Songshan Scenic Area

This is definitely the top choice for a free suburban tour in Zhengzhou! —— Songshan Grand Canyon. Songshan Grand Canyon is part of the Songshan Taishi Mountain range, less than 100 kilometers away from Zhengzhou. The canyon starts from Chuandao Spring in the south and extends to Daobai Gully in the north. The sedimentary rocks formed by the ancient river erosion have created a unique landscape! Navigation address: Songshan Grand Canyon Located in Gongchuan Village, Gongyi City, there is parking and vendors selling water at the entrance. The big rock on the cover is on one side of the plank road, where you can overlook the entire canyon, which is very spectacular. Free scenic area, there are signs at the entrance!!

☀️The Central Plains region borders the Yellow River to the north and the Qinling Mountains to the south. As the central peak among the Five Great Mountains, Mount Song is not only a holy land for Buddhism but also a treasured place for royal heaven and earth sealing ceremonies in ancient times. 🌿Arriving in Zhengzhou to see the unique mountains and beautiful waters of the Central Plains, besides watching the mighty Yellow River water rushing eastward, it is also essential to climb the steep Mount Song and experience the exhilaration of looking down on all the other mountains. / ⛰️Mount Song is not the tallest among the Five Great Mountains, with the main peak, Junji Peak, at an elevation of 1492 meters. The main mountain ranges are Taishi Mountain and Shaoshi Mountain, and Mount Song has a total of 72 peaks, with Taishi Mountain and Shaoshi Mountain each accounting for half. / ❇️Mount Song is divided into the Shaolin Scenic Area and the Songyang Scenic Area The main attractions are located in the Shaolin Scenic Area, with the 'First Famous Temple under Heaven' Shaolin Temple at the foot of the mountain, Pagoda Forest, and on the mountain, there are Sanhuang Fortress, Shaoshi Mountain, Sanhuang Temple, etc. The Songyang Scenic Area has historical sites such as Songyang Academy, Zhongyue Temple, Taishi Que, Qimu Que, as well as the main peak, Junji Peak. / ✅If you only have one day, head straight for the Shaolin Scenic Area. ⭐Shaolin Temple, watch the martial monks perform, visit the 'First Ancestral Court of the World', burn incense and pray, and make wishes. ⭐Pagoda Forest, admire the forest of ancient monks' tomb pagodas, with their varying heights, sizes, and shapes. ⭐Chuzu'an/Damo Cave, view the statue of 'Zen Buddhism's First Ancestor' Bodhidharma and learn about the ancient sages' past Buddhist deeds. (This takes about 1 hour and can be skipped if necessary) ⭐Songyang Cableway → Erzu'an, Phoenix Terrace, mainly to watch performances halfway up the mountain. ⭐Shaolin Cableway → Prayer Platform, Huixin Cliff, Sanhuang Temple, and other core mountain attractions. (❤️Remember to choose the Shaolin Cableway for mountain climbing) / ✅Although Mount Song is not very high, its mountain scenery is also peculiarly rugged and beautiful ⭐Shuye Cliff, where the plank road is carved into the vertical cliff face, standing thousands of feet high, with a majestic mountain body and trembling souls beneath the steep cliffs. ⭐Continue climbing along the way, passing through Sanhuang Plank Road, Cliff Suspension Bridge, Huixin Cliff, One-Line Sky, Sanhuang Temple, etc. The one-day tour can end at Sanhuang Temple and return, with a round trip taking about 4-5 hours, reaching the foot of the mountain near dusk. / 🚗Transportation Dengfeng city is a small county town about 2 hours' drive from Zhengzhou. There is no high-speed rail, no train, and no car rental point, making transportation inconvenient. It is best to choose self-driving or chartered car from Zhengzhou, and local one-day group tours are also good. There is a parking lot outside the scenic area, parking is still convenient, and there is a storage service at the visitor center that can be used. / 🧧Ticket prices: Shaolin Temple 80 yuan/person, cableway 30 yuan/person, Zhongyue Temple 30 yuan/person, prices vary slightly at different times and on different platforms. / 🏡Recommended hotel: Songshan Emperor Grand Hotel, close to Songyang Academy, convenient transportation, good surrounding facilities, located in the county center area, the hotel's overall cost-performance ratio and quality are quite good, worth a try. / 🚌There is a shuttle bus from the parking lot near the Shaolin Scenic Area to Zhengzhou, with the last bus at 5 pm, 40 yuan per seat, departing when full, and the journey takes about 2.5 hours. / The above summary basically achieves a tour starting at 9 am, returning at 5 pm, and arriving in the Zhengzhou urban area around 7 pm, featuring a 'relaxed one-day tour, happy without tiring your legs'.

