Mount Emei (Emeishan): How to Trek one of China's Most Renowned Mountains

One of China's most famous and beautiful mountains to visit is Mount Emei. Mount Emei, aka Emeishan, is located in the Sichuan province of China, is an UNESCO world heritage site, and is the highest of China's 4 great Buddhist mountains. It is the area where the first Buddhist temple in China was erected and lays claim to the "tallest" Buddha statue at the Golden Summit of Leshan. It is a must visit for many Chinese, Buddhists, Taoists, nature lovers, and for those who are on Route 318. While it is an oft visited place (hint: touristic), there's something for everyone here and in this post, I'll highlight some of my experiences there so you can enjoy the historic charm and calm of this place.

How to Get There

The way I got to Emeiishan was to first get to Chengdu. From there, I got a ticket from Xinnanmen Bus Station to Emeishan. The bus (it was more like a van) ride was about 2 - 2.5 hours long including one rest stop. While that was the option we chose to take, you could also choose to take the High-Speed Train (HST). The bus is a bit cheaper than the train, but obviously, the train is much faster.

Where to Stay

It's hard to look up anything regarding China using Google. However, you can look up hotels and places to stay. We used booking.com to book our stay at Emeishan. Prior to the trek, we stayed at Teddy Bear Hotel. Yes, you read that right. It is a hotel with a teddy bear theme in China! I had a chance to speak to the owner, Andy, who shared a wonderful rags-to-riches story. He used to be a farmer who then opened a restaurant in Emeishan. Due to pressures from competition, he had to think of how to differentiate himself from every other restaurant and hotel in the area. With the help of a foreign friend, he took the leap to convert his restaurant into a hotel that catered to foreign tourists. The hotel became known amongst the backpacking community and was featured in a few major travel publications. I really enjoyed Andy's company, his kindness (he drove my partner and I to the HST station when we left), his cooking, and his story telling. I hope I can stay there again! I also did not mind the kitchyness of staying a teddy-bear themed hotel (when will you ever stay on one of those?). One last thing (I promise I'm not getting paid by Andy lol), is Andy and his family all speak English and were so helpful in offering information and advice when it came to trekking Emeishan. And at less than $15 US a night (pretty affordable!) for your own room with an ensuite bathroom, I'd totally recommend staying there if you can't speak Mandarin!

If you want to try and chance one of the hotels there, there are quite a few of them and you could just go and see if there's an opening. But for this budget conscious traveler seeking unique experiences, this was perfect for me.

How Long Will It Take?

The Emeishan trek is a multiday hike that ends at the Golden Summit. Along the way there are many temples and points of interest where you can stop and check out. It can take 2-3 days trekking as you'll ascend many stairs! Of course, there are options for you based on how you want to travel. You can visit the Tourist Center in Emeishan for more info, but for now I'll outline some of your options:

• 1- Day - Take the Bus and the Cable Car - If you just want to make it to the Golden Summit without much physical effort, you can take a bus from Emeishan to the farthest bus stop you can take up the mountain, Leidongping. You trek for about 30 minutes before reaching Taizi Ping where you can catch a cable car to close to the Golden Summit. You'll be about 5-10 minutes away from the Golden Summit. When you're done, return the same way that you came.
• Overnight - You can start from either Wuxiangang or Wannian Bus Stations. From there, you start climbing the steps. You can catch the bus from Emeishan Bus Stop or the HSR to these spots. Once there, prepare to climb some stairs! You have the freedom to stop and stay at any of the temples along the way. There are also hotels if you prefer a more modern and comfortable night's sleep. Depending on where you stop and your pace, it may take overnight, or a few days to get to the Golden Summit. Take your time though, the scenery is gorgeous!

What to Bring with You

\

Photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash

While I call this a trek, it's more like a steep staircase to the topmost temple. Along the way there will be places that sell food, drinks, etc. So don't feel like you need to pack too much. It does get a bit cold up at the top, so be prepared to dress for cold weather. Here are some things you should consider bringing:

• Map of Emeishan - You can get this at the Tourist Bus Station at Emeishan. It'll show you all the stops/temples you can choose to visit or stay at.
• We Chat Pay (Weixin) - This is their cash app. While it's a tourist place and will still accept cash, many people use weixin. It's convenient!
• Phone/Camera/Power Bank/Cords/Memory Cards - You will take lots of photos!
• Trekking Poles (optional) - You can purchase bamboo poles along the trail for 15 Kwai
• Clothes for the Weather - It seriously gets pretty cold up at the top. Bring a nice down jacket and thermals for your stay. As you trek, you'll get warm so you'll start to shed clothes. You can also rent jackets along the trek! Lastly, clothes for the rain or a poncho can be useful!
• Water and Snacks - If you don't want to eat food from the vendors along the way, you can bring your own. It's a long trek, so be comfy!
• First Aid - Always!

