Longqing gorge combines the delicateness of the south and the boldness of the north. In summer the average temperature here is 6.4 degrees lower than downtown Beijing, and is 0.8 degree lower than the Imperial summer Resort in Chengde. In winter, the period where everything is frozen is longer. Every year between January and February the Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival is held. This year the 12th festival will be held.
Tourists can tour the scenic area in a day.
In the morning, tourists arrive at the mouth of the gorge by bus. They walk along the gorge for 20 minutes to the dam, where they can take the 258-meter elevator to the top of the dam. The elevator was built in 1996. At the top of the dam tourists can walk along a winding mountain path in order to get a spectacular panoramic view of Soaring Dragon Elevator. Tourist ships run at an interval of 10 minutes for touring the gorge.