Stone Forest

Chinese name: 石林 (Shi Lin)  
Location: Shilin Town, Shilin County, Kunming, Yunnan Province.
Ticket: Entrance ticket CNY130.00
Estimated tour time: 5-7hours
Recommended time to visit: whole year
Nearby attractions: Dianchi Lake, Western Hills & Dragon Gate, Jiuxiang Caves, Kunming Flower & Bird Market, etc. 

Kunming Stone Forest, Shilin in Chinese, is a spectacular set of limestone groups and the representative of south China’s karst landscape，approximately 90 km  from the provincial capital Kunming.

The tall rocks seem to arise from the ground in a manner somewhat reminiscent of stalagmites, or with many looking like petrified trees, thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Since 2007, two parts of the site, the Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village , have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst.

According to the geologists,approximately 270 million years ago - during the carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era - the region was a vast expanse of sea. Extensive deposits of sandstone overlain by limestone accumulated in this basin during the Permian period of geologic time. Uplift of this region occurred subsequent to deposition. Later, exposure to wind and running water shaped these limestone pillars. These formations extend as far as the eye can see, looking like a vast forest of stone, hence the name "The Stone Forest".

Shilin National Scenic Areacovers an area of 400 km2 and can be divided into eight districts, and at present, open tour districts are Stone Forest Scenic Area, Naigu Stone Forest Scenic Area, Feilong Waterfall Forest Scenic Area and Chang Lake Forest Scenic Area. Among them, Stone Forest Scenic Area is core area of the whole scenic spot, and most famous attractions are located here, including Major Stone Forest, Minor Stone Forest, Bushao Hill, Lizi Yuanqing, and Eternal Mushroom.The magnificent, strange and steep landscape creates countless labyrinthine vistas, Greater Stone Forest, Lesser Stone Forest and Naigu Stone Forest, all of which feature stones in various formations. Animals, plants, and even human figures can be found here. Some are elegant, some are rugged, and each is lifelike with its own distinguishing characteristics.

June 24th in Chinese lunar calendar is the traditional Torch Festival of Yi people. At this time, Stone Forest will hold grand bullfight, wrestling and song and dance activities to celebrate. Yi people will dress in their traditional costumes to anticipate the celebration. At nightfall, the bonfire and torches will be lit up, and people will dance and sing around the bonfire. This is the best time to experience the ethnic culture of Yi people.