Ultimate 2-Day Huangshan Travel Itinerary & Visitor Guide

Overview of Huangshan

Huangshan（黄山）literally means yellow mountain in Mandarin. It covers over 250 square kilometers (nearly 100 square miles) and showcases “grotesque” granite peaks and pine trees that jut at odd angles. If you’ve encountered classical Chinese ink paintings depicting impossibly angular mountains, it was likely inspired by Huangshan. The Chinese Tourism authorities highlight its “four wonders”: wind-carved pines, spectacular granite peaks, the sea of clouds, and hot springs.

Huangshan offers an easy trip from Shanghai or other parts of China. Despite its popularity among domestic tourists, particularly between April and October, my March visit was serene as it was just before the peak season. Nevertheless, some hiking paths were closed for maintenance. Nevertheless, good weather and open trails proved to be a worthy trade-off.

This recounts our 36-hour journey: we drove from Shanghai, hiked the mountain, stayed overnight, rose at sunrise, took the cable car down, and explored nearby villages before returning to Shanghai. Our short trip was both swift and delightful.

Packing for an Overnight Trip to Huangshan

Packing appropriate gear for trekking is essential. If you’re planning this trip from abroad, consider packing everything you might need. However, acquiring trekking gear in China is also a feasible option (though larger shoe sizes may be challenging to find).

Since we were hiking and staying overnight, I was keen on reducing my load. The mountain can get cold (the peak area is about 1800m or roughly 6,000 feet), and we planned to witness the sunrise, necessitating warm clothing. Consequently, I dedicated considerable time to packing efficiently while ensuring I had every essential item.

Driving from Shanghai to Huangshan

With thirteen travelers, we organized a mini-bus with a driver to transport us to Huangshan, agreeing on a specific meeting time and place for pickup the next day to continue our tour back to Shanghai.

The drive took nearly six hours, departing from downtown Shanghai at 6:00 a.m. For the initial hours, the scenery was unremarkable; however, entering Anhui Province revealed charming villages. In March, we witnessed blooming rapeseed fields radiating a golden hue along the roadside. It was captivating, and I somewhat regret not insisting we stop for photos along the way.

Arriving at the South Gate of Huangshan

We reached the South Gate of Huangshan around noon but were quickly reminded that the journey to the hiking trails was not so straightforward. There was the need to orient ourselves and purchase tickets before heading out on the trail.

If you start at the South (Front) Gate, most visitors will find that their vehicle cannot continue past a certain point. Here, we disembarked, took a moment to stretch, regroup, and determine our next steps. Subsequently, we had to take another bus to access the trailhead. If you are not aware of this before arriving, it could lead to confusion. Clearly marked signs were lacking, directing us towards the supply shop (which included toilets). In this shop, we acquired English maps of the mountain, inexpensive rain ponchos, and other essential supplies (water, snacks). Picking up a map is definitely advantageous because while trails are marked in English and Mandarin, sometimes they can be confusing.

While a few of us were shopping, others successfully found the bus ticket counter, and eventually, we proceeded to the terminal that connects to the various trailheads. It’s noteworthy that if you’re inattentive, you could easily find yourself at the wrong location. There are two distinct trails up from the South Gate: the Eastern Steps leading to Yungu (云谷) cable car which takes around 2-3 hours, and the Western Steps following the Yuping (玉屏) cable car taking approximately 6-7 hours to hike. In our case, we boarded the wrong bus to the Western Steps, mistakenly believing we were heading to the Eastern Steps.

The takeaway from this experience: always purchase a map, study it, and do not hesitate to ask for directions when uncertain. We were the blind leading the blind, and while we reached the summit, we did not anticipate such a lengthy hike.

Hiking Up the Western Steps

Identifying the trailhead at the Western Steps can be challenging, so here are the key points to help you locate it accurately:

• The Jade Screen Cableway
• 玉屏索道 (written in Mandarin)
• Pronounced “yoo ping suo dao”
• The bus station is known as the Mercy Light Temple Station
• 慈兴阁站 (in Mandarin)
• Pronounced “tse shing geh jahn”

Now you’re equipped with more knowledge than we had when we began our hike. Among our group, two members opted for the cable car, prioritizing time at the summit. The remaining eleven began hiking the steps, though four later turned back to take the cable car.

Eventually, our group divided into two, one advancing slowly while the other sped ahead. Frequent markers along the way helped confirm that we were indeed hiking the Western Steps. The experience was exhilarating; the trail consisted solely of steps, with a well-constructed pathway making it relatively smooth, although steep in sections.

