Mt. Huashan Private Day Tour: North Peak Cable Car & Trek
Cable car up to the North Peak, then hike the mountain at your own pace
A private day tour from Xi'an to Mt. Huashan, one of China's Five Great Mountains, with hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide who escorts you to the cable car station and shares route tips before you hike. You ascend the North Peak by cable car, then trek across the peaks (East, Middle, West and South) at your own speed for 4–5 hours, with the guide meeting you at the base to transfer you back to your hotel.
Step-by-step itinerary
Mt. Huashan hiking and sightseeing
- Hotel pick-up at 8:00 am
- Drive 2 hours to Mt. Huashan foot
- Take cable car to North Peak
- Hike and explore other peaks
- Enjoy mountain scenery and temples
- Return transfer to hotel
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off by personal driver.
- English-speaking tour guide to the cable car station with route and history tips.
- inner shuttle bus access at the mountain entrance.
Times
- Every day 08:00
Information
Prices and times updated 12 days ago
Operated by Trippest Travel
The experience
Your driver picks you up at your hotel at 8 a.m. and drives about 2 hours to the foot of Mt. Huashan. The guide meets you there, explains the route and the history of the peaks, points out the best angles for photographs, and walks you to the cable car station. From there you board the cable car alone to the North Peak, which sits at 1,614 meters and is also called Cloud Terrace Peak because the precipitous cliffs on all sides make it look like a flat terrace suspended in the clouds.
The hike itself takes 4–5 hours and follows your own pace. You choose which peaks to visit (the East, Middle, West and South peaks are all reachable from the North Peak), and how much time to spend at each one. Along the way you pass temples, pine groves, sculptures and engravings carved into the rock. The guide does not climb with you. The mountain is yours to explore. When you finish, you descend and meet the guide at the base for the drive back to your hotel, arriving in the late afternoon.
The cable car at the North Peak costs extra (one-way 80 RMB, round-trip 150 RMB), as does the main entrance ticket to Mt. Huashan (280 RMB, which includes the inner shuttle bus). If you want to hike the West Peak, its cable car is also a separate charge. Bring water and snacks. Food on the mountain is expensive, and lunch is not included. The South Peak has a famous Plank Walk attraction, but it draws long queues, so the operator suggests skipping it if time is tight.
Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to explore Mt. Huashan on your own schedule without a guide shadowing every step. The guide's role is to get you there, orient you, and pick you up when you finish: leaving the 4–5 hour hike itself entirely in your hands, so you can linger at the peaks that matter to you and move faster through the rest.
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Top questions
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.
How difficult is the hike on Mt. Huashan?
The trek takes 4–5 hours and covers long, steep steps across multiple peaks. You set the pace, but the operator recommends a high level of physical fitness and notes that 4–5 hours of continuous climbing is required. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy.
What is the North Peak like when you get there?
The North Peak sits at 1,614 meters and is called Cloud Terrace Peak because the cliffs surrounding it are so steep and sheer that the peak looks like a flat terrace floating in the clouds. It is the entry point to the rest of the mountain.
Does the guide hike the mountain with me?
No. Your guide meets you at the hotel, drives you to Mt. Huashan, walks you to the cable car station, and shares tips about directions, history, the best photo angles and which sights not to miss. Once you board the cable car, you hike alone. The guide meets you at the base when you finish to drive you back.
What costs extra beyond the tour price?
The main entrance ticket to Mt. Huashan (280 RMB, including the inner shuttle bus) and the cable car at the North Peak (80 RMB one-way or 150 RMB round-trip) are separate charges. If you hike to the West Peak, its cable car costs extra as well (140 RMB one-way or 280 RMB round-trip). Lunch is not included. Bring snacks and water.
How long is the drive from Xi'an to Mt. Huashan?
The drive takes about 2 hours from your hotel to the foot of the mountain. Hotel pickup is included within the 2nd ring road of Xi'an city and from the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda area.
Mt. Huashan Private Day Tour: North Peak Cable Car & Trek
8h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 153 per person