Stone Forest (Shilin 石林 in Chinese) is 83km from Kunming and has a complete range of karst formations.
Both Chinese and overseas geologists have proved that the Stone Forest is over 270 million years old. The area used to be an ocean. During the Long Geological Period from the late Permian Period 230 million years ago to 2 million years ago, the ocean subsided and giant rocks appeared. During this time the rocks were gradually worn away by water, forming the strange rock forms seen today.
The Stone Forest is a part of the Shilin National Scenic area that covers 350 square kilometres and is divided into seven different sections. The actual karst formations only cover a very small part of this area and generally you will only see one of the seven sections when you visit the Stone Forest.
The Stone Forest creates countless labyrinthine vistas, all of which feature stones in various formations. Animals, plants, and even human figures can be found here. Some are elegant, some are rugged, and each is lifelike with its own distinguishing characteristics.
