Mangshan Wuzhi Peak: the sky ladder and the 280 yuan package
The sky ladder at Mangshan Wuzhi Peak — listed on booking pages as 太空天梯 — is the bit the viral clips are about: a climb bolted to the cliff, sold as its own timed ticket, and marked 需预约, meaning it has to be reserved in advance rather than bought at the gate on the day.
Everything below it is the opposite of hard work. A 3.7 km cable car does the height, the ride takes about 15 minutes, and roughly 8 km of cliff walkway at the top is flat enough for wheelchairs and prams. Anyone who wants to skip the last stretch can take the Motianling vertical elevator, 140 m in 49 seconds, for 40 yuan one way.
The adult package is 280 yuan and covers the gate ticket, round-trip cable car and shuttle bus. Hours are 08:00–18:00, with last entry at 16:30. Enter at the East Gate in Rongjiadong, Yizhang County — the West Gate is the national forest park about 60 km away and the two tickets are not interchangeable. From Chenzhou West railway station a tourist shuttle runs to the East Gate in roughly 1.5 hours for around 50 yuan.
Cable cars stop running in high wind, so keep the day flexible.
Tickets and the sky-ladder slot are cheaper and easier booked before you travel; compare all the main sites rather than paying whatever the gate quotes.
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