Huangshan Photography Journey

This morning, your guide and driver will accompany you from your hotel to the world-famous Mt. Huangshan in roughly 1 hour. Hailed as “A Fairyland on Earth”, Mt. Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, is celebrated for its jagged rocks, grotesque pines, and the sea of clouds. 

► Note: Since the mountain paths are rough, it’s best to leave your bulky luggage in our private car at the foot of the mountain and travel light with just the essentials.

To conserve your energy, we’ll take a shuttle bus and a cable car up to the mountainside. After alighting, let’s embark on an exciting 12-kilometer (7.5-mile) hike, taking approximately 5.5 hours. The route is physically demanding, but the stunning views along the way will make your every step worthwhile. Our first stop will be the Jade Screen Pavilion, perched halfway up the Jade Screen Peak, which is hailed as “the greatest viewpoint of Mt. Huangshan”. To its right stands the iconic Guest-Greeting Pine, roughly 1,000 years old. It is like a hospitable host, with its outstretched branches like open arms, welcoming visitors from all over the world. Let your photography skills shine as you capture this wondrous sight through your lens. Exactly opposite is the Farewell Pine, whose branches stretch as if bowing politely with folded hands. When the sky is clear, see a distant rock shaped like a lively squirrel poised to jump toward the Celestial Capital Peak as well. Also, at the top of the Jade Screen Peak, admire a natural boulder resembling a reclining Buddha, quite lifelike in form and expression.

We’ll then proceed to the Lotus Peak, Mt. Huangshan’s highest peak, rising 1,865 meters (6,119 feet) above sea level. Along the trail, take your chance to snap those strange pines. Flying Dragon Pine features a trunk as a dragon’s body and sturdy branches as its paws, resembling an imposing dragon riding over the sea of clouds. Inverted Pine, deeply rooted in granite crevices, hangs upside down about 1 meter (3.3 feet) before curving upward, with its branches and needles like a dragon frolicking in the sea. With your guide, also discover inscriptions on the cliffside, which record the sincere praises from past travelers for the peak’s awe-inspiring beauty, including “What an extraordinary creation” and “A celestial wonder”. At the top, capture the clouds and mists enveloping the distant mountains layer by layer like surging waves. 

Next, summon your courage and challenge the Hundred-step Cloud Ladder, flanked by deep ravines. As clouds and mist surge up below, you’ll feel like ascending a ladder to the heavens. After making your way through, look back, and you’ll see the ladder meandering between two colossal rocks shaped like a turtle and a snake. This is the noted “Turtle and Snake Guarding the Cloud Ladder”. Upon arrival at the Bright Summit, one of the best sunset spots of Mt. Huangshan, take your time to appreciate and photograph all the surrounding grotesque peaks. From here, Flying-over Rock appears as an immortal sage to savor the ever-changing sea of clouds. Finally, your guide will escort you to your hotel on the mountain. Have an early night for the next morning’s sunrise!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Xihai Hotel - North Building (4 stars) or Xihai Hotel - South Building (5 stars)

Early this morning, accompanied by your guide, enjoy a marvelous sunrise if the weather permits. As dawn breaks, the vast sea of clouds surges like rolling waves, shimmering in silvery light. Little by little, the distant sky lightens, and a golden glow rises above the mountain, bathing this earth in radiance. As the red sun breaks through the thick clouds, casting thousands of golden rays upon the towering peaks, the sea of clouds blazes in gold and red. Embraced by the shifting light and shadow, you’ll feel as if you are drawn into a dreamlike paradise. And, your camera must be itching to capture the stunning scene!
► Note: The vantage point of our sunrise watching changes seasonally. It is typically at Lion Peak in spring between March and May and autumn between September and November, Purple Cloud Peak in summer between June and August, and Beginning to Believe Peak in winter between December and February.

Afterward, continue our trip to the Cloud Dispersing Pavilion. Leaning on its railing, you’ll take in the spectacular West Sea Grand Canyon with multiple ingeniously shaped rocks. See if you can find one that looks like a hound listening to ancient tunes and another that resembles a maiden playing the zither. Legend has it that the stone maiden was once a celestial Moon Palace fairy, who was punished by the Heavenly Emperor for playing the zither here too long and failing to return in time. If time permits, venture deep into the canyon and walk through the cliff-hanging walkways, where every step offers new, amazing scenery.

We’ll then hike west to Lion Peak. En route, encounter the King Pine, whose thick, expansive tops take the form of a huge ger or a large umbrella, exuding a majestic demeanor. Refreshing Terrace is a must-stop, where you can shoot a row of ingenious rocks like several Taoist priests in long robes with their hair tied in topknots. Two of them sit face to face, with a pine in between, whose crown is as flat as a chessboard - hence the name “Immortals Playing Chess”. 

