west, and Laolongtan in the south. The canyon is 45 kilometers long and formed 800 million years ago. of the Ordovician. The name "Rouge" evolved from the ethnic minority "Yanzhi" and "Yanzhi" tribes that thrived here in the Spring and Autumn Period. A long time ago, Rouge Gorge and the surrounding area, with lush vegetation and dazzling crimson everywhere, was not only a good place for people to farm, but also a resort for collecting rouge, so the mountain was named Rouge Mountain. The ethnic minorities living here wear rouge clothes, use rouge powder, and eat rouge flowers. They are inseparable from rouge flowers and plants. They are called "Yanzhi" and "Yanshi" by other surrounding ethnic groups. "Yan" means "Yan" in ancient Chinese. The meaning of "red" agrees with the modern "rouge". Rouge Gorge not only has a poetic name, but also has a rich cultural heritage. Rouge Gorge is dangerous in the east and strange in the west, embroidered in the south and the north. Under the miraculous sculptures of natural art masters, strange peaks and rocks have risen. With a wonderful posture and lifelike appearance, the rock peaks of Yanzhi Gorge are characterized by strange rocks, cliffs and cliffs, and the overall structure is characterized by "secret, mysterious, strange and dangerous".Jingyuan · 10.1km from downtown
Free things to do in Guyuan
Liupan Mountain National Forest Park
Jingyuan · 17.6km from downtownXumishan Grottoes
Guyuan · 36.9km from downtownImmediate access, Book now for today, Cancel anytimeHuoshizhai National Geological (Forest) Park
Xiji · 15.6km from downtownImmediate access, Book now for today, Cancel anytimeWild Lotus Valley
Jingyuan · 7.5km from downtownLaoxiangzi Sceneic Area
Longde · 3.4km from downtownImmediate access, Book now for today, Cancel anytimeLaolongtan
Jingyuan · 12.6km from downtownGuyuan Ancient City Wall Ruins Park
Guyuan · 3.4km from downtownRuhe Waterfall
Pengyang · 22.7km from downtownXiaonanchuan
Jingyuan · 15.1km from downtownYanzhi Gorge
Jingyuan · 10.1km from downtown
What travellers say about Guyuan
Anonymous user29 September 2026
4.0
A great place for hiking, with tons of negative ions! Currently, three areas are open to the public, with Xiaonanchuan as the core attraction. The botanical garden is still under construction and not recommended for now. Liangdianxia is Genghis Khan's summer retreat and doesn't require a long visit.
PS: A thorough visit to Xiaonanchuan takes about an hour. It's recommended to enter by water. After reaching the end of the path, climb a short flight of stairs and then hike a little further. You can take a shuttle bus back to the bus stop (ticket price is 10 yuan). The walk down to the bus stop without the shuttle bus is 3km. It's best to visit in the morning.
Liupan Mountain National Forest Park
M24***946 October 2026
4.0
The Buddha statue is truly awe-inspiring. Don't bother visiting the Zisun Palace; there's not much to see there. Go to Xiangguo Temple first, then Yuanguang Temple, and finally the Buddha statue. Walking downhill is generally easier.
Xumishan Grottoes
K-飞子6 October 2026
5.0
Huoshizhai in Xiji County is a hidden gem in Northwest China, often overlooked by many! The red cliffs and vast forests create a magnificent and beautiful landscape. The scenic area offers attentive service, a wide variety of activities, and plenty of fun, making for a fantastic overall experience. It's not crowded, quiet, and comfortable – highly recommended!
Huoshizhai National Geological (Forest) Park
135***164 October 2026
5.0
The canyon where the Lotus Garden Scenic Area is located is also known as "Fragrant Water Canyon," "Wild Lotus Valley," or "Lotus Garden." Located west of Jingyuan County, the canyon is lush with vegetation, including pines, cypresses, red willows, and birches. The wild lotus, botanically known as *Ligustrum lucidum*, is commonly called wild lotus because its leaves resemble lotus leaves.
The abundant wild lotus and flowing streams surrounding Fragrant Water Mountain give it a majestic and beautiful appearance. The grassy gully, about 4 kilometers long, is expansive and spectacular, with lush wild lotus growth and towering, opposing peaks.
Wild Lotus Valley
M77***8514 August 2026
3.0
The area has a rich historical atmosphere, but the food court inside is truly indescribable! The restaurant selling "jiaotuan" (a type of porridge) in the picture had terrible service; they were slow to take orders and couldn't remember what to order. I was cut in line twice, and both times I told the staff, but they ignored me. Hopefully, the scenic area can improve its management.
Laoxiangzi Sceneic Area
M42***8114 September 2020
5.0
I went there during the May Day holiday. The scenery was nice, with green mountains and clear water. It was a good place to escape the summer heat. The Vienna 3 Hotel where I stayed at night was also very good. The room was very clean and the service was very good. It is in the new district, next to Guyuan No. 1 Middle School. It is worth recommending!
Laolongtan
航拍&绿色心情1 September 2021
5.0
It's worth checking in for friends, the beautiful scenery is right in front of you!
Ruhe Waterfall
非你不渴27 June 2021
5.0
Xiaonanchuan is the place with the most waterfalls in Liupanshan National Forest Park. It is so clear and undulating that it is called Little Jiuzhaigou. There is also a saying that if you don't visit Xiaonanchuan, you have wasted your trip to Liupanshan.
Xiaonanchuan
薇风怡人8 August 2023
4.0
Although it was cloudy, I still felt that the canyon scenery was beautiful, and the picturesque scenery was completely different from Liupanshan Forest Park. The scenic area is generally very pristine, with very few artificial constructions, so the road is not very easy to walk on. The road on the cliff is very narrow, only one person wide. It is not recommended for people with acrophobia, the elderly and children to go there, as it is not convenient to take care of them. However, for young people who have a spirit of challenge and love nature, it feels like hiking in the wild, which is a good experience.
Yanzhi Gorge