You can pretty much get food, clothes, and toiletries on the mountain. So don't try to pack too much! You can focus on enjoying the journey to the top.

Beware of the Monkeys

Along the way you are bound to see monkeys. The primates here are the Tibetan Macaques, native to Tibet and the Sichuan region of Southwest China. Yes, they are super cute and interesting. AND, they are also aggressive and if you have food visible, they will charge you and try to take the food away from you. Please don't feed the monkeys, whether it's unintentional or not! They can be a serious threat and can hurt you. Here's a list of things to be aware of to keep you and the monkeys safe.

Your Budget

Photo by Ibrahim Boran on Unsplash

If you don't do a tour, you can save quite a bit of money. There are still some expenses you'll incur. Here is an estimate of some of your expenses:

• Bus or High-Speed Train - Depends on where you depart. From Chengdu, it was less than 100 Kwai one way to take the train 
• Accommodation at Emeishan - 150 Kwai or more
• Accommodation in a temple or hotel on Emeishan Mountain - 100 - 350+ Kwai a night. Remember, you can negotiate!
• Food - You can get away with less than 100 Kwai a day per person (yes, that's 3 meals!), but of course this varies per person
• Bus to Leidongping -  90 Yuan RT
• Cable Cars - Jinding (55/65), Wannian (20/30) - low and high season rates 
• Permit to be on Emeishan - 110 to 160 Kwai 

Surrendering to the Present Moment | My Experience Trekking Emeishan

The plan was to trek from the foot of Emeishan to the Golden Summit. As a person who likes to trek, I couldn't see myself taking a bus halfway up the mountain or a cable car (that's cheating!). Yet, I ended up doing all of those things that I felt was the touristic way of reaching the top and it was still quite the experience.

The week prior my partner and I were at the Gongga trail, trekking one of China's Himalayan getaways. It was there that I unfortunately sprained my left ankle and rolled my right (yeah, a bit clumsy hey!). I was still recovering from my injuries and preparing myself mentally for what I thought was an "easy" trek in Emeishan. My body, though, reacted to what was up ahead and communicated enough pain to change our plans from trekking the entire route to taking a bus to the closest stop possible to the top. My pride and ego were shot... and this was good. I needed to be humbled, to learn to listen to my body, and to be present for what the universe had in store. 

"My pride and ego were shot... and this was good."

On the day we started our trek we made our way to the tourist office to pay for our entry fees and to get round trip bus tickets from Emeishan to Leidongping, the last stop before getting to the summit. A part of me felt sad about missing out on so much of the trek, all of the spectacular scenery that I saw when doing google research that compelled us to go here. I took a deep breath, felt the pain in my ankle, and nodded my head that this was the right thing to do.

We caught the bus around 11AM and took 2-hour drive to Leidongping. The drive showcased the physical beauty of Emeishan; the lush and verdant cliffsides, the small villages dotting the forests, the gushing waterfalls, and the blue skies beckoning you to breath in the fresh air and connect with Mother Nature. I was excited to be there despite the circumstances.

We arrived at Leidongping and set out to find a place to stay for the night. While there are hotels in the area, I really wanted to stay at a Buddhist temple (pretty unique experience, yes!? You can't book these online haha). We find one only a few meters away from the bus stop (I forget the name, but I have the picture). When we asked about how much it costs to stay there, we were taken aback at 600 Kwai!!! From older blogs we read that it would be 100 Kwai a person for a stay at a temple (for a very spartan room, which is what we expected for a spiritual space). When we saw the room, it had heated blankets, an ensuite bathroom, logoed slippers, and a nice view. It didn't feel like we were staying at a temple. It had much of the modern comforts you would expect from the hotels 5 minutes away.  Despite the incredible price, we decided to stay (later on we found out that if we walked 20-30 minutes more, we would have reached Taizi Ping temple where you can stay for 100 Kwai). After walking around the area and going to the different hotels asking for prices, we had verbal offers of 300 kwai. We went back to the temple to ask them to lower the price as we felt we were paying too much for what we were getting. It took some courage to ask, but the temple relented and gave us back some of the money we paid. 

