Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All China Guoliang Guoliang Tunnel

Guoliang Tunnel

A tunnel dug through the side of a mountain by hand provides convenient yet death-defying access to a small village in China.

Guoliang, China

Added By
Rachel James
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  http://www.fredbellomy.com/indiachina/guol...
  JR Wetmore / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The village of Guoliang had a problem. High in the Taihang Mountains of the Henan Province, the only access to civilization were some steep, narrow stairs embedded in the mountainside called the “Sky Ladder”, a treacherous, slippery climb even for the most nimble and sure-footed of the villagers or their rare company callers.

For several years, the 350 inhabitants of this isolated location beseeched the government for a roadway to connect them to the outside world, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Undeterred, they decided that if the officials refused to help them, they would do it themselves.

Selling their animals and other necessities for supplies, the people of Guoliang sent down 13 of their strongest workers. The team of men, not an engineer among them, set about carving a roadway inch by inch, using nothing but hand tools, patience, and determination.

In 1977, 5 years after beginning their colossal undertaking, the villagers had managed to dig out 0.75 mi. of tunnel, 16 ft. tall and 13 ft. wide. While quite the amazing feat, a do-it-yourself mountain tunnel dug by hand is obviously not the pillar of safety, in fact in many spots of the tunnel, roughly carved pillars are the only thing keeping you from plunging to your death.

Several villagers died during construction, and the road itself is only wide enough for the very slow, careful passing of oncoming cars. This is made terrifying by the fact that the road was built on the path of least resistance. The tunnel twists, turns and dips in unpredictable places, enough to leave any driver white-knuckled in terror at what could be coming at them around the slippery blind spot of a bend.

Originally intentioned to provide the Guoliang residents with some convenience, the tunnel has become quite the tourist attraction, giving the village a little too much unwanted attention, but some very welcome revenue. There are now hotels and bridges that have been built for hikers and travelers, but access isn't always granted, so make sure to check the internet for updates on the current visiting status.

Related Tags

Tunnels Architectural Oddities Subterranean Sites Architecture

Know Before You Go

The Village of Guoliang is about 120 kilometers or 75 miles north of the city of Zhengzhou in the Wanxianshan Scenic Area. If you want to go there by train, the nearest train station is at Xinxiang at (新乡) that is about 50 miles southeast of the Wanxianshan Scenic Area. From there, you can take buses to the town of Huixian 辉县. Get off at the Huxian Bus Station, and then take another bus to the Wanxianshan Scenic Area. This leg costs about 6 RMB or 1 USD and takes 30 minutes. From there, there are buses that cost 11 RMB that go the the scenic area. This leg takes about two hours though it is only about 40 miles away because the buses make many stops. The bus lets you off at the scenic area at a place where you can hire another ride or hike the 4 kilometers to Guoliangcun or 2.5 kilometers to another village called Nanping.

Community Contributors

Added By

Rachel

Edited By

JR Wetmore

  • JR Wetmore

Published

March 29, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.chinahighlights.com/zhengzhou/attraction/guoliang-village-hideaway.htm
  • http://www.cracked.com/article_19732_6-insane-roads-you-wont-believe-people-actually-drive-on.html
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guoliang_Tunnel
Guoliang Tunnel
Guoliang
China
35.728756, 113.60524

Nearby Places

Rainbow Bridge

Changzhi, China

miles away

Yan Huang Plaza

Zhengzhou, China

miles away

East Taihang Glasswalk

Xingtai Shi, China

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of China

China

Asia

Places 218
Stories 77

Nearby Places

Rainbow Bridge

Changzhi, China

miles away

Yan Huang Plaza

Zhengzhou, China

miles away

East Taihang Glasswalk

Xingtai Shi, China

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of China

China

Asia

Places 218
Stories 77

Related Places

  • Tower of Wind.

    Kawasaki, Japan

    Tower of Wind

    Curious onlookers have suspected this strange structure is a secret government base.

  • Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

    Washington, D.C.

    Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

    Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.

  • The tunnel of books.

    Yangzhou Shi, China

    Yangzhou Zhongshuge

    Mirrored floors and arched shelves create the illusion of an infinite tunnel of books.

  • Entrance to the garbage tunnel

    Washington, D.C.

    Congressional Garbage Tunnel

    The tunnel under the Capitol Building where Congress takes out its trash.

  • The tunnels all look slightly differiently

    Washington, D.C.

    Capitol Building Tunnel System

    Members of Congress have traveled between the buildings on Capitol Hill for a century hidden from tourists, press, and storm clouds.

  • Anzob Tunnel in 2012, filling with water

    Ayni, Tajikistan

    Anzob Tunnel

    This dark, damp, perilous tunnel is the only passage from north to south Tajikistan.

  • Øresund Bridge

    Malmö, Sweden

    Øresund Bridge

    This chimerical bridge/tunnel appears to dead end right into the sea.

  • Levon’s Divine Underground

    Arinj, Armenia

    Levon's Divine Underground

    She asked for a potato cellar and over the next 23 years he gave her a network of holy caves.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.