EMEI SHAN, THE SACRED BUDDHIST MOUNTAIN

The Light of Buddha, mystical scenery within the cloud sea, at the Golden Summit, Emei Shan

EMEI SHAN IN 2 DAYS:
SPIRITUAL PEAKS AND ANCIENT TEMPLES

Emeishan is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains in China. It's where Buddhism started and spread in the country. The place has a spiritual feel with clouds, forests, temples, monkeys, and incense, making it a fantastic journey for those wanting to meet Buddhist pilgrims at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Golden Summit, Emei Shan

WHEN TO GO TO EMEI SHAN

We visited Emei Mountain in late October, just after the long holiday season in China. Consequently, we encountered fewer people and almost no queues. The experience could have been less pleasant during the high season, as we saw pictures of long queues for the cableway and to climb the golden summit.
The average Chinese tourist reaches the Golden Summit in the morning and returns in the afternoon, making use of the cable car during its operating hours. Therefore, staying overnight on the Golden Summit is a rare experience, even though there are many temples and hotels available at a higher cost than average.
For those planning to trek, the stairs are so slippery so be careful with what you wear and consider the weather conditions.​

Mist prevails all year around in Emei Shan Golden Summit

HOW TO PLAN YOUR EMEI SHAN TREKKING

Our primary goal was to witness the famous cloud sea view from the Golden Summit temple terrace. Therefore, our plan was to ascend as quickly as possible, using both bus and cable car to reach the summit directly. We intended to descend the day after on foot, visiting historical temples hidden in the forest, and enjoying encounters with monkeys and scenic mountain views until we reached Wannai Temple.

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IMPORTANT TIPS:

1. Leave your luggage somewhere and pack a light back pack. There are lockers at the bus stations available for your luggage and if you are lucky 1 staff that speaks English to help you. Otherwise you can choose to leave your luggage in a hotel.
2. Baogao Vilage is a comfortable base as close to one of the major temples and have bus station where all the buses to emei mountain leaves. Moreover, in the evening there is the food street full of restaurants and good food. 
3. With your first bus ticket you will also purchase tickets to enter to Emei Mountain. Never ever trash these tickets as you will often be asked to demonstrate.
4. The Golden Summit is covered by mist almost every day, be patient and take your time to be surprised by the winds and see the mystical Buddha light within the cloud sea.
5. Do not plan to hike in one day especially if you want to climb uphill. In any way dont climb uphill unless you are a devoted Budhist. 
6. The well-maintained stone-block road becomes extremely slippery when wet, even a day after rain, making the descent hazardous.

Downhill Hiking Scenery Emei shan

​2 DAYS ITINERARY IN EMEISHAN
​FOR THOSE WITHOUT TREKKING AMBITIONS:

First day:

1. Catch a morning bus to Wannian Bus Stop, take the cable car, and visit the marvelous Wannian Temple.
2. Return to Wannian Bus Stop using the same cable car, then take another bus to Longping Bus Stop.
3. From Longping Bus Stop, walk to the cable car and reach the Golden Summit (ensure you catch the cable car before 18:00).
4. Enjoy the sunset at the Golden Summit and have a dinner at the Jingpeng Catering

The second day:

1. Enjoy sunrise at the Golden Summit then return to Baoguo Bus Stop (first cable car to descend to Longpingli and then take a bus to Baoguo Village).
2. Visit both Baoguo Temple and Fuhu Temple before catching the last train from Emei Station or enjoy the restaurant street and good food at the Baoguo Temple. 

Trekking path to Fuhu Temple behind Baoguo Temple

QUICK EMEISHAN ITINERARY FOR LATE ARRIVALS:

1. Take a bus from Baogao to Lingping, a 2-hour journey with a 15-minute stop.
2. Enjoy sunset, dinner, and sunrise on the Golden Summit without crowds.
3. From Lingping bus, take another to Wannian Bus Stop, use the cable car to reach and visit Wannian Temple.
4. Take a bus back down to Baogao Temple, visit the temple and Fuhu Temple, both reachable on foot within 1 km.

Baoguo Temple Bus Schedule

hoUR 2 DAY TRIP IN EMEI SHAN:

​After leaving our luggage and freshening up in a budget-friendly yet comfortable hotel near the Baoguo bus station, we immediately took the bus to the Linggongli stop, the highest bus stop close to the cable car that climbs up to the Golden Summit. (We debated whether to visit Baoguo Temple before taking the bus, but we were concerned about being too late. We didn’t want to miss the sunset, and, more importantly, the last bus from the foothill was at 16:00, and the last cable car to the peak operated until 18:00. ​

Baoguo Bus Station, before taking the bus to the peak station, Linggongli.

​Getting the bus ticket was easy; at the station, there was only one staff member who spoke English. She immediately came to help us when she saw us enter the station, assisted us in purchasing our tickets, and showed us the way to the bus. If we hadn't taken a hotel to leave our luggage, we could have left it at the lockers in this bus station, only if she had helped us, as all the instructions were in Chinese.

