Ice cave in Shanxi offers respite from summer heat

A photo shows the inside of an ice cave in Ningwu county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Cao Jianguo for chinadaily.com.cn]

While people around the nation are experiencing the scorching heat of summer, tourists who visit Ningwu county, Shanxi province can get the chance to experience some extremely cool weather in an ice cave.

Located at an altitude of 2,300 meters, the temperature in the cave remains steady at about -4 C all year.

A photo shows the inside of an ice cave in Ningwu county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Cao Jianguo for chinadaily.com.cn]

Experts said the cave probably formed during the Cenozoic quaternary glacial period about three million years ago.

It is a unique experience for tourists as booming flowers welcome them before they enter the underground cave that features an icy wonderland.

The cave has been developed into three levels with various marvelous shapes in the ice, such as icicles, icefalls and ice stalagmites, presenting visitors a fairytale world.

A photo shows the inside of an ice cave in Ningwu county, Shanxi province. [Photo by Cao Jianguo for chinadaily.com.cn]