Our last destination will be the Beginning to Believe Peak. Throughout history, many ancient literati once ascended here to savor the mountain scenery, while imbibing liquor and playing the zither. For this reason, it is also known as Zither Terrace. Besides celebrated pines like Black Tiger Pine and Harp Pine, you can also overlook the beautiful Scattered Flower Valley to the south. During springtime, rhododendrons blanket the ridges, dotted with magnolia flowers. Particularly after rain, red and yellow blossoms blend with light mist, creating an unforgettable view. The valley is home to the marvel “Dream of Being a Successful Writer”, which looks like a writing brush tip bursting into a flower. Ancient writers and poets were said to spark inspiration here whenever they got writer’s block. Afterward, we’ll descend by cable car. 
► Note: Due to the changeable weather on the mountain, our hike route and attractions may vary.

After that, your guide and driver will then escort you to Yixian County in around 1.5 hours and help you check into your hotel in Hongcun Village. Surprisingly, the hotel we carefully selected for you is not merely a place to stay, but more like a rural retreat. Inside, you'll find vintage furniture and timeworn objects that evoke a sense of nostalgia. While the scenery outside invites you to slow down and savor the charm of countryside life. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Pig’s Inn in Bishan Village

After breakfast, your guide and driver will accompany you to visit the boat-shaped Xidi Village. Stepping inside, you’ll be astounded by a rich aroma of literature and the strict symmetrical beauty in those deep, large mansions. Photography lovers won’t want to let the distinctive soaring horse-head walls and exquisitely carved wooden gatehouses slip through their lens.

We’ll then delve into Nanping Village, holding the title “China’s Film Village” as it has served as the shooting location for over 30 movies and TV series. Strolling through any of its 72 crisscrossing lanes, you might feel as if you are in a maze. It boasts 8 ancestral halls of varying sizes, among which the Ye Family Ancestral Hall is the most quintessential. Here, behold the two imposing stone drums on either side of its gate, which symbolize the family’s past heyday. Descendants are said to tidy their attire in front of the mirror-like drums as a sign of respect for their ancestors before entering.

Next, follow your guide to Guanlu Village, predominantly inhabited by the Wang Family. It is famous for the ancient complex built by the eight Wang brothers over 1,000 years ago. The complex comprises 16 residences, 2 courtyards, and studies, which form self-contained yet interconnected units via labyrinthine passages, creating a rare connected layout among local-style dwellings. Compared to Xidi Village, this village allows you to experience an unspoiled rural life in a quieter environment. 

Later, let’s explore the Hongcun Village, a veritable living Chinese ink painting. Often mentioned alongside the Xidi Village, it is more popular and also more commercial. If the Xidi exudes the vigor of a rugged man, the buffalo-shaped Hongcun feels like an elegant woman. Step into its stone-paved alleys and take shots of white-walled, grey-tiled buildings, meandering watercourses, and delicate carvings on the lintels. Each detail perfectly embodies landscape aesthetics and the Chinese philosophy of “harmony between man and nature”. As the day ends, your guide and driver will accompany you on a roughly 1.5-hour ride to Tangmo Village to check into your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Tangmo Gites de France

Today, your guide and driver will first accompany you to visit the Tangmo Village. At its entrance, you’ll be captivated by the Tanganyuan Garden, a typical Chinese garden nestled by a river inlet. Its lake is as crystal-clear as a mirror, reflecting the verdant camphor trees, ancient ginkgo trees, and traditional houses. The Mirror Pavilion and Jade Belt Bridge echo the Mt. Huangshan’s layered foothills in the distance. Immerse yourself in Water Street, the liveliest area within the village, where teahouses, taverns, and grocery stores line the riverside, with wafts of tea aroma drifting from the wooden lattice windows.

Next, let’s move to Chengkan Ancient Village, also known as the Eight Trigrams Village, since the eight surrounding mountains align perfectly with the eight directions of the Eight Trigrams, an ancient Chinese philosophical system. Do step over the threshold at the village gate, which reputedly helps you avoid bumps in a whole life. Inside, it  still preserves its original layout of three main streets and ninety-nine lanes, with an over-1,800-year history. Raise your cameras to record various ancient architecture from the 7th century to the 20th century. 

Following that, let’s make our way to explore the Tangyue Memorial Archways. Standing at the entryway, you’ll be overwhelmed by its solemn grandeur, because the entire complex follows strict central-axis symmetry. Vast green fields stretch endlessly on both sides, open and unobstructed in sight. Under your guide’s explanations, also glimpse into moving stories of each archway, honoring the longstanding values of loyalty, filial piety, constancy, and morality cherished in local culture.

At last, we’ll visit the Bao’s Family Garden, which is not simply a private garden but China’s largest, most unique estate of a noble local merchant. Wandering here, you can appreciate nearly 10,000 exquisite bonsais, set against the quaint pavilions, small bridges, and gurgling streams. For beautiful photos, you may stand near the tracery windows. Those in various shapes, including round and calabash, are coupled with lush potted plants, offering a uniquely rustic charm.

This is the end of the 5-day Huangshan private trip for photography. Your guide and driver will escort you back to Huangshan and see you off at the airport or high-speed train station there. Wish you a nice journey home! Have more vacation time? Consider extending your journey to nearby popular tourist cities like Shangrao or Jingdezhen. Welcome to contact us anytime for your customized itinerary.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch