Sunrise in the Yellow Mountains

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Shanghai - Huangshan
Duration:
3 days / 2 nights (flexible)
Price:
from £ 395.- per person

Watch dawn break over craggy peaks and bamboo forests swirled in mist. With gnarled pine trees scattered across endless rock pinnacles, Huangshan is China at its most iconic. Hike through valleys flanked with bright blooms, clamber through gorges and rest your weary muscles overlooking the sweeping valley. It’s something that is likely to stick with you forever.

Day 1 – Arrival in Huangshan

On arrival, you’ll be greeted by your guide and transferred to the cable car at the foot of the Yellow Mountains. On the way, the guide will talk you through the different trails and tell you about the history of the area. Your scenic hotel is located near to the top cable car station with breathtaking views over jutting peaks, deep canyons and twisted pine trees.

Days 2-3 – Hiking in the Yellow Mountains – Tunxi – departure

This morning, you can get up early to walk to the viewpoint to watch the sunrise, so don’t forget your head torch! As the day breaks, the early mists will clear and the entire valley will spread out before you. It’s a completely unforgettable way to start the day.

You’ll head back to the hotel for breakfast and then hit the hiking trails. In spring time the valleys will be carpeted in bright blooms, while autumn brings tumbling red leaves. There are easy routes taking 3 – 4 hours or far more challenging treks of 15km. Choose your trail and set off into the wilderness. When you finish walking, you’ll be transferred to Tunxi, where you’ll spend the second night.

Alternative route

If you take a domestic flight instead of the overnight train you will do the trip in the reverse order. On the first day you will be transferred to Tunxi in the valley with a guide, where you will spend one night. The next day you take the bus on your own to the cable car and go up the mountain. You will then spend a night in a comfortable hotel and the next morning, after watching the sunrise, you will head back down the mountain and on to the train station or airport for your onward travel.