Essential China Hike Tour with Mount Huangshan

Welcome to Shanghai! When you arrive, your local tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel. Since this is a hiking journey, you may feel a little tired in the next few days. So you can have a good rest and reserve energy for the coming journey.

After breakfast, we will first go to Jing’an Temple, which is also the first attraction of your whole journey. Located in the Jing’an District of Shanghai, Jing’an Temple has a total construction area of 22,000 square meters and is the oldest Buddhist temple in Shanghai. The layout of it is the temple in the front part and the tower in the back. And its main buildings are the Precious Hall of the Great Hero, the Hall of the Heavenly King, and the Three Saint Halls. In addition, there is a tower named Jing’an pagoda in this temple. It has a construction area of 952 square meters, with 7 floors. The pagoda is in the style of the King Kong Throne Pagoda, cast in bronze and gilded on the surface. And there is also a two-ton pure gold Buddha statue of Sakyamuni in Jing’an pagoda.

Then we will take you to Yu Garden (closed on Monday). As a typical garden in southern China, Yu Garden was once a private garden in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and it has a history of more than 400 years. Nowadays, it covers an area of about 20,000 square meters. When you stroll in this garden, you will see many famous buildings of different characteristics, such as Sansui Hall, Big Rockery, Taihu Stone, and so on. In addition, Yu Garden has a title called “Famous Garden on the Sea”, inscribed by Jiang Zemin (the former leader of China) in 1999. Except for that, it is very rare to see such a well-preserved ancient garden in a rapidly developing metropolis like Shanghai. Maybe this is the embodiment of the perfect combination of modernity and history.

After lunch, you will go to Shanghai Tower, a giant high-rise landmark skyscraper. It has a total construction area of 578,000 square meters, a total height of 632 meters, with 127 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. When you look at this skyscraper, you will find that its shape is rotating upwards, which helps reduce wind resistance. In addition, there is a saying that next to it, the World Financial Center is like a Japanese saber, and the shape of the Shanghai Center makes it seem to dodge this saber. Except for that, some people say that this building is like a dragon flying upwards, while some people say that it is like a guitar pick. So can you imagine how spectacular it will be when you stand on the highest level of this building and overlook the landscape below? This will be an unforgettable experience for you.

Then we will take you to the Bund. As one of the most famous landmarks of Shanghai, it is not only a must-visit attraction for tourists but also a witness to the rapid development of Shanghai. The Bund is 1.5 kilometers long. When you walk along with it, you will see 52 classical revival buildings with different styles, which are known as the Bund World Architecture Exhibition Group. Among many buildings in the Bund, the Custom House is quite famous. In the center of its main building, there is a bell tower, which is made in the style of the big clock of the Houses of Parliament in London, England. The face of the clock is circular, with a 12-point diamond pattern on each side, with a diameter of 5.4 meters. There are also 3 pendulums in the clock, the largest one weighs 2 tons, and the other two also weigh about 1 ton. In addition, there is one big bell, four small bells. There are also 72 self-shaped electric lights on the clock. Maybe when you see it in person, you will be surprised by it.

Next, we will tour Nanjing Road, one of the earliest and most prosperous areas in Shanghai. It is also one of the most famous commercial streets in Shanghai, with more than 700 shops on both sides of the street. And Nanjing Road is also famous as “the first street in China”. Since the reform and opening up, merchants from all over the world have come here to run their businesses. So this street became more and more prosperous. And the Paramount, which is called the “Landmark” of Shanghai’s nightlife in the 1920s and 1930s, is one of the most famous. In old Shanghai, many celebrities often came here to watch wonderful singing and dancing performances. When you see this building, you may feel the charm of old Shanghai. It is fair to say that Nanjing Road is a good example of the prosperity of Shanghai. 

The Bund

Shanghai Tower

After breakfast, you will take the estimated train G7311 10:51/13:25 to Huangshan. Upon arrival, your local tour guide will pick you up and take you to have lunch. In the afternoon, we will go to Tunxi Ancient Town, which is the best-preserved ancient street market in China with the architectural characteristics of Southern Song (1127-1279) and Ming and Qing (1636-1912) Dynasties. It has a total length of 1272 meters, with mountains on the north and a river on the south. So it is a town with beautiful scenery. Moreover, because of the direct access to the Qiantang River, Tunxi Ancient Street had always been an important business district during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the 1930s and 1940s, many people moved to this place due to the war, so it developed into an important business area in southern Anhui and gained the reputation of “Little Shanghai”. When you come here for a tour, you can not only enjoy the beauty of this town but also pay attention to the shops on both sides of the street, which reflects the charm of this former commercial district.

