Emei Mountain Practical In-Depth Travel Guide (Including Transportation + Food + Accommodation + Routes) Worth Visiting!
1. Core Tickets and Opening Information (Must-See)
- Ticket Prices: Peak season (January 16 - December 14) 160 RMB/person, off-season (December 15 - January 15 next year) 110 RMB/person; from May 1 to December 31, 2025, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan visitors enjoy half-price discounts.
- Cable Car Fees: Golden Summit Cable Car (up 65 RMB / down 55 RMB), Wannian Temple Cable Car (up 65 RMB / down 45 RMB).
- Operating Hours: The scenic area is open all day; sightseeing buses run 07:00-16:00 in winter and 06:00-17:00 in summer; Golden Summit Cable Car operates from 20 minutes before sunrise until 18:00; Wannian Cable Car operates April-October 07:00-18:00, November-March 07:30-18:00 (subject to on-site confirmation).
- Important Notice: Sightseeing bus tickets from Leidongping are limited daily; tickets for both admission and sightseeing bus must be purchased simultaneously to avoid no-ticket boarding.
2. Transportation Guide (External Arrival + Internal Scenic Area Transport)
(1) External Arrival Methods
1. High-speed Rail (Recommended): Chengdu East Station/South Station → Emei Mountain Station (about 1.5 hours). After exiting, take bus route 12 or free shuttle line 2 (round trip between Emei Mountain High-speed Rail Station and Baoguo Temple Passenger Center); if arriving at Emei Station, transfer to bus route 1 to Huangwan Tourist Center.
2. Bus: Chengdu New South Gate Bus Station → Emei Mountain Passenger Center (about 2.5 hours), direct to the core area of the low mountain zone.
3. Self-driving: From Chengdu via Chengle Expressway → Emei Mountain Toll Station, follow Ejiu Road - Jinding South Road - Xiuhu Avenue to Huangwan Tourist Center; roads above zero kilometers are closed to self-driving 24 hours; during holidays, traffic control and diversion are implemented at Yanggang Road intersection, Chuanzhu Bridge, etc.; trucks and taxis (8:00-20:00) are prohibited inside the Tianxia Mingshan Archway.
(2) Internal Scenic Area Transport
- Sightseeing Bus: Core route round trip about 90 RMB, covering Baoguo Temple/Huangwan Tourist Center → Leidongping/Wannian Temple/Wuxiangang; during peak seasons like May Day, runs from 05:30 to 17:00; Leidongping downward service ends at 18:00; Wuxiangang and Wannian Temple downward service ends at 20:00.
- Parking Information: Low mountain area has 3,950 parking spaces (Baoguo area, Huangwan parking lot, etc.), mid-mountain area has 400 (200 each at Wannian and Wuxiangang), zero-kilometer area has 1,600 (highest parking point for self-driving), all paid parking.
- Emergency Numbers: Traffic police 0833-5566122, emergency rescue 18080664119, tourism complaints 0833-5533355.
3. Classic Travel Routes (Choose According to Needs)
(1) Lazy/Family/Prayer Route (2 days 1 night, easy and stress-free)
- Day 1: Baoguo Temple Passenger Center → take sightseeing bus to Leidongping → walk to Jieyin Hall → take Golden Summit Cable Car up to Golden Summit (view Ten Directions Samantabhadra, sea of clouds and Buddha light) → stay overnight at Leidongping or Golden Summit (convenient for next day sunrise).
- Day 2: Early morning watch Golden Summit sunrise → take sightseeing bus to Wannian Temple → visit Samantabhadra’s place (view Wannian’s three treasures) → take bus to Qingyin Pavilion (listen to zither and frog croaking, stroll Double Bridge Qingyin) → ecological monkey area (be careful, do not tease monkeys) → take bus from Wuxiangang back to Baoguo Temple.
(2) Hiking Adventure Route (3 days 2 nights, deep experience)
- Day 1: Baoguo Temple → Fuhu Temple → Leiyin Temple → Chunyang Hall → Qingyin Pavilion → Hongchunping (stay overnight at Hongchunping, experience Hongchun morning rain).
- Day 2: Hongchunping → Xianfeng Temple → Washing Elephant Pool → Leidongping (stay overnight at Leidongping, view Elephant Pool night moon).
