Quick Travel Guide to Mount Fanjing

Mount Fanjing, or Fanjingshan, is the most famous place in Guizhou province. Follow my quick guide to find out how to organize your trip.

Fanjingshan (梵净山), also called Mount Fanjing, is one of the most beautiful places in China. It looks like it comes from a fantasy movie, but it’s a real place. After travelling extensively in China, it’s hard to be impressed by tourist areas, but this place stands up to its reputation.

Here are some quick facts about it:

1. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Fanjingshan was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018 for its unique biodiversity and cultural significance.
2. Sacred Buddhist Mountain: Fanjingshan is considered a holy mountain in Buddhism and is home to several Buddhist temples and monasteries. It is often called the “Buddhist Kingdom on the Clouds.”
3. Diverse Flora and Fauna: Fanjingshan is renowned for its rich biodiversity. It is home to numerous endemic plant species, rare animals such as the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, and over 2,000 plant species.
4. Red Clouds Golden Summit: The highest peak of Fanjingshan, the “Red Clouds Golden Summit,” stands at 2,570 meters (8,430 feet). It is often covered in mist, creating a mystical atmosphere.
5. Stairway to Heaven: To reach the summit, visitors can climb a series of staircases called the “Stairway to Heaven.” The stairway has over 8,000 steps, offering a challenging but rewarding ascent.
6. Conservation Efforts: Fanjingshan is dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainable tourism. Strict regulations and measures are in place to protect the unique ecosystem and wildlife found within the reserve.
7. Rich Cultural Heritage: The mountain holds significant cultural value for the local ethnic communities, particularly the Tujia and Miao peoples. Their traditional customs, rituals, and festivals are intricately linked to the mountain and its religious importance.

Best Time to Visit

April to November are supposedly the best times to visit Fanjingshan, but every season has pros and cons. Avoid national and local holidays at all costs. I visited the Mount on a random holiday celebrated only in Guiyang (Guizhou’s capital), and it took me SIX hours to reach the top. I can’t even imagine what it will be like during the national holidays.

Weather-wise, it’s usually overcast and rainy, which is a good thing here: it gives Mount Fanjing the perfect mood. This is one of the few places where a sunny, cloudless day detracts from the location’s beauty.

Where to Stay and for how long

It’s not possible to spend a night up in the mountains. It took me a while to figure it out, but Fanjing is a gated park with no accommodations. The best alternative is to stay in one of the many guesthouses right before the entrance, about a few Km from the main gate.

I stayed at this lovely hostel and recommend it. The owner was friendly and drove me to the main gate in the morning. Alternatively, you can stay in Jiankou, the main town about half an hour from the park.

Fanjingshan can be reached by hiking the 8888 steps (about 5 hours) or via cable car. If you plan to hike, you should spend two nights there. Otherwise, one night is enough. You can arrive a day early, spend a night there, and visit the mountain the following day. Usually, half a day is enough to explore the main area at the top of the mountain.

How to get to Fanjingshan

The ideal starting point is Tongren (同仁). The city is well connected to the rest of China, with an airport and a high-speed rail station. You can take a bus from Tongren to Jiangkou (江口), the main town before Fanjingshan. There are many bus stations in Tongren, but the best option is the Tongren Tourist Bus Station (铜仁旅游客运站). Once in Jiangkou, you can take a taxi to your hotel. There are also direct minivans that depart from Tongren train station and arrive at the park entrance.

Fenghuang Old Town, Furong and Zhangjiajie are not too far, and people often combine the trip to see all three places, but unfortunately, Fanjingshan is not directly connected to these other places. As I explained in the previous paragraph, you’ll still have to transfer to Tongren.

If you need a driver, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram.

How to explore Mount Fanjing

There is a main gate from where you must buy the park ticket. That ticket also includes a minibus ride to the mountain, about 10 km farther. The cable car is not included because, technically, once you are inside the park, you can hike to the top. You can buy the cable car ticket later on.

As you can see, there was a ridiculous number of people when I visited, but it shouldn’t be that crowded most of the time.

Once at the top of the mountain, a reasonably straight path will take you to the peak.

Remember that drones are technically not allowed in the park unless you have a permit (which I had). From what I understand, this restriction is not from the Civil Aviation Authority but a policy made by the company that manages the park. That’s why you will not see any geofencing on your drone app. Here is more info about international laws regarding drones.

Don’t miss this other unique place in Guizhou, where you can see the Long Horn Miao. Here you can find my travel guide to another spectacular mountain: Huangshan in Anhui.

Don’t forget to get a VPN before coming to China. If you prefer an eSIM, this one works well. As for travel insurance, I use this one.

If you are planning to explore Guizhou province further, don’t miss my travel guide to Xijiang, a beautiful village where you can learn more about the Miao minority.

Here are some more pictures I took in Guizhou. Here’s my travel guide to Zhaoxing, a famous ancient town in Guizhou. Here’s the travel guide to a very little-known ancient town in Guizhou: Zhenyuan.