Mount Hua (simplified Chinese: 华山) is a mountain situated about 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of Xi’an. It is the western mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China, and has an extended historical past of spiritual significance. The mountain is classed as 5 fundamental peaks, of which the best is the South Peak at 2,154.9 metres (7,070 ft).
Before this journey, we learn lots (and I imply lots) about Hua Shan, from varied bloggers and I attempted to observe all of the youtube movies on Hua Shan that I might discover. We had been presupposed to be a on a leisurely journey so we had been on the lookout for the least effort technique to stand up the mountain. From our analysis, it was evident that there have been quite a few approaches. The hardest manner is to hike up the mountain (takes 5 hours if you’re match). Apparently this was a typical route up by many locals, and even some abroad guests (and bloggers). I’ve little doubt that the sense of accomplishment can be higher in case you hiked up the mountain, however we weren’t up for such a strenuous exercise.
This Trail Map of Mt Huashan offers you a good suggestion of the timings required to get from peak to peak. Take notice the next:
1. Famous plank stroll (or plank street) is between South and East Peak. We did not go there, however many individuals do. (many Youtube Videos too)
2. There are 2 cable vehicles – to the North Peak and to the West Peak. For each cable vehicles, you’ll need to take an inside shuttle after you enter the park on the Tourist Service Center (or Visitor Center).
3. All evaluations say that the stroll from North Peak, to Middle Peak, is extraordinarily strenuous as you’re going uphill. Think of it as a 1-hour uphill climb. From what I’ve learn, the steps are nicely lower, so security should not be an excessive amount of of a problem. You simply should be bodily match.
Our Final Route
4. For us, the least bodily effort route can be to go up and down West Peak cable automotive. Once we reached the West Peak cable automotive station on the mountain prime, we first walked to the West Peak summit (it was nonetheless a 20 minute climb as you’ll be able to see in my video and photos beneath).
5. And then from the West peak summit, we headed to the South Peak summit. Take notice, West to South is uphill. As the infographic accurately highlighted, it takes about half hour. Steps had been nicely lower, so you do not have to fret about falling off the mountain.
6. After we seen the South Peak, we headed again to the West Peak (downhill), after which took the cable automotive again down. We then needed to take the inner blue shuttle bus again to the customer heart, after which a taxi to the HuaShan High Speed Rail (30RMB), and at last HS rail again to Xi’An North.
Our Trip Begins! Public Transport to Mt Hua
We glided by ourselves, by public transport. It was an attention-grabbing journey, with many transfers. Sequence as follows:
1. Take the Xi’An Metro from our Hotel (Sheraton Xi’An North) to Xi’An North High Speed Rail Station
2. Buy High Speed Rail ticket, take the High Speed Train to HuaShan north Station (120km)
3. From station, took a taxi to customer heart. Along the best way, taxi driver introduced us to a tour agent to purchase our tickets, as the value was the identical, and we’d be capable to skip the queues on the customer heart.
4. Arrive at customer heart, entered the gates, take the blue bus to West Peak Cable Car base station.
5. Arrive at West Peak base station – it was a really lengthy uphill stroll (many stairs) to the cable automotive correct! We took the chair elevate to go up.
6. Then we lastly get onto the West Peak Cable Car, which brings us to the West Peak.
7. From right here, it’s on foot – we solely visited West and South peaks. We solely spent about 2 hours on the mountain prime.
West to South peak was an uphill stroll. So strolling again from South to West was downhill. We headed again to the cable automotive station and went right down to the West Peak base station. Then it’s essential take the blue bus again to the customer heart. From there, we took a taxi to the Hua Shan north High Speed Rail, bought our tickets, and took the High Speed rail again to Xi’An North, after which the Xi’An metro again to our lodge! Mission achieved!
High Speed Rail to Hua Shan North
I made 4 movies to offer you a snippet of all the expertise. In this primary video, we take the High Speed Rail from Xi’An North, to Hua Shan north. Then, we take a taxi to purchase tickets after which the blue bus to the West Peak Base station. (#1 to #4 within the listing above)
Chair Lift (and curler coaster experience again down)
In this second video, it exhibits you the chair elevate. It was 30RMB per individual, every manner. A bit steep for such a brief experience but it surely was nicely value it as a result of we did not wish to tire ourselves out even earlier than we bought to the mountain prime! In the video, you’ll be able to see what number of steps it’s essential climb.
