Yellow Dragon Cave

Yellow Dragon Cave, also known as Huanglongdong or Huanglong Cave, is ranked among the top karst caves in China in terms of scale and variety of landscapes. Numerous stalagmites, stalactites, stone columns, stone flowers, etc., stand in a proven 100,000 square meters underground, making it enjoy the reputation of the “All-around Champion Karst Cave in the World”.

The main body of Yellow Dragon Cave is hidden inside Wuling Mountain. It’s not much physically demanding to pay a thorough visit, as the paths inside are mostly flat, with about 800 stairs up and down. Walking and taking a boat are the main ways for sightseeing.

According to the legend, Yellow Dragon Cave got its name because a yellow dragon king, the God of rain, lies in the cave to protect the mountain from drought, and these stone structures in this hall resemble the furnishings in its palace. 

Diverse Formations inside the Cave

 As a landmark of karst landforms, nearly ten thousand stalagmites are densely packed in the cave. Taking the largest Dragon Palace Hall as an example, there are 1,705 stalagmites standing with different heights, thicknesses, and shapes. Dozens of stalactites, stone pillars, stone flowers, and stone corals dazzle every tourist. In addition, there are also two underground rivers, 3 deep pools, 1 underground reservoir, 4 waterfalls, and a group of solid waterfalls formed by long-term sedimentation of calcium carbonate, all of which are worth visiting. 
 The entire cave is divided into four levels, with a vertical drop of over 100 meters (109.4 yards), like a 30-story building underground, and the total area is equivalent to 14 standard football fields. Of the 7,640-meter-long (8,355-yard) cave, 3,200 meters (3,500 yards) are open to the public, including more than 800 meters (875 yards) of water route, totally requiring at least 2 hours to visit. 
 The temperature inside the cave amazingly remains at 16 – 18℃ (60.8 – 64.4℉) throughout the year, making it a great place to avoid high temperatures in summer, especially for tourists with seniors or children who are afraid of prolonged exposure to the scorching sun. In the same way, in winter, it’s warmer inside the cave than outdoors.

Besides, it’s one of the few scenic spots in Zhangjiajie that are least affected by weather conditions. This city often sees a lot of rainfall, particularly in May to July, when the thick fog that pervades the mountaintop of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain hinders people’s sightseeing; in this case, Yellow Dragon Cave serves as the best alternative.

First Choice in Rainy Weather

 It is the essence of the whole tour. The hall is over 200,000 years old, and has an average height of 40 meters (130 feet). Stalagmites and stone pillars fill the entire hall, which is much more breathtaking. Among over 1,700 stalagmites, 516 are over 1 meter (3.3 feet) high. They are densely arranged: you can see one every 0.12 square meters (1.3 square feet). 

Numerous Stalagmites

The hall boasts two wonders, with Magic Cudgel, or “Ding Hai Shen Zhen” in Chinese, as the landmark. It is a single stalagmite with a height of 19.2 meters (63 feet), approximately a six-floor building. Magic Cudgel is thick at two ends, about 40 cm (15.7 in) in diameter, but particularly thin in the middle, only 10 cm (3.9 in). As a rare karst formation, it’s insured for about CNY 100,000,000! It is estimated that it takes at least 200,000 years for Magic Cudgel to grow to such a height, and the rock layer above the top is still dripping water, making it grow 1 cm (0.4 in) every 100 years. In another 60,000 years, this stalagmite will reach the top. 

Another one is “Dragon King’s Throne” – the thickest stalagmite in the Cave, whose hole inside can accommodate 15 adults at a time.

Magic Cudgel Stalagmite

Dragon King Throne

 The river is 2,820 meters (3,084 yards) long, and 12 meters (13 yards) deep at most. Here, you can have an 8-minute-long dreamlike river cruise along the 800-meter-long (875 yards) section open to visitors. On both sides of the river, various stalactites of different lengths hang from the rock walls, some like a golden helmet of the Dragon King and some in the shape of a conch. Different from the busy walkways in the cave, the riverway is so quiet that you can immerse yourself deeply in the sail. The river water maintains 16℃ (60.8℉) all year round; in summer, the cool breeze brushes against people’s faces when the boat goes forward. What a relaxing and cozy experience.

