9 days / 8 nights · Mount Tai / Mount Song / Mount Hua / Xi'an
Nine days deeply exploring the Five Great Mountains · Three days slowly climbing each of the three mountains
Mount Tai / Mount Song / Mount Hua / Xi'an · 9 days 8 nights · Moderately difficult
Reference Price
$1,210Rise / Person
- Purely for fun, no shopping
- The itinerary can be slightly adjusted
- Includes ticket reservation service
Number of people in a group2–8 people
IntensitySomewhat difficult
Best seasonApr–Nov
Traffichigh-speed rail + Scenic Area Transportation
AccommodationFour Stars at the Foot of the Mountain + Mount Tai／All of the Huashan peaks 1 night
Departure MonthApril to November
Prices vary between peak and off-peak seasons; the following order confirmation shall prevail · Tickets for highlands and peak seasons need to be booked in advance
Itinerary Details
All routes are for reference only, the actual route is subject to the explanation of customer service
A relaxed itinerary: Spend three days at each mountain, walking slowly through the entire route.
Day-by-day itinerary9 days in total · daily destination, meals, accommodation and transport
Expand day by day; click a title to collapse. Itinerary for reference and may be adjusted for weather and traffic.
- D1Arrive at Mount Tai · Dai Temple
DestinationFrom various places → Mount Tai
- Meals
- Meals are self-managed
- Accommodation
- Mount Tai Hotel
- Transport
- Airport/Station Pickup and Drop-off
- Distance
- Within the city
Daily detailUpon arrival at Mount Tai, a dedicated shuttle will pick you up at the airport or station and take you to your hotel. Afternoon free time.
Half a day at Dai Temple + one day hiking; If you have enough energy, you can take the cable car up and down for most of the trip.
Dai Temple: The imperial temple at the foot of the mountain, featuring the murals of the Song Dynasty Tiankuang Hall and the Han cypress trees.
Meals: Taian pancakes, Taishan tofu feast.
Tip: If you want to save effort, you can take the cable car to Zhongtianmen and then walk the Eighteen Pans; To watch the sunrise, stay at the summit or depart at 3 a.m. - D2Mount Tai · Shibaben and Nantianmen, Yuhuang Peak and Sun Viewing Peak
DestinationTaishan City Center
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Mount Tai Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailShibapan and Nantianmen: The steepest section of the entire route, with about 1,600 steps.
Yuhuangding and Sun Viewing Peak: Watch the sunrise from the summit and witness the 'Five Peaks Sovereign' stone carving.
Meals: Tai'an Pancakes, Taishan Tofu Banquet.
Tip: If you want to save effort, you can take the cable car to Zhongtianmen and then walk Shibapan; To watch the sunrise, stay at the summit or depart at 3 a.m. - D3Mount Tai · Dai Temple, Red Gate to Zhongtian Gate
DestinationMount Tai → Mount Song
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Mount Tai Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tour bus → Songshan
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
Daily detailDai Temple: The imperial temple at the foot of the mountain, featuring the murals of the Song Dynasty Tiankuang Hall and Han cypress trees.
From Hongmen to Zhongtianmen: A classic hiking route, with the densest concentration of cliff inscriptions.
Meals: Tai'an pancakes, Taishan tofu feast.
Tip: For convenience, take the cable car to Zhongtianmen and then walk Shibapan; To watch the sunrise, stay at the summit or depart at 3 a.m.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Songshan, and stay overnight at Songshan. - D4Songshan · Shaolin Temple, Pagoda Forest, and Songyue Temple Pagoda
DestinationSongshan urban area
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Songshan Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailShaolin Temple and Pagoda Forest: Regular Residence, First Patriarch's Hermitage, and a group of tombs and pagodas for eminent monks from various dynasties, with fixed martial arts performances.
Songyue Temple Pagoda: Built during the Zhengguang era of the Northern Wei, it is the oldest existing brick pagoda in China, with fifteen eaves and dense eaves.
Dining: Dengfeng Shaobing, Shaolin vegetarian vegetarian meal.
Tip: Martial arts performances are held multiple times a day; please confirm the time before entering; Songyang Academy and Zhongyue Temple are on Taishi Mountain, Shaolin is on Shaoshi Mountain, and are divided into two sections. - D5Songshan · Songyang Academy, Zhongyue Temple
DestinationSongshan → Huashan
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Songshan Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed rail / tour bus → Huashan Mountain
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
Daily detailSongyang Academy: One of the four great academies of the Song Dynasty, with a Han dynasty general's cypress tree.
Zhongyue Temple: A Taoist temple complex, the largest among the Five Peaks.
Meals: Dengfeng Shaobing, Shaolin vegetarian vegetarian meal.
Tip: Martial arts performances are held multiple times a day; please check the schedule before entering; Songyang Academy and Zhongyue Temple are located on Taishi Mountain, while Shaolin is on Shaoshi Mountain, divided into two areas.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Mount Hua, and stay overnight there. - D6Mount Hua · West Peak Cableway and West Peak, South Peak and Sky Boardwalk
DestinationHuashan City Area
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Huashan Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailWest Peak Cableway and West Peak: The fastest way to enter the mountain. The cliffs of West Peak and the legend of Chenxiang splitting the mountain to save their mother are here.
South Peak and Changkong Boardwalk: The highest point (2154 meters), the boardwalk hangs outside the cliff and requires a safety belt.
Meals: Huashan cold noodles, xue noodles, and Dadao noodles.