Cable Car Ride as much as the West Peak
In this third video, it exhibits you the cable automotive experience (nearly the complete experience) as much as the West Peak station. It was scary! But the views had been breathtaking. Check out the opening within the mountain because the cable automotive approached the West Peak. Yes, they needed to blow a gap within the mountain with the intention to construct this cable automotive station.
Our Destination – Hua Shan West and South Peaks!
In this fourth and remaining video, I present you the West Peak and South Peaks. Gives you a good suggestion of the strolling (and stair climbing) that you’d must do, while you go up the mountain. It was crowded, however some informed us that the day we had been there was already thought of not crowded in any respect! We believed them as a result of we did not have wait a lot in any respect for the cable automotive. On some days, folks wait as much as 2 hours to get on the cable automotive. Scary.
Thanks for watching my movies! Below are some photos too.
After arriving at Hua Shan north, we took a taxi, to a journey agent to purchase our tickets after which to the customer heart. The journey by taxi took about quarter-hour. I feel it’s value it to take the taxi (though there may be supposedly a free vacationer bus from the Hua Shan North High Speed Rail), as it might simply prevent half-hour of commute. The fare wasn’t costly, 20 RMB. If you purchase tickets from the journey agent (that the taxi driver will convey you to, if you want, but it surely helps to talk the native language), he earns a fee and can solely cost you 10RMB. The tickets from the journey agent are real – they work. The worth is identical as you’ll get on the customer heart.
Large scale, this place. Walk in direction of the mountain! The highest peak is the West Peak, although I can’t inform which peaks had been in entrance of us.
We entered by way of the ‘Tour Group’ entrance, as we purchased our tickets from a tour agent. No issues in any respect. After that, we took the blue bus, which introduced us to this place.
You would suppose that you simply had reached the cable automotive station. Not but! There had been many extra steps to climb. We had been greeted by this stunning archway. Look past, in any respect the steps main upwards!
So, we determined to take the chair elevate to save lots of us some strolling. Very few folks took this chairlift, as a result of it wasn’t low-cost. 30RMB per individual, a technique.
Now, even after the chairlift, you needed to stroll up this steep flight of stairs, with the intention to lastly attain the West Peak cable automotive station!
Fortunately for us, the road for the cable automotive was very quick. We hardly needed to wait. The cable automotive experience was somewhat lengthy (20 minutes) and the views had been merely spectacular.
We reached the station, which was actually carved out of the facet of the mountain. Look on the barricades, to deal with the crowds.
We had been on the West Peak! You cannot get misplaced up right here. Many folks. Well sign-posted.
People purchase locks and ribbons. Quite a sight.
To stand up the West Peak summit, this was probably the most difficult half. Ladder-like steps lower into the street. You want to make use of your fingers to drag your self up the chains.
From West Peak, we headed to the South Peak. It was uphill. South Peak was the best peak.
It was like a celebration, climbing as much as the South Peak. It was crowded, it was noisy. Some even turned up in occasion garments. Check out my video to see the crowds, which had been supposedly fairly skinny on the day we went up!
The din apart, the views had been attractive. Here is a view of the West Peak, from the South Peak.
After we reached the South Peak, we headed again to the cable automotive station. Essentially you back-track, downhill – the cable automotive station could be very close to the West Peak. Another view of the West Peak Cable Car Station. Cool stuff. There is a photograph sales space there and so they take an expert {photograph} of your group. You can select to buy the picture while you arrive on the backside. We determined to purchase our picture, because it seemed fairly good.
Thanks for studying!!
Other Xi’An Links Below
1) Mt Hua Shan – Up the West Peak
2) Longmen Grottos – from Xi’An to Luoyang Longmen
3) Sheraton Xi’An North Hotel – Club Room and Executive Lounge
4) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Singapore to Shanghai to Xi’An Adventure!
5) China Eastern Airlines Business Class Shanghai to Singapore Flight Review
6) Terracotta Warrior Museum – Go by Public Transport!