National park · China
Qianshan National Park千山国家公园
Give Qianshan a full day from Anshan: bus 8 out (¥2, ~40 min), walk the ridge from Heaven above Heaven to Five Buddha Summit before 10:00, and skip the shuttle unless your legs are done.Give Qianshan a full day from Anshan: bus 8 out (¥2, ~40 min), walk the ridge from Heaven above Heaven to Five Buddha Summit before 10:00 AM, and skip the shuttle unless your legs are done.
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
44 km²17 sq mi
approximate
Established
1982
Best months
May, Sep–Oct
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
- China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
- China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
- China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
- China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.
At a glance
- Country
- China
- Area
- 44 km²17 sq mi
- Park area of about 44 km²; the Immortal Summit forest park in the south has its own entrance and separate charges (check).
- Established
- 1982
- Best months
- May, Sep–Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Anshan
Qianshan is a granite ridge of roughly a thousand lotus-shaped peaks 18 km southeast of Anshan, with Buddhist and Taoist temples sharing the same slopes for about 1,200 years. Cars stay outside; you walk stone stairs and ladders, or pay ¥10 a ride for an electric shuttle on the valley road. Three cable cars cover part of the climb, never all of it. The Maitreya Buddha, a 70 m natural rock figure found in the mid-1990s, sits in its own southern section with a separate ticket.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1982.
Size and age
44 km²17 sq mi · national park since 1982
Park area of about 44 km²; the Immortal Summit forest park in the south has its own entrance and separate charges (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Anshan.
Why go
- A working religious landscape, not a museum: monks and nuns still use the temples on the peaks.
- Steep stone stairs, handholds and ladders give a ridge walk that is genuinely exposed in places.
- The 70 m Maitreya Buddha rock figure is the park's modern draw and sits in a quieter southern section.
- Easy from Anshan: a ¥2 city bus drops you at the gate in under an hour.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebAvoid
- MarCaution
- AprGo
- MayBest
- JunGo
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepBest
- OctBest
- NovGo
- DecCaution
- JanOften near -20 °C; heavy snow, icy stairsOften near −4 °F; heavy snow, icy stairs
- FebCold; ski resort outside the park operates
- MarThaw; paths wet and slippery
- AprMild, dry; blossom on the lower slopes
- MayWarm and green; best all-round walking
- JunWarm; Great Buddha Festival brings crowds
- JulHot, around 32 °C; afternoon stormsHot, around 90 °F; afternoon storms
- AugHottest and wettest; start at dawn
- SepClear, cooler; good ridge visibility
- OctDry and crisp; autumn colour in the valleys
- NovCold but clear; quiet
- DecSnow and ice on the upper stairs
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine forest on the ridges, deciduous trees in the valleysApr–Jun, Sep–Oct · Autumn colour in the valleys is the strongest seasonal sight. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | yes | yes | no | no |
| Birds, including the collection at the Garden of BirdsApr–Oct | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Icy stairs and closed upper pathsDec–Feb · Heavy snow is common; check conditions at the gate before buying a cable car ticket. | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
From Anshan
Bus 8 from the bus station near the train station to the park gate; buses are slow and crowded at peak times. A taxi takes about 30 min.
40–60 min
Open the page →
From Shenyang
Frequent train to Anshan (about 50 min), then bus 8 or a taxi; coach takes roughly twice the train time.
2–2.5 h
Open the page →
From Dalian
Coach to Anshan about four times daily, then bus 8 or a taxi to the gate.
4–5 h
Open the page →
From Shenyang airport
Closest airport to the park; train or coach to Anshan, then local bus or taxi.
