The World's Largest And Deepest Sinkhole Lies Hidden In China's Mountains

In Mandarin Chinese, the word "tiankeng" directly translates as "heavenly pit" or "sky hole," a phenomenon known as a sinkhole in English. Sinkholes are dramatic geological occurrences caused by the rock below the land surface dissolving and opening up the ground to leave mysterious, remarkably big caverns that have been known to swallow up cars and sometimes even buildings. Fengjie County, in the Chongqing Municipality, is where you'll find Xiaozhai Tiankeng, the world's largest and deepest sinkhole — a gaping, enormous titan that extends an estimated 2,165 feet into the earth.

This hole is so deep that it contains its own unique ecosystem, with scientists discovering trees and rare animals in the forest that has grown within it. China's rich landscape provides some of the most incredible environments Asia has to offer, with the mysterious depths of the Xiaozhai Tiankeng reminding us that much of planet Earth is still a mystery.

China's expansive Karst region is spread across the provinces of Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Chongqing. The South China Karst region is geologically so unique that it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is filled with sinkholes that contain their own forests, rivers, and ecosystems, and some are even populated by villages. This region alone is home to 30 giant sinkholes, making it the country with the most examples of this geological phenomenon in the world. Sinkholes are particularly abundant in places with Karst terrain, where the rock below the land surface is soft, eroding over time and eventually giving way, creating these deep underground caverns. 

So why is Xiaozhai Tiankeng worth visiting? The beauty of the South China Karst landscape is something in itself but coupled with this green abyss, nothing else in the world can really compare. It is so large that it is home to an entire forest, making it as impressive and iconic as the Grand Canyon, but in its own unique way. During the wet season, rain creates a waterfall at the mouth of Xiaozhai Tiankeng, cascading into a river that nourishes the thriving ecosystem of plant and animal life within the pit.

To reach Xiaozhai Tiankeng, it is recommended to stay in Fengjie County, approximately one hour away by car. Due to its fairly remote location and the steep, somewhat uneven terrain in the sinkhole, it is advised that you take professional hiking equipment if you're to brave the almost four-hour descent into the abyss. There is a zig-zag staircase comprising of 2,800 steps to help you reach the bottom of the tiankeng, however, the hike is still not for the faint-hearted as the hole is deep enough to fit the entire Empire State Building in its depths (with room to spare).

If you think you have what it takes to make this bucket-list-worthy descent into the heavenly pit, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one of the rare animals that live in its depths. Scientists have discovered clouded leopards and Chinese salamanders living in the sinkhole, as well as 100-foot-tall trees and plants that have existed since the time of the dinosaurs. Start your day early as you don't want to get caught doing the hike as the sun goes down. This trip is certainly incomparable to anything you've done before so get ready to discover a lost world, an unknown side of China, closer to the earth's core than ever before.