Make the Most of the Yellow Mountains in 2 Days
China isn’t just a very large country with one of the highest populations. It is incredibly blessed with a lot of marvelous and captivating natural and manmade resource. One of these is the Yellow Mountain, or Huangshan Mountains. This article is a guide for visitors wishing to make the most of the Yellow Mountains in 2 days from its history to its glamorous beauty and useful tips.
Fast History
The Huangshan Mountain is a series of connected mountains that are located in the southern part of Anhui Province of Eastern China. It is famous for its uneven growth of granite peaks, lush forests of pine, out-of-this-world sunsets and sunrises, stunning views of clouds, and other attractions within the area.
It’s also popular for its history. It’s been around for thousands of years; the earliest formation happened around a hundred million years before in the Mesozoic Era. The granite peaks, on the other hand, developed during the Quarternary Glaciation. In other words, further study of the mountains can give experts a much better idea of the world’s early years.
Like a lot of the mountains in China, the Yellow Mountains also have its own tale. During the Qin Dynasty, the mountain’s name was Yishan. It was only through an imperial decree that this was later changed. Instead, it was called Huashan, perhaps to remember the Yellow Emperor Huang Di, who was thought to have gone to the mountains and went up to heaven.
Best Time to Visit
Contrary to popular belief, there are thousands of tourists, both locals and foreigners, who visit the Yellow Mountain at any time of the year. It’s because there’s always something special to look forward to in every season. In the spring, you can watch the trees and plants turn into a more vibrant color; it’s the same effect during the fall. There are still many who climb the mountains even during the winter season, particularly those who like to experience some snow.
Nevertheless, it would be so much better if you can travel during off-peak season. By then, there are fewer people waiting for a cable ride; during peak season, the waiting time can take as long as 2 hours. It’s also not a good idea to schedule your trip along with the public holidays of the country. You can surely see the influx of Chinese who want to see their mountains.
While other parts of China don’t go through the four seasons, the Yellow Mountain does. Summers and winters are usually long while spring and autumn are shorter. The overall climate condition of the mountain is subtropical. Rainfall most often occurs during the months of March until July.
In the summer the temperature can be around 28 degrees Celsius. During winter, it can go as low as -15 degrees Celsius. That’s why you need to dress according to the demands of the temperature and the weather. You should also be careful in your climb as the paths can be very slippery.
The Best Route for 2 Days’ Sightseeing
The majestic mountain sure drives in tourists, and agencies are more than willing to bank on its popularity. Thus, they offer a wide variety of packages for travelers to Mount Huangshan. Most of them can last for more than 5 days, even 2 weeks, though most of them include tours in other places.
If you’re planning to truly experience the mountains and catch both the sunrise and the sunset, it’s best if you can reserve at least 2 days of your travel in here.
Let’s begin with Day 0. This one is dedicated to any problems encountered before going on a trip to the mountain. These include spending overnight while on the train. Thus, after you have arrived, you may not be able to do the climb.
Day 1, meanwhile, starts with a trip to Mount Huangshan. This is assumed that you’re already in the city or at least in a city or province that is close to it. If the trip here is part of your hotel package, then you don’t have to worry about anything.
If you wish to travel using public transport, you can arrive at the Tunxi Airport. A guide can then take you to the scenic area in less than 2 hours. Another option is to hire a taxi. Just make sure you know how to negotiate in Chinese so you can get it at way cheaper price.
From the base, you then ride a cable car to the top of the mountain. You are then free to roam around. After that you can go back to the base or retire in any of the hotels.
On the second day, you can have the sunrise as the first order of the day. Then you can eat your breakfast. You can choose to tour some more or go down through the Yungu cable car. Take a bus or have someone drive you to Hongcun Village and later to Lucun in the afternoon.
Main Passing Spots
There’s really no definite path that gets you from point A to point B. The mountain has a lot of trails you can follow, and some of them can lead you less-touristy areas so you can enjoy peace and quiet.
However, some areas are too perfect to pass up. These include the following:
Jade Screen Peak: 
a well-developed section of the mountain that includes a pavilion. It stands more than 1,500 meters from sea level. Around the area re rock formations that look like a lion and an elephant.
Behai: the region of Behai has one of the most number of accommodations. It’s also where you can find the Goddess and Beginning to Believe peaks, as well as the Sunken Flower Valley, Ten Thousand Pines Forest, and Refreshing Terrace.
