Ascending the Cloud Terrace Sky Road·Shibing Yuntain Mountain

Atop the karst pinnacle forest, cliffside plank paths touch the clouds! 🚗 Location & Transportation 📍 Northern Shibing County, Qiandongnan Prefecture (13km from county town) Self-drive navigation: About 3 hours from Guiyang, navigate to "West Gate Parking Lot of Shibing Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area" (15 RMB/day). Public transport: Take high-speed rail from Guiyang North Station to Kaili South Station (40 mins), then transfer to scenic area shuttle (2 daily departures, 35 RMB/person). 🌟 Core Highlights ☁️ White Cloud Spectacle·Immortal Realm As the core area of a World Natural Heritage site, Yuntai Mountain is famed for its karst isolated peak clusters. After rain clears, clouds surge like ocean waves between the pinnacles, with over a thousand knife-cut stone peaks faintly visible, resembling Avatar's floating mountains. The Stargazing Platform offers the best cloud views, where you can capture the spectacular "cloud waterfall" phenomenon between 5:30-7:00 AM. ⛰️ Cliffside Sky Road Hike The 8km Cloud Terrace Sky Road embodies adventure: Thrilling Plank Path: Wooden walkways cling to 100-meter cliffs, requiring visitors to grip iron chains while sidestepping through the "Tiger's Mouth" section (not for those with acrophobia). Hidden Waterfall: Encounter the 40-meter Longtan Waterfall mid-hike, where silver cascades plunge into emerald pools—follow rope-assisted paths to the base (guide required). 🌿 Pristine Ecological Treasure Rare Species: The forest shelters protected plants like Chinese yew and dove trees, with summer nights occasionally lit by firefly constellations. Herb Gathering: Local guides can lead foraging trips for wild Solomon's seal and Paris polyphylla (50 RMB/person, includes medicinal cuisine preparation). 📸 Photography Guide Cloud Sea Timelapse: ▶️ Set up tripod at Stargazing Platform with wide-angle lens to capture moving clouds (ND filter recommended to prevent overexposure). ▶️ Sunset Peaks: After 18:00, use telephoto to compress red-hued pinnacles into "sword-pointing-at-sky" silhouettes. Plank Path Composition: ▶️ At "Thread of Sky" section, shoot upward with 24mm lens to emphasize geometric tension between walkway and sky. Waterfall Long Exposure: ▶️ Use ND1000 filter + tripod at Longtan Waterfall for 30-second silk-flow effects. ⚠️ Practical Tips Tickets: Peak season (May-Oct) 120 RMB/person, off-season 80 RMB (includes shuttle), student discounts available. Best Seasons: ▶️ May-Jun: Frequent cloud seas + azalea blooms ▶️ Sep-Oct: Clear autumn skies avoid rainy season Essential Gear: ✅ Anti-slip hiking shoes (some mossy steps) ✅ Compact raincoat (summit weather changes abruptly) ✅ Trekking poles (knee relief) Dining/Lodging: 🍲 Summit "Cloud Lodge" homestay: Wood-fired chicken + Miao sour fish soup (60 RMB/person), terraces face cloud seas. 🏠 Shibing town's "Ink Cloud Hotel": Smart rooms with telescopes (peak season 500 RMB/night). 💡 Deep Dive: Combine with nearby Firwood River Rafting (40-min drive)—scale Yuntai Mountain by morning, navigate canyon rapids by afternoon for ultimate "sky-to-earth" adventure. Shibing Yuntai Mountain redefines karst landscapes through perilous peaks and cloud oceans. With no cable cars, only footpaths measure these cliffs—when clouds swallow the summits, you'll understand why "where mountains meet seas, travelers become living brushstrokes."