Overview
Descend 60 meters through a natural skylight into Tianyan Cave — one of Chongqing's most dramatic hidden gems. This shared group tour takes you rappelling into a vast underground chamber where a 32.8-meter stone Buddha stands bathed in beams of sunlight. Your driver-photographer handles safety training, gear, and photos all day. Finish with a Sichuan hot pot lunch served inside the cave. No experience needed. Add via ferrata or an underground zip line for more thrills. More Chongqing tours.
Highlights
- 60-Meter Skylight Rappel — Lower yourself through a natural cave opening into a cathedral-sized chamber
- Pro Photography — Candid action shots + light-beam portraits captured by your driver-guide
- Underground Hot Pot — Sichuan-style lunch served inside the cave by lantern light
- 32.8m Stone Buddha — Stand before a cliff-carved Buddha dramatically lit from above
- Zero Experience Needed — Full safety briefing + all gear, perfect for first-timers
- Optional Add-Ons — Via ferrata or underground zip line, $20 each
- Shared Small Group — Max 6 travelers, meet at Jiazhou Light Rail Station
Itinerary
Tianyan Cave Rappelling & Underground Hot Pot
09:00 – Meet at Jiazhou Light Rail Station, Exit 3B
Please arrive on time — we depart promptly at 9:00. Meet near Exit 3B of Jiazhou station (Line 3). The drive to Tianyan Cave takes about 80 minutes.
10:30 – Safety briefing & gear up
Your guide gives a full safety briefing and fits you with a helmet, harness, gloves, and descender. You'll practice on a training wall before heading to the cave.
11:00 – The 60-meter rappel
Step off the skylight platform and lower yourself 60 meters into the cave — the rappel takes about 30 minutes. Your photographer captures you from multiple angles as beams of sunlight stream through the opening above. At the bottom, you'll stand before the 32.8-meter stone Buddha carved into the cave wall.
Add-on adventures (timing flexible)
If you've booked via ferrata or the underground palace zip line, your guide will schedule them either before or after lunch depending on group flow and site conditions that day. Each takes about 30 minutes.
Underground hot pot lunch
Enjoy a Sichuan hot pot meal set up right inside the cave — red broth, fresh vegetables, and local specialties, all by lantern light.
14:30 – Head back to Chongqing
Tired but exhilarated, you'll climb back out via the stair route and hop in the van for the return drive.
16:00 – Drop-off at Jiazhou Light Rail Station
You'll arrive back at Jiazhou Road metro station around 4:00 PM, with a folder full of photos waiting for you.
Questions about fitness or group size? Contact us.
What's Included
- Round-trip transportation from Jiazhou Light Rail Station (Chongqing)
- Professional driver-photographer with basic English
- All rappelling equipment (helmet, harness, gloves, descender)
- Tianyan Cave entrance ticket + rappelling experience
- Underground hot pot lunch (Sichuan style, vegetarian available)
- ~12 retouched digital photos + all raw files + rappel video (final count depends on shooting conditions)
- On-site accident insurance
- First-aid kit
- Photo props (lantern, sword props, light sticks of various sizes)
What's Not Included
- International flights to/from Chongqing
- Optional via ferrata add-on ($20/person)
- Optional underground palace zip line ($20/person)
- Hotel pickup & drop-off (meet at Jiazhou station)
- Personal expenses & souvenirs
- Personal travel insurance (we recommend purchasing before your trip)
Good to Know
- What to Bring: Athletic clothes you don't mind dusty, closed-toe shoes with good grip, a small backpack with water and personal medication. Leave valuables at your hotel. We provide photo props (lanterns, sword props, light sticks) — bring your own if you need something specific.
- Best Time to Visit: Year-round, cave stays 18–22°C. Spring (Mar–May) and autumn (Sep–Nov) have the best road conditions and lowest rain risk. Summer is hot outside but cool inside — a great heat escape. Winter is quietest.
- Fitness Level: Moderate. Basic upper-body strength and reasonable fitness needed for the rappel and cave stairs. No previous experience required — full training provided. Not recommended if you have a serious fear of heights.
- How to Book: Book at least 48 hours in advance. This is a shared group tour (max 6 people). For private tours, Contact us.
- Cancellation Policy: Full refund if cancelled 24+ hours before. No refund for cancellations within 24 hours or no-shows. Weather cancellations get full refund or free rebooking.
- After the Tour: If you have a flight or train to catch, book flights after 6:00 PM and high-speed trains after 5:00 PM to allow for traffic delays. The tour ends at Jiazhou Station around 4:00 PM.