2.5–3 h
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Main gate and valley road | Ticket gates, paved valley road, shuttle buses, hawkers and restaurants outside. | Open with a ticket; walking or shuttle only. |
| Heaven above Heaven ridge | The classic climb past Wuliang Taoist Temple, with the ridge walk on to Seventh Heaven, the Narrow Path between Rocks and Five Buddha Summit. | Open; steep stone stairs and ladders. |
| Five Buddha Summit | Second-highest peak, with five Buddha statues said to date to the Tang dynasty. | Cable car plus a very steep foot climb, or the ridge from Heaven above Heaven. |
| Maitreya Buddha and Immortal Summit (south) | The 70 m natural Buddha figure, Maitreya temple and pagodas, and the 708.3 m Immortal Summit forest park. | Own entrance and separate charges; cable car part way only. |
Sketch map
- 1Main gate · Gate≈41.026, 123.136Bus 8 and taxis stop here; approximate.Map ↗
- 2Heaven above Heaven · Summit≈41.029, 123.133Approximate.Map ↗
- 3Five Buddha Summit · Summit≈41.033, 123.140Approximate.Map ↗
- 4Maitreya Buddha scenic spot · Viewpoint≈41.010, 123.150Southern section, separate entrance; approximate.Map ↗
- 5Immortal Summit (708.3 m) · Summit≈41.005, 123.145Highest point in the park; approximate.Map ↗
- 6Qianshan hot spring area · Sleep≈41.035, 123.125Near the north entrance; approximate.Map ↗
- 7Anshan city centre · Town≈41.109, 122.995Map ↗
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry | CNY 60–80 | person | 2026 estimate; peak-season rate, lower in winter (check). |
| Electric shuttle bus inside the park | CNY 10 | person per ride | — |
| Cable car, per route | CNY 30–50 | person one way | 2026 estimate; three separate routes, none reaches a summit (check). |
| Immortal Summit forest park (south section) | CNY 40–60 | person | Separate entrance and ticket from the main park (check). |
| Bus 8 from Anshan city centre | CNY 2 | person each way | — |
| Taxi, Anshan city centre to the main gate | CNY 35–40 | car | Meter starts at ¥6 and ticks from 2 km. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Park entry ticket permit or guide
Immortal Summit section permit or guide
Vehicle access no permit
Park rules
- No private cars inside
- Vehicles stay outside the park; walk or use the electric shuttle buses.
- Stay behind barriers
- Safety barriers line the most exposed ridge sections; do not step around them for a photo.
- Temple etiquette
- Some halls are active places of worship; keep quiet, and ask before photographing people or statues indoors.
- Litter and fires
- Carry out all rubbish; open fires are not allowed in the forest.
- Drone use
- Not allowed without permission from the park authorities (check).check
Where to stay
Near the park
Hotels outside the main gate
Several inexpensive three-star country hotels within walking distance of the entrance.
Near the park
Hot spring resorts near the north entrance
Spa hotels where you can soak after a day on the stairs.
Near the park
Anshan city centre
The widest choice, from budget to five-star, about 30 min from the gate by taxi or bus 8.
Safety
Steep, near-vertical stair sections high
Winter ice on the upper paths high
Summer heat and storms medium
Crowds at the Great Buddha Festival medium
Accessibility
- The valley road is paved and wide, and the shuttle buses cover it; the main gate area is manageable with limited mobility.
- No cable car reaches a summit, and every summit route ends in steep stairs or ladders, so the peaks are not accessible to wheelchairs or strollers.
Visiting lightly
- Stay on the marked stone paths; the granite slopes erode quickly where people cut corners.
- Take your rubbish down — hawkers sell snacks along the path and bins are sparse.
- Use the shuttle or bus 8 rather than a private car, since vehicles are kept outside the park.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Qianshan National Park?
Budget ¥60–80 per person for main park entry (2026 estimate), with a lower winter rate. Add ¥10 per shuttle ride, ¥30–50 per cable car one way, and a separate ¥40–60 ticket if you also visit the Immortal Summit forest park in the south. Bus 8 from Anshan is ¥2 each way; a taxi is ¥35–40.
What are the best hikes in Qianshan National Park?
The ridge from Heaven above Heaven to Five Buddha Summit is the classic: steep stone stairs, handholds and ladders, 3–4 hours, with the Narrow Path between Rocks as the exposed section. Easier options are the stepped path to the Maitreya Buddha and the walk to Dragon Spring Temple.
When is the best time to visit Qianshan National Park?
May, September and October: mild, dry and clear on the ridge. July and August are hot, around 32 °C, so start before 9:00. December to February is often near -20 °C with snow and ice on the upper stairs.
Do I need a guide or a permit for Qianshan?
No. Buy a ticket at the main gate and walk; individual visitors do not need a permit or guide. The only separate ticket is for the Immortal Summit section in the south, which has its own entrance.
Can I drive into Qianshan National Park?
No. Private cars are not allowed inside. Park outside the gate, take bus 8 or a taxi from Anshan, and use the ¥10 electric shuttle buses on the valley road if you do not want to walk it.
How do I get to Qianshan from Anshan or Shenyang?
From Anshan, bus 8 runs from the bus station near the train station to the gate, ¥2, 40–60 minutes, or a taxi for ¥35–40. From Shenyang, take a train to Anshan (about 50 min) and continue by bus or taxi; the coach takes roughly twice as long.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go