Mount Huang Hiking Tour

Upon your arrival at the airport of Huangshan, you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel in Huangshan’s downtown area by our experienced tour guide.

Today, after breakfast, we will move to Mount Huang by driving from Huangshan’s downtown area for about 1 hour (60KM). Mount Huang serves as a famous tourist attraction in China and the rest of the world. The total area of the Mount Huang scenic area is about 1,200 square kilometers. We will visit numerous scenic spots here during this Mount Huang hiking tour. According to our itinerary, we will first start from the Yungu Temple and then take the Yungu cable car to the Beginning-to-Believe Peak, where we can overlook the West Sea Grand Canyon. Later, we will also go to see the Dispelling Cloud Pavilion and the Flying-over Rock and stop at the Bright Summit. The Beginning-to-Believe Peak, for example, is blessed with artful rocks and strangely shaped pines at an elevation of 1,683 meters. Once upon a time, it was said that the scenery of Mount Huang was so shocking that after enjoying the mountain scenery here, one would never want to see any other mountains. A poet in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) did not believe in such exaggerated propaganda. So, he decided to find out the true face of Mount Huang. When he climbed to a peak from the Yungu Temple, he was enchanted by the view in front of him: undulating peaks are dotted with pine trees, looming in the clouds and fogs. At that moment, he started to believe that Mount Huang’s scenery was marvelous. And he named the peak above the Yungu Temple the “Beginning-to-Believe Peak”. You can also find more details about this story when you come to this peak.

By the way, you can have a nice lunch around the Mount Huang scenic area. If you feel a little bit tired after hiking in the mountain, you can also try Huangshan teas, such as Qimen Black Tea and Tunxi Green Tea (or Chun Mee Tea). Take the famous Qimen Black Tea for an example. Since it was first produced, it has quickly attracted crowds of tea merchants at home and abroad, brightening the eyes of the world. It is also known as the Queen of the Black Tea. The tea water brewed with this type of tea is bright in color and smells fragrant. A cup of Qimen Black Tea can dissipate your fatigue.

Later, we will rest in the hotel at the Bright Summit, where we can appreciate the pink sky at sunset.

Mount Huang

Mount Huang

After breakfast, we will watch the sunrise at the Bright Summit, which is the best place to enjoy the rising sun.

Then, we will hike to the Dawn Pavilion. As its name suggests, you can see the first glimmer of dawn at this pavilion. In addition, this pavilion is made of cement and stone, with an area of about 10 square meters. It has four columns and four corners that are designed ingeniously and delicately. Standing beside the pavilion, you can see the strange peaks and rocks around the Beginning-to-Believe Peak in the east. Looking to the north, you will have a chance to see billows of clouds spread in the air like continuous brocades.

Next, we will come to Lion Peak to view the Stone Monkey Watching the Sea. The Lion Peak, located in the middle of the Mount Huang scenic area, is named because it is shaped like a lying lion. The head of this “lion” is in the west and the tail is in the east, stretching for several miles. By the way, the Dawn Pavilion is at the lion’s tail. Nearby, you can find that there are pagodas and exotic pines and cypresses. You can also see the spring water here flowing all year round, towering pine forests, and many other lush ancient trees.

Then, we will visit the Stone Monkey Watching the Sea, which is on a flat-topped peak in the north of Lion Peak. It is an exquisite stone that looks like a monkey squatting and watching the ups and downs of the sea of clouds. When you look at this stone monkey, you may wonder why it sits alone on the top of the peak. The truth is that it is waiting and looking for its beloved lady according to a legend. It was said that there was a monkey in the mountain who was over one thousand years old. It fell in love with a young lady, so it turned into a handsome guy to propose to her. The young lady accepted his proposal with good grace. Unexpectedly, on the wedding day, the monkey revealed its monkey appearance due to excessive drunkenness and scared away its beloved lady. Since then, the monkey had never seen the lady again. The monkey was so obsessed with its love for the lady that it climbed to the top to look for its beloved girl. Over time, it turned into a stone, which is today’s the Stone Monkey Watching the Sea.

After the visit to Mount Huang, we will walk to the cable car station and take the cable car down the mountain.

Then, we will drive southwest from Mount Huang to the Hong Village for about 50 minutes (35KM). This village, built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is a very nice place for us to appreciate the beauty of the Chinese Huizhou residential buildings. The Hong Village now has more than 140 well-preserved ancient houses. Here, you can see an ancient residential group: hundreds of dwelling houses with whitewashed walls and gray tiles. The building technique of these houses is both complex and simple, solemn, and distinctive, representing a relatively mature and typical architectural school in ancient China. What we can also see now are mainly ancestral halls, as well as accessorial buildings such as memorial archways, corridor bridges, stone carvings, and wood carvings. Furthermore, the most prominent and typical features of these residential houses are Ma Tau Walls and whitewashed walls with gray tiles. The high Ma Tau Walls can block the sunlight, forming the effect of heat insulation and fire prevention. And whitewashed walls with gray tiles highly conform to the color of traditional Chinese ink paintings.

After the visit to Hong Village, we will drive back to the hotel in Huangshan’s downtown area.

Stone Monkey Watching the Sea

Hong Village

Today is your departing day from Huangshan, China. After breakfast, you can share your genuine feelings and experiences of your 4 Days Huangshan-Hong Village trip with our tour guide. Then, you will be escorted to the airport. We are looking forward to seeing you again in China!

Author: Yan Weiran

Proof Reader: Lexie