Longqing Gorge

Longqing Gorge was created when a dam was built across a limestone valley in the 1970s, filling it with water between cliffs of a few hundred metres and producing a gorge that is toured by boat in the warm months. The entrance is characteristically unsubtle: a covered escalator, said to be among the longest outdoor escalators in Asia, climbs the dam wall inside a yellow dragon sculpture. In January and February the site holds an ice and snow festival, with carved ice lanterns and illuminated sculptures filling the lower gorge, a smaller relative of Harbin's festival but within reach of Beijing for a day trip. Bungee jumping and a zipline operate in summer.

What you actually see

• The dragon escalator - the covered stairway climbing the dam inside a sculpture.
• The gorge boat trip - the cruise between limestone cliffs above the reservoir.
• The ice festival - carved and lit ice sculptures in winter.
• The activities - bungee jumping and zipline over the water in summer.

When to go

January to February for the ice festival, which is the site's most distinctive season; May to October for boating and warm weather. The gorge freezes in winter and boats stop. Weekends and holidays are busy.

Honest expectations

The site is heavily developed and commercial, with charges layered on top of entry. Winter visits are extremely cold, with the ice festival best after dark. The journey from Beijing takes around two hours each way.

Nearby

Badaling Great Wall lies south; the Guanting reservoir is west.