Kongtong Mountain, is it really not worth visiting? A genuine guide after an in-depth experience!
Dear family and friends, today I must share with you my bittersweet journey to Kongtong Mountain! As a travel blogger who has been to many mountains, rivers, and lakes, this trip to Kongtong Mountain truly made me both love and "hate" it.
During the May Day holiday, after enjoying sand play with my family in Zhongwei, we planned to find some fun places on the way back to Xi’an. That’s how Kongtong Mountain came into our view. As a Jin Yong fan, I was full of longing for this mountain, which is legendary in martial arts novels. Plus, the photos of the scenic area looked pretty good, so I decisively bought tickets at the entrance, ready to start a wonderful journey. But once we bought the tickets, we fell into a "trap."
We arrived quite late, around 4 p.m., with light drizzle still falling. The ticket price wasn’t cheap—139 yuan for adults (including the entrance ticket and the shuttle to the middle platform), and we had to pay another 35 yuan to take the shuttle down from the middle platform to the entrance. Although it hurt the wallet, since we were already there, we gritted our teeth and went in.
From the entrance to the middle platform shuttle stop, we didn’t see a single scenic map along the way, wandering around the middle platform like headless flies. We originally planned to take the cable car to the top easily, but the cable car staff told us it was only for going down. Helpless, we went to the East Platform, which was pitifully small and had nowhere else to go after a short walk. After asking a cleaning lady, we learned that to reach the summit, we had to return to the middle platform and head toward Chaotian Gate. This back-and-forth really exhausted us, and our good mood gradually wore off.
Finally finding the right path at the middle platform, we saw a small scenic map, but by then our enthusiasm for climbing had greatly diminished. Continuing up the mountain path, the rain caused mist to envelop the mountain, turning everything white and obscuring any scenery. By the time we reached the Imperial City around 6:15 p.m., to our dismay, the restrooms in the scenic area were already closed. Helpless, I had to "take care of business" in the forest, which was really embarrassing.
Looking back on this trip to Kongtong Mountain, to be fair, it was quite mediocre in many aspects. In terms of hiking difficulty, it’s a two-star level, almost no challenge for frequent hikers; the scenic beauty also rates two stars, lacking any breathtaking or stunning views; the level of steepness is also two stars, missing that thrilling feeling; however, in cultural heritage, thanks to many historical stories and legends, it deserves three stars. By comparison, Zhongnan Mountain and Cuihua Mountain in Xi’an not only charge only one-fifth of Kongtong Mountain’s ticket price but also offer better natural scenery and travel experiences in my opinion.
But! Kongtong Mountain is not without merit. If you happen to be visiting Zhongwei and have no better places to go, Kongtong Mountain can be arranged for a half-day visit. After all, it has profound historical culture. Climbing to the summit and feeling the sacred place where the cultural ancestor, Emperor Xuanyuan Huangdi, once ascended and sought wisdom offers a unique charm. Also, when the mist clears, the occasional outline of the mountain ridges lets you appreciate the wonders of nature.
If you plan to visit Kongtong Mountain, here are some tips: try to arrive early to have enough time to explore and avoid missing some spots due to time constraints like we did; be sure to check the scenic map online in advance and plan your route, or you’ll easily get lost inside; avoid going on rainy days, as the scenery is greatly diminished and the mountain paths become slippery and difficult to walk.
Overall, Kongtong Mountain has its unique cultural charm, but in terms of travel experience and cost-effectiveness, there is definitely much room for improvement. I hope my experience can provide some reference for you, helping you avoid detours on your travel journey.