Tengchong One-Day Tour Guide: Volcanic Geopark

I had already rented a car thinking of driving around here, but then I saw that Ctrip offers a one-day tour of Tengchong that includes tickets, and in one day you can see three main attractions with door-to-door service. The price is about the same as buying tickets to the scenic spots... I immediately canceled the rented car. Tengchong's weather is about 7 or 8 degrees cooler than Ruili and Mangshi, which is quite refreshing. The temperature difference between morning and evening is significant, so you need to bring a jacket. The UV rays during the day are strong, so sun protection is necessary. There are the Big Empty Mountain and Small Empty Mountain in the volcanic area. The driver said that climbing Big Empty Mountain involves about 1200 steps... I was mentally prepared, but to my surprise, as soon as I entered the park, I saw local villagers in yellow vests offering horse rides up the mountain. They all wore yellow vests, which seems to be a unified management by the scenic area. You can choose a one-way ride or a round trip. I suggest just riding up the mountain, as walking down is not tiring and the scenery along the way is beautiful. The villagers leading the horses also work very hard... By the time I reached the top, I was already drenched in sweat. Walking around the crater, to the left you see peach blossoms, to the right, health and wealth, and without hesitation, I went right! There's not much to see at the volcanic crater, just a big pit, and Big Empty Mountain had a big fire last year, so most of the trees were burned down. The vegetation on Small Empty Mountain is lusher and the scenery is more beautiful. From the top of the mountain, you can see a sea of green, which is refreshing and invigorating. Riding a horse up the mountain and touring around takes about two hours... It also saves energy for the next attraction. I definitely recommend visiting Tengchong.