Chongqing is a city of rivers, gorges and forested ridges, and almost all of its scenery is vertical. Xiannv Mountain, north of Wulong in the south-east of the municipality, is the exception: an upland plateau of open grassland and conifer plantation sitting at around 1,900 metres, with its highest point a little over 2,000. In summer the grass is green and the air is ten degrees cooler than the Yangtze valley below, which is why half of Chongqing seems to go there in July, and in winter the same meadows are covered in snow and frost.
The landscape
The open ground is mown or grazed grassland on limestone, unusual in a region better known for sinkholes and caves, and it is broken by stands of fir, larch and broadleaf trees. Roads and paths cross it in several directions, and the walking is easy and level in a way that is rare in this part of China. Horses and ponies graze in the fields and can be hired for riding; small carts and a shuttle run between the main viewpoints; and there is a modest ski field on the upper slopes for the winter months. The meadow is at its best in early morning, when mist lies in the hollows.
The wider Wulong karst
Xiannv Mountain is the high ground above one of China's most important karst landscapes. The Wulong karst, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as part of the South China Karst, includes the Three Natural Bridges - three huge limestone arches over a gorge, with a road and a river passing beneath them - the Furong cave system, and the Houping sinkholes. All of them lie within an hour or so of the mountain, and most visitors see the bridges and the cave in the same trip, which makes Wulong a two or three day destination rather than an excursion.
Practical notes
Wulong is reached from Chongqing by high-speed rail in about two hours to Wulong station, with buses and taxis on from there, or by road in around three hours. The park charges admission plus a fee for the internal shuttle, and the Three Natural Bridges and Furong cave are ticketed separately. Summer weekends are very busy, accommodation in the villages below books out, and the weather on the plateau can change quickly, so bring a jacket even in August.
