Huangshan Day Tour: Hongcun + Huangshan Scenic Area
Today's itinerary is to follow our knowledgeable guide and fully explore the famous World Heritage sites in Huangshan City and even China: Hongcun and Huangshan.
After breakfast, start with [Hongcun], known as "the village in a Chinese painting." It is famous for its tranquil water system landscape. About 140 well-preserved ancient Ming and Qing dwellings are scattered throughout the village, like a living Huizhou scroll. South Lake and Moon Pond are the two most famous water landscapes in Hongcun. The lake water is clear as a mirror, reflecting the ancient Huizhou-style buildings, making the entire village full of spirituality. As a representative of Huizhou family academy architecture, South Lake Academy has nurtured many outstanding talents. The Wenchang Pavilion, corridors, and other structures in the courtyard are finely constructed, making it a great place for ancient-style photography. In addition, Hongcun also has many residences, courtyards, and ancestral halls such as Chengzhi Hall and Wang Family Ancestral Hall. Among them, Chengzhi Hall, known as the "Folk Forbidden City," is one of the most representative Huizhou-style buildings in Hongcun. The brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings inside are exquisite, representing the pinnacle of Huizhou architectural art. The Wang Family Ancestral Hall is the largest and best-preserved ancestral hall in Hongcun.
After lunch, you will drive 30 kilometers (about 40 minutes) to visit Huangshan, one of China's famous Five Great Mountains. [Huangshan] is not only a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site but also one of the outstanding representatives of China's magnificent mountains and rivers and splendid culture. It is famous for its "Five Wonders" of strange pines, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds, hot springs, and winter snow, as well as its "Five Excellences" of historical relics, painting and calligraphy, literature, legends, and celebrities. It enjoys the reputation of "the most fantastic mountain under heaven," and the saying "Having returned from the Five Great Mountains, no other mountains are worth seeing; having returned from Huangshan, no other mountains are worth seeing" is the highest praise for Huangshan.
Today's Huangshan tour route reference: Yungu Cableway - Shixin Peak - Paiyun Pavilion - Bright Summit - Flying Stone, about 6 kilometers of walking in total, taking about 5 hours.
First, you will take a sightseeing bus from the foot of Huangshan's rear mountain to Yungu Temple, then take the cableway to Bai'e Ridge Station (8 minutes). As the cableway ascends, you can overlook the majestic mountains and the misty clouds, as if in a fairyland. Along the way, you can also see various strange pines and rocks, appreciating Huangshan's stunning scenery from a unique perspective.
After arriving at Bai'e Ridge Station, you will begin an exciting hike to Shixin Peak. Along the way, you will pass scenic spots such as Black Tiger Pine, Harp Pine, and Interlocking Pine. The scenery is very charming and perfect for photos. You can also capture the myriad forms of strange peaks and rocks, which inspire endless imagination and offer the best experience. Standing on Shixin Peak, you can take in the magnificent mountain scenery around you.
After resting, you can choose to watch the stunning sunset at Paiyun Pavilion or the higher Bright Summit. Paiyun Pavilion is named because the clouds and mist from the West Sea rise and roll, disappearing before the stone pavilion. Here, you can enjoy magnificent sea of clouds, sunset glow, strange peaks, and deep valleys. Especially when the sun sets and the sunset glow radiates, it is very charming. Returning from Paiyun Pavilion to the hotel takes about 30 minutes. Bright Summit (about 1,860 meters above sea level) is one of the main peaks of Huangshan and the second highest peak. Here, you can enjoy the sea of clouds, strange pines, strange rocks, peaks, sunrise and sunset. The sunset with red clouds all over the sky is extremely beautiful. Walking back to the hotel from Bright Summit takes about 40 minutes.
If time and energy permit, you can consider extending by 1 hour to hike to the Tianhai Scenic Area to see the Flying Stone. This is a famous scenic spot in Huangshan, about 12 meters high and weighing 600 tons, standing on a flat rock with a very small contact area at the bottom, as if it flew from the sky.
Travel tips
1. Travel light: There is a lot of walking in Huangshan. To save energy and enjoy the tour easily, it is recommended to carry only essentials or store luggage at the foot of the mountain.
2. Environmental hygiene: Some hotels on Huangshan do not provide disposable toiletries. Therefore, for environmental hygiene, it is recommended to bring your own.
3. Accommodation note: Staying on Huangshan allows more time to enjoy more of Huangshan's beauty, especially the sunrise and sea of clouds. However, due to higher transportation costs on the mountain, hotel facilities may be limited. Even star-rated hotels may not meet the standards of big cities like Shanghai. In addition, the mountain climate is humid, and rooms may be a bit damp. Although choices are limited, we will choose relatively comfortable hotels for you.
🍽️ Breakfast and lunch included
🏨 Mount Huangshan