Plan at a glance
Location, pronunciation, and two main entrances
Guanzhaishan is on the eastern edge of Liancheng County, Longyan, Fujian. The Chinese pronunciation is "guan zhai shan"; the character "zhai" is commonly misread as "zhi."
There are two main entrances. Guanzhaishan Visitor Service Center is the South Gate and main entrance, while the North Gate leads toward Jiulong Lake. The two entrances give access to different sections of the scenic area, so decide your ticket type and entry and exit order before setting out. If you start from the North Gate and finish at the South Gate, your own car will be left at a different parking point.
Three ticket routes and opening hours
Tickets are sold by route, and the three routes differ in what they include, how much walking is involved, and how long they remain valid.
- Route A costs about CNY 120 per person and includes admission, the Shimen Lake boat, the scenic-area shuttle, and the Liyu Bei escalator. It takes about 2-3 hours to complete. - Route B costs about CNY 180 per person and includes everything in Route A, plus the cross-mountain cable car, Zhu'an Village, and Jiulong Lake. It takes about 4.5-5.5 hours and is valid for 2 days from the date shown on the ticket. - Route C costs about CNY 100 per person and includes Zhu'an Village, Jiulong Lake, and a bamboo-raft experience. It suits visitors who prefer the lake area and do not want a long mountain climb.
On holidays, book ahead through the "Guanzhaishan Scenic Area Ticketing" mini-program. On ordinary days, tickets can usually be bought on site. Summer opening hours are 8:00-17:30, and winter hours are 8:30-17:00. The exact ticket coverage, facility operation, and entry arrangements depend on the notice posted that day.
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
A relaxed lake visit or a full mountain traverse
Route A is the best choice if you want to limit the physical effort. It connects the Shimen Lake boat, the Liyu Bei escalator, and the main points around the main peak, and can usually be completed in 2-3 hours. Visitors with older adults or children should start with this option and not add long stair sections by default.
Route B is not a simpler upgrade of Route A. It is a complete cross-mountain route. The escalator and cable car remove some climbing, but stairs remain after the cable car, and the route continues through a suspension bridge, a narrow ridge, and the Zhu'an Village hiking section. Bad weather makes this route more demanding. Route B is better for fit visitors who want to walk the full crossing.
Route C suits people who do not want the main-peak mountain path and mainly want to see Jiulong Lake and ride the bamboo raft. It does not include Route A's Shimen Lake boat or main-peak escalator. When buying tickets, do not treat Route C as an easier version of Route A or Route B.
Main sights
Along Shimen Lake, the natural Danxia landform forms a view known as the "Gate of Life." Near Longevity Pavilion, on the main-peak side, there is a corresponding view called the "Root of Life." Most Route A and Route B visitors pass both, but photography positions and walking conditions must follow the route in use that day.
The Liyu Bei escalator is an important aid on Routes A and B and can complete much of the climb toward the main peak. Zhu'an Village and Tianchi retain an old fort site and a high mountain pool, and are quieter than the main peak. On the main peak, the Skyline Crack, suspension bridge, and academy buildings link natural fissures, mountain paths, and historic structures.
Who this suits
Guanzhaishan suits families, visitors travelling with older adults, people who want to see Danxia landforms, and travellers who are comfortable with light hiking. Route B requires noticeably more fitness and better weather. Children, older adults, and anyone with limited mobility should stay with Route A or Route C rather than forcing a complete route.
Build your day
Route A: a 2-3 hour quick route
Start at the Visitor Service Center and take the scenic shuttle to the South Gate. Board the Shimen Lake boat to see the Gate of Life, then get off at Xianglan Pavilion Pier. Take the Liyu Bei escalator uphill, pass Longevity Pavilion to see the Root of Life, and continue through the suspension bridge, Skyline Crack, and academy buildings. Leave from the West Gate and take the shuttle back to the Visitor Service Center.
Much of this route uses the shuttle, boat, and escalator, but still allow time for queues and for walking after the boat and escalator. With older adults, use the academy area as a flexible final stop. If time is short, turn back early from the West Gate direction.
Route B: an approximately 5-hour crossing
The usual forward route starts at the South Gate. Complete the Shimen Lake boat and Liyu Bei escalator first, then continue past Longevity Pavilion and the suspension bridge to the cross-mountain cable car. From there, visit the Tianchi, Tianqiang, and old fort areas of Zhu'an Village, then walk past Motian Ridge and the Fengyu Corridor Bridge and exit toward the North Gate and Jiulong Lake before taking the shuttle back.