After about five hours of hiking, we reached Brightness Top, where our cable car companions had gathered to watch the sunset. From there, we still had an hour’s walk to our accommodation, the Xihai Hotel, which we reached just as darkness fell.

Staying Overnight at the Top of Huangshan

The comfort of a clean room and hot showers significantly boosted everyone’s mood. Several members of our group had previously stayed at the summit with disappointing accommodations, so we did not anticipate much. Thankfully, the Xihai Hotel’s new wing provided an unexpectedly pleasant experience.

After settling into our rooms and freshening up, we convened in the hotel’s Chinese cuisine restaurant. We ordered an array of dishes from the menu, delighting in the freshness, as the food reportedly comes from farms at the mountain’s foot.

Post-dinner, many explored various entertainment options at the hotel, from foot massages to karaoke. However, the majority retired early to prepare for the sunrise the next day.

Photographing Sunrise on Huangshan

Sunrise enthusiasts gathered in the lobby at 5:30 a.m. with the understanding that no one would wait for latecomers. Although hesitant the night before, I woke before my alarm, quickly dressed, grabbed my camera, and hurried down. Despite being slightly late, I managed to join the group, which split into two as additional stragglers arrived. Thus, we followed a group of Chinese tourists who appeared knowledgeable about the best spots (a wise strategy when in doubt).

There are several vantage points to view the sunrise; we settled at “Monkey Watching the Sea”, providing an expansive view of the northern valleys and the western Sea of Clouds. The area was crowded, yet we squeezed into a favorable position. I carefully balanced my camera on the railing beneath a larger tripod. The sunrise was breathtaking; the clear weather granted us perfect visibility without the mist often experienced by others visiting Huangshan. Sharing this moment with fellow sunrise seekers added to the joy, and while I captured some decent photos, my photography-savvy friends outdid me.

After approximately 45 minutes, we returned to the hotel for breakfast and to prepare for our descent to meet the bus.

Heading Down with the Taiping Cablecar

Although our itinerary did not require us to exit from the north side of the mountain, we learned prior that the Taiping Cablecar ride was spectacular and decided to take this route. The walk from the hotel to the Taiping station took about thirty minutes, during which we captured additional photos.

The cable car ride was indeed thrilling, yet I advise those with height anxiety to avoid seating near the windows. The support structures appear extraordinarily high, and the valleys below seem boundlessly deep. At one point, the supporting poles are invisible, creating an illusion where the cable car appears to hang in mid-air.

The descent lasted around ten minutes, leaving me wishing we could have trekked down. However, time constraints limited our options, and we piled back into the van for a visit to quintessential Huizhou architecture at Hongcun and Xidi, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Anhui Province.

Visiting the UNESCO Villages at the Foot of Huangshan

Upon arriving at Hongcun, we encountered pouring rain as we stepped out of the van. A throng of eager local women approached, offering umbrellas and rain gear. Those equipped with Huangshan-purchased rain supplies donned them, and we set off to explore.

With the weather being as it was, the villages were relatively sparse, likely due to both the drizzly conditions and the fact that it was a weekday ahead of high season. This worked to our advantage, as the narrow alleyways of these small villages could easily feel crowded during busier periods.

A highlight of our village exploration was our somewhat amusing arrival at The Pig’s Inn, a modest eatery that initially indicated they could not accommodate us but ultimately treated us to a delightful home-cooked meal.

Thoughts on the 36-Hour Itinerary

Our determination to return to Shanghai prevented us from fully immersing in the village experiences. I believe 36 hours proved insufficient to explore everything; two nights would offer a more enriching experience. After two early mornings and a late-extended night, we were fatigued by the second afternoon. Compounding this, poor weather sparked a collective eagerness to return. This eagerness morphed into frustration as our driver lost his way in the backcountry of Anhui Province.

Hours of bouncing along hilly roads while our driver navigated his way back significantly tested our patience. Thankfully, mishaps like this are infrequent during my travels, but they happen nonetheless. Our late arrival back to Shanghai at midnight coincided with heavy rain and lightning, making our safe return all the more appreciated.

Takeaways from this itinerary:
A single night and two days felt too rushed. In retrospect, allocating two nights seems prudent. One approach would start with a night at the mountain’s foot, allowing one full day for hiking and exploring the mountain, followed by another relaxing night near the villages, enabling ample time on Day 3 to explore these areas before returning to Shanghai or the next destination.

Alternatively, you could adopt our itinerary while allowing for a more leisurely descent down Huangshan. Spending the second night at the foot would permit exploration of the surrounding area and villages on Day 3. Ultimately, having more time enhances any trip. I cherished this experience immensely and look forward to a return in the future.