The Libo Karst

Libo is the wettest and greenest part of the South China Karst, and unlike the bare pillars further west the limestone here is buried under forest. The Xiaoqikong valley is the main route: a road and footpath follow the Zhangjiang past a small seven-arch stone bridge, through a stretch where the river spreads into dozens of shallow tiered cascades, and on to pools of an intense blue-green. Further out, Daqikong is a deeper gorge with a rock arch high above the river and far fewer people. The forest is dense enough to stay cool in summer, and the water level decides how the cascades look on any given day.

What you actually see

• The Xiaoqikong bridge - the small seven-arch stone bridge that gives the valley its name.
• The tiered cascades - a long stretch of river broken into dozens of shallow steps through the forest.
• The blue-green pools - deep basins where the colour comes from dissolved limestone.
• Daqikong gorge - the quieter valley, with a natural rock arch high above the water.

When to go

Late spring through autumn, when the forest is full and the river is running; winter leaves the cascades thin and the woods bare. Heavy summer rain turns the water brown and can close the riverside path. The pools show their colour best around the middle of the day, when light reaches down into the narrow valley.

Honest expectations

The two valleys need separate tickets and a shuttle between them, which pushes the cost up for a full day. Xiaoqikong is narrow and the path is shared by everyone, so at peak times it moves as a slow procession. Swimming in the pools is not allowed. Libo is awkward to reach without a car.

Nearby

Libo town, and the Miao and Dong villages of southeastern Guizhou.