Do not estimate this route only from the ease of the cable car and escalator. There are continuous stairs before and after the cable car, through Zhu'an Village, and at Motian Ridge. Rocks become slippery after rain, and the ridge section is exposed to wind. If the weather worsens, your energy runs low, or a facility is closed, return to an open standard route. Do not look for informal paths or walk around barriers.
Route B in reverse: Jiulong Lake first, South Gate last
The reverse route takes about 4.5 hours. Enter from the North Gate at Jiulong Lake, visit the lake first, then hike through Zhu'an Village and take the cable car downhill. Continue across the Guanzhaishan main peak, the Liyu Bei escalator, and the Shimen Lake boat, and finish at the South Gate.
This order puts the hardest hiking at the start, but the finish and start are not at the same gate. Drivers who leave their car at the Jiulong Lake car park must arrange a scenic shuttle back from the South Gate or confirm another vehicle in advance. Do not assume the exit is also your parking point.
Route C: Jiulong Lake and the bamboo raft
On Route C, focus on Jiulong Lake, Zhu'an Village, and the bamboo-raft experience. There is no need to chase the main-peak escalator or complete the full crossing. If you also want the main peak or cable car that day, check separately whether a suitable ticket exists and whether those parts are included in the product you bought. Do not infer this from Route A or Route B descriptions.
Get there
High-speed rail and station transfers
For high-speed rail or regular trains, Guanzhaishan Station is the best first choice. It is about 10 km from the scenic area and about 15 minutes by taxi. Guanzhaishan South Station can also be used, but it is farther from the county town. From there, a shuttle bus costs about CNY 10 per person. The two stations lead in different directions, so do not judge them as the same place from the "Guanzhaishan" part of the name.
The scenic area has shuttle vehicles, and shared e-bikes can be used in Liancheng County. Shared e-bikes suit short trips inside the county town. They are not a substitute for cross-station, mountain, or chartered-car travel.
Driving and parking at the two gates
Drivers should navigate to Guanzhaishan Visitor Service Center. Parking costs about CNY 1 per hour. For the reverse Route B plan, you can first park at the Jiulong Lake car park, then enter from the North Gate and finish at the South Gate. Arrange the return from the South Gate to the Jiulong Lake car park in advance.
The South Gate and North Gate do not share one interchangeable parking area. Before setting out, write your ticket route, entry and exit gates, and vehicle position into the day's plan. On holidays, do not leave the final transfer to a last-minute search for a car.
Know before you go
Ticket and facility boundaries
Routes A, B, and C are three separate products. Although Route B includes Route A's contents, this does not mean every part will operate that day. The boat, shuttle, escalator, and cable car can all be affected by weather, visitor numbers, maintenance, or operational arrangements. Before departure, check whether the Liyu Bei escalator is open, because it directly affects the effort needed on the main-peak section and the second half of Route B.
The scenic area also has an incompletely opened scientific-research route with steep sections and unclear signs. It is not a standard visitor route and should not be entered as a quiet shortcut.
Mountain paths and weather safety
The Shimen Lake boarding area, suspension bridge, Skyline Crack, Zhu'an Village, and ridge paths can all be wet or crowded. Wear non-slip shoes, slow down in rain, and do not stand outside barriers or on rock faces without an open-access sign. Hold a child's hand throughout, and watch narrow paths and stairs if you carry a large backpack.
Both Route B directions involve long periods outdoors. Use sun protection in summer and wind protection in winter. In thunderstorms, heavy fog, or strong wind, shorten the ridge section first and, if necessary, return directly to the Visitor Service Center or the nearest safe exit.
Water and nearby connections
There are retail points on the mountain, but their locations and supplies cannot be guaranteed. Bring 1-2 bottles of water and a small snack. If you want to visit Peitian Ancient Village after the hike, allow about 40 minutes by car. It is a separate destination with its own ticket and transport plan, so do not compress it into a same-day default addition.
Four Corner Well Culture Park, hot springs, and woodblock-printing experiences are also near Liancheng. Each has its own opening hours, activities, and fees. Check the conditions separately before adding them, and do not treat an advertised evening performance as a fixed program.