One of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains, with misty peaks, wild monkeys and a golden summit temple above the clouds.
Mount Emei rises in forested tiers from the Chengdu plain to a golden summit at 3,099m, one of Buddhism's holiest peaks and a UNESCO site.
Trails wind past temples, hot springs and troops of cheeky macaques; the sunrise and sea-of-clouds from Golden Summit are the payoff.
Here are the highlights worth your time in Emeishan.
A gilded temple and statue above the clouds; sunrise and sea-of-clouds views.
¥185 + cable carA 1,000-year-old temple with a bronze Buddha statue.
IncludedWild macaques along the middle trail — keep food hidden.
Free (watch your bag)Emeishan has its own kitchen — here are the dishes to try.
Mountain tofu dishes.
Famous local green tea.
Spicy peanut-and-chili noodles.
Fresh mountain bamboo shoots.
Soak after the hike.
Quiet evening temple strolls.
Simple dinners with hikers.
Emeishan Station on the high-speed line; ~1.5h from Chengdu, 40min from Leshan.
Chengdu (CTU) is the gateway.
Tour buses and cable cars from the base.
Cheap to the station.
Where you stay shapes the trip. Three good bases:
Hotels, springs and bus hub.
Temple guesthouses for an early summit.
Near the upper cable car.
Pilgrims and hikers; many pair it with the Leshan Buddha.
