Tiger Roar Gorge Whitewater Rafting: A Fearless Sister Takes You on a Speed-and-Passion Ride Through Tonglu's Green Mountains and Clear Waters

Do you choose to stay home with the AC on, eating watermelon, binge-watching shows, and scrolling your phone?

Or would you rather go outdoors,

find a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters to discover this summer's coolness?

In this episode of Flying Girl's Travelogue,

I'm taking you to Tonglu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, to Tiger Roar Gorge for a whitewater adventure.

Amidst lush green hills and crystal-clear waters, we ride the wind and waves.

First, a photo collage to glimpse Tiger Roar Gorge's greenery and refreshing coolness.

I met up with friends from various places in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, and we took the high-speed train to Hangzhou East Station, then transferred to a high-speed train to Tonglu Station.

From Tonglu Station, we took a taxi to Tiger Roar Gorge, a ride of over an hour that cost 100 yuan.

It's quite convenient for folks from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai to get to Tiger Roar Gorge.

Of course, if you have your own car, driving there is even more convenient.

After the rain cleared, we arrived at our destination.

Looking down from a drone, the reception hall resembles a spreading eagle—a very imposing design.

From another angle, the exterior is also quite unique.

Tiger Roar Gorge Scenic Area is a typical granite canyon landscape, an extension of the Tianmu Mountain range, featuring pristine granite cliff terrain. High mountains, deep gorges, rushing rapids that roar like a tiger, dense vegetation, and refreshing air—covering 30 square kilometers in total.

Viewed from the parking lot, the reception hall also evokes a Sydney Opera House feel.

Overall, this building is stunning.

The reception hall of Tiger Roar Gorge Whitewater Rafting Scenic Area is enormous.

In peak season, it receives over 8,000 visitors a day.

Here you can buy tickets, get them checked, and store extra luggage. Inside, there's a variety of shops, restaurants, tea bars, and plenty of dining options.

Standing on the third-floor terrace, you'll spot a beautiful dome

that looks like an eagle's feather.

The scenic area is located in Zhongshan Township, in the southwestern mountainous region of Tonglu, about 30 kilometers from Tonglu County, roughly 100 kilometers from Hangzhou, and just a 40-minute drive from downtown Tonglu. It has a prime location and convenient transportation.

Tickets are 180 yuan, and the full rafting trip takes about an hour and a half.

Rafting starts at 1 p.m.

After purchasing and checking your tickets, you'll take a shuttle to the starting point of the full route.

The scenic area has over 2,300 kayaks—

colorful rafts lined up and ready to go.

I felt a bit nervous: the river is 10 kilometers long with a total drop of 260 meters.

What lay ahead was speed and passion.

Looking at the kayaks in all kinds of colors,

should I pick yellow-blue? Yellow-green? Yellow-orange-green?

In my indecision, I actually forgot the tension of the challenge ahead.

Let's go, let's ride the wind and waves together!

Tiger Roar Gorge is known for its steep rapids, big drops, and abundant water flow, creating the thrilling "small stream, big waves" experience. We sat in professional kayaks, slicing through the waves, soaring over the water, feeling the ultimate in control. The sweat was washed away by the cool mountain streams—so refreshing and exhilarating!

After several rapids with significant drops, there are a few gentle sections midway where you can rest for a bit.

In these calm stretches, you can splash around with your buddies and have a water fight.

Once you've rested enough, it's time to face the challenge again and embrace speed and passion.

We urban dwellers released all our stress during this whitewater escapade at Tiger Roar Gorge.

A fantasy drift for young souls.

At the finish line, you plunge into the turquoise water with your kayak.

Pure natural spring water, so clear and piercingly cool.

I felt a bit reluctant to leave, wishing I could go back to the start and do it all over again!

This Tiger Roar Gorge whitewater rafting is so fun, so refreshing, stress-relieving, and endlessly enjoyable—wouldn't you want to bring your family or friends to experience it?

Rafting in the afternoon is quite energy-consuming. In the evening, friends and I went to a newly opened local restaurant, Yunlu Renjia. Not only was the setting beautiful and the decor chic, but the dishes were incredibly abundant. We happened to meet the owners, who were super welcoming and lively (the lady boss was very pretty).

We ordered some Tonglu specialties, like water tower cake (steamed sponge cake),

and several recommended dishes from the house: river shrimp, steamed buns with local pork, local yellow eel casserole, salty pork stone pot tofu, crispy pork strips, crayfish, big silk fish, fragrant wine-marinated chicken, assorted fish casserole... all delicious and beautifully presented.

Originally, we planned to head home by high-speed train right after rafting at Tiger Roar Gorge.

But a friend suggested, since we were already here, why not find a nearby guesthouse and just go back the next day?

I'd watched "Back to Field," which was filmed in Tonglu—He Jiong and his friends' Mushroom House was right there. I had the impression that Tonglu was an idyllic place with lush mountains and clear waters and tons of guesthouses, like a second Moganshan. So we seized the chance to stay the night at a local homestay and live a day of idyllic life.

After dinner, it was already quite late when we arrived at our guesthouse.

No. 22 Lijia.

In the night, a bright, well-lit countryside villa. On the lawn in the yard, a long table was set up, laden with fruit and drinks, an open-air movie playing, and beautiful, soothing music in the air. This atmosphere was absolutely fantastic!

In the dark, I couldn't see the entire yard clearly, but it looked thoughtfully arranged.

The ground floor was a reception bar, with board games, sofas, a dining area, and a kitchen.

The second floor had a spacious living room, great for friends gathering and chatting.

The sofa was super comfy.

If you're on a corporate team-building trip, the second-floor common area also has a meeting room with a projector and screen for meetings.

For travel-loving friends like us on a getaway, you could even hold a travel-sharing session, showing past travel vlogs or photos and videos from the day's adventure.

The hallway decorations were full of design flair.

The room was clean and tidy, with linens, toiletries, bathrobes, and slippers all on par with a five-star hotel.

This room type with a desk was perfect for me, since I photograph during the day and need to edit pictures and videos on my laptop at night.

The bathroom had a simple, modern design, a bit of a Japanese Instagram vibe.

Waking up the next morning,

I felt like I was in a fairyland.

Living in the dwelling place of immortals—was this a dream?

Remember this name: No. 22 Lijia. Next time, I'll bring my family here for a vacation!

Goodbye, beautiful Tonglu.

Goodbye, adorable big white goose.

We'll meet again next time.

Beautiful Tonglu, see you next time.

Photos and text: Flying Girl's Travelogue