Don’t miss out on these lesser-known Chongqing day trips, for a nature escape from the city!
Chongqing is frequently referred to as the cyberpunk city of China, commonly portrayed by its iconic Hongyadong (pictured above), a train going through a building (Liziba Station), and the endless ground floors at Lin Hua Road.
But chances are, you might not have heard of the scenic day trips right outside Chongqing.
From rocky cliffs and deep gorges to ancient human relics, you can easily pick a scenic landscape that appeals to you the most. Here are five scenic Chongqing day trips for a nature escape, all under 3 hours from the city!
1) Wulong Karst National Geological Park
One of the Three Natural Bridges, the Tianlong Bridge.
Widely considered as one of the most iconic nature attractions of Chongqing, the Wulong Karst National Geological Park is home to various UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With dramatic rock formations shaped over millions of years, the sights we see now are that of extensive underground caves, huge natural bridges, deep gorges and more.
Three Natural Bridges Trail
The iconic sight of Wulong Karst featuring towering cliffs over a courtyard — you will have to climb a few flights of stairs to get to this viewpoint!
The Three Natural Bridges — as the name suggests — is a ~2km trail that brings you across three natural bridges named after dragons: Tianlong (Sky Dragon), Qinglong (Azure Dragon), and Heilong (Black Dragon). They are dramatic-looking rock arches that were formed from parts of the roof collapsing, and some staying intact — which became these natural “bridges” that we see today.
Upon starting the trail from the entrance, we looked down and were greeted with this sight:
“HUH?! Are we going to descend down by stairs all the way down,” I thought, as I mentally prepared myself for the incoming physical turmoil. But to our huge relief, we soon found out that there was an elevator which would bring us all the way down!
The best part? The elevator rotates one round during the descent, giving everyone a good view of the stunning cliff sights.
Tianlong Spiral “Staircase”, a 135m-long panoramic elevator bringing you further into the Three Natural Bridges Trail.
There’s something humbling about walking between huge cliffs with lush greenery and the occasional waterfalls. It makes you feel so in awe, and so small compared to the vastness around you.
Porters transporting someone down the trail! Pay 200RMB to be carried down 1km of stairs.
Fun fact: Did you know that the Three Natural Bridges was the filming site of Transformers 4: Age of Extinction?
Entrance fee: 155RMB/pax (~S$28)
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 4:30PM
Address: Wulong Karst Tourist Center, Yinxing Avenue No. 30, Wulong County, Chongqing
How to get there: 2.5hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Amap)
Longshuixia Fissure Gorge Trail
The Longshuixia Fissure Gorge is a ~2km trail with canyons cutting 250-300m deep below, and mossy rock faces lead down to teal waters glimmering at its base.
Get to walk on the sides of the towering cliffs, and along the streams. With the sunlight peeking in, it looks so ethereal…
Midway through, stop to marvel at the huge 80m-tall Galaxy Waterfall pouring down from the top of the cliff!
There’s something very calming and magical about walking along a river, lined with mossy rocks and towering cliffs. Combined with the cooling temperature, it was one of my favourite parts of the trail.
Entrance fee: 105RMB/pax (~S$19)
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 4:30PM
Address: Longshuixia Ground Seating Scenic Spot, Xiannvshan Town, Wulong County, Chongqing
How to get there: 2.5hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Amap)
Fairy Mountain National Forest Park
Grasslands of Fairy Mountain National Forest Park, Photo credit: iChongqing
Touted as the “Switzerland of China”, Fairy Mountain National Forest Park offers beautiful sights of grass pastures and horses grazing on them — if you’re lucky! It’s a dreamy change of scenery from the dramatic rocky landscapes of the other attractions in Wulong Karst.
Our driver mentioned that it’s not as popular too, so consider going here if you’re looking for less crowds!
To get around, they have cute train-like shuttle buses (25RMB/pax) that ferry you between the attractions within Fairy Mountain!
Person snowboarding during winter at Fairy Mountain, Photo credit: iChongqing
During winter, many people hit the slopes for snowboarding and skiing. The Fairy Mountain Ski Field is typically open from late December to late February.
Entrance fee: 50RMB/pax (~S$9)
Opening hours during summer: 8:00AM – 7:00PM (Mon – Fri), 7:30AM – 7:30PM (Sat – Sun)
Opening hours during winter: 8:30AM – 5:00PM (Mon – Fri), 8:00AM – 5:30PM (Sat – Sun)
Address: Xiannvshan Tourist Center Ticket Office, Qixing Ring Road and Cuiyun Road Intersection, Wulong County, Chongqing
How to get there: 2.5hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Amap)
Furong Cave
A stalactite feature in Furong Cave resembling waterfalls! Photo credit: iChongqing
Discover the underground world at Furong Cave, where long-term water erosion and mineral buildup have created breathtaking limestone formations.
