After the great flooding in Xiaoyao Valley, also known as Monkey Valley, a lot of pathways and bridges were destroyed and till today not restored. The bus station in the valley is fine, but if you want to walk the path up to the golden top, the valley may conceal some dangers which are important for tourists to know.

First of all the travel through this valley is not recommended and officially prohibited. After walking the valley many many times before the flooding, I felt eager to try it with a group of advanced students. Here I want to share with you what happened:

Wild animals!

We encountered a big black snake and a short-legged deer-like creature. The valley seems to be the home of many wild animals since the pathway is closed down. We discovered a little trail beside the destroyed main path used by local farmers. The main path is mostly destroyed and often covered in plants since nobody takes care of the valley for two years.

Risky bridges

There are three borderline situations where our group had to cross broken bridges. Beyond all safety concerns, crossing them was really dangerous. At certain places, you have nothing to hold with your hands and it is a balancing act on a small concrete pillar. Do not try this valley when you are afraid of heights.

The journey

Usually when the valley was in good condition I could cross it in 3 hours and 30 minutes. But since the valley was halfways broken and we often had to climb up the riverbed we took 5 hours and 15 minutes.