Day trip from Western Guizhou

Zhijin Cave

织金洞Photography · Nature

China National Geography magazine once described Zhijin Cave this way: “If you only visit one cave in your lifetime, it should be Zhijin Cave.” Known as “the nation’s No.…

Zhijin Cave — illustration

Zhijin Cave, Western Guizhou · AI illustration for China Trip

Key facts

Admission
¥140 (includes sightseeing shuttle + scenic area insurance); Combo ticket ¥200 (includes Grand Canyon + sightseeing shuttle + elevator ticket + scenic area insurance)
Time needed
3 hours
Getting there
From Guiyang Bus Station, take a bus to Zhijin. The journey is fully on expressway, costs ¥45 (for reference only), and takes about 1.5 hours to reach Zhijin Bus Station. At the bus stop outside the station, wait for Bus Route 10, the dedicated line from Zhijin to Zhijin Cave. The fare is ¥4 per person.
Guidebook rating
5 / 5

From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 485. Open in Google Maps

About Zhijin Cave

China National Geography magazine once described Zhijin Cave this way: “If you only visit one cave in your lifetime, it should be Zhijin Cave.” Known as “the nation’s No. 1 underground art treasury” and “the world’s unrivaled karst museum,” Zhijin Cave is celebrated for its size, its wonders, and its completeness. Its interior contains more than 40 types of karst formations, and treasures such as the Silver Rain Tree, Overlord Helmet, Hundred-Foot Curtain, and Curled Stone are the cave’s crown jewels.

It encompasses every type of cave found around the world, and is currently the most original and complete giant cave discovered anywhere on Earth.

Tips from the guidebook

  • 1. Road conditions are not ideal, so allow extra time for your journey.
  • 2. You will usually encounter tour groups inside the cave. You can join one, as wandering alone through such a vast cave can be unsettling.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Zhijin Cave cost?

Admission to Zhijin Cave is ¥140 (includes sightseeing shuttle + scenic area insurance); Combo ticket ¥200 (includes Grand Canyon + sightseeing shuttle + elevator ticket + scenic area insurance), as listed in the 2025 guidebook. Prices can change; check the official channel before you go.

How do I get to Zhijin Cave?

From Guiyang Bus Station, take a bus to Zhijin. The journey is fully on expressway, costs ¥45 (for reference only), and takes about 1.5 hours to reach Zhijin Bus Station. At the bus stop outside the station, wait for Bus Route 10, the dedicated line from Zhijin to Zhijin Cave. The fare is ¥4 per person.

How long should I spend at Zhijin Cave?

Plan on 3 hours for Zhijin Cave.

Where is Zhijin Cave?

Zhijin Cave is in Western Guizhou, Guizhou Province, in the Southwest of China.

More places in Western Guizhou

Dragon Palace Scenic Area — illustration

Dragon Palace Scenic Area

The Longgong area has the highest concentration of water and dry karst caves in the world. The central scenic area is dotted with more than 90 water and dry caves of all sizes, a feat recognized by Guinness World Records. Many more beautiful caves have yet to be developed. Thanks to its long cave passages, the tallest waterfall inside a cave, and extremely low natural radiation, the Dragon Palace is known as the “Three Bests of Chinese Caves.” Xuantang on the southern edge of the scenic area is celebrated as the “Three Wonders of Chinese Water,” renowned for its whirling waters, numerous short rivers, and the vast Buddhist hall inside the cave.

¥119 (ticket + sightseeing shuttle + boat ticket + upward escalator + insurance) · 3–4 hours

Huangguoshu Waterfall — illustration

Huangguoshu Waterfall

Xu Xiake, the famous traveler and geographer, could not help but exclaim: “‘A pearl curtain that never rolls up, a silk ribbon hanging from distant peaks’ are not enough to describe its grandeur. There are waterfalls several times taller, but never one this broad and vast.” With its majestic, thundering momentum, Huangguoshu Falls was selected by the China National Geography magazine as one of China's six most beautiful waterfalls. However, due to a shortage of water, the spectacular sight of river water crashing down with tremendous force has become increasingly rare. Huangguoshu Falls stands 74 meters high and 81 meters wide, making it the largest waterfall in China and one of the most spectacular in the world. Hidden behind the falls, halfway up the cliff, is Water Curtain Cave, a marvel of nature. Inside the cave, the waterfall is close enough to touch, and its thrilling power is easy to imagine. Rhinoceros Pool is where the great waterfall lands; it is rarely calm, and sunlight through the spray creates rings of rainbows that dazzle the eye.

¥160 (peak season), ¥150 (off-season); includes the Great Waterfall, Tianxing Bridge and Doupo Pond; excludes sightseeing shuttle fare · 0.5–1 day

Pingba Ten-Thousand-Mu Cherry Blossom Garden

Located on the shores of Hongfeng Lake, the “Pearl of the Plateau,” the garden covers more than 24,000 mu (about 1,600 hectares) and contains over 700,000 prized cherry trees. Straddling the cities of Guiyang and Anshun, it is often called “one of the most beautiful cherry blossom gardens on the Blue Planet.”

Free · 2–4 hours

Gaodang Buyi Village

The village retains its authentic stone-and-timber stilt houses, stone-slab dwellings, and village gates. Its population is mainly from the Yang and Wu clans. Because the village has long upheld the value of scholarship, it has produced many learned people over the centuries.

Free · 0.5–1 day

Baili Azalea Scenic Area

Baili Azalea Scenic Area is the largest primeval azalea forest in China to date, and is known as the “Ribbon of the Earth” and “Garden of the World.” Within the scenic area, azaleas of many colors compete for attention, including Rhododendron delavayi, Rhododendron pachytrichum, and Rhododendron irroratum.

¥130

Maling River Canyon Scenic Area

Multiple waterfalls rush through the canyon, bamboo hangs downward, and caves connect one to another, while ancient trees and famous old specimens dot the banks on both sides. Steep cliffs face each other across a deep, secluded river valley. Known for its grandeur, strangeness, danger, and beauty, it has earned the title “the most beautiful scar on Earth.”

¥70 · 2–3 hours