Maling River Canyon

Maling River Canyon is a gorge cut through the Guizhou plateau east of Xingyi, where the Maling River drops through over 80 rapids over 50 kilometres of canyon. The canyon walls are sheer limestone rising between 50 and 100 metres above the river, with the scale and quality of light in the gorge creating an experience out of proportion with Xingyi's modest profile on tourist itineraries.

The main ways to experience the canyon are the canyon-rim walk, which follows the cliff edge with views into the gorge, and white-water rafting, which runs through the rapids on the river below. The rim walk takes three to four hours for the main section; the rafting takes a full day and is physically demanding. Both are available from the canyon entrance facilities east of the city. In winter, when the river is lower and clearer, the canyon walks are the better option; in summer, when the river is running fast, the rafting is at its most impressive.

things to do sight
A story
The Maling River Canyon was only opened to tourism in 1999, having been inaccessible before a footpath was cut into the canyon walls. Before that, the gorge existed in the knowledge of local Buyi people but had never been systematically explored. The canyon's white-water rafting route was partially developed, then closed after flooding, then reopened with better infrastructure. The 80+ rapids are graded differently by season: in summer, when the river runs high, the lower rapids that are shallow in dry season become significant obstacles, and the character of the experience changes substantially from one visit to the next.