This cave is also known for its amazing variety of sedimentary characteristics — from a whopping 30 different caves and more. The highlighted formations of the cave is even lit up to offer a more colourful experience!
Entrance fee: 80RMB/pax (~S$14.50)
Opening hours: 9AM – 3:30PM (Nov – Mar), 8:30AM – 4PM (Apr – Oct)
Address: Furong Cave Scenic Spot, Wulong County, Chongqing
How to get there: 2hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (AMap)
2) Wuling Mountain Great Rift Valley
If you’re looking for vast mountain views, check out the Wuling Mountain Great Rift Valley.
There are two main routes you can take — the longer route with more walking, and the shorter route that starts with a cable car ride.
Kai Xin on the Sky Gate Suspension Bridge!
If you take the longer route, you will get to walk across the Sky Gate Suspension Bridge (天门洞桥索) — a 180m-long cable bridge surrounded by mountains, and 200m above ground!
Ping’an Pavilion Cableway
Continue on the journey and hop on the Ping’an Pavilion Cableway, which brings you up into a fissure gorge.
It gets pretty dark from here on, which gives it a slightly mysterious but calming atmosphere, and offers an interesting contrast from the rolling mountains!
Entrance fee: 75RMB/pax (~S$14)
Opening hours: 9AM – 3:30PM (Nov – Mar), 8:30AM – 4PM (Apr – Oct)
Address: Baotang Road, Dazu District, Chongqing 402386, China
How to get there: 2hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (AMap)
3) Jingangbei Ancient Village at Beibei District
For a nature escape nearer to the city, go to Jingangbei Ancient Village (金刚碑老村), an ancient town known for its serene green landscapes, peaceful ancient streets, and hot springs.
In the olden times, its location along the Jialing River made it a strategic hub for coal transportation. Now, it’s known as a hot spring town, filled with old preserved buildings housing modern souvenir shops and teahouses.
One of the preserved buildings turned cafe — a popular photo spot!
It was slow-paced and pretty quiet when we went there at 10AM, offering a contrast from the bustling city. Not all teahouses and eateries were open yet, but fret not, because this town is full of beautiful photo spots.
Some empty buildings were even converted into “sets” for you to take photos at! Chongqing people really take their 打卡 (dá kǎ: Slang for taking photos) game seriously…
A teahouse with a beautiful feature piece in the middle — this town seems to be filled with mist all around.
Make your way slowly through the stone pathways, and find the street filled with hot springs, including Jiangyu Wentang (江与温塘)!
A hot spring area located in Jiangyu Wentang (江与温塘)
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM (shops vary)
Address: No. 502, Beiquan Road, Beibei District, Chongqing
How to get there: 1hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Agmap)
4) Dazu Rock Carvings
Sakyamuni Entering Nirvana at Baodingshan. Photo credit: iChongqing
If you’re looking to marvel at cultural relics, consider Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring (you guessed it!) rock carvings from the 9th to 13th centuries. They were carved into the cliffs of five mountains in the Dazu District — Baodingshan, Beishan, Shizhuanshan, Nanshan, and Shimenshan
They stand out for their intricate craftsmanship and vivid depictions of daily life, and spirituality in ancient China, bringing together themes from Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
Baodingshan
Thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy at Baodingshan, Photo credit: Klook
Visit Baodingshan if you need to choose only one out of the five. It’s the largest of all sites, filled with Buddhist carvings and is possibly home to the biggest Chinese versions of pieces, like the Thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy.
The Museum of Dazu Carvings showcases some cultural relics, the development of grotto art, research and restoration of the site, and more. Admission is free if you buy an entrance ticket to Dazu Rock Carvings.
Entrance fee: 110RMB/pax (Mar – Nov), 115RMB/pax (Dec – Feb)
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 6PM
Address: Baotang Road, Dazu District, Chongqing 402386, China
How to get there: 2hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Amap)
Beishan
Carvings at Beishan, Photo credit: iChongqing
Beishan (北山), or North Mountain, is known to be the next most popular destination in the Dazu Rock Carvings, also housing mostly Buddhist carvings.
Unlike Baodingshan where carvings stretch across the cliff, the carvings in Beishan are situated in many nooks — reminding us of a honeycomb! Don’t miss out on the statue of the Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, crowned as the Oriental Venus.
