Huangshan, the Yellow Mountain, rises in the south of Anhui province from a flat region of tea fields and villages, and its granite peaks, gnarled pines and seas of cloud have made it one of the most painted mountains in China. The highest of its seventy-two peaks, Lotus Peak, stands at about 1,864 metres. What makes the mountain special is the combination of tall, sharp, bare rock and the pine trees that grow out of the cracks, shaped by wind and weather into strange, twisted forms, each of which has a name, such as the Welcoming Guest Pine. UNESCO listed it in 1990.
The mountain is famous for four things, which the Chinese call the four wonders: the pines, the odd-shaped rocks, the sea of clouds and the hot springs. The clouds are the biggest draw, and on a good morning, the valleys fill with white mist and the peaks stand out like islands. Sunrise from one of the summits, with the first light touching the granite, is the classic experience, and people get up in the dark to see it. The weather is unpredictable, with fog and rain on many days, and winter brings snow and ice, which add to the beauty but make the stone steps hazardous.
Visitors reach the summit by cable car or by climbing thousands of stone steps, and many stay overnight in the hotels on top to see the sunrise. There are no roads on the mountain, so motorbikes are irrelevant here, and the ride on the approach is to the foot of the mountain. At its base, the villages of Xidi and Hongcun, with their white-walled, black-tiled houses, ponds and carved wooden gates, belong to the Huizhou culture of merchants and scholars, and are a World Heritage Site in their own right. The surrounding hills produce the famous Huangshan Maofeng green tea.
Fuel and food are available in the tourist town at the foot, and foreign riders in China are subject to strict rules, so most people arrive by bus or train. Come in spring or autumn, bring warm and waterproof clothing, and expect crowds in holidays.