Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou is known for its breathtaking scenery and diverse biological resources. It is included on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List, and the popular game called Black Myth: Wukong also took inspiration from it.
If you're a nature and mountain lover or are interested in Buddhist culture, Fanjingshan is perfect for admiring stunning scenery, exploring Chinese Buddhist history, and seeing precious plants and animals. This guide would help you plan a well-rounded trip to Fanjingshan.
- Name: Fanjing (梵净, Pure Buddhist Land) Mountain
- Location: northeast of Guizhou Province, in Tongren Prefecture.
- Altitude: 2,572 meters (8,438 feet)
- Must-sees: the New and Old Golden Summits, the Mushroom Stone
- Suitable for: nature lovers, mountaineers
Content Preview
- Top Attractions to Visit
- How to Visit (Recommended Tour Routes)
- How Long to Spend on Fanjing Mountain
- Best Time to Visit Fanjing Mountain
- How to Get to Fanjing Mountain
Top 3 Attractions to Visit on Fanjing Mountain
1. Red Cloud Golden Summit

Regarding Fanjing Mountain, the most popular pictures you see on the Internet are those of Red Cloud Golden Summit, which is also the most beautiful attraction on Fanjing Mountain.
With a bridge spanning both sides of the mountain and steps going up around the mountain, it is much like wandering into a castle in the sky.
It is the perfect spot for you to admire a splendid sea of clouds, a sunrise, and even Buddha's light, and capture wonderful photos with the background of a clear sky and clouds.
However, reaching the summit requires some hiking and even climbing some steep steps, taking about an hour back and forth.
2. Mushroom Rock

It is the most iconic rock on Fanjing Mountain and also another popular photogenic spot.
If you enjoy admiring objects and taking photos but don't want to walk too much, Mushroom Rock is an ideal spot, where you could also have a distant view of Red Cloud Golden Summit and an upward-looking view of Old Golden Summit.
It takes less walking and at least 15 minutes to reach, being more friendly for kids and the elderly.
3. Old Golden Summit

Old Golden Summit is the second-highest peak of Fanjing Mountain and also the highest point accessible to visitors. You could enjoy the best vantage point for admiring Red Cloud Golden Summit from a distance.
However, the climb to it also takes about an hour round trip, but it is less steep and easier to ascend compared to Red Cloud Golden Summit.
How to Visit Fanjing Mountain
There are two touring routes for visiting Fanjingshan — the east route (Jiangkou Gate, 江口门) with a cable car or the west route (Yinjiang Gate, 印江门), which is ideal for a hiking tour.
You could choose the route that suits you best based on the following information.
East Route (with a Cableway, a Popular Choice)
The east route with a cable car is more popular and suitable for all ages, being especially friendly for kids and the elderly. If you want to save energy, the east route is the best choice to avoid more than 6,600 steps. However, visiting all of the main attractions still requires some hiking.
It is also accessible for hiking but we don't recommend hiking by this route as it is steeper and more strenuous, taking about 2½ to 4 hours to reach the upper cable car station. In addition, the scenery is not as amazing.
Here are two recommended routes combined with a cable car ride:
1. Suitable for active people, touring all the attractions
Tourist center→cable car ride up→walk through the forest walkway to Mushroom Rock→Old Golden Summit→return to Mushroom Rock→Pudu Square→Red Cloud Golden Summit→return to Pudu Square→cable car ride back down
It is a comprehensive touring route allowing you to visit all the highlights at Fanjingshan, taking about 4–5 hours.
To save time and energy, you could cut across the Pudu Square from the upper cable car station to Mushroom Rock. Compared to the 40-minute forest walkway, it helps save half of the time and walking. Typically, it is the downward route to return, but it is okay to ignore the indicator and just go ahead.
However, if you want to admire the alpine azalea blossoms in April and May, or you're more active in walking, the forest walkway is the better choice.
2. Suitable for families with seniors and kids, requiring less walking and time
Tourist center→cable car ride up→Pudu Square→Mushroom Rock→return to the cable car station and go back down the mountain
If you prefer a physically friendly tour or have limited time to visit, this route is ideal and especially suitable for families with kids and the elderly. It takes about 2 hours and only tours around Mushroom Rock without reaching the two summits but allows you to admire the highlights of Fanjingshan.
You could also extend the route to reach the observation platform halfway up and even Old Golden Summit, depending on your physical strength.
Tips for Visiting Red Cloud Golden Summit and Taking a Cable Car Ride
We recommend entering the scenic area before 8am, especially during the peak season and holidays. Getting up early and finishing your visit early could help you skip the crowds and queues at the cable car.
You're also advised to get in line for the downhill cable car before 3pm, as the time after 3pm is the rush hour to go down the mountain and you may queue for 1–2 hours.
Red Cloud Golden Summit requires a reservation for visiting. You could start booking the reservation while taking a cable car ride so that you could just visit it without waiting after visiting other attractions. Typically, 100 people are allowed to enter every 20 minutes. If you miss your slot, the reservation still works within 30 minutes.
If you reach Red Cloud Golden Summit early (a reservation is unnecessary before 8am), you could visit it first and then go to other attractions to stagger the crowds, since it is typically the final destination of most visitors.
West Route (Without a Cableway, Best for Hiking)
For hiking enthusiasts, the west route is perfect for taking an enjoyable hiking trip with relatively flat roads. You could also enjoy better scenery and get closer to nature, such as encountering wild monkeys (even the precious golden monkeys).
Recommended hiking route: West Gate Tourist Center→Buddha Worship Platform→Old Golden Summit→Pudu Square→Red Cloud Golden Summit→return to Pudu Square→Buddha Worship Platform→West Gate Tourist Center
The opening time for the west route is from 7am to 1pm. After 1pm, you could only go down the mountain instead of ascending it.
If your time and physical condition permit, you could also consider going up via the west route and down via the east route.
That way, you could cover all the major scenic spots without retracing your steps. However, you need to hike down the mountain before 3pm according to the restrictions of the east route.
How Long to Spend on Fanjing Mountain
Typically, a whole day is enough for visiting Fanjingshan by cable car or hiking.
However, we recommend spending the night near Fanjing Mountain before visiting it so that you would enjoy a more relaxed pace and have a full day for the next day's visit. You could depart from Guiyang at about 5 or 6pm to reach Fanjing Mountain and stay overnight in the nearby hotel.
For the accommodation choice, we suggest choosing to stay near the gate of the scenic area so that you could reach the mountain as early as possible to avoid crowds and leave enough time for visiting before returning to Guiyang in the afternoon.
It is also possible to do a day trip from Guiyang to Fanjingshan but we don't recommend this.
It would be exhausting and the visiting time is limited and tight. You would need to leave at about 6 or 7am and arrive at Fanjing Mountain at about 10 or 11am. Excluding the time spent queuing, you may have only 1–2 hours for visiting, especially in the peak season.
Best Times to Visit Fanjing Mountain
The best times to visit Fanjing Mountain are spring and autumn.
However, you still need to check the weather forecast before visiting. Your viewing experience may depend on luck, as there are more than 20 rainy or cloudy days each month. Typically, though, there is no continuous rain.

