Luoyang to Laojunshan, Chongdugou, Jiguan Cave and Yangzigou 6 Days

An eight o clock start from Luoyang, the Luoluan expressway, and the county town of Luanchuan by mid morning. Lunch is local, tofu braised in a clay pot and cold acorn jelly, and there is no rush afterwards. The afternoon goes to Yangzigou, where stone steps follow a stream the whole way in, three hours for the round trip, then back to town for the night.

Attraction introduction: Yangzigou lies southeast of Luanchuan town on the northern slope of the Funiu range. The ticket is 45 yuan. The route is a chain of stream beds, stone stairs and small drops, three hours for the full walk, and the gradient is far gentler than Laojunshan, which makes it a good leg stretcher on arrival day.

Tips: Day one is transport plus one short valley and nothing more. Guests generally find the roads around Luanchuan winding enough to unsettle a sensitive stomach, so pack motion sickness tablets. In practice we turn back halfway through Yangzigou rather than finishing it, and keep the legs for the mountain tomorrow.

Out of town at half past seven, twenty minutes to the gate. A shuttle bus at 5 yuan a stop runs from the gate to the lower cable car station, and that ride saves forty minutes of walking. Take the Zhongling or Yunjing cable car, 130 yuan return, up to the middle gate, then the Fenglin cable car, 80 yuan return. On top the Shili Huaping boardwalk hugs the cliff and the golden summit sits at the end of it. Lights come on around six, so watch them before heading down.

Attraction introduction: The Laojunshan ticket is 100 yuan and valid for two days, and the mountain is the highest point of the Funiu range. The golden temples sit in a line along the ridge, and the boardwalk from Shili Huaping stays on that ridge the whole way. Upward runs on the main cable car stop at 15:30, downward runs are not affected, and visitors over sixty skip the gate ticket but not the cable car.

Tips: The summit is windy and much colder than the valley, so bring a fleece and gloves in November. Guests generally find the upward queue longest after three in the afternoon, and anyone who misses it walks the road instead. In practice we climb in the morning, eat a simple lunch up top, and keep time for the lights before riding down.

The ticket still has a day on it, so the morning goes back up. The cloud sea is a matter of luck, a white tide pressing on the ridge if it comes, clean early light if it does not. Down at noon for lunch in town, then Jiguan Cave in the afternoon. The cave runs 1,800 metres and takes a little over an hour, and at a constant 18 degrees it feels good on a cold day outside.

Attraction introduction: Jiguan Cave sits west of Luanchuan town and is a limestone cave with an 80 yuan ticket. Inside there are several large halls, stalactites and stalagmites along the passage, lit in warm tones. The length is 1,800 metres and the temperature holds at 18 degrees, so no extra layer is needed inside, only after coming out.

Tips: Two climbs in two days means saving something for the second. Guests generally find the cave floor wet and slippery, and trainers work better than leather shoes. In practice the afternoon holds nothing else, so the group returns to the hotel after the cave, sleeps early, and saves energy for the drive to Tantou tomorrow.

After breakfast the road runs northeast for a little over an hour to Chongdugou. The ticket is 120 yuan and valid for 48 hours, and a shuttle takes the group to the Jinji River. This is the densest stretch of waterfalls in the valley, Feihong and Xiefenya following one another with water audible throughout. Three hours covers it, then lunch at Zhuxiang Street and an afternoon back at the guesthouse.

Attraction introduction: Chongdugou lies in Tantou township of Luanchuan and splits into two areas, Jinji River and Dicui River. Jinji is narrow and fast with waterfalls one after another, while Dicui is wider, with bamboo in large stands and the Shuilian Palace on that side. The ticket allows repeat entry within 48 hours, which makes staying inside the valley the simplest option.

Tips: The stone steps stay damp all year, so grip matters. Guests generally find the Jinji River busiest between ten and twelve, and half an hour earlier means fewer people in the photographs. In practice we split Chongdugou over two days, Jinji today and Dicui tomorrow, instead of pushing both into one.

Today belongs to the Dicui River. A shuttle from the guesthouse reaches the Shuilian Palace first, then the path follows the stream into the bamboo corridor. In early November the bamboo is still green, and the whole stand moves when the wind crosses it. Lunch back at the guesthouse, then an afternoon free to wander the village, look at the drying racks, or simply sit by the water.

Attraction introduction: Dicui is the western branch of Chongdugou, steadier in flow than Jinji, with bamboo groves and small cascades along the way. The bamboo corridor is the marker of this section, walls of green on both sides. Shuilian Palace is a rock cave with water falling across its mouth, so watch your head going in.

Tips: Light in the bamboo is dim, so raise the ISO for photographs. Guests generally find weekend rates at the guesthouses jump noticeably, and staying inside the valley costs more than staying in Tantou town but saves the daily drive. In practice both nights sit inside the scenic area, so no dark early start is needed.

No rush in the morning, a bowl of noodle soup in the village, and the car leaves around nine. From Tantou the Luoluan expressway runs back to Luoyang in a little over two hours, with a pause at the Songxian service area, arriving before lunch.

Attraction introduction: The Luoluan expressway crosses the northern slope of the Funiu range between Luanchuan and Luoyang, heavy on tunnels with ridgelines rising on both sides. Tantou is the gateway town for Chongdugou, and its corn porridge and free range chicken are better value than inside the scenic area.

Tips: The return is timed for before lunch so the day is not lost to travel. Guests generally find Sunday afternoons heavy on the Luoluan expressway towards the city, with a slow patch around Songxian. In practice the last day carries no sightseeing, a late wake up, bags packed at an easy pace.