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Xishen Grotto

Xishen Grotto

Written by Ruru ZhouUpdated Aug. 24, 2023
Xishen GrottoXishen Grotto in Huanglong Valley

Near the entrance of the travertine pond area of the Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, there is a low waterfall where the water splashes about 11 meters down a 68 meter wide travertine rock formation. In the travertine rock formation of the fall, there is a small cave that you can see in the picture to the right. This small cave is called Xishen Grotto 洗身洞 or Body Washing Cave because once people used to bathe in there. This waterfall and cave is near the entrance to the park and you can see it during a hike or tour.

Xishen Cave Highlights

You can see the cave and the waterfall when you are on the left hand path as you walk up the valley. It lies between Yingbin Ponds 迎賓池 and Jin Sha Pu Di 金沙鋪地. It is about 1.5 meters wide and a meter high. During rainy season, much more water falls than during dry season. Enjoy your walk to the waterfall. It lies at the 3,280 meter level or 10,700 feet.

Travel Essentials

Best Season: In fall, the trees and bushes on the slopes and around the waterfall are the most colorful with yellow and red leaves. There is clearer light than in the summer. The white reflections from ice and snow contrast exquisitely with the colorful water and trees. The colors are the most vivid in the fall with a snow dusting. However, the pools and the river are the most full and the roar of the dropping water is the grandest at the height of the rainy season in the summer.

Best Time: It is best to visit this cave and waterfall in quiet solitude in the morning to better appreciate the voice of the waterfall. So we suggest that you enter the park when it opens, take the left side path, and walk the kilometer to the waterfall. The park gets more crowded with tour groups around noon. The surround sound sensorama is best appreciated when it is quiet.

Open: 8am to 5pm.

Ticket Price: It depends on the season. In the high season, April 1 to November 15, it is 200 RMB per person. In low season, November 16 to March 31, it is about 80 RMB per person.

Touring Huanglong

Travel Season Information

High season: High season extends from April to the middle of November, and particularly large crowds of tourists arrive around the major public holiday dates of May 1, October 1, and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Students and university employees arrive when school and university vacation breaks start in early July. School are in term in September, so there are less tourists in early and mid September before the October National Day holidays. It is best to try to schedule around these public holidays unless you want to see the Chinese festivities.

Plan and make trip arrangements: We arrange trips according to our clients' interests and travel constraints. We plan private and group tours and provide private vehicles, drivers, and guides. Tell us what you want, and we'll try to arrange Chengdu hotel rooms, Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou flight tickets, and Chengdu train tickets that you'll appreciate.

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