Sandiequan (Three-Step Waterfall)

三叠泉

Lushan's foremost waterfall, dropping about 155 meters in three tiers. The saying goes, 'Without seeing Sandiequan, you are not yet a true visitor to Lushan'. Reaching the viewing platform means descending more than 1,400 steps

Sandiequan lies beneath Wulao Peak in the southeast of Lushan. Spring water flows out of Dayue Mountain and drops in three steps over cliffs, for a total fall of about 155 meters. The upper tier looks like drifting snow, the middle tier like shattered jade, and the lower tier like a jade dragon plunging into a pool. It is the most spectacular waterfall on Lushan. It was not discovered until the Song dynasty. Before that, Li Bai's line 'Flying water plunges three thousand feet' actually referred to Xiufeng Falls. Access is from the Sandiequan parking lot on the east route, with two options. You can walk down more than 1,400 steps to the viewing platform, about 40 minutes down and 1 to 1.5 hours up, which is quite exhausting. Or you can take the cable car to the middle section and then climb about 600 steps. The viewing platform lets you feel the spray up close, and after rain the roar sounds like thunder. Sandiequan is not included in the Lushan main entrance ticket. A separate ticket costs about RMB 64, and the cable car round trip is about RMB 80. The full round trip takes about 3 hours. Getting there: from Guling town, take the east-line sightseeing bus to Sandiequan station, about 30 minutes. You can also climb from the Haihui Town entrance at the foot of the mountain in Lushan City, the 'railway' route favored by hikers. Note: the steps are steep and numerous, so take the cable car if you have bad knees. Surfaces are slippery in rain. Do not make a special trip in the dry winter and spring seasons. It can be combined with Wulao Peak on the same day, but both are very demanding physically.

Sandiequan (Three-Step Waterfall)

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