Tunxi Ancient Town

Tunxi Ancient Town

After breakfast, we will drive you to Mount Huangshan, the first highlight of this China Hiking Tour. Mount Huangshan is one of the top ten famous mountains in China. It has 72 peaks, among which there are three main peaks, and the highest peak is about 1864 meters. In addition, you will see strange-shaped pines, rocks in various appearances, and the sea of clouds during this journey. And these are all famous attractions of Mount Huangshan. Moreover, only by hiking to tour Mount Huangshan, can you feel the charm of Huangshan more deeply. Except for that, there is also a story about the origin of the name of Mount Huangshan. According to a legend, the Yellow Emperor (a tribal leader in ancient times) led human ancestors to raise silkworms and build boats and carts in ancient times. But time flew, the emperor soon became old. However, he still had a lot of things to do. So he went through numerous hardships collecting materials to make pills of immortality. At the last moment of this process, all the materials were used up, and he even used one of his legs as material to successfully make the pill. In the end, he also succeeded in becoming a fairy. So this mountain is named after Mount Huangshan (Huang in Chinese means yellow). Upon arrival at the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area, we will go to Yungu Temple to take the Yungu Cable Car up the mountain. After arriving at the mountain, you will officially start your Huangshan Hiking Tour. We will first hike to Begin-to-believe Peak, one of 72 peaks, 1,683 meters above sea level. It is said that after visiting Huangshan, Xu Xiake, a famous traveler in the Ming Dynasty, praised Huangshan as the best mountain in the world. During the Kangxi period (1654-1722), Chen Jiubi, the magistrate of Taiping County, first visited Mount Huangshan, thinking that Xu Xiake was exaggerating. But when he climbed up Mount Huangshan to see the scenery there, he was deeply shocked and believed Xu Xiake’s words. So the name of this peak means that only if you come here in person will you believe in the beauty here. On this peak, you can also see many strange-shaped pines, some of which look like a person-welcoming guests, some look like a dragon’s claw, and some look like a lying dragon. All of these pines will make you admire the magical power of nature. Afterward, we will hike to Cloud Dispelling Pavilion. It has a depth of 4 meters, a width of 5 meters, and a height of 5 meters, with an area of 20 square meters. And there is a platform in front of this pavilion, about 70 square meters, which is one of the best places to enjoy the beauty of Mount Huangshan. In addition, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Xihai Grand Canyon, which is one of the 24 grand canyons in the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area. And you can see deep gaps, rising cliffs, and spreading ravines here. When you stand in this pavilion and look into the distance, you will find that the sea of clouds rolling from a distance will dispel when they approach the pavilion, which is very spectacular and magical. And this is also the origin of the name of this pavilion. Then we will transfer you to the hotel on the mountain. We believe that you must be a little tired after today’s trip, so you can take a good rest to prepare for our journey tomorrow.

Mount Huangshan

Cloud Dispelling Pavilion

How was your sleep last night? This morning, we will get up early according to the time of sunrise. Then we will go to see the sunrise at Mount Huangshan. Since you have come here, you must not miss this beautiful scenery. All you need to do is following your tour guide to the best location to enjoy the splendid scenery. When you see the sun gradually becoming from a small dot to a huge circle, you will admire the power of nature, and maybe you will temporarily forget all your worries. And watching the sunrise to start the day’s hiking tour will also make you feel full of energy and look forward to the journey.

Then we will continue our hiking tour in Mount Huangshan. First, we will tour Dawn Pavilion. It consists of cement and stone, with an area of about 10 square meters, four pillars, and four corners. It also has a beautiful, small, and exquisite appearance. And it is a perfect place to see the sunrise. From this pavilion, you can see the change of dawn at sunrise, which is why it is called the Dawn Pavilion. So standing in this pavilion and looking far away, you will feel relaxed and happy. Next, we will hike to see Stone Monkey Watching the Sea. It is a strange rocky landscape in Mount Huangshan Scenic Area. This strange-shaped stone is like a monkey squatting, watching the sea of clouds floating and rolling. And when the clouds dissipate, the stone is like a monkey looking into the distance. And there is also a story about this stone. Legend has it that a long time ago a monkey was living in Mount Huangshan, who could change into a person. One day he saw a woman in a family who was very beautiful. Then he changed into a handsome scholar and expressed his love to this woman. The woman fell in love with him afterward and was about to get married to him. But on the wedding day, the monkey showed its original appearance after being drunk, which scared the woman. Since then, this woman had gone forever after escaping. And because this monkey missed that woman, he climbed up the cliff and looked into the distance every day. Over time, he turned into this strange-shaped stone. After visiting this intricate stone, we will take you to Lion Peak. It looks like a lying lion, with the head of the lion facing the sky above Danxia Peak and Tiexian Lake. The waist of the lion is at the Refreshing terrace, and the tail of the lion is at the Dawn Pavilion. Can you believe that such a miraculous stone is formed naturally and has not been artificially modified at all? Moreover, Lion Peak is also the best place to watch Stone Monkey Watching the Sea. After visiting it, we will walk to the cable car station and take the cable car down the mountain.

When you go down from Mount Huangshan, we will transfer you to the railway station. And you will take the estimated train G304 14:50/21:14 to Beijing. If you feel a little tired after two days of hiking, you can take a good rest on the train. After arriving in Beijing, the local tour guide will pick you up and escort you to the hotel. Please have a good rest for the coming journey.

