What to do and see in China, China: The Best Mountains

May 3, 2022 Terina Blouin

China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia and the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.404 billion. Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers (3,700,000 sq mi), it is the third- or fourth-largest country by total area, depending on the source consulted. China also has the most neighbor countries in the world. Governed by the Communist Party of China, it exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four direct-controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
Restaurants in China

1. Mount Kailash

Within Pulan County Humla Simikota, Burang County 859500 China
Excellent
87%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
1%
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2%
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5.0 based on 195 reviews

Mount Kailash

Gangs Rin-po-che is the Tibetan name of Mt. Kailash which is considered as a sacred place in four regions: Bon Religion, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailash for the faith they believed that circumambulating Kailash by foot will bring good luck and clear the sins. The trek begins and ends at Darchen which is at 4,575m elevation.Mount Kailash trekking is one of the most challenging and sacred treks in the world. The trek is widely known as Mt. Kailash kora which is scared in four religions, Bon Religion, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. What’s more, this holy mountain is also the headstream of four famous rivers in Asia: Indus River (also called Shiquan River in China), Sutlej River (a major tributary of the Indus River), Yarlungzangpo River (also called Brahmaputra River) and Ganges River. Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailash for the faith they believed that circumambulating this holy mountain by foot will bring good luck.

Reviewed By Antharyatri

Visited Mt. Kailash in July 2019 through Monterosa Treks. It was a wonderful trip. We were well taken care of by the staff. All of them were extremely helpful. Just to mention a few names Ranjan, Prakash. Food was very delicious, hot and always served with broad smiles in spite of the hard work that went behind getting the food ready in time for the guests. Big thank you to all team members of Monterosa Treks.

2. Greater Khingan Range

China
Excellent
80%
Good
20%
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5.0 based on 5 reviews

Greater Khingan Range

3. Mount Emei (Emeishan)

Emeishan 614201 China
Excellent
54%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
11%
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3%
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2%
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4.5 based on 838 reviews

Mount Emei (Emeishan)

A scenic mountain area houses important Buddhist temples.

Reviewed By MattwalesNorthWales - Chengdu, China

A must see place if you are in this part of the world. One of the important Buddhist Mountains in China. If, unlike me you love walking uphill you can climb this on foot but it will take about 4 days. I settled for a full day trip. Wrap up warm in winter as the top will be a lot colder than the bottom. You can buy a combined ticket for 160¥ which will take you from Emeishan railway station up the mountain. The journey is not for those, weak of stomach as the road snakes up the mountain, contains a lot of chicanes, and the drivers don't hang around. There is a pee stop half way and the bus may stop to add snow chains to the wheels in winter. Once at the top bus station you have to walk for about 2km through the monkey reserve to get the cable car which will whizz you right to the summit. At the summit you may be rewarded with a spectacular view as well as a variety of temples, shops and restaurants to explore. You can stay in a hotel at the top so that you can see the sunrise, but its not cheap. Please note the last cable car is at 5.30 and the last bus home is at 6pm. Great day trip

4. Wuyi Mountain Scenic Resort

South of Wuyishan, Wuyi Shan 354300 China http://www.wyschina.com
Excellent
54%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
7%
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4.5 based on 461 reviews

Wuyi Mountain Scenic Resort

An area of fantastic views has peaks, rivers, gorges and temple ruins.

Reviewed By ROCruiser - Claremont, United States

This has to be our favorite destination in Fujian. We spent two days in the area with a private guide taking us. Everything was green and beautiful with a calming effect. Whether hiking up the mountains, drifting down the stream in the bamboo raft, or just walking around the park will make the trip all worthwhile. The rock formations are just incredible. Lots to see there.

5. Mount Qingcheng

Qingcheng Mountain Town, Chengdu 611844 China +86 180 8015 8435 http://www.localchinaguide.com/attractions/mount-qingcheng/
Excellent
49%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
10%
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4.5 based on 1,118 reviews

Mount Qingcheng

A natural scenic area and a holy mountain of Taoism.

Reviewed By jonascn - Singapore, Singapore

Mount Qingcheng is a short distance away from Dujianyan. There is an excitement in the desire to reach the highest peak when climbing the mountain. However the steps up the mountain is quite steep, especially the last 30 minutes and can be slippery during winter. There are porters to help you up the mountain at a cost (though one does sympathise the porters who are in their 50s too). There is also a photo taking service a the top of the mountain which a beautiful temple, especially during winter due to the thick clouds. The air is filled with the smoke from the joss sticks. There is a certain level of accomplishment amid the achy legs when you reach the top. Hence, this is well recommended for travellers looking for adventure. However, the main drawback of the area is the hidden costs you have to bear with to enjoy a complete experience. The site ticket is 80RMB. To proceed to the mountain, you have to 20 RMB for a 2 way mini bus journey to the river coast, after which you have to pay 10 RMB for a 2 way boat ride to an area closer to the mountain. There is also a 60RMB cable car to proceed to the base of the mountain before walking up. There is a need to factor in these costs when you are planning your trip. It is also difficult to avoid this payment as the journey without is much longer. Do also take note of the different operating hours during winter. It opens 8.30am to 5.30pm from May to October, and 9am to 5pm from November to April. Overall, if you can get over the hidden costs and the physical requirements, this is well worth the trip.

