Shihua Cave Scenic Area maintains a constant temperature of 13 degrees Celsius inside the cave, making it an ideal destination for summer weekend getaways from Beijing. The cave features a diverse and abundant array of stone flowers, with the open sections illuminated by colorful lights that, together with various stalagmites and stone flowers, create a fantastic and magnificent spectacle suitable for both sightseeing and photography.
Transportation Strategy: Shihua Cave is accessible by taking the Fangshan Bus No. 43, which stops right at the entrance of the scenic area. For those who drive, the nearest parking is at Nan Che Ying Village, about 1 kilometer away from the cave. Beyond this point, there are no parking lots, and local villagers may occasionally block the road. It takes approximately 15 minutes to walk to the entrance, or visitors can take a privately operated shuttle service by local villagers for about 20 yuan per person (not necessary for those without physical limitations).
Tour Route Reference: Shihua Cave consists of seven levels, with the areas open to tourists being levels one to four, featuring 16 halls and over a hundred scenic spots. Visitors can explore these levels on foot, with a walking route of about 2.5 kilometers, typically taking about 2 hours to appreciate the views. Photography enthusiasts may require more time. The scenic area also offers guided services to explain the shapes and legends of the stone flowers, with a price of 100 yuan for a group of up to 5 people, and an additional 10 yuan for each additional person.
Level One: The tour of Shihua Cave begins on the first level, which features landscapes such as ‘Lion Greeting Guests,’ ‘Carp Stream,’ and ‘Penglai Fairy Island’ formed by more than a dozen stalagmite groups. Notably, near the cave entrance, there are ten Buddha statues, including images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Deep inside the cave, the ‘Yaochi Stone Lotus’ features a rare moonmilk stone landscape in China, forming creamy white lotus-like shapes that are particularly beautiful and worth focusing on.
Level Two: The tour route on the second level is 1,352 meters long, making it the longest and largest of the four levels. It is more spacious, and the landscapes are more magnificent. There are sights such as ‘Bamboo Fence and Thatched Cottage,’ ‘Stone Waterfall,’ ‘Dragon Palace Curtain,’ and ‘Heaven-Supporting Mandarin Duck Pillar,’ which are grand and fantastic, making them perfect for photography inside the cave.
Levels Three and Four: The third and fourth levels are smaller in scale, with more unique stone flowers compared to the larger, mature landscapes of the first two levels. Here, most are tiny and growing stalagmites and stone flowers, with sights such as ‘Dragon Girl Embroidery Platform,’ ‘Immortal Mirror,’ and ‘Flower Spring Pagoda Forest’ that can be admired one by one. After the tour, visitors can exit the cave via the stairs on the right side of the fourth level.
About 1 kilometer away from Shihua Cave, at Nan Che Ying Village, there are several farmhouses and small hotels where visitors can enjoy local cuisine or stay overnight after their tour. The standard rooms typically cost around 100 yuan.
Shihua Cave is open to the public all year round from 09:00 to 16:30.
Preferential policies are as follows: – Children under 1.2 meters in height enter for free. – Minors aged 6 to 18 (inclusive) enjoy half-price admission. – Elderly individuals aged 60 and above with a valid ID enter for free. – Disabled individuals with a disability certificate enter for free. – Students with full-time undergraduate or lower qualifications (excluding adult education, master’s, postgraduate, and continuing education from the Open University), and incoming adolescents with valid permits such as the ‘Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Residents Traveling to Mainland Permit’ are eligible for half-price admission. – Military personnel with active duty status and non-commissioned officers with valid identification enjoy half-price admission. Important tips for visitors: 1. The temperature inside Shihua Cave is a constant 13 degrees Celsius, so it is advisable to bring a jacket when visiting in summer to avoid catching a cold. 2. It is recommended to prepare drinking water before entering the cave, as thirst can easily occur while exploring.
