Wulong Karst, an important part of South China Karst, is situatedat the lower reaches of the Wujiang River southeast of Chongqing. It was namedas a world natural heritage by UNESCO in 2007. Wulong Karst features spectacularkarst landscapes, including the three main parts of Furong Cave, Three NaturalBridges and Houping Tiankeng (Houping Giant Doline).
When thick layers of limestone weather, unusual rock formations may result. Much of south China including parts of Guangxi Province, Yunnan Province, Guizhou Province, and Sichuan Province are covered with karst formations called the South China Karst. Weathered karst hills, cliffs or rocks are commonly seen in Chinese traditional paintings. The rugged scenery is beautiful and unusual like that around Guilin in Guangxi Province. Most areas of the world don t have karst formations. For those who have seen the desert scenery in the American southwest, the above-ground karst formations are much like the sandstone mesas, bridges, and towers. But the subterranean karst features of caves, pits and underground streams are perhaps even more interesting. The karst areas are also nature preserves and wildlife areas with a wide variety of plants and animals. So people interested in hiking and seeing wild animals and natural areas may especially like the Wulong Karst. The three main parts of the Wulong Karst are about 15 kilometers away from each other. The main parts of the Wulong Karst are Furong Cave, the Three Natural Bridges and the Houping Tiankeng (Houping Collapsed Doline).
Each of the three karst systems standing alone forms a spectacular landscape. The Furong Cave abounds with various karren sediments forming many splendid natural wonders. The limestone sediments are also of great significance in scientific study. The three natural bridges constitute the largest natural bridge cluster in Asia, and the natural karst bridges are quite high and grand, a sight rarely seen anywhere in the world. Karst CaveHouping Giant Doline is the prime example and the largest tiankeng cluster formed by erosion in the world, and the longest underground cavern system in Asia.
The three main areas are about 15 kilometers apart, and you can expect some good hiking and walking around in the area so bring proper clothes. The Wulong Karst is located in a relatively remote area so it retains more of its primitive features of karst landforms, plants and wildlife that were despoiled elsewhere. There are many rare species of plants and animals inhabiting the area and bamboo groves. There are 332 species of animals, including four endangered species: clouded leopard, white cheeked black monkey, Chinese pangolin and golden eagle. Until a few years ago, travel to the area from Chongqing was difficult. But its inclusion in the World Heritage List in 2007 has made it suddenly popular, so roads, hotels and restaurants have been built.
Location: Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality Region. It is about 110 kilometers east of the urban area.
History
In 1993, Furong Cave was discovered. It became a tourist attraction in 1994. In 2001, the large Qingkou tiankeng was discovered. In 2007, the Wulong Karst area was named in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Features:
1. Remote scenic area with spectacular karst formations.
2. One of the biggest caves in China.
3. Biggest rock bridges cluster in Asia.
4. Rare plant and animal preserve.