Before calling it a day, we took a short walk on the path and were blown away by views. The mist slowly revealed some of the cliffside, creating a cool silhouette with trees and a building or two. The walk itself was very serene. Aside from nearly being attacked by a monkey (my partner was holding some food!!!), we traveled a nearly empty path surrounded by silence, trees, and a veil of fog that added to the peaceful atmosphere. We went to bed early knowing we would wake up early to get to the Golden Summit by sunrise.

The Sunrise Trek

It's 4:00 AM. The alarm from my partner's phone told us to remove the blissful comfort of our heated blankets and prepare ourselves for the pilgrimage to the top. The stillness of the night surrounded us as we left the temple and headed towards the trail to Jinding. Others hoping to make it to the top to see the sun bless the new day were also trudging along. We passed by bright flood lights near vendors already open, yelling at us as we passed by to rent a jacket or to get walking sticks. We quickly amble past them into the dimly lit trail where our AM pilgrimage started. I reminded myself I'd be wary of my ankle, taking a conservative approach for the next few hours and hobbled along, grateful for the trekking pole that I leaned into each step. 

As we continued along in a slow but steady pace, we passed by people resting on the side, a respite from the seemingly endless (seriously!) stairs. After 30 minutes we neared the cable car that could take us within minutes of our target destination, but I made no notion that I wanted to get on it (my pride still exists at 5 AM lol). Still feeling fresh and warmed up for the rest of the ascent, we marched past Taizi Ping. Step after step, the scenery became all the same. A small vendor hut here, a temple there, were welcome changes to the monotony (also grateful for no monkeys in sight. I hope they slept well!). As I mindlessly moved, I realized that I've left my partner behind and lost connection with my sprained ankle. As I waited for her to catch up, I reminded myself that it wasn't about how fast we'd get there, but to finish the trek healthy and to create lasting memories. As more time passed and the stairs unrelenting presence sunk into my muscles, the trip became about preservation and perseverance. I knew I had to continue at a slow pace. The steps made it difficult (for anybody), but I kept reminding myself to take it one step at a time. It became a mantra and allowed me to move forward as fatigue set in. It was about a quarter past six when we reached Jinding. The gate to the Golden Summit loomed in the darkness, creating a stark figure within the moonlight and mist. A wave of elation and relief ran through our bodies, we made it!

It was still super dark a little past 6 AM. Jinding, though, bustled with vendors selling cheap eats for breakfast, pilgrims excitedly chatting or waiting for the sun to make its first appearance of the day. The mist did not seem like it would cooperate for sunrise, so we took shelter at a nearby hotel to wait it out. It was close to 7 AM when we decided to see if we could catch golden hour at the summit. The visage of the towering statue of Boddhisatva Samantabhadra greeted pilgrims behind a curtain of mist as they took their last climb up the stairs to the temple. By now there were quite a few people who've gathered, taking pictures with the iconic Boddhisatva, wandering the temple grounds, taking in the fog-filled atmosphere. While we chose to wake up early and do the nearly 2-hour trek (and me being slightly injured), we weren't disappointed that we could not witness sunrise that day. Much of the trip we've had our plans change, yet we remained flexible, optimistic, and accepting of all the universe offered us. Knowing what we went through to get there, to be in the Boddhisatva's presence that morning was a blessing! The lessons of when to let go, when to submit to the will of the universe, to remain mindful of the present moment, and to believe in your strength as a way to persevere were great gifts from Emeishan. 

We took many obligatory photos, appreciated the National Day preparations and decor, and admired the beauty of the Boddhisatva before we said our goodbyes. Having completed the pilgrimage from Leidongping on our own willpower, I was more than happy to give my ankle a break and enjoy the cable car back down. We gathered our things from the temple we stayed overnight in, then took the bus back to Emeishan and the Teddy Bear Hotel where a nice meal and a teddy bear or two awaited us. 

The trek to the Golden Summit of Emeishan served as a great teacher and we left with many lessons to internalize. We also know that there is much more to experience, and should I return to Sichuan, another attempt to trek Emeishan on my own terms awaits. 

Have you been to Emeishan? What was your experience like? Would you love to do this unique trek with loads of historical significance and breathtaking views? Let us know down in the comments. Wishing you all light and aloha.