# Yuntai Mountain travel guide (云台山) Henan Province · Central China, China · 11 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/henan/yuntai-mountain ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Yuntai Mountain → Tanpu Gorge → Hongshi Gorge → Wanshan Temple - **Day 2:** Yuntai Mountain → Zhuyu Peak → Diecai Cave - **Day 3:** Qingtian River → Jiaozuo Film and Television City ## The feel of the place - **Awe-inspiring:** Mention great mountains, great rivers and great gorges, and what comes to mind are the Five Great Mountains, Huangshan, Emei, the Yangtze, the Three Gorges, the Yarlung Tsangpo... and Jiaozuo doesn't figure in any of them. But with the boom in Taihang tourism in recent years, subway stations in several of China's first-tier cities now display photos of Yuntai Mountain, and the name has begun to carry real pull. In truth, Yuntai Mountain has long been 'a jewel hidden in the deep inner chambers, unknown to most'. When visitors first see the winding Taihang mountain range, after a brief blank in their minds, their first reaction is 'awe-inspiring', the second is 'even more impressive than I imagined', and the third is 'more of a Huangshan than Huangshan itself'. ## The feel of the place ### Enjoyable in the Rainy Season The rainy season at Yuntai Mountain falls in July and August. Waterproof clothing, non-slip shoes and rain gear are recommended. ### Flying to Yuntai Mountain If you fly, you must first arrive at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. The airport runs a shuttle bus to Jiaozuo for ¥60. ### By Train Frequent intercity trains run from Zhengzhou to Jiaozuo, taking about 40 minutes, so the journey is very convenient. ### Convenient Coach Services 1. From Zhengzhou: a direct bus to Yuntai Mountain departs daily from Zhengzhou North Railway Station at 8:30. Zhengzhou Long-Distance Bus Central Station runs a direct bus to Yuntai Mountain every morning at 7:20, with the return departure at 16:30. 2. From Jiaozuo: take Bus Route 3, the tourist line, from Jiaozuo Railway Station. Buses depart every 40 minutes between 6:20 and 16:45. The journey takes about 1.5 hours and the fare is ¥4. 3. From Xinxiang: buses to Yuntai Mountain depart from Xinxiang Long-Distance Bus Station daily at 7:30 and 13:20. Return departures are at 10:00 and 16:00. 4. From Luoyang: one direct bus to Yuntai Mountain departs daily from Luoyang Jinyuan Bus Station at 9:20. The fare is ¥57 and the journey takes about 3 hours. ### Preparation and Information ### Language Here you will hear the Henan dialect that sounds most like Shanxi dialect, but communicating poses no problem. ### Climate and Best Time to Visit Spring can be surprisingly cold in the mountains, while in winter the water flow at Yuntai Mountain is very low and the scenery loses much of its appeal. Summer and autumn are therefore the best seasons to visit. From May to October each year, the Yuntai Tianpu waterfall carries abundant water, and its drop of 314 metres is truly spectacular. If you are a fan of Wang Wei, consider climbing Zhuyu Peak on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month to experience the homesickness the poet felt on the Double Ninth Festival. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Away Zhengzhou and Jiaozuo are the main transit hubs for Yuntai Mountain. Jiaozuo in particular is the必经 gateway, as every route passes through it. ### Rail Jiaozuo has three major passenger rail lines: the Jiaoliu line (Jiaozuo–Liuzhou), the Jiaotai line (Jiaozuo–Taiyuan) and the Jiaoxin line (Jiaozuo–Xinxiang). Direct trains run to Jiaozuo from major cities including Beijing, Jinan, Taiyuan, Shijiazhuang, Changsha, Chongqing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Shenzhen. Visitors from other regions should travel via Zhengzhou and then take an intercity train to Jiaozuo. ### Road Jiaozuo has extensive long-distance coach services, with expressways running directly to Jiaozuo from Jincheng in Shanxi, Zhengzhou, Xinxiang, Kaifeng and Anyang. After reaching Jiaozuo, visitors can transfer to a tourist bus from Jiaozuo city or Xiuwu County to reach Yuntai Mountain. ## Eat & drink The food at Yuntai Mountain is mainly Henan cuisine, with some farmhouse-style dishes. The most famous local specialties are Huaiqingfu donkey meat, Wuliyuan preserved eggs, Henan huimian noodle soup and Wushe oil tea. ### Local Snacks - **Huaiqingfu Naotang Donkey Meat** — Its fame comes from carefully selected ingredients, meticulous preparation, precise control of the simmering time and a distinctive 'naotang' broth-stirring method. The cooked donkey meat is tender and fresh, with a subtle hint of Chinese herbal medicine that gives it a flavour found nowhere else. - **Stir-Fried Eggs with Wild Chives** — Made with ingredients sourced in their natural state, it has a simple, natural fragrance. Visitors who have been to Yuntai Mountain highly recommend it. ## Where to stay Because the scenic area ticket is valid for two days, visitors can enter the gates twice. You can choose to stay in Jiaozuo city or within Xiuwu County, and there are also accommodation options at the service areas inside the scenic area. For a taste of local life, you may also choose to stay at a farmhouse guesthouse. - **Yuntai Mountain Lijing Boutique Hotel** — The hotel is well located right at the Anshang Service Area, very convenient for reaching the scenic area, with an elegant environment and clean, tidy rooms. (No. 4, East 11th Street, Anshang Service Area, Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area, 0391-7709668) ## Things to see - **Yuntai Mountain** (★★★★): Admission ¥120; sightseeing shuttle ¥60; Time needed 1–3 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yuntai-mountain-henan - **Zhuyu Peak** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhuyu-peak - **Tanpu Gorge** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/tanpu-gorge - **Zifang Lake** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zifang-lake - **Macaque Valley** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/macaque-valley - **Wanshan Temple** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wanshan-temple - **Hongshi Gorge** (★★★): — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/hongshi-gorge ## Day trips & beyond - **Qingtian River** (★★★★): Admission ¥70; boat ticket ¥90 (full route); cable car ¥80 (full route); Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qingtian-river - **Shennong Mountain Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥65; cable car ¥70 (full route); Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shennong-mountain-scenic-area - **Chenjiagou Village** (★★★): Admission ¥30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chenjiagou-village - **Jiaozuo Film and Television City** (★★★): Admission ¥35; boat ticket ¥30; eco-sightseeing shuttle ¥5 one way; cable car up ¥30, down ¥30, round trip ¥60; Opening hours 8：30—18：00; Time needed 4–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiaozuo-film-and-television-city --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2106–2118. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.