Daming Mountain Travel Guide – Dining, Lodging & Transport
In December, I drove to Daming Mountain, parked at the lot, bought a 25 yuan scenic shuttle bus ticket to reach the mountain foot, then purchased an uphill cable car ticket. The cable car took me to the summit. Daming Mountain Ski Resort sits right on top – you can ski from late December. Next to it is the Steel Great Wall; hikers can choose to climb it. There’s also an alpine camping ground, where summer campers can enjoy a brilliant starry sky.
Route: I opted for a more relaxed loop – Daming Lake → Xuankong Walkway → Mingfei Seven Peaks → Yubi Peak → Pansi Cave → Jiayun Terrace → Wanli Cave → Longmen Feidu → a two-hour stair descent → scenic shuttle bus down. Thrill-seekers can try the Suspension Bridge, straddling two peaks with a waterfall right below – the views are simply stunning.
Daming Mountain really is beautiful. Though I arrived a bit late and missed the fiery red autumn leaves, it was still enchanting: overlapping ridges, bizarre rock formations, lush woods with high forest cover, crisp fresh air, and icicles frozen in the streams. The Xuankong Walkway is impressively long, all built into the mountainside – a remarkable engineering feat. Walking along it, with sunlight filtering through the pine groves, makes for a delightfully relaxing afternoon.
Daming Mountain Visitor Center
The scenic shuttle minibus
Lovely scenery along the way
Daming Mountain Address: No. 158 Hengxi Bridge, Baiguo Village, Qingliangfeng Town, Lin’an District, Hangzhou
Transport: 1. (Self-drive): Navigate to Daming Mountain Visitor Service Center; a large car park is on the left (3 yuan per hour). 2. (Bus): From Hangzhou East Station East Square, take the Vibrant West Zhejiang Route A bus directly to Daming Mountain – 36 yuan, about two hours (departs 7:30 am, returns to Hangzhou at 4:00 pm). One day is enough.
Special experiences: (Tickets) In December, Hangzhou, Huzhou, Huangshan, and Xuancheng residents get free entry with citizen card – just pay 25 yuan for the shuttle bus to the mountain foot. (Cable car) At the bottom, you can take the cable car: 80 yuan one-way, 160 yuan round trip. You can ride up and walk down (allow about two hours).
Tips: (1) Dining: There are small shops on the mountain near Daming Lake and Jiayun Mountain, but prices are high. Bring your own snacks and water, or you’ll lack energy for the hike. Jiayun Terrace has a large open-air platform – a perfect spot for tea and snacks while soaking up the views. (2) Accommodation: There are guesthouses on Daming Mountain, including high-end options like Xiaoming’s, and plenty of affordable farm stays at the foot. (3) Restrooms: Daming Mountain’s restrooms are super luxurious – one on the mountain deserves five stars, like an art bar, with a big rest table and art exhibits on display. (4) Hiking times: Going up on foot takes about two hours; the descent also takes around two. Factor that in; note the last cable car time. (5) Thrill descent: The most exciting way down is the luge slide – 50 yuan. I was too scared to try, but if you want an adrenaline rush, go for it. In winter it may be closed if there are few visitors.
Taking the uphill cable car
The road at the mountain base
The cable car goes straight to Daming Mountain Ski Resort
Daming Mountain Ski Resort
You can ski from late December
Daming Mountain has water for artificial snowmaking
The skiing area is behind the metal fence
The cheerful owner of Lin’an Xinggong Yanlou Homestay joined me at the ski field
A childlike aunty
Icicle flowers forming
Icicles in the snow
Daming Mountain Ski Resort
Continuous artificial snowmaking
There’s also Senlin Camp on the summit
The cable car station at the top
Daming Mountain guide map
Black swans on the lake
Walking along Daming Lake toward Xuankong Walkway
Icicles can be seen on shaded slopes
Crystal-clear icicles
The sky over the mountain is a deep azure
Arriving at Xuankong Walkway
The vegetation is very dense
Lin’an Qianmutian Tungsten-Beryllium Deposit
Entering the cave along the path
To keep visitors entertained, there are gentle inscriptions here
You need to walk through a ten-minute passage
The inside of the cave is quite dry
A restroom on the mountain
It’s very artsy, with a large resting area
Vending machines in the rest area
You can gaze at the Nine Peaks
The viewing platform is the best spot
It shows the undulating Nine Peaks
The Xuankong Walkway is mesmerizing
A walkway halfway up the slope
An excellent vantage point for Daming Mountain’s beauty
Another viewing platform
Xuankong Walkway is quite long
Walking along it is incredibly pleasant
The walkway is fairly wide
More icicles on the shady side
These icicles are simply irresistible
Yubi Peak getting closer
The cliff drops away right below the walkway
The path is thrilling and must have been tough to build
There’s even a wooden-roofed resting spot built below
A fairly long cave
Walking along this wooden passage
The peaks are as picturesque as a painting
Pine trees stand proudly among the peaks
The elegant curve of the walkway
The walkway is beautifully designed
Graceful, upright pines
Traversing through the peaks
Sunlight streams through
The mountain is full of pines
Mountain streams cascade down; descending the stone steps takes two hours to reach the bottom
Longmen Santan Waterfall
The ravine waterfall is spectacular
The Rainbow Suspension Bridge
There’s also a boutique guesthouse here
Though there’s no water now, the bare rocks are visible
Very hard rock
A sky bridge has been built
You can follow the bridge to the foot of the mountain
Even though the water isn’t heavy now
It’s still crystal clear
Taking the scenic shuttle back to the visitor center
The visitor center is surrounded by reeds
After coming down from Daming Mountain, I headed to Xianghe Sanshe Homestay for lunch. Address: No. 29, Xiaqian Mountain, Baiguo Village, Qingliangfeng Town. Transport: just navigate there; there’s a spacious parking area at the gate.
Room size: There are many rooms; the front building rooms are basic, while the newly renovated ones at the back are more elegant.
Room facilities: Everything you need, spacious private bathroom with good water pressure and a heat lamp – showering in winter is warm. Open the window and you’ll see lush green bamboo swaying – really well-equipped.
Bed: I chose one of the elegant back rooms; the bedding is nicer, so sleep quality improves a lot.
Soundproofing: Good. Value for money: plenty of options, good flexibility, and great value. Cleanliness: very clean, neat and tidy. Outside there’s a little open balcony planted with orchids; in winter, if they bloom, it’s lovely. You can also sunbathe in the courtyard.
Summary: Xianghe Sanshe has a great setting – rooms and courtyards are spacious and bright. If you bring kids, there’s plenty of room to play. Best of all, the three daily meals are rich and varied, with a fully equipped kitchen. When visiting Daming Mountain, I looked for lunch nearby and found Xianghe Sanshe only a four-minute drive from the visitor center.
Recommendation: The surroundings are modern countryside with idyllic pastoral views. The courtyard is tastefully arranged and cozy, with ivy vines twining – the red leaves glow under the winter sun. The outdoor space is perfect for sunbathing, a blissful afternoon that makes you want to stay forever.
