When we talk about Mt.Hua, the first thing that comes to mind is its danger, peculiar peaks, and steep stairs. Numerous mountaineers come here for thrill and excitement. If you are planning to have a trek on Mt.Hua, this is the ultimate guide for you!

How to Get to Mt.Hua from Xian?

1.By high-speed train (Xi’an North - Huashan North)

There are many bullet trains between Xian North Railway Station to Huashan North Railway Station. The first train departs at 6:26 a.m, and the last train is at 19:35. The whole journey only lasts about 30 minutes. Most trains start with G, and their price is 54.5 RMB for second class seats, 89.5 RMB for first class seats, and 175.5 RMB for business class seats. While there are only a few trains that begin with D, the tickets price for such trains are 34.5RMB for second class seats, and 220 RMB for sleeper bunks.

When you arrive at the Huashan North Railway Station, there are two options for you to get to Mt.Hua. 
Option 1: take the free Bus No.1 or No.2 of Huayin to Huashan Tourist Center, which takes about 30 minutes. Bus No.1 runs every 25 minutes and Bus No.2 every 12 minutes. 
The first bus run is at 7:10; the last run is at 19:10.

Option 2: take a taxi, which is about 20 RMB.

Tip:
If you want to hike from Jade Spring Temple, you can either take the taxi from the Huashan North Railway Station directly to there or use your entrance ticket to Mt.Hua to take the free site bus from the Huashan Tourist Center.

2.By bus

Xian Central Train Station - Jade Spring Temple: Go to the Eastern Square of the Xian Central Train Station and take the travel shuttle bus “Travel Bus No.1”. The ticket price is about 25RMB per person. The first bus starts at 8:00 a.m, and the terminal station is the entrance of the Jade Spring Temple. The whole bus journey is about 2 hours. In the low seasons from December - February, the travel bus won’t be available.
Xian East Bus Station - Huayin Bus Station: There are many buses from Xian East Bus Station to Huayin, which will pass Mt.Hua. Bear in mind that you need to inform the driver that your destination is Mt.Hua. Otherwise, you will be driven to Huayin Bus Station instead of Mt.Hua.
Tip: the bus often leaves when it’s full. You might have to wait for a while to depart. 

3.By taxi or private car

If you want a trouble-free tour to Mt.Hua, taking a taxi or hiring a private car might be a better choice. The taxi costs about 350 RMB. However, a private car is more comfortable but pricey. 

How to return to Xian from Mt.Hua?

Similar to the previous means, you can take the high-speed train, bus, or taxi. Keep in mind that the last bus from Jade Spring Temple to Xian Central Train Station is at 17:00. 

How to Visit Mt.Hua?

Before planning your way of visiting Mt.Hua, you need to know the highlights of Mt.Hua and their locations, and then make an itinerary based on your schedule.

Brief Introductions to Five Peaks:

1.East Peak: one of the major peaks of Mt.Hua and the best spot to admire the sunrise. The legendary sights of “Yao Zi Fan Shen (swiftly turning oneself over)” and “Hua Yue Xian Zhang (the divine palm of the Mt.Hua)” are located here. Meanwhile, East Peak is the passage to Chess Pavilion where, according to the legend, Zhao Kuangyin (the founder of the Northern Song Dynasty) used to play chess with Chen Tuan (a famous Taoist master in China).

3.South Peak: the highest peak of Mt.Hua. It’s also called the Peak of Pine and Cypress as there are many pines and cypress trees on the eastern side of the peak. The Southern Heavenly Gate and the breathtaking Wooden Plank are also located on the east side, and on the west side is the Luoyan Peak, from where you can appreciate the Yangtian Lake, Heilong Pool, and Yingke Pine.

4.North Peak: a precipitous peak with cliffs on three sides. It’s a great place to have a bird’s-eye view of the other three peaks of Mt.Hua and Canglong Ridge. Also, there are cable cars to North Peak.

5.Central Peak: a peak situated in the middle of East, West, and South Peaks.

Visit by Cable Car

1.West Peak Cable Car + North Peak Cable Car: You can take the West Peak cable car to the West Peak and then hike to other peaks until you reach the North Peak, and take the North Peak Cable to get down. Choosing this route means that you need to get up early and be prepared.

2.North Peak Cable Car + West Peak Cable Car：being the lowest peak, the North peak provides the easiest way to hike up but strenuous to other peaks.  Be careful when you choose this route.

