Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals
Climb Mt Huashan
Still to do
Shuffle sideways along wooden planks bolted to a sheer granite cliff, hundreds of metres above nothing at all.
The adventure
Huashan, the western mountain of China's five great sacred peaks, is a cluster of granite summits rising sheer out of the plains of Shaanxi, with Taoist temples clinging to ledges and stairways carved straight into the rock. Many climbers set off at night from the foot of the mountain, joining a stream of head torches up thousands of steps to reach the East Peak in time for sunrise over a sea of cloud.
The real legend is the plank walk near the South Peak, the highest at 2,154 metres. Strapped into a harness, you climb down iron rungs onto a path of wooden boards, roughly a foot wide, pinned to a vertical cliff with a drop of hundreds of metres below. You shuffle sideways, clipping and unclipping your carabiners, while other climbers inch past in the opposite direction. Then there's Azure Dragon Ridge, a staircase running along a knife-edge spine with drops on both sides.
Why it’s epic
- The plank walk, a narrow boardwalk bolted to a sheer cliff near the 2,154-metre South Peak.
- Sunrise above the clouds from the East Peak.
- Azure Dragon Ridge, a stone staircase along a knife-edge ridge.
- Taoist temples and pavilions perched on the mountain's five peaks.
What it is
Mount Huashan is one of China's five sacred mountains, known for its narrow plank walk on a sheer cliff.
How to do it
Take the high-speed train from Xi'an, then use the cable cars or hike. The plank walk is done with a harness.
Top tip
Stay overnight on the mountain to see sunrise from the East Peak.
Need to know
- The plank walk has its own fee and harness hire, and queues can last hours on busy days.
- Avoid Chinese public holidays, when the paths and cable cars are extremely crowded.
- High-speed trains from Xi'an reach Huashan North in well under an hour, then shuttle buses run to the visitor centre and cable cars.
- Check China's current visa or visa-free rules for UK passports before booking.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- Under £750 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 days
- Best time to go
- April to October
- Fly into
- XIY airport
Entry, cable cars and the plank walk add up to modest costs; getting to China is the main expense.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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