The valley below Longwu Monastery is one of the pleasantest places in Tongren to simply walk. The river cuts through a narrow defile framed by eroded red and yellow clay cliffs, with small village shrines and prayer-flag strings on the higher ledges and terraced fields on the lower slopes. The path along the river leads past several small chapels and whitewashed walls painted with the four guardian kings — vivid and well-maintained even on structures that appear to have been there for centuries.
The full valley walk from the monastery down to the lower village and back takes about two hours at a relaxed pace. Go in the afternoon when the light is softer and the red clay glows. The valley is also the site of the Monlam Chenmo festival in February or March, when the slopes fill with tents and pilgrims from across the region.