3.North Peak Cable Car only: Huashan Tourist Center (shuttle bus: 20RMB/person) →North Peak Cable Car → North Peak → Canglong Ridge → East/West/South/Central Peaks → Back to North Peak and get down
It’s the most affordable way. However, you need to hike for about 3 hours to get back to North Peak, which can be very time-consuming. If you only have one day to visit Mt.Hua, you need to control your time.

4.West Peak Cable Car only: Huashan Tourist Center (shuttle bus: 40RMB/person) → West Peak Cable Car →West Peak →East/West/South/Central Peaks →West Peak and get down
It is the best route to visit Mt.Hua. You can hike from West Peak to South Peak, East Peak, Central Peak, and get back to West Peak and get down. The hiking duration is about 3 hours. However, the shuttle bus and West Peak cable car together can be pretty expensive. 

Tips: 
1. West Peak cable car might be unavailable due to the weather condition or renovation. We suggest that you check with us when you plan to take the West Peak cable car.
2. When you get to Canglong Ridge, you can choose either to get to West Peak for sunset or East Peak for sunrise. 

Hiking on Mt.Hua

1.For 1 Day
If you have one day to visit Mt.Hua, we suggest you take the first train to Huashan North Railway Station. Then, you can choose to take the West Peak Cable Car and hike to South/East/Middle/North Peaks and get back to West Peak to take the cable car again. 
If you are planning to hike at night, we suggest you get to Mt.Hua the night before your tour and start hiking from Jade Spring Temple to East Peak first. It takes about 5 hours. Then, you can spend your night on the East Peak and view the magnificent sunrise there. In the day time, you can proceed from East Peak to North Peak, South Peak, Central Peak, and West Peak and then get down. 

2.For 2 Days
Option 1: 
Day 1: Jade Spring Temple-North Peak - Golden Lock  - West Peak for Sunset - Overnight at West Peak
Day 2: West Peak - South Peak for Sunrise - East Peak - Central Peak - Golden Lock  - get down

Option 2: 
Day 1: Jade Spring Temple-North Peak - Golden Lock  - Central Peak - East Peak - Overnight at East Peak
Day 2: East Peak for Sunrise - South Peak - West Peak - Golden Lock  - get down

Timing

1.Hiking 

Entrance - North Peak: 2-3 hours;
North Peak - Central Peak: 2 hours;
Central Peak - East Peak: 1 hour;
East Peak - South Peak: 1 hour (not including the time for the wooden plank and other small sights);
South Peak - West Peak: 30 minutes;
West Peak - Central Peak: 1 hour.
You might need to reserve more time if you want to take some photos or stay around a while.

2.Cable Car

North Peak Cable Car: April - November: 7:00 - 19:00; December - March: 9:00 - 17:00;
West Peak Cable Car: April - November: 7:00 - 19:00; December - March: 8:30 - 17:00.

Tickets

1.Main entrance ticket: 180 RMB (Mar.1 - Nov.30); 100 RMB (Dec.1 - Feb.28/29)
2.Cable Car:
North Peak: shuttle bus: 20 RMB per way, 40 RMB round-trip.
                    Cable car: 80 RMB per way; 150 RMB round trip (Mar - Nov);
                                     45 RMB per way; 80 RMB round trip (Dec - Feb)
Tickets for North Peak cable car expires after 24 hours.
West Peak: shuttle bus: 40 RMB per way, 80 RMB round-trip.
                    Cable car: 140 RMB per way; 280 RMB round trip (Mar - Nov);
                                      120 RMB per way; 240 RMB round trip (Dec - Feb).
Tickets for West Peak cable car expires after 48 hours.

Accommodations on Mt.Hua

1.At the foot of Mt.Hua: 120-300 RMB/room/night.
2.On the mountain: West Peak (for sunset) or East Peak (for sunrise) is recommended.
East Peak: 120 - 180 RMB per bed;
West Peak: 100 - 150 RMB per bed.
There are tents and warm clothes for rent on the peak, but it’s hard to get them if you happen to visit during the holiday seasons.

Hiking Guide

1.There is no need to bring too much bottled water. There is drink water available on the mountain.
2.Prepare some cash. Places like Yaozifanshen and Wooden Plank require an extra expense of 30 RMB per person. 
3.In places extremely steep, you can try to get down backward to hold the iron chain.
4.Wear a pair of gloves.
5.If you want to stay one night on the mountain, make sure you book the bed in advance. 

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