Stone Forest Scenic Area — Attraction in Kunming

Awe-Inspiring Beauty of Stone Forest Scenic Area

Visiting the Stone Forest Scenic Area in Yunnan, China, is like stepping into another world—one shaped by time, nature, and legend. The towering limestone formations, weathered over millions of years, rise dramatically from the earth, creating a mesmerizing landscape that resembles a petrified forest.

As I wandered through the winding stone paths, I was captivated by the sheer scale and intricate details of these natural sculptures. Some rocks stood tall like ancient sentinels, while others formed arches, caves, and corridors that invited exploration. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting shifting shadows and adding to the mystical ambiance.

The local legends added a deeper layer of enchantment. According to folklore, this was once the home of the Ashima, a beautiful Yi maiden turned to stone due to forbidden love. The tale, along with the breathtaking scenery, made the experience even more profound, as if the stones themselves held echoes of the past.

Standing amidst these towering formations, I felt a sense of awe and insignificance, reminded of nature’s power and artistry. The Stone Forest is more than just a geological wonder—it is a place where history, myth, and nature blend harmoniously, leaving visitors with an unforgettable sense of wonder...

Despite seeing pictures, the experience of visiting this site exceeded our expectations.

On the advice of another visitor we headed away from the noisy tour groups (guides use amplifiers) to Bushao Hill, which is about 500m from the entrance. Once there we saw no one for much of our walk to the ancient rock paintings via mother and child rock.

If we’d had more time we would have explored Wannianlingzhi area, too. I suspect few visitors get that far.

Because we were running out of time, we flagged down a shuttle bus to get back to the entrance.

We didn’t realise the shuttle bus back to the car park doesn’t return to the pick up point and we were dropped at a shopping and restaurant centre we’d never seen before.

Luckily, our driver was able to find us when we sent him our location.

This was definitely an excursion worth doing. If you want to explore at your own pace, don’t go...

Top of the line attraction, will blow your mind for sure. Easily accessible by local bus from the bus terminal, just don't forget to bring your passport as the bus requires it. Busses back from the park as well are well organized. In case you venture into the stone formations on one of the smaller paths - there is a good chance that you will get lost for an hour or two so DONT do it if you are short on time. We got lost there for almost two hours which were magical but a little stressful in a funny way and met many others who had no idea how to get out as well. Found some phone booths with an SOS button along the way so I guess the park management knows this is an issue and will get you out if you fail to do so :) just don't do it when you are short on time, otherwise by all means go for...