Escape Beijing for a full-day trip to Shilinxia Gorge and the UFO Glass Platform — a 32.8m overhang 400m above the valley. This private tour combines a scenic rim hike or optional cable car, local lunch, and door-to-door transport.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
You leave Beijing before dawn and the city’s concrete hush thins into farmland and low hills. Two hours north-east, the road enters Pinggu District and the gorge opens: a twelve-kilometer cut in rock where a river pushes through narrow cliffs and a glass platform hangs like a dare above the drop. The UFO Glass Platform projects 32.8 meters from the cliff face and sits roughly 400 meters above the valley floor — a vertiginous viewpoint that defines the visit.
Difficulty
moderate
Duration
7–8 hours
Fitness Level
Moderate fitness required — able to walk several hours with short steep sections and stairs.
Wildlife
History
Shilinxia’s gorge was carved over millennia by river erosion through sedimentary beds; the scenic area was developed in recent decades as Beijing’s day-trip landscape expanded.
Conservation
Stick to marked trails and avoid feeding wildlife; the area’s fragile cliff ecology is sensitive to trampling and littering.
Reserve your spot on the Private Shilinxia Area and UFO Glass Platform Day Tour with Lunch today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Wear stiff-soled shoes
Trail sections include stone steps and loose scree; supportive footwear reduces ankle strain and slips.
Bring a refillable bottle
Bottled water may be provided, but extra water keeps you comfortable on exposed sections and during the return drive.
Time your visit
Arrive early to avoid peak crowds on the glass platform and get clearer valley views before afternoon haze.
Mind the height
The platform is high and transparent; if you have vertigo, consider staying on the rim viewpoints.
Sturdy hiking or approach shoes
Stable soles and good grip are useful on stone steps and short scree slopes.
Sun hat and sunscreen
Exposed rim sections offer little shade during summer.
summer
Light waterproof jacket
Spring showers and sudden gusts are common in the gorge.
spring
Insulating mid-layer
Temperatures can be much colder on the rim than in Beijing, especially in winter mornings.
winter