Underground Echo River

In addition to the above-mentioned, there are many other sights worth seeing in the Yellow Dragon Cave, like Tianxian Waterfall, formed by three large springs falling from a 30-meter-high (100 feet) honeycomb-shaped grotto, and the Loess Plateau, a large area of stone waterfall clusters.

Stone Waterfall

  Time needed: 2 – 3 hours

1. Get a ticket at the ticket window after entering the scenic area through a snack street if you don’t make a prior reservation. 

Entrance to the Scenic Area

Check Your Ticket

2. Follow the direction boards to find the check-in gate and queue up to check your passport. The entrance of the cave is a 5-minute walk away from the ticket center. There is no restroom inside the cave, so it’s advised to use one before checking in. 
3. Enter the cave and visit successively Two Doors Welcoming Guests, Dragon Dance Palace, Silver and Golden Ancient Weapons, etc., with a duration of around 20 minutes.
4. Get on the boat at the dock, and disembark after 8 minutes of relaxing sightseeing.

Winding Stairs

5. Continue the visit to Dragon Hidden Gorge - Joss Sticks Platform - Sky Column Street - Stone Musical Instrument - Dragon Palace Hall – The Dragon King’s Throne – Magic Cudgel - Echo Wall – Scaling Ladder with Hundreds of Steps – Labyrinth Passage (Additional fee: CNY 15 - 20) – Crystal River. This section has many ups and downs, taking 1.5 hours in total. Stone benches can be found along the way for a rest.
6. Get out of the cave and walk about 10 minutes to exit the scenic area.

Dreamlike Crystal River

 Tips
1. Prepare proper clothes considering the constant temperature inside the cave of 16 – 18℃ (60.8 – 64.4℉). For example, in summer, pack an additional long-sleeve shirt.
2. Be careful not to miss the dock, as the sightseeing route is one-way.
3. Wear non-slip shoes due to slippery paths with dripping water and dim light. At the same time, always walk slowly for the sake of security.
4. Be prepared for weak phone signals inside the cave.

Slippery Ground

Self-service Luggage Lockers

5. Self-service luggage lockers are set outside the ticket center, near which you can also find the helicopter sightseeing ticket office. Helicopter service is subject to weather conditions, usually available on sunny days.

 Trap
Free photographing service is offered inside the cave during your sightseeing, but the photos are tiny, the images are unclear, and you need to pay extra for high-resolution ones. So, think twice.

Free Photography

Helicopter Service Center

  
Yellow Dragon Cave is located in the Wulingyuan District of Zhangjiajie City, about 40 km (24.9 mi) away from the city center, and 9.3 km (5.8 mi) from the east gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. 
 Take a direct tourist bus at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station or Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station to reach Yellow Dragon Cave scenic area, with a duration of about 40 and 50 minutes, and a cost of CNY 16 and 18, respectively.
 Taxi is the best option as it’s not far apart, at around CNY 20 – 25. Although city bus, Wulingyuan Line 1, is available at the east gate of Zhangjiajie Forest Park and Wulingyuan Bus Station, it operates with a long interval of 30 minutes to 1 hour, the ticket fare of which is CNY 2 per person.
 The ticket includes entrance fee and sightseeing boat fare.

Adults can book tickets through the official WeChat mini app, but it only has a Chinese version. Children’s discounted tickets are only available on-site. 

Ticket Type	Price (CNY)
Adults aged above 18	118
Children aged under 18	73

Ticket Center

Ticket Windows

 

Period	Opening Hours	Last Entry
March 1 – October 31	08:00 – 17:30	17:30
November 1 – February 28	08:00 – 17:00	17:00