The Makou Cave Group is spread across Makou, Xinmin, Liqi and other villages in Makou Town, Yongshan County, covering an area of over 150,000 square metres. It sits on the south bank of the Jinsha River, in the northwest of the township government seat, six kilometres away from the town centre. The area enjoys access to running water, highways and electricity. Sugarcane, Chinese prickly ash, citrus and other cash crops are widely grown here.

The mysterious Makou Cave Group scatters across mountain valleys where the borders of two provinces and three counties meet. Vast in scale and spectacular in scenery, the caves stretch along the Jinsha River. Caverns of varied types coexist here, with water caves interwoven with dry caves.

Among the 22 caves discovered so far, Niulang Cave, Zhinv Cave, Big Dragon Cave, Small Dragon Cave and Dragon Palace Cave boast the most stunning landscapes. Niulang Cave and Zhinv Cave form a perfect pair: one dry and one wet, facing each other from east to west, with a total depth of nearly ten thousand metres. According to legend, they originally formed a single cavern. Tens of thousands of years ago, long-term erosion by the north-south running Wanluo Stream cut the cave into two halves. Ever since then, the two caves have faced each other silently across the river, with towering cliffs leaving only a narrow slit of sky above. Both caves feature magnificent "underground Great Wall" rock formations and complete, fantastic stalactite landscapes.

Niulang Cave is a dry cave where stalactites grow diagonally. It is also home to the rare horseshoe bat, whose body resembles a horseshoe. Experts note that this unique species stands out among more than 80 types of bats worldwide and serves as a barometer of global ecological health. Zhinv Cave is a water cave. The water surface is merely 20 metres below the cave ceiling, creating a precipitous and perilous scene.