Western Hills: cable car over Dianchi, then the cliff path to Dragon Gate
Western Hills, Xishan District, Kunming
The Western Hills rise straight out of Dianchi's west shore, and the easy way up is the Dianchi cable car from the Haigeng shore beside Yunnan Nationalities Village, a 2 km ride with about half of it over the water. Higher up, steps cut into the cliff lead to Dragon Gate, a stone arch and grotto shrines carved by hand over 72 years from 1781, with the whole lake laid out below. Huating Temple and Taihua Temple, lower on the mountain, are older still and worth a stop on the way.
What locals sayMost visitors call the view from Dragon Gate the best in Kunming; the cliffside path is steep, with many hundreds of steps, so it's hard going if you're nervous of heights.
- Cost
- About ¥30 for Dragon Gate; cable car about ¥60 one way, ¥100 return (2025)
- Time
- 3–4 h · A clear day
- In Chinese
- 西山龙门 滇池索道
Ticket Western Hills & Dragon Gate US$4.5 ¥30 · prices & how to book →
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Based on what locals and regular visitors share, checked against current sources · Updated September 2026. Details change — check opening times locally.
