Wudang Mountain Two-Day One-Night Travel Guide. (Accommodation at Zixiao Restaurant Highly Recommended!)
Wudang Mountain Two-Day One-Night Travel Guide and Tips
Tickets and Attractions:
Wudang Mountain ticket: 235 (ticket 140, bus fee 100, insurance 5). Golden Summit: 27, Purple霄 Palace: 15.
South Cliff — Purple霄 Palace — Carefree Valley — Prince Slope, and Golden Summit. Climb from South Cliff to Golden Summit. At Chaotian Palace, there are two paths up: the Qing Dynasty Ancient Sacred Path and the Ming Dynasty Ancient Sacred Path. The Ming Dynasty Ancient Sacred Path (the right path) is very steep and long, passing through First Heavenly Gate, Second Heavenly Gate, Third Heavenly Gate, and Pilgrimage Gate to Golden Summit, taking over 3 hours to reach the top. The Qing Dynasty Ancient Sacred Path (the left path) is easy to climb, taking about 2 hours to reach the top. Choose based on your condition; it's best to take the Ming path, which is not steep at all.
At the very top is Golden Summit (ticket 27), a holy site for Taoists to burn incense and worship Buddha. Many people come to burn incense and pray.
Next to Golden Summit is Qiongtai, where the cable car is located. You can take the cable car up and down, avoiding the climb.
South Cliff also requires climbing. Currently under renovation, climbing up only shows a few Buddha statues.
Purple霄 Palace is a holy site for burning incense and worshiping Buddha. Inside are nuns, while Golden Summit has monks. Carefree Valley is a place with streams and flowing water. It is said there are wild monkeys, but I didn't see any. I only saw a tied-up family of three, and couldn't take photos because visitors are not allowed in.
Prince Slope also requires climbing. It is where the prince studied. Students come here to burn incense and pray for success in exams.
My itinerary: First day, I started climbing the Ming path at 1 PM, reached the top at 4 PM, then took the cable car down. The second day, I got up at 6 AM, climbed the Qing path, and reached the top at 8 AM. At 12 PM I descended to South Cliff, then visited South Cliff Palace, Purple霄 Palace, Carefree Valley, and Prince Slope. From Prince Slope, I went directly down to the service center.
If you have luggage, it's recommended to stay at South Cliff; otherwise, carrying luggage while climbing is extremely painful. Purple霄 Palace is highly recommended. It's a 5-minute walk from the bus stop. The hotel is very good, priced around 300-450 (including breakfast). They gave free tea and melon seeds. The owner is very hospitable. Staying here, you can also attend lectures by Taoist masters at Purple霄 Palace in the morning and evening. Highly recommended!
From Wudang Mountain Airport, there is an airport bus directly to the scenic area gate, fare 15 yuan. It's not limited to three trips a day; I arrived at 8 PM and there was a bus. The bus lady was very nice. When I called her on my return trip, she drove me alone, also for 15 yuan.
1. Currently, you cannot see sunrise or sunset. Climbing should be based on your physical ability. Climb within your limits.
On the first day, I started the Ming path at 1 PM, reached the top at 4 PM, and took the cable car down. On the second day, I got up at 6 AM, climbed the Qing path, and reached the top at 8 AM. In this weather, there is no sunrise or sunset; everything is misty. Blue sky and white clouds appeared only after waiting a while, and only for a short time. Only in the morning was there a bit of blue sky.
2. Plan your time.
The bus from the service center to South Cliff takes about 30-40 minutes. Climbing up and down takes 6-7 hours total. South Cliff takes about 30 minutes, Carefree Valley about 20 minutes, Prince Slope about 20 minutes. The bus from South Cliff to Prince Slope takes about 40 minutes.
3. Plan your time.
In this season, the mountain gets pitch dark after 5 PM, and you can't see anything. For safety, plan well and leave early.
4. Keep warm and prevent slipping.
The summit is much colder than the base; wear extra clothes to keep warm and protect against cold.
