Plan at a glance
Two entrances, two ways to visit
Three Cascades Waterfall is in Haihui Town, Lushan City. Visitors staying on the mountain usually enter from Three Cascades Station in Guling Town; visitors coming from below or making a separate trip use the East Gate of Lushan Scenic Area. The entrance changes the first transport leg, the walking gradient and the place where you finish, so choose the side you will use before booking accommodation.
Ticket, booking and opening hours
The separate Three Cascades ticket costs CNY 65. Visitors who already hold the CNY 160 Lushan pass do not need to buy this attraction ticket again. The scenic area recommends real-name booking through the “一机游庐山” mini program and operates from 06:30 to 16:30; arriving after the entry window is not suitable for adding the route at the last minute.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
View Visit Optionsvia Trip.comChoose your visit
The three-tier waterfall and pool below
The waterfall drops in three tiers from a height of about 100 metres. At the bottom, you can see the pool and feel the spray; the viewing platform and the base of the falls are the main places to stop. The platform beside the viewing pavilion works for a full view, while 09:00–11:00 usually gives the falls clearer front light. Early morning or a bright spell after rain may bring mist.
Mountain round trip or East Gate route
Visitors staying in Guling or comfortable with long stair sections can choose the mountain round trip. It keeps Three Cascades within the eastern Lushan route but involves a long descent followed by a long climb. Visitors with average fitness, older adults or children, or anyone who mainly wants to see the waterfall, can compare the East Gate route; its gradient is gentler, but it still takes about 2–3 hours on foot.
Build your day
Round trip from Guling’s Three Cascades Station
Take the sightseeing bus from Guling Town to Three Cascades Station, then choose between the small train and walking. Reach the start of the waterfall steps, descend 1,300 steps to the bottom and return up the same 1,300 steps after seeing the falls. Go back to Three Cascades Station and take the bus to Guling; the full route takes about 3–4 hours.
East Gate in and out
Enter through the East Gate of Lushan Scenic Area and take the scenic-area sightseeing bus to the walking start point. Follow the relatively gentler path for about 2–3 hours and roughly 6,000 steps to Three Cascades, then return to the East Gate by the same route. The East Gate sightseeing bus costs about CNY 10 per trip; arrange the ticket, bus fare and return time separately.
Accommodation and finishing point
The mountain round trip suits a night in Guling, followed by food or rest in town. The East Gate route finishes below the mountain in the Haihui direction. Although the route from Wulao Peak’s fifth peak can descend to Three Cascades via about 1,500 steep steps, it is not recommended as a standard time-saving option; plan the Wulao Peak traverse and Three Cascades separately, with separate allowances for exertion and the finishing point.
Get there
From Guling Town
If you are staying in Guling Town, take the mountain sightseeing bus to “Three Cascades Station” before starting the small-train or walking section. Use Three Cascades Station as the transport target for the eastern route, then follow the mountain round-trip order of steps, waterfall base and return to Guling.
From the East Gate
For a dedicated trip from below the mountain, navigate to “Lushan Scenic Area East Gate”. Change to the scenic-area sightseeing bus after entering; the fare is about CNY 10 per trip. Complete the bus transfer first, follow the East Gate walking route and return below the mountain along the same route.
Know before you go
Steps, shoes and strain on the knees
The mountain route includes 1,300 steps down and another 1,300 steps up; the East Gate route is gentler but still involves about 6,000 steps. Wear shoes with good grip. Visitors with sensitive knees may want trekking poles or knee supports; steps are slippery in and after rain, and a heavier flow at the falls also means paying closer attention to your footing.
Supplies, sedan chairs and monkeys
There are few supply points and prices can be high, so carry enough water and simple snacks from the start. Sedan-chair charges in the scenic area can also be high and should be budgeted separately. If you meet wild monkeys, secure food and personal belongings; do not feed or tease them, and do not stop to take photos on crowded steps.
Food and return on the eastern route
After returning to Guling, eat at Xiaojie Fan or Shiniu Restaurant in town. After the East Gate route, nearby options include Xiaochu Jiayan. The 06:30–16:30 entry window, sightseeing-bus operation and finishing points of the two routes all need to fit together; their walking times cannot be treated as interchangeable.