Spring (March to May): With the most beautiful scenery, warmer weather, and fewer visitors, spring is ideal for your mountain visit. It typically sees slight rainfall and mist over the mountain but is perfect for viewing the sea of clouds. If you prefer admiring flowers, May is the best time.
Autumn (September to November): Autumn offers clearer, drier, and moderate weather, making it perfect for viewing the mountain scenery and taking photos. You could capture beautiful photos of Fanjingshan dyed with vibrant autumn colors, especially during October and November.
Summer (June to August): Suitable for escaping the summer heat, it is also the crowded and rainy peak season. It has wonderful scenery during sunny days but fog on rainy days that leads to a poor view. Take your rainproof equipment to cope with the changeable weather.
Summer travel tip: Fanjing Mountain usually sees large crowds in July and August. If you want to ascend the summits, especially Red Cloud Golden Summit, you may face 2–3 hours of waiting (as well as for the downhill cable car). If you have more flexible time, we recommend skipping a visit in July and August but considering June instead.
Winter (December to February): This is less recommended as Fanjingshan typically sees more fog and freezing weather in winter, which is not suitable for hiking and climbing. However, you could admire rime and snow on the mountain as the temperatures may occasionally drop from -1°C to -6°C (between 21°F and 30°F).
How to Get to Fanjing Mountain from Guiyang
Most visitors would start from Guiyang, the transportation junction of Guizhou province. You could take a bullet train, private car, or a coach to arrive.
A private car is recommended. You could directly reach Fanjingshan within a 3½-hour drive from your hotel in Guiyang, or 2 hours from Zhenyuan Ancient Town. For family travel, a private car could also help transport your heavy luggage.
If you are looking for a cost-effective way to travel and have more time, you could take a 1½-hour bullet train ride to Tongren Railway Station, then transfer to a bus and travel for another 1½ hours to reach Fanjingshan. However, the whole tour would take about 4 hours as the bus is not always on time. Alternatively, you could consider a 4-hour direct coach starting from Guiyang.
If you want to plan a Guizhou Tour, our 6-Day Guizhou Tour with Mt. Fanjing may help you get some inspiration.
Travel Tips
The weather is changeable at the summit, and the temperature can drop about 8 to 9°C from the foot of the mountain to the peak. So no matter when you go, some long-sleeved clothes are needed.
The district has lots of rainfall throughout the year, so it is best to prepare some rain gear. The wind is sometimes strong, and a raincoat may be more practical than an umbrella.
The mountain paths are sometimes slippery, especially after rain and in winter. A good pair of mountaineering shoes is highly recommended. Watch your steps on the mountain!
Explore Beautiful China with Us
If you love and want to explore nature, check the following itinerary to find many other stunning attractions in China:
- 7-Day Chongqing and Chengdu Tour with Wulong
- 8-Day Guilin, Yangshuo and Guizhou Tour
- 12-Day Yunnan and Zhangjiajie Tour
Or, you can customize your own tour.