Immortal Valley | An ice sculpture made by dripping water
An ice sculpture made by dripping water.

Kids Club: Immortal Valley and the Big Buddha

Hike up Immortal Valley, passing cliffs, waterfalls, boulders, and pools of water on the way to the 'Big Buddha' carved into the cliffside. Longer option available for big kids.

Level 3
Some steep stairs and steps. Up to 4–5 hours over 6–10km. (Can I do it?)

This hike is not currently scheduled

Contact us for schedule updates or set up a private hike

There's a lot to see on our Immortal Valley hike – pools filled with clear water, waterfalls, big trees, wild flowers, some distant Great Wall, the Miyun Reservoir, and long views of valleys and mountains.

We’ll walk up the valley, passing those cliffs, waterfalls, boulders, and pools of water on the way to the ‘Big Buddha’ carved into the cliffside. It’s an up-and-back trail, and you can make it into a more relaxed walk by not going all the way up. (Make a note with your booking if you’d like to try the longer hike.)

This is a really scenic hike in winter because of all the icefalls, and we’ll also be able to step out onto a frozen reservoir.

Kids club: relaxed outings for kids to enjoy some family time in nature. Best for ages 6 and up. Younger children may need to be carried for parts of the hike, especially if you aim to get up to the Big Buddha.

Kids Club at Immortal Valley, 2022/02/02 photo #8
The largest waterfall and the ice caves.

Itinerary

Itinerary for the hike
09:00 Driving to the hike
11:00 Start walking up to the first waterfall lookout
11:30 Climb steep stairs to the first lookout
11:45 Continue up Immortal Valley, passing pools on the way to the next waterfall
12:30 Picnic lunch by the Big Buddha
13:00 Big kids start the longer version of the hike, heading up to the top trail
13:30 Those doing the shorter hike start to head back, taking a side trail down from the Big Buddha, then back the same way to the finish
14:30 Hike is finished.
15:00 Driving back, stopping for a bathroom break
17:00 Arrive at Lido, then on to Liangmaqiao
Immortal Valley Loop, 2018/01/17 photo #20
By one of the frozen waterfalls on the way to the Big Buddha.

Things to do

While there aren't specially structured activities this time, there are some fun things to do.

Play on the ice: water runs in a stream down the valley, collecting in large and small rock pools. On this hike all the water will be frozen.

Grab an icicle to snack on (With parental permission, of course.)

Spot the weird rocks: the cliffs on either side of the valley are topped by rocky crags, some vaguely reminiscent of various animals. Signs beside the path describe what you should be looking for, but is there really a frog-shaped rock?

Extra hiking: Big kids might like to do a longer hike—finish your picnic early and follow the guides up to the Big Buddha and then farther up the valley. It’s a long climb up to the top, then a long descent down a ridgeline trail.

Please contact us if you'd like more details about the plan.

Immortal Valley Loop, 2018/01/17 photo #26
Views from the longer version of the hike.

Participation notes

Safety and supervision: we choose hikes that are not dangerous, and we’ll warn you about any parts of the hike that require extra attention. You’re responsible for watching your children. We’ll let you know where’s good to play.

Vehicle: all participants must wear seatbelts while in the vehicle. Ask us about bringing your car seat, as certain seats might not fit.

Weather: if the weather doesn’t look like fun, we’ll cancel or postpone the hike.

Food: bring your own picnic lunch. We’ll supply some snacks and water for you.

COVID-19 and participation precautions

The current precautions are minimal. Please read in full here: Operating hikes under COVID-19 precautions

Related content

Photos and trip reports: Kids Club: Immortal Valley and the Big Buddha

  1. Kids Club at Immortal Valley, 2022/02/02

    Kids Club at Immortal Valley, 2022/02/02

    On this hike we slid about on a frozen reservoir, hiked past frozen waterfalls up to an ice cave, and then explored snowy trails up in the hills—see 10 photos.

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