Tip: To climb the Changkong boardwalk and Yaozi Flip, you need to queue separately and have a safety belt; those afraid of heights skip directly; The temperature difference on the mountain is large. - D7Mount Hua · East Peak (Chaoyang Peak), Yuquan Courtyard, and North Peak
DestinationHuashan City Area
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Huashan Hotel
- Transport
- City bus Walking
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
Daily detailEast Peak (Chaoyang Peak): The best spot to watch the sunrise; the Yaozi Turnover is on the side of the Chess Pavilion.
Yuquan Temple and North Peak: The traditional entrance to the mountain, this is the ancient route of Huashan.
Meals: Huashan cold noodles, xue noodles, Dadao noodles. Tip: To get to
Changkong Boardwalk and Yaozi Flip, you need to queue separately and have a seatbelt; those afraid of heights skip directly; The temperature difference on the mountain is large. - D8Mount Hua · West Peak Cableway and West Peak, South Peak and Sky Boardwalk
DestinationHuashan → Xi'an
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Huashan Hotel
- Transport
- High-speed Rail / Tourist Bus → Xi'an
- Distance
- Intercity Transfer
Daily detailWest Peak Cableway and West Peak: The fastest way to enter the mountain. The cliffs of West Peak and the legend of Chenxiang splitting the mountain to save their mother are here.
South Peak and Changkong Boardwalk: The highest point (2154 meters), the boardwalk hangs outside the cliff, so you need a safety belt.
Meals: Huashan Cold Noodles, Xue Noodles, Dadao Noodles.
Tip: To climb the Changkong Boardwalk and the Hawk Flip, you need to queue separately and wear a seatbelt; those afraid of heights should skip it. The temperature difference on the mountain is large.
In the evening, take the high-speed rail or tour bus to Xi'an, and stay overnight in Xi'an. - D9Xi'an · Terracotta Warriors and the return journey
DestinationXi'an → Airport/Station Drop-off
- Meals
- Breakfast: Hotel · Lunch: Local (included) · Dinner: Self-arranged
- Accommodation
- Not included
- Transport
- Private vehicle for transfer to airport/station
- Distance
- Walking about 4-6 km within the city
StopsDaily detailTerracotta
Warriors, Xi'an City Wall,
Shaanxi History Museum
, Daci'en Temple, Giant Wild Goose
Pagoda. Meals: Hui Street paomo, persimmon cakes, cold noodles; If you want a quiet meal, go to Yongxingfang.
Arrange for shuttle service to airport/station according to flight or train time, and the tour ends.
Key facts
Departure pointAssemble at Mount Tai, disband in Xi'an
Number of people in a groupSmall group of 2-8 people
Recommended monthApr–Nov
AccommodationFour Stars at the Foot of the Mountain + Mount Tai／All of the Huashan peaks 1 night
TrafficHigh-speed rail Tourist area transportation
IntensitySomewhat difficult
Route Overview
Selected highlights of the Five Great Mountains main line: the Fengchan Stone Carving of Mount Tai (East Peak), Shaolin Temple and Songyue Pagoda of Mount Song (Central Peak), and the Plank Walk on Mount Hua (West Peak). Each of the three mountains has a completely different character; you can visit them all at once or in separate trips.
The entire journey is 9 days, progressing along "Mount Tai (East Peak) → Mount Song (Central Peak) → Mount Hua (West Peak)": Tai Shan / Song Shan / Hua Shan / Xi'an. The pace is arranged as "one city, one section," with high-speed trains for inter-city travel, and flights used for segments longer than 5 hours.
Destinations on this route
- Mount Tai: Half a day at Dai Temple + one day for climbing; if average in fitness, both ascent and descent can be done by cable car.
- Mount Song: One day visiting Shaolin Temple + Pagoda Forest, one day at Songyang Academy + Zhongyue Temple + Songyue Pagoda.
- Mount Hua: Cable car up and down can be completed in one day, while hiking "the traditional single trail of Mount Hua" requires a whole day and is very tiring.
- Xi'an: Ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, the city wall is intact and can be cycled around; the Terracotta Army and Shaanxi History Museum are the two must-visit sites for first-time visitors to China.
Cultural Series
This route is part of the Five Great Mountains Pilgrimage・Tribute to Mountains and Rivers series. There are other variations of this route with different durations for comparison under the same theme.
Costs include
- Accommodation listed in the itinerary (double occupancy)
- First entrance tickets to the attractions specified in the itinerary
- Ground transportation listed in the itinerary (high-speed rail / tour bus / scenic area sightseeing bus)
- Full-time Chinese-speaking tour guide service
- Daily breakfast, and meals specified in the itinerary
- Travel agency liability insurance and travel accident insurance
Cost not included
- Round-trip international airfare between the place of departure and China
- Personal visa and document fees
- Main meals not listed and personal expenses
- Optional items (cable car, additional boat rides, performances, etc.)
- Tips for guides and drivers (voluntary)
- Single room supplement
Booking Reminder
After confirming the itinerary and dates, pay the deposit, and the remaining balance should be paid 15 days before the trip. Cancellation more than 30 days before departure will get a full refund of the deposit, 70% refund for 15-30 days, 50% refund for 7-15 days, and no refund within 7 days. Popular sites such as Mogao Caves and Sanxingdui require real-name reservation, please submit ID information at least 15 days in advance. For seniors over 70 and children under 12, please indicate in the remarks, and we will adjust the daily walking amount.