Kunming Stone Forest Jiuxiang Private Day Tour: UNESCO Karst

Walk through 12 square kilometers of limestone pinnacles shaped over millennia

A private day tour from Kunming to Stone Forest and Jiuxiang combines two of southwest China's most distinctive karst landscapes in a single trip. Your English-speaking guide picks you up from your hotel, drives you through the Stone Forest's 12-square-kilometer expanse of limestone groups, then moves on to Jiuxiang's underground cave system and ethnic villages. Lunch is included. You choose whether to add the battery car at Stone Forest, the cable car and boat at Jiuxiang, or book the transfer alone without a guide.

The experience

Stone Forest, listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, is the centerpiece: a spectacular set of limestone pinnacles rising from the earth in formations the Ming Dynasty called the "First Wonder of the World." The landscape covers 12 square kilometers and represents the essence of south China's karst terrain. Your guide navigates you through the stone groups. The battery car option lets you cover more ground without walking the full distance.

Jiuxiang, in the northeastern part of Yiliang County, shifts the day toward underground scenery. Known as the "Home of Karst Caves" and regarded by experts as a "Cave Museum," the area holds around 100 caves carved into the landscape. The cable car and boat rides are optional additions that let you move through the cave system and the water features without climbing or swimming. The region is inhabited mainly by Yi and Hui ethnic groups, so the villages and customs you encounter reflect those communities directly.

The tour runs eight to nine hours total. An air-conditioned vehicle carries you between sites, and your guide handles the route and timing. One bottle of water per person is provided. Lunch is part of the package. The choice of whether to add the guide at all, or to book transport only, shapes what the day includes. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Kunming are standard.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle and hotel pickup and drop-off in Kunming.
• entrance fees to Stone Forest and Jiuxiang.
• lunch.
• one bottle of water per person.
• English-speaking guide (in the full tour option).
• battery car at Stone Forest and cable car and boat at Jiuxiang are optional add-ons you select at checkout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Only private transfer08:00 and 08:30No guide, no lunch, no tickets: private transfer only. You buy the entrance fee yourself on site. Lunch and guide are not provided by us. Pickup is included

Private day trip to Kunming Stone Forest and Jiuxiang, lunch included08:00Option with guide, transfer and tickets: this package includes a guide, transfer and tickets, and pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (8 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by China Kongfu Panda tour

Is this one for you?Choose the full tour with a guide if you want context for the karst formations and the ethnic villages. Pick the transfer-only option if you prefer to explore independently or have your own plans for what to do at each site.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (8 to 11 years); Child (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What exactly is Stone Forest and why is it called the First Wonder of the World?

Stone Forest is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site covering 12 square kilometers of limestone pinnacle groups rising from the earth: the representative landscape of south China's karst terrain. The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) gave it that name because of the scale and uniqueness of the stone formations, which exist nowhere else in the world in this configuration.

Can I walk through Stone Forest on my own, or do I need the battery car?

You can walk. The battery car is an optional add-on you choose at checkout. It covers more ground without the full walking distance, so it suits travelers who want to see more of the 12-square-kilometer area without tiring.

What is Jiuxiang and what will I see there?

Jiuxiang is a scenic area in Yiliang County home to around 100 caves, underground waterways, and villages inhabited by Yi and Hui ethnic groups. The cable car and boat rides are optional ways to move through the cave system and water features. Without them, you can still explore the caves and the landscape on foot.

Do I have to book the guide, or can I just get the transfer?

You have two options at checkout: the full private day tour with an English-speaking guide, lunch and entrance fees included, or a private transfer alone. The transfer-only option gives you the vehicle and driver without the guided experience or meal.

How long does the tour take, and what time does it start?

The tour runs eight to nine hours total. Your guide picks you up from your hotel lobby at a time you arrange. The exact start time depends on your hotel location and your preference.