- Day 3: Leidongping → Golden Summit (enjoy sunrise and sea of clouds) → descend by cable car/sightseeing bus, can visit Wannian Temple on the way.
(3) City Leisure Side Route (Slow-paced relaxation)
- Day trip: Great Buddha Zen Temple (Asia’s largest Ten Directions forest, accessible by bus route 8) → Luomu Ancient Town (movie filming location, take Luomu special line) → Diechuan Whisky Distillery → Gaoqiaoli (all accessible by Gaoqiao special line).
- Night tour: East Gate Snack Street (bus route 13, 05:00-24:00) → Maluqiao Food Street (bus routes 5/7/8, etc.) → Emei Xiuhu Park (bus route 8), participate in check-in stamp collection for commemorative medal exchange.
(4) Seasonal Special Routes (Flower Viewing / Snow Viewing)
- Flower Viewing (April-June): Washing Elephant Pool - Leidongping (mid-April to early May), Shuangshuijing - Jieyin Hall (mid-April to early May), Golden Summit - Wanfo Summit (May-June), viewing more than 10 species of alpine rhododendrons.
- Snow Viewing (December to February next year): Leidongping - Golden Summit, enjoy ice and snow activities, experience the spectacular snow-reflected golden Buddha.
4. Food Recommendations (Must-Try List + Food Hunting Spots)
(1) Must-Try Specialty Foods
1. Qiaojiao Beef: Clear and fresh broth, tender beef, perfect with dipping sauce, signature dish of Leshan Emei.
2. Tofu Pudding: Savory and fresh, served with crispy fried dough, peanuts, minced beef, ideal for breakfast.
3. Bobo Chicken: Cold pot skewers, with Sichuan peppercorn or chili oil flavor, rich ingredients, spicy and fragrant.
4. Sweet Skin Duck: Crispy sweet skin, firm meat, can be taken as a souvenir gift.
5. Emei Grilled Fish: Fresh and spicy, pairs well with local beer, a must-have for late-night snacks.
(2) Popular Food Hunting Spots
- Low Mountain Area: Food village around Baoguo Temple scenic area, near Emei Mountain Hotel (close to attractions, convenient dining).
- City Area: East Gate Snack Street (open all day), Maluqiao Food Street, Guanghuiqiao Food Street (concentrated late-night snacks, accessible by bus).
5. Accommodation Suggestions (Choose by Area + Needs)
(1) Low Mountain Area / City Area (Recommended for first-time visitors / flexible budget)
- Advantages: Convenient transportation, many dining options, hot springs available, close to Baoguo Temple.
- High-end: Hongzhushan Hotel (forest-style resort, includes hot springs), Emei Mountain Hotel (near food village, suitable for “relaxing” vacation), prices 700-1000 RMB/night.
- Mid-range / Budget: Toy Bear Hotel (recommended for foreigners, includes Chinese and Western meals), 3077 Youth Hostel (artistic atmosphere, includes small bar), Caogen Renjia (high cost performance, 24-hour hot water + WiFi), prices range from tens to 300 RMB/night.
(2) Mid-Mountain Area (Recommended for hikers)
- Advantages: Smooth itinerary connection, saves climbing time, close to nature.
- Accommodation concentrated around Qingyin Pavilion, mostly farmhouse inns, 30-50 RMB/person/night, simple conditions but meet basic needs, local farmhouse dishes available.
(3) High Mountain Area (Recommended for those wanting to see sunrise / pray)
- Advantages: Close view of Golden Summit sunrise, no need to get up early to rush.
- Accommodation: Golden Summit Hotel (convenient for viewing, about 600 RMB/night), Leidongping temple/farmhouse inns (many choices, high cost performance).
- Tips: No toiletries provided in mountain accommodations, bring your own; keep warm in winter.
6. Practical Tips
1. Wear non-slip sports shoes for climbing; temperature difference is large in the mountains; even in summer, bring a light jacket for Golden Summit; wear thick down jackets in winter.
2. Do not feed or tease monkeys in the ecological monkey area; keep personal belongings safe to avoid scratches.
3. Electronic guides can be accessed by scanning QR codes with WeChat in the scenic area; ticket purchase is recommended via the “Shitu Travel Network” public account to reduce queue time.
4. Bring enough drinking water and some snacks for hiking; food prices are higher in the high mountain area.