Dragon Escalator

Dragon Escalator Damien Day

Situated roughly 85 kilometers to the north of Beijing, Longqing Gorge is a pleasant change of pace from the crowded streets of China’s capital. Home to one of China’s largest dams, the otherwise tranquil surroundings are slashed by a gigantic dragon escalator.

Seemingly out of place against the cliffs in the background, the bright yellow behemoth rises 258 meters and is the world’s largest outdoor escalator. Once at the top of the gorge, you can engage in even more adventures, including a ride in a cable car or a boat trip on the artificial lake. If a boat ride sounds too slow for you, you can always bungee jump in the gorge as well.

As if the chance of plummeting into the gorge is not frightening enough, the top of the peak also has a fantastic display of fake animals in scary poses, adding a cheesy element to the adventure.

Update: As of August 2019, the escalator is no longer in use.

Know Before You Go

Located in Yanqing County, about 85 km from downtown Beijing. During the summer, you can get there on bus 919 bus from Deshengmen (east of Jishuitan subway stop) to Guchen (8RMB, one hour), a short walk from the gorge. Buses run every 10 minutes from 5:50 a.m. until 6 p.m.