Mount Song is divided into Mount Taishi and Mount Shaoshi. If you have a passion for the Five Sacred Mountains, checking in at Mount Song means you must go to the peak of Mount Taishi! This is already my second time climbing Mount Song, and I have organized some tips for everyone to refer to (there is no cable car, all by climbing). Navigation position: Mount Song Scenic Spot in Zhongyue Songshan (Personal travel mode: haha~~35/person, it takes only one and a half hours to get there from Zhengzhou) Cost Ticket: 50/person (half-price tickets need to be purchased on-site) Scenic area shuttle bus: one-way 15 Mountaineering equipment: water, snacks, power bank, Play duration: 4h up the mountain, 3h down the mountain Play route: Scenic area entrance - Mount Taishi Square Take the sightseeing car along the Songshan tourist road from the east side of the Songyang Academy (about 30min) (one-way 15/person) Mount Taishi Square--Zhongyue Xinggong--Junji Peak---Thread of Heaven-Lu Cliff Waterfall Scenic spot check-in points: Songyang Academy: One of the four major academies, you need to buy an additional ticket, or you can skip it. Mount Taishi Square: The location of the Mount Song big stone logo, also the mountain climbing ticket checkpoint. Junji Peak: The highest peak of Mount Taishi, with an altitude of 1492 meters. Thread of Heaven: A cliff crack less than one meter wide, about a hundred meters high, and about 170 meters long. Lu Cliff Waterfall: With a drop of 117 meters, you will pass under the waterfall when descending the mountain, feeling like a water curtain cave. Dining: There are supply stations on the mountain climbing route selling water and instant noodles Warm reminder 1. After descending the mountain, give your legs a massage to avoid leg pain. 2. Pay attention to sun protection!!! Otherwise, you will really get tanned. 3. The scenery on the mountain is not very stunning, but the scenery from the Lu Cliff Waterfall down the mountain is quite good, recommended! 4. You can return the same way when descending the mountain, or you can take the road from the Lu Cliff Waterfall, but the road down the mountain from the Lu Cliff Waterfall is longer, but definitely worth it. If you return via the Lu Cliff Waterfall, the exit and entrance are not in the same place, and you need to take a taxi back to Dengfeng, as there is no public transportation. 5. Mount Taishi and Mount Shaoshi are two different mountains, Shaolin Temple is on Mount Shaoshi, if you want to climb both, it is recommended to split it into two days, Mount Shaoshi has a cable car. When climbing, do not litter, there are quite a few trash cans nearby. There are many cats on the mountain trail, really lovely.

1️⃣【Clothing】The weather is getting warmer, but the temperature difference between morning and evening is still significant. It will be cold on the mountain top in the morning, so bring a coat. Also, pay attention to the weather forecast in advance. If it's cloudy, bring a disposable raincoat!!! 2️⃣【Food】Bring a few bottles of water or drinks, and snacks like chocolate and bread according to your energy needs. 3️⃣【Tools】Flashlight, power bank, trekking poles (optional, not very useful) 4️⃣Mount Song Night Climbing Ticket Ticket Price: 29.9 RMB/person Mount Song Scenic Area Accident Insurance: 10 RMB/person The scenic area requires the purchase of insurance. It is recommended to buy it online to avoid re-queuing and wasting time at the second ticket check ⚠️Free admission for Mount Song Annual Pass holders and children under 1.4 meters. Purchase method: Buy 'Night Tour of Mount Song' tickets in real name on the 'Mount Song Tourism' official site. Coverage: Includes the Songyang Scenic Area Visitor Center, Tianzhong Market, and the lit area along the Taishi Mountain to the Junji Peak. ❓❓❓How do out-of-town tourists get to Mount Song 5️⃣Self-driving: Navigate directly (Songyang Scenic Area Parking Lot) 6️⃣Night Tour of Mount Song Entry Time: 🎫After successful ticket purchase, from 18:00 on the same day to 06:00 the next day 7️⃣Suggested Climbing Time: Do not start night climbing too early as it is very cold on the mountain top. It's also crowded if you go early. Start checking tickets and climbing from Taishi Mountain Square. It is suggested to start around 11 pm. There are both slope and stair climbing paths; choose according to your situation. 8️⃣Total Duration Personally, I think 4 hours is enough at most, and those with good physical strength can reach the top in just over two hours. Check the sunrise time in advance and plan a reasonable start time for climbing. 9️⃣Night Climbing Route and Method Going up The first section: Tianzhong Market (Mount Song Scenic Area Entrance) Scholar's Path, Child Prodigy Gate, Scholar's Formation, Tribute Scholar's Position, Top Scholar's List, Mount Song Academy, Immortal Bridge, Wujilvzu Temple, Taishi Mountain Square (Ticket Checkpoint) ⚠️To save energy, you can choose to take the sightseeing car directly to Taishi Mountain Square, the ticket checkpoint. Going down ⚠️It is not recommended to return the same way. The waterfall has no water, but it's worth seeing, although it requires a detour. But since you've come all this way, why not? ⚠️Some small tips There are many places on the mountain to watch the sunrise; don't just go to Junji Peak (the viewing platform is small and crowded, you can go early to secure a spot, or choose another suitable angle for photos) It's windy and cold on the mountain while waiting for the sunrise at night, so be sure to bring a thicker coat!!!

Zhengzhou! 👉1. Admire the sculptures at the Mother River Yellow River Sculpture Park🌊, where you can find a collection of large-scale sculptures themed around the Yellow River, which are grand and spectacular. 👉2. Visit the Shaolin Temple to experience Zen culture🧘, watch song and dance performances, observe Zen martial arts, and feel the charm of Zen culture. 👉3. Go shopping on Zhengzhou's bustling commercial pedestrian street🛍, feel the rapid changes of the city, and enjoy a colorful shopping and leisure experience. 👉4. Listen to the Swan Fountain music performance at Erqi Square🎶, where the musical fountain on the square is set against the colorful lights, which is very spectacular. 👉5. Visit the Shaolin Temple Forest Park to admire the maple leaves🌳, the maple leaves here are beautiful every autumn, making it a great place to view the leaves. 👉6. Go mountain climbing in Songshan🧗‍♂️, where the peaks are stacked and the ancient trees reach the sky. You can enjoy the beautiful forest scenery from the top of the mountain. 👉7. Visit the fruit orchard in Wolong District for fruit picking️, where you can pick fresh and sweet fruits and get close to nature. 👉8. Dine in the main room at Jiuyou, and experience the authentic taste of Hunan cuisine. 🍲 👉9. Visit the Songshan Shaolin Temple for a night tour🌙, the Shaolin Temple is more hazy and quiet at night, where you can feel the Zen. 👉10. Take a hot spring bath at Zhuxinzhuang Manor🧖‍♂️, soak in the hot spring pool to wash away the fatigue of the journey.