Fun fact: At night, the carvings of Beishan are lit up by colourful lights.
Entrance fee: 70RMB/pax (Mar – Nov), 110RMB/pax (Dec – Feb)
Opening hours: 8:30AM – 6PM
Address: Baotang Road, Dazu District, Chongqing 402386, China
How to get there: 2hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Amap)
5) Black Mountain Valley
The Black Mountain Valley is a popular summer destination 2 hours away from the city. Its 13km trail brings you across beautiful clear streams, winding wooden paths, deep valleys, and huge waterfalls.
With forested areas covering about 97% of the national park, this walk has an ethereal, calm vibe to it.
On the trail, look out for a section in the Carp River Gorge, where the narrowest part of the river is less than 2m — narrow enough for you to reach your hand to the other mountain! So if you stretch both your hands out to touch both sides of the river, you’re basically touching two mountains at one time. How cool is that?!
There are two start points for this trail — North Gate and South Gate. Choose the South Gate as your starting point if you want to go downhill!
Entrance fee: 60RMB/pax (Dec – Apr), 85RMB/pax (May – Oct)
Opening hours: 9AM – 5:30PM
Address: Qijiang District, Chongqing, China
How to get there: 2hr drive from Jiefangbei District, Chongqing (Amap)
Transportation for Chongqing Day Trips
Private Charter
If you’re looking for a fully customisable option, private car charters are the way to go!
The driver is usually armed with a wide knowledge of how long tourists typically take for each attraction, so they can advise you based on your preferences.
For example, on our day trip to Wulong Karst, we hired a 12-hour private charter from Klook (~S$69/pax as a group of three), which picked us up from our hotel at Jiefangbei District.
Initially, we wanted to visit three attractions with our driver ferrying us from one trailhead to another.
However, we learnt that we were unable to drive within the national parks — and instead would have to take their shuttle buses. This meant that more time would be needed to travel from one attraction to another.
Hence, we shortened our itinerary to two attractions instead. That turned out to be more enjoyable!
Small Group Tour Charter
For our day trip to the Wuling Mountains, we booked a small group tour charter (up to 8 pax) on Klook. Note that this is different from a private car charter — the itinerary is set for you to follow!
The experience of being ferried around the area was stress-free. Though we expected our “driver guide” to follow us into the attractions and give explanations, we realised that he was only there to drive us between places, as opposed to guiding us within the attractions themselves.
So research carefully before booking your tour charter to manage your expectations better!
Public Transport
Consider public transport to save costs, or if you are looking for a faster way out of the city — that is if high-speed trains go to your destination.
For example, to get to Dazu Rock Carvings, you can take the High Speed Rail from Shapingba Railway Station to Dazu South Railway Station (from 38RMB), which takes just 20 to 40 minutes! From the train station to the respective tourist centres, you will then have to transfer to either a longer bus journey of up to three hours, or ride a taxi from the train station for about an hour.
Tips for a more enjoyable time in Chongqing
Now that you’ve got a sense of what to do on a day trip out of Chongqing, here are a few tips we’d recommend:
An example of how wet the ground can get at Wulong Karst, even though it was a sunny day!
1) Wear covered shoes with good grip. Some attractions like the Wulong Karst have damp flooring on the rocky pathways.
2) Bring along your passports. They’ll be used to scan in your entry when entering the national parks.
3) Download Amap to get around. It’s more accurate than Google Maps, and you can switch its language to English.
Read also: 10 Essential Apps You Must Have for Travelling in China
Our writer, Trini getting on the shuttle bus from Three Natural Bridges to Longshuixia Fissure Gorge!
4) Allocate buffer time in between attractions. For most national parks, private cars are only allowed until the Tourist Center. From there onwards, you will need to take the internal shuttle buses. If you’re planning to go during the peak period, expect longer queues. We went there during the off-season, and we did not have any waiting time.
5) Setup mobile payment before you go. There were some vending machines in the national parks which only accepted mobile payment. Being able to grab a cold refreshing drink definitely lifted up our spirits on a hot day on the trail!
Read also:
– 7-Day Chongqing Itinerary for First-timers — Futuristic Cityscapes, Mountain Treks and Hotpot Foot Massages
– Shanghai Travel Guide (2025) — Pro-tips, Apps to Download, Getting Around, and More
– 7 Places in China that Weren’t On Your Radar But Should Be
Which day trip from Chongqing is on your mind after looking through this list? Let us know!
