Huangshan, or Yellow mountains as it is also known, is a hikers paradise and a well deserved UNESCO world heritage site. Located in Anhui province and standing 1864m high, one or two days could easily be spent exploring the vast mountainous landscape. Fabled mist, peculiar granite peaks and beautiful sunsets – how could you resist?

Furthermore, there is a beautiful route all the way up the mountain from the cable car station which takes between 4-6 hours, with plenty of temples to see on the way up. If you’d rather save your legs, the cable car will also save you some time so that you can explore more of the peaks at the top. Once there, decide which of the 8 peaks you will climb and be sure to make time for the West Sea Canyon.

After a long day (or two) exploring the Yellow Mountains, there are numerous options on the summit for places to stay. It is well worth getting up to see the sunrise at Refreshing Terrace, a five minute walk from Beihai hotel. Should you be feeling a little exhausted at the end of this adventure, there is a welcoming hot springs not far from the mountain.

 

In a nutshell..

How to get there: After arrival at Huangshan train station, you will no doubt be bombarded by shuttle buses. The one hour trip to Tangkou will cost 20RMB and buses run between 6:30am and 5pm. Once at Tangkou, transfer to either Yungu station (eastern steps) or Mercy light temple station (western steps) to begin the ascent.
Entrance fee: 230RMB (Mar. 1-Nov.30); 150RMB (Dec.1-Feb.28)
Cable cars: 3 available at different sections, ranging between 65-90RMB for a single ticket.
Hotels: There is a choice of 7 dotted amongst the peaks. Prices vary but a standard dorm will set you back 150RMB whereas a private room is around 500RMB.
Food: I highly recommend carrying as much food up the mountain as possible. Small vendors follow the route up the mountain, increasing in price the higher you go. Each hotel has a restaurant but expect prices to soar because, well, they can.
Hot springs: Grab a shuttle bus from Yungu station (7RMB). Entrance fee is 240RMB.

For a more personalised account of a 2 day trip to Huangshan follow this link.

In conclusion, I’ll leave you with some pictures of the stunning mountain that is one of many in China. As always, if you have any questions or anything to add, drop me a comment below 🙂