Heavenly Sea Pavilion: This is part of the White Cloud Stream Scenic Area. In here you will find a steep long staircase that goes to Hook Bridge Nunnery. There are also some springs and waterfalls in the area.
Pine Valley Scenic Area: this section covers more than 12 kilometers of land. To reach the place, you need to climb more than 6,000 steps. The area is a great place to be if you’re looking some cool ponds and rock formations.
Travel Tips
1. Though you can always choose to walk for 15 kilometers toward the mountain, a ride inside the cable car is still the better choice. It gives you an excellent vista of the mountain, especially during sunset (when you’re going down the area). It also ensures you can keep your energy for more walking later. Besides, it isn’t that expensive.
2. There’s no vehicle that can take you all the way the mountain except the cable car. Virtually all of them would have to stay at the base. Moreover, the actual city isn’t near the mountain; it’s around an hour away.
3. Choose the paths. In the mountains are various concrete paths that you can easily follow, but do take note that some of them can get pretty steep. They can surely hurt your knees and feet in the process. If you wish to proceed with the challenge, bring along a stick to give you some balance.
4. Take a rest. A lot of these paths are covered, so you can give yourself, especially the feet, some rest.
5. Bring along some food and water. Although there are some foods and drinks available in the mountain, they can get very expensive. Thus, if you can, carry a bottle of water and perhaps some trail mix or foods you can munch. This way, you don’t get to buy a lot of food.
6. Plan your walk. You can buy a map before you go up the mountain. Do read the many signs along the way. They all have correct English translations.
7. The monkeys may be cute, but avoid them as much as possible. These monkeys have gone through some rough treatment from the previous tourists or they have got used to being provided with food, among others. Hence, they don’t think twice to steal yours.
8. Don’t miss either the sunrise or the sunset—or both. They are very spectacular, probably the most beautiful you’ll ever see in your life. If you’re looking for a good accommodation, you can go to Behai, which has a number of hotels.
Ways to Get There
You wouldn’t have any problem traveling from different areas in China to Mount Huanshan. For one, it has its own airport, namely, Tunxi. It receives flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hefei, Xi’an, Hohhot, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Qingdao, to name a few. The flight takes around 2 to 4 hours depending on where you come from.
You can also choose not to stay in the first destination for too long. For example, if you want to go to Huangshan immediately from Beijing, you can proceed to terminal 2 or terminal 3 of the airport.
There are also a lot of buses that take you straight to Tangkou, which is located at the foot of the mountain or toward Huangshan City. From the city proper, the travel time takes around an hour. Some buses can also pass through your accommodation so it can pick you up. You need ot pay a special fare for that.
A train ride isn’t the best option especially if you are on a tight schedule and if you’re coming from far areas. The journey can take as long as 13 hours. Nevertheless, the trains are usually very comfortable so you can get a good sleep all throughout the journey.
The train arrives at Huangshan Station, but the actual location of the station is in Tunxi, which is also where the airport is found. Just walk a few steps and you can already reach the bus station that can take you to Tangkou. Each leaves every 15 minutes. There is no ticketing office, so you pay to the conductor.
On the other hand, should you be looking for comfort when you’re traveling, you can ride a taxi, but know it will cost you a lot of money, particularly if you don’t know how to speak Chinese or properly negotiate with the drivers. The good news is that he can take you straight to the station for cable cars.
The cable car is a favorite ride among the tourists as they can see a great view of the mountains even before they arrive. Furthermore, it saves them a lot of time. The other option is to walk for more than 10 kilometers.
Admission Fees and Operating Hours
The entrance fees differ on whether it’s high or low season. The months of March until November is considered the high peak season, and the entrance charge is CNY 230. From December to February, meanwhile, it dips to only CNY 150. These fees don’t include a ride in the cable car.
Like the entrance rates, the price of the cable car also varies according to seasons. During peak season the price for a one-way ride is already CNY 80, but during off peak, it goes down to CNY 65. The price is the same for all points of origin: Cloud Valley, Taiping, and Jade Screen.
There is also a special rate for children. Those who are between 110 and 130 cm in height pay only CNY 40 during high peak and CNY 35 during low peak. The scenic area operates from 8:40 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Nevertheless, you can stay in the mountains or at the base for at least 2 nights.
Students, even the foreign nationals, may be provided with discounts as much as 50 percent. All they have to do is to present an identification card.
