Heights of Huangshan

Among the classical scenes of China is one of precipitous mountain spires piercing the silvery clouds of twilight. We invite you to walk this landscape immortalized over the centuries by poets and painters as we visit the 72-peak range of the Huangshan (Yellow Mountains). A cable car now penetrates this vertical wilderness, formerly the haunt of Buddhist hermits, and enables us to arrive at the secluded Jade Screen Hotel, a remote aerie nestled among needle-like pinnacles.

Roaming the surrounding countryside, we enter quaint villages of handsomely carved merchants’ homes, among them the World Heritage Site of Hongcun, an authentic location in the filming of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Our elevated theme resumes at Jiu Hua Shan, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains and former home to over 3,000 monks and nuns in 150 monasteries. Tours of Beijing and Shanghai bookend our retreat into these highlands of legend and inspiration.