Bus ride to the peak in Emeishan, from Baoguo to Linggongli Stations

The bus ride was comfortable and took 2 hours with a 10-minute stop midway. Once we arrived at Linggongli Bus Station, we followed the signs going up to the cable car for the Golden Summit. Just as we started climbing the stairs, we saw a shop where they rented coats. Unsure if we would return to the same point, we opted not to rent one. In hindsight, we could have, as we passed the same point on our way back, and the weather turned freezing after sunset.

Linggongli Stop, the closest bus station to the Golden Summit.

From the bus station to the cable car station, there were large stairs to climb, full of snack shops and a monkey playing point for photography. There are two cable cars going up to the Golden Summit. The first one works like a funicular and can carry almost 100 people, while the other is a loop cableway for a maximum of 6 people. We were lucky to find no crowds in the afternoon and took the loop cable with a bit of a view.

Loop Cable Car, Golden Summit, Emeishan

​Once we got up, we immediately checked into our hotel close to the cable station and left our small backpacks. It was still misty and cloudy, so we preferred to wait while eating some street food. Then we went up to the Golden Summit (just a 5-minute comfortable climb of stairs) and visited the temples and the terrace where we came to watch the cloud sea view, as well as the souvenir/religious articles shops to get some heat.

Mist everywhere.. Stairs to the Golden Summit, Emeishan

The temperature was quite chilly, and it had been rainy and cloudy all day. We waited until sunset but were not lucky enough to see any views from the terrace. Nevertheless, it was mystical, with the mist covering the golden temple and giant statue from one moment to another. With no luck to see the view, we went to the Catering Center, which is the only restaurant, and had chilly Sichuan dishes before going to bed early.
​Everyone suggests the sunrise, but we are not morning people and are not fond of the cold, so we didn't make it. Anyway, with the persistent mist until 8 o’clock, there was no hope, so we opted to enjoy the rare coffee shop we found with its coffee-like drinks close to the Jing Feng catering place. The miracle happened and we were treated to some sunshine and a few precious minutes of a delightful cloud sea view, also known as Buddha’s light.

The Golden Summit Temple and White Elephant Statue

Golden Summit statistically experiences only four days of sunshine, so patience is key as you wait for the clouds to be dispersed by unexpected winds.
After concluding the most important part of our visit to Emeishan, the Golden Summit, we descended using the larger cable car. ​

A Temple Offering Accommodation Near the Linggongli Cable Car and Bus Station

​Following the road behind the bus station, we took the path to XIXICHI (Elephant Bathing Path. Along the way, we passed through a panoramic area with play invaded by monkeys, posing and playing in front of a captivating view.

Tibetan Macaques Playing Area: A Scenic Stop Before Trekking Begins

Contrary to the typical ascent expected of devoted Buddhists, we opted for a descent.
The 7.5 km descent from the top bus station to the first temple was manageable, particularly at XIXICHI, an ancient red temple with a breathtaking view and a congregation of monkeys.

Xixiang Chi (Elephant Bathing Pool Monastery), Emei Shan

Accommodation is available in all temples, though cold and somewhat pricey, with outdoor toilets—a challenging experience in freezing weather. Once a dream of mine was to stay in a temple on a spectacular mountain with monks and monkeys; now, we rush downhill to avoid it before sunset.

Xixiang Chi (Elephant Bathing Pool Monastery) also offers accomodation

Moving from XIXICHI to Hahong Peak, we encountered a small structure resembling a motel, complete with a dog and a cat. While a pleasant spot for a brief rest, the toilet facilities, especially for women, were not commendable. ​

Just before reaching Hahong Peak, a motel-like structure offered us a pit stop

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​The 14 km descent to Wannian Temple posed its own challenges, making us question how Lonely Planet could recommend a one-day climb from Wannian to the Lingping bus stop—an almost impossible task.

Going downhill doesn't mean you won't have to climb

On our way to Wannian Temple, we encountered a splendid residence palace temple and a panoramic pagoda. ​

XIXIN PALACE

​Wannian Temple, the oldest temple on Emei Mountain, is truly beautiful and worth visiting. The cable car near the temple takes you to the parking lot, where you can purchase tickets and catch the bus.

Wannian Temple: A Mystic and Spiritual Haven Where You Can Touch the Spirituality

Our legs were sore for the next 4 days due to the challenging descent of 27 km of stairs, which proved to be a hard task even on the downhill journey

Main attraction in Wannian Temple!

WANNIAN TEMPLE

​COMMENTS EMEI SHAN TREKKING EXPERIENCE:

• Trekking o hiking in Emei Shan Mountain involves only shiny, slippery stone stairs.
• Opt for the downward itinerary, as covering 26 km uphill in one or even two days is extremely challenging.
• Not all routes shown on tourist maps may be open due to adverse weather conditions.
• Even seemingly descending stairs may include infinite upward sections.
• A hard, though unforgettable experience

Enjoying good food in Baoguo Village after a 27 km. downhill experience in Emei shan Mountain