6. Putuo Mountain (Putuoshan)

Putuo Town, Putuo District, Zhoushan 316100 China +86 580 319 1919 http://www.putuoshan.gov.cn/
Excellent
54%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
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Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 655 reviews

Putuo Mountain (Putuoshan)

Located on an island in the East China Sea, this mountain is one of the four Buddhist shrines in the country, which features many temples and nunneries.

Reviewed By victorhP8547IR

Beautiful bouddhist temples, beautiful scenery, pleasant strolls along paths on the mountain and along the road boarding the sea. Fresh air and refreshing sights of mountains, islets and sea.Recommend to visit Foding peak, Huiji temple, Fayu temple, Puji temple and Nanhai Guyin. Difficult to avoid the crowd of tourists and the faithful during high seasons.

7. Mount Huashan

Within Huayin, Huayin 714200 China +86 913 436 5086 http://www.huashan16.com/
Excellent
68%
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4.5 based on 1,272 reviews

Mount Huashan

Famous for its breathtaking cliffs and 12-kilometer-long winding path to its peak, this mountain features five peaks that resemble five petals of a flower.

Reviewed By SarahK6996

Did a day trip to huashan from Xi An. We took the 810am train from xian north, then the green free shuttle bus from the train station to the mountain welcome centre where you buy cable car tickets. We bought tickets to the North Peak cable car and mandatory shuttle bus tickets to the cable car base. We reached the cable car station on top of the mountain at 1015am and started the trek! We went to all the peaks and even did the walk down to the chess pavilion (2-3h). Reached the East cable car station at 530pm, but we didn't realise the the queue was super long,and the cable car trip down takes 20 minutes! And from the East cable car station,it's another 40 minutes bus ride back to the welcome centre (reached at 745). Had to sprint to catch a cab and get to the train station as our train back to xian was 810pm. Would honestly say it is quite tiring but very doable! Lots of people of all shapes n sizes doing it too. The views are just amazing and you'll never get tired of it. There's lots of toilets on the mountain (but smelly) and also lots of food throughout although it gets pricier the higher into the mountain we go. We didn't need a jacket cos and i wore a tank top And shorts,it was a really nice n sunny day. lots of sunblocks, a cap and towel recommended!

8. Baiyun Mountain

Xinshi Town, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510440 China +86 20 3722 9871 http://www.baiyunshan.com.cn/
Excellent
43%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
15%
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4.5 based on 954 reviews

Baiyun Mountain

Reviewed By KodoDrummer - Yekaterinburg, Russia

We climbed to the top of Baiyun Mountain, enjoyed the super-good fresh air, and the energizing hike.

9. Laoshan Scenic Area

Laoshan Scenic Area Dedicated Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao 266100 China +86 532 8889 8866 http://www.qdlaoshan.cn
Excellent
48%
Good
39%
Satisfactory
11%
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4.5 based on 1,055 reviews

Laoshan Scenic Area

One of China's most celebrated scenic areas, Laoshan presents a panorama of mountains, cliffs, waterfalls and temples.

Reviewed By Sillypiggys - Sydney, Australia

Snow capped peaks in winter! Perfect time to visit with barely any visitors. Spectacular views from the top! Great for hikers. We caught the 104 bus which starts at Taidong and travels down to the Xianggang West and Xianggang East Road (the West road becomes the East Road) along the coast until you reach Laoshan about 35km away. The cost is RMB3 from Taidong (terminus) to the Tourism Office of Laoshan. You just hop on and the ticket lady will tell you the correct fare to pay her. You need to book your tickets to the Laoshan scenic areas at the Tourism office before entering the park. Cost is RMB120 pp (low season) and RMB90 for students. Peak is RMB150 and RMB105 respectively. We then took one of the private driver’s offer of RMB300 for the day and she took us along the coast to see the Frog Rock, Laozhi statue, a look out to the Tea plantation and then Huayan Temple where we did a hike for a 1.5 hour round trip up the mountain. The temple was only 20mins walk up. We started at 10am and returned to Taidong around 6pm. The bus trip was 1hr in the morning (no traffic) but 2 hrs on the way back (peak weekday traffic). The private drivers speaks virtually no English and will try to take you to tea houses to sample teas and coerce you to buy or encourage you to eat at one of the restaurants. They won’t force you so gently decline if you are not interested. Note: there are no food options other than these restaurants so bring snacks or eat a good breakfast before you head out!!

10. Mount Yuelu

West Subrubs of Yuelu District, Yuelu District, Changsha 410000 China 0731-88647958 http://en.yls.hnyls.com/
Excellent
44%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
13%
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4.5 based on 497 reviews

Mount Yuelu

Reviewed By 415dianah - Guangzhou, China

Taking it at a leisurely pace, walking up to Yuelu Temple was worth the effort. Lots of meandering pathways and tombs through the mountainside. Worth the effort if you enjoy the combination of nature and sites. The monastery is working so some places are off limits. A little rundown, it still provides a great insight into the history and heritage of the region. It was reasonably crowded for a day when it was a chilly 6 degrees. I can imagine in warmer weather, there would be even more people.

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