Part 4 Huangshan and Yunhe

Tue. 17.03.2026

Journeys Chongqing - Huangshan

Our alarm went off at 4:30 AM, as we were facing our longest train journey of the trip today. A total of 9 hours and 20 minutes of pure travel time. From Chongqing at 7:45 AM to Hefei at 3:28 PM, then at 4:22 PM to Huangshan, arriving at 5:59 PM.

For this longest journey, we treated ourselves to first-class tickets, which were still a bargain at €91 per person.

However, this time our luggage posed a small problem. There was somehow no proper space, and the train attendant had us move our bags here and there until she deemed it acceptable. There were very few passengers at the initial stations, or maybe just in first class. We had seats separated from the aisle, but since it was so empty, we sat together; however, it became very drafty at times, and we felt really cold. We spoke to the train attendant, and we were able to change seats, but despite the 23 degrees in the train, it wasn’t comfortable. We didn’t have this issue before. Eventually, guests arrived who actually had those seats, so we had to switch back toward the end.

First class is not very different from second class, but the seats are wider, making it much more comfortable.

The transfer in Hefei went very well, and we completed the final leg in second class, which was fully occupied, in 1 hour and 37 minutes.

Now we were heading from the hyper-modern metropolises to more rural areas. Although Huangshan is still a million-city, with only 1.5 million residents, it now seems very small to us. We even spent our first night in Tunxi, a district of Huangshan with only 242 thousand inhabitants. However, this time, we are focusing on China's natural beauties.

Here’s a good summary:

Huangshan Mountain Brief Overview:

The Huangshan Mountain (“Yellow Mountain”) in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui is a world-famous UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage site, known for its bizarre granite rocks, gnarled pines, seas of clouds, and hot springs. As an inspiration for the floating mountains in “Avatar,” it is a major attraction for hikers.

Key Facts & Highlights:

Location: Southern Anhui, approximately 154 km² in area with 72 peaks.

Highest Point: Lotus Blossom Peak (1,864 m).

The 4 Wonders: Sea of Clouds, bizarre rock formations, gnarled pines, hot springs.

Tourism: Very well developed through thousands of stone steps and several cable cars, overnight stays at the summit for sunrise observation are very popular.

Climate: Often shrouded in fog, which enhances the mystical atmosphere.

Best Travel Time: Year-round, especially spring/autumn.

During the train ride, you could already see a difference. This time not only skyscrapers next to each other but many fields and mist-covered mountains.

As always, we let ourselves be picked up by a Didi, and for the first time, the driver spoke to us using a translator app. Normally, there’s not even a greeting.

Our hotel is located right on Old Street. As the name suggests, this is a historical street and very famous. It is over 700 years old, and more than 100 films have been shot on this charming street, with buildings constructed in various dynasties.

Our driver helped us get to the hotel, as he couldn’t enter this pedestrian zone with his car, and our hotel is hidden behind a tea shop.

We wandered around Old Street and then went to a restaurant. The waiter was exceedingly polite and had a number of questions about our food preferences. There was no menu. He suggested several dishes after gauging our tastes. Among other things, we told him that while we like fish, we prefer not to have a whole one. We usually have no desire to deal with the bones. What did we get? A whole fish with bones, but it came with delicious pak choi and sweet-sour pork ribs. So, it was really tasty. And for such a rather fancy meal, we paid a total of €28.