Stone Monkey Watching the Sea

Lion Peak

After breakfast, we will tour Tian’anmen Square, one of the most famous landmarks of Beijing. Located in the center of Beijing, it is 880 meters long from north to south and 500 meters wide from east to west. It covers an area of 440,000 square meters and can even hold grand gatherings of 1 million people. Along the central axis of Beijing, the flag pole, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, and the Zhengyang Gate Tower stand in sequence from north to south in the square. And Tian’anmen Square is not only a tourist attraction but also the place where the military parade is held in China, which is very solemn. Except for that, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, in mid-August every year, the emperor would call together relevant officials in Tiananmen Square to make a final judgment on prisoners sentenced to death, also called the “autumn trial”. So Tiananmen Square has a strong historical atmosphere.

Then we will take you to the Forbidden City (closed on Monday). As the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Forbidden City is in the center of the central axis of Beijing. It covers an area of about 720,000 square meters and a construction area of 150,000 square meters. And there are more than 70 large and small palaces and more than 9,000 houses. In addition, the Forbidden City is 961 meters long from north to south and 753 meters wide from east to west. It is surrounded by a 10-meter high city wall and a 52-meter wide moat outside the city. The main buildings of the Forbidden City are three major halls, which are the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. And these are also the places where the country holds major ceremonies. When you walk into this palace, you will find that no birds are standing on the roofs of all the houses in the Forbidden City, which is very interesting. There is a saying that this is because most of the roof is curved to a certain degree, and the material of it is a very smooth tile. And when you come here in person, you can find out if this is true.

Next, we will take you to the Temple of Heaven. It was built in 1420 and covers an area of about 2.73 million square meters. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Temple of Heaven was a place where emperors made offerings to heaven and prayed for the abundance of grains. It has two layers of altar walls, dividing the Temple of Heaven into inner and outer altars. The two altars are on the same north-south axis, separated by a wall. And the main building of it is in the inner altar. Since this is an ancient place for offering tributes to the heavens, we will introduce you to the rules of this sacred ceremony. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperor would offer sacrifices to the sky three times a year. The first time was on the 15th day of the first lunar month, in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the emperor would pray for the good harvest. The second time was in the April lunar calendar every year, the emperor would pray for rain at the Circular Mound Altar. The last time was every winter solstice, the emperor would offer offerings to the heaven at the Circular Mound Altar to express his gratitude.

After lunch, we will tour the Summer Palace. As a royal garden during the Qing Dynasty, it is the largest existing royal garden in China. The Summer Palace covers an area of 3.009 square kilometers and the area where there are water accounts for about three-quarters of the total area. When you walk into it, you will find the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, which was built in the Qianlong period (1736-1795). It is 150 meters long and has 17 bridge holes. And it is the bridge with the most stone lions in the world, with 544 stone lions on its pillars. In addition, these stone lions have different appearances, and every one of them is unique. Some look like beating their chests and feet, and some look like stepping on a ball.

Forbidden City

Summer Palace

After breakfast, we will take you to tour Hutongs. During the whole tour, we will also arrange for you to take a rickshaw, a kind of transportation with the characteristics of the old Beijing style. The carter will pull the rickshaw to take you through those alleys. And this is also one of the important ways for people who lived in the hutongs to shuttle through these alleys in the old days. Hutongs in Beijing were first formed in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the direction of those hutongs are mostly east and west, and their width is no more than 9 meters. In addition, the buildings on both sides of the hutongs are quadrangle dwellings, asymmetrical buildings surrounded by four houses from four directions. And it is the streets formed between these buildings that are called Hutongs. Later, we will also take you to visit a family in the hutong. So you have a chance to see what the houses of local people in Beijing look like, maybe you can even chat with them about their lifestyle.

Then we will go to Lama Temple, an important Buddhist temple in China. It covers an area of 66,400 square meters. And there are more than a thousand halls in this temple. In the Qing Dynasty, it was also the residence of the emperor. When you walk into this temple, you will see the main buildings, such as Zhaotai Gate, Yonghe Gate, and the Hall for Teaching Buddhist Scriptures. In addition, there is a very interesting thing. Many people come here every year on the first day of the Lunar New Year to become the first person to burn incense. Legend has it that if you become the first person to burn incense here, you will have good luck all this year. And even if you are not the first person, you will also be blessed in the whole year. So when you come here, you can also buy a stick of incense to pray for good luck.

Afterward, we will take you to Juyongguan Great Wall, the highlight of this Beijing Hiking Tour. It is built in a 15-kilometer-long valley with many mountains, lush trees, and blooming mountain flowers on both sides of it, which is very beautiful. The terrain here is dangerous, and it is an important pass of the Great Wall. And there is no cable car on this section of the Great Wall, so it is also the first choice for hiking enthusiasts. When you come to the Great Wall, you will often hear a saying, “If you don’t reach the Great Wall, you are not a hero.” So when you reach the Great Wall on foot, you will have an extraordinary sense of accomplishment, and then you will also feel the charm of hiking on the Great Wall. At the same time, this is also the last place on this hiking tour. We believe you will be satisfied with hiking on the Great Wall at the end.

Lama Temple

Juyongguan Great Wall

After breakfast, we will transfer you to the airport. We believe that the journey in the past few days has made you feel the charm of hiking and enjoy the beautiful scenery of China. Hope you have a safe journey and look forward to our next meeting.

Author: Zhang Yufan