Kunming
Western Hills & Dragon Gate tickets: price, hours and how to get there
A forested ridge on the west shore of Dianchi Lake, with old temples low on the slope and Dragon Gate, a path and grottoes cut into the cliff, near the top. It suits people who like a long walk and a big lake view.
- Entry
- US$4.5 ¥30
- Extras
- Dianchi cable car (Haigeng ↔ Western Hills), one way US$9 (¥60)
Dianchi cable car, round trip US$15 (¥100) - Opening hours
- Mon–Fri 08:30–17:00; Sat–Sun 08:30–17:30 (Dianchi cable car 08:40–17:00)
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- How to book
- Online (Ctrip/Meituan) or at the gate
- Children
- Free under 1.2 m; reduced price 1.2–1.4 m. Dianchi cable car: free under 1.2 m, child fare 30 one way / 50 return for 1.2–1.4 m
- Seniors
- Free 60+ (Xishan District notice, 20 Aug 2026)
- Other discounts
- Full-time students (undergraduate and below) discounted with ID; free for active military and people with disabilities
Same price all year. The 30 ticket is for the Dragon Gate (Longmen) section only; Huating Temple, Taihua Temple and the rest of Western Hills park are entered separately (temples may charge small fees).
Prices checked October 2026. You pay in yuan at the gate.
How to get there
- Metro Line 3 to its western end, Xishan Park (西山公园), Exit A. The line runs directly from Dongfeng Square, with no change. Eco shuttle buses run inside the scenic area.
- Dianchi cable car from the Haigeng shore, beside Yunnan Ethnic Villages. It closed for work in May 2026 and reopened on June 13, 2026.
- Bus 6 from Minshan depot or bus 51 from Juhuacun depot, as listed on the scenic area's website.
Before you go
- Do not plan around the old Longmen cable car. It stopped in April 2025 for a rebuild, rope work was still under way in September 2026, and we found no reopening notice. The scenic area offers electric carts or walking instead.
- Check for closures before you go. Dragon Gate shut for three days in September 2026 for cable work, while the temples and Dianchi cable car stayed open.
- Huating Temple and Taihua Temple are lower on the mountain and entered separately from the Dragon Gate section, so stop on the way up.
- Save it for a clear day. The cliff path is steep, with many hundreds of steps.
Who should skip it
Skip it on hazy days, or if you are nervous of heights or cannot manage long flights of steps.
Close by, same day
- Yunnan Ethnic Villages · US$13 ¥90
- Haigeng Dam (Dianchi Lake) · Free
Going to several of these?
Tell us which sights and when. We’ll tell you what needs booking ahead and what’s worth skipping, and book the tickets that need a Chinese app.