Plan at a glance
Location and ticket
Stork Tower is on the west side of Puzhou Ancient Town in Yongji, on the east bank of the Yellow River. Navigate to “Stork Tower” for the scenic-area entrance and car park. Tickets are CNY 54 per person from April 1 to October 31 and CNY 45 from November 1 to March 31 of the following year; full-time students pay half price, while visitors aged 60 or above and children under 1.2 metres may qualify for free entry under the current policy.
Reservations and time-sensitive plans
Advance reservation through the “Yuncheng Culture and Tourism” WeChat account is recommended. Foreign visitors should confirm which document is accepted for the real-name reservation, entry check and any concession before visiting; do not assume the Chinese identity-card process applies. If you plan to watch sunset or visit at night, check the scenic area’s closing time and whether there is a night performance that day. Do not assume it stays open until 22:00.
How much time to allow
Allow about 1 hour to go up the tower, look over the Yellow River and make a quick pass through the exhibition halls. Allow 1.5–3 hours if you add Guanying Lake (鹳影湖), the floor-by-floor displays and sunset. Stork Tower and Pujiu Temple fit on the same Yongji day, but they have separate tickets and opening arrangements; one site’s hours do not establish the other’s.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
Choose your visit
Views from the six-level gallery
The 360-degree gallery on the sixth floor is the tower’s main viewpoint, looking over the Yellow River and the Zhongtiao Mountains. The statue of Wang Zhihuan is a good place to frame a person with the distant landscape. Keep hats, scarves and other light items secure because the riverbank can be windy and dusty.
Exhibitions on levels two to five
Levels two to five display calligraphy of “Ascending Stork Tower” and murals based on Tang poetry. Browse them floor by floor before or after going up. Visitors more interested in poetry and cultural context can slow down here; if the view is your priority, focus on level six and the square in front of the tower.
Guanying Lake and Yellow River viewpoints
The far side of Guanying Lake is a good place for a reflection of the tower. The west side of the building has softer afternoon light and is often less crowded, making it useful for a full-building photograph. The northwest corner of level two may offer a Yellow River sunset view, but light depends on weather, season and the area open to visitors.
Build your day
An approximately 1-hour short route
Enter from the front of the main tower and use the lift if it is operating that day, or take the stairs, to reach the level-six viewpoint. Walk down floor by floor through the poetry exhibitions on levels two to five, then leave through the exit. During holidays, the lift usually prioritises older adults and visitors with reduced mobility, so other visitors may need to use the stairs; check lift operation with staff on arrival.
A 1.5–3-hour complete route
Start in the square by photographing the front and architectural details of the tower. Walk beside Guanying Lake for reflections, then enter and move upward from the level-two exhibition halls, finishing with time on the level-six gallery. If you want sunset, confirm your departure time and whether the upper levels are open before going up. Return to the car park by the route you came in; night visits and performances do not replace daytime ticket and opening checks.
Sunset and night arrangements
At sunset, choose one viewpoint among the west side of the building, the far side of Guanying Lake and the upper gallery. Do not move to the edge at a high point just to change angles. Night arrangements follow the closing time and performance information announced that day.
Get there
Driving and parking
Driving from central Yuncheng takes about 1 hour. Navigate directly to “Stork Tower”; the scenic area has a car park, with parking costing about CNY 10 per visit. The Yellow River side can be windy, dusty and sunny, so take valuables with you after parking. Parking availability and usable areas vary.
High-speed rail and public transport
From Yongji North Railway Station, take bus 2 or 3 to Puzhou Town, then walk or take a taxi for about 10 minutes to the scenic area. The connection includes a transfer and a final section on foot, so do not estimate the return from the outward timetable alone. Set Yongji North Railway Station or your accommodation as a clear return destination before leaving.
Connecting with Pujiu Temple
Stork Tower and Pujiu Temple are both on a Yongji sightseeing route, so arrange the order around their opening hours. Their entrances, tickets and activities are independent: Stork Tower’s level-six access rules do not apply to Pujiu Temple, and Pujiu Temple’s night visit is not included in the Stork Tower ticket.
Know before you go
Heights, wind and walking effort
Watch your footing on the stairs, viewing gallery and Yellow River side, and hold the rail when climbing. Keep phones, hats and other light objects away from the outer edge. Visitors with reduced mobility should not treat the lift as guaranteed; decide how high to go according to the lift’s operation and the areas open that day.
Queues and photography
Crowds are heavier during holidays, and the lift may prioritise particular groups, so other visitors should follow staff directions and use the stairs when directed. The front of the tower, the far side of Guanying Lake and the west-side viewpoint serve different photographic purposes. Keep stairways, galleries and narrow passages clear, and stay away from high edges when taking photographs.
Food in Yongji
Liji Xixiang Beef Restaurant near the scenic area offers a cold platter of beef, beef tripe and beef tendon, as well as beef noodles. Yongji beef dumplings, mutton soup with flatbread and other noodles can also be found in the city. Plan food around the restaurant’s opening hours; if a night performance has not been confirmed, leave after the meal according to your arranged transport rather than making the evening too late.