Mt. Huangshan Day Tour: Yungu Cable Car & Peak Views

The cable car rises through clouds thick enough to feel like walking through them.

A 1-day guided tour of Mt. Huangshan (UNESCO Global Geopark) in Eastern China with hotel pickup, English-speaking guide, and access to the mountain's signature peaks and rock formations. The itinerary covers about 5 hours on the mountain itself, starting with a Yungu cable car ascent through cloud layers, then guided walks to White Goose Ridge, Shixin Peak, and Lion Peak. Lunch is on your own. The Yungu cable car (round-trip) costs extra but saves energy on steep terrain. Optional add-ons include a half-day or full-day visit to the ancient villages of Hongcun and Xidi.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mt. Huangshan full day tour

• Assemble at Huangshan International Hotel
• Drive to Huangshan Scenic Area Transfer Center
• Take shuttle bus to Yungu cable station
• Take Yungu cable car up to White Goose Ridge
• Explore White Goose Peak viewpoint
• Visit Shixin Peak and Black Tiger Pine
• See Bishenghua rock and pine tree
• Explore Lion Peak and Stone Monkey viewpoint
• Descend mountain by foot or cable car
• Transfer back to Huangshan city

The experience

The day starts at Huangshan International Hotel in the city center at 7:30 a.m., where your English-speaking guide meets you in the lobby. From there, it's a 1-hour drive to the Huangshan Scenic Area Transfer Center, then a 30-minute scenic shuttle bus ride to the Yungu cable station. The cable car itself takes about 20 minutes and costs $12 per person each way (optional but recommended). As it climbs, you pass through named rock formations (Tendu Peak, Lotus Peak, Buddha's Palm Peak), and enter the cloud layer that makes Huangshan famous. The cable car deposits you at White Goose Ridge, which overlooks the East Sea of clouds.

From there, your guide leads you on foot through the mountain's signature stops. Shixin Peak (Begin to Believe Peak) sits in the Beihai Scenic Area and frames the granite peaks. Nearby stands the Black Tiger Pine, a 700-year-old tree that anchors one of the mountain's most photographed views. Bishenghua is a distinctive rock formation with a pine tree rooted on top, shaped like a Chinese calligraphy brush. Lion Peak, famous for sunrise views, offers another vantage on the Stone Monkey Gazing over the Sea of Clouds formation. The guided portion covers roughly 5 hours of walking and standing. Descent begins around 2:30 p.m., either on foot or by cable car (another $12 per person, at your own cost). You're back in Huangshan city by 5 p.m.

Lunch on the mountain costs about $14 per person at the facilities there, or you can bring your own food. The tour includes admission to all named sites within Mt. Huangshan UNESCO Global Geopark, an air-conditioned vehicle for the transfer, and the guide's company throughout. If you book a private group option, you get a dedicated vehicle and guide instead of sharing the coach. Shared-group departures require a minimum of 2 passengers. Hongcun and Xidi Village (two ancient walled settlements with Ming and Qing architecture) can be added as a half-day or full-day extension on separate dates, with separate train or flight transfers arranged.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Huangshan city.
• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• air-conditioned vehicle for transfers between city and scenic area.
• scenic shuttle bus to Yungu cable station.
• admission to Mt. Huangshan UNESCO Global Geopark and all named peaks and formations (White Goose Ridge, Shixin Peak, Bishenghua, Lion Peak, Black Tiger Pine viewpoint).

Options for this experience

4 options

Huangshan group adventure, one dayGuide in English · 08:00Minimum of 2 people. Departure not available during Chinese holidays. Meet at the Huangshan International Hotel. Includes a shared car or van and an English-speaking guide.

Private Huangshan adventure, one dayGuide in English · 08:00Departs every day. Includes door-to-door transfer and service, a private car or minivan, and a private English-speaking guide.

1.5 Days Huangshan+HongcunGuide in English · 08:00Private guide and vehicle: one-day private guided Huangshan adventure plus a half-day visit to Hongcun village. Train or flight drop-off included; departure suggested after 2 pm. Pickup is included.

2 Days Huangshan+Hongcun+XidiGuide in English · 08:00Private guide and vehicle: one-day private guided Huangshan adventure plus a one-day visit to Hongcun and Xidi villages. Train or flight drop-off included; departure suggested after 4 pm. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Trippest Travel

Is this one for you?Book the shared-group option if you're comfortable with other travelers and want the lower price. Choose the private group option if you prefer a dedicated vehicle and guide, or if your hotel is outside the central pickup zone. The 5-hour mountain walk requires moderate fitness and sturdy footwear. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy. The cable car (optional but strongly suggested) costs extra but makes the day physically manageable for most visitors and leaves more energy for the peak walks.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Black Tiger Pine and why is it so famous at Huangshan?

The Black Tiger Pine is a 700-year-old tree on Shixin Peak, named after a legend in which a monk meditating on the mountain saw what he thought was a black tiger crouching on a pine tree, when he looked closer, the tiger vanished, and he named the tree after the vision. It's one of the mountain's ten most photographed pines and a signature stop on the guided walk.

Do I have to take the Yungu cable car, or can I walk the whole mountain?

The cable car is optional and costs $12 per person each way. Most visitors take it up to save energy for the 5-hour guided walk across the peaks. Descent can be on foot or by cable car at your own cost. You can walk both directions if you prefer, but the cable car is recommended to preserve stamina for the ridge walks.

What's included in the tour price, and what do I pay separately?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, the English-speaking guide, the scenic shuttle bus to the cable station, admission to all mountain sites, and the air-conditioned vehicle for transfers. Lunch on the mountain (about $14 per person) and both cable car rides (about $12 per person each way) are separate. You can bring your own food to avoid the meal cost.

How much time do I actually spend walking on the mountain?

About 5 hours of the 8-hour day is spent on the mountain itself: walking between peaks, standing at viewpoints, and exploring the rock formations and old-growth pines. The remaining time covers the 2.5-hour round-trip transfer from the city and a 30-minute lunch break.

Can I add a visit to Hongcun or Xidi Village to this tour?

Yes, Hongcun and Xidi are available as optional add-ons, either as a half-day or full-day extension. These are booked as separate tour options (1.5 Days Huangshan+Hongcun, or 2 Days Huangshan+Hongcun+Xidi) and include separate train or flight transfers to the ancient villages. They are not combined into a single day with the mountain tour.