Hike in the Footsteps of Emperors w/ a Weekend Visit to Mt. Tai

There are plenty of hiking opportunities to be had around the outskirts of Beijing but for something a little more challenging that also packs a one-two punch of historical and cultural significance, consider a short weekend trip to Mount Tai (泰山 tàishān, sometimes referred to as Taishan Mountain).

Mount Tai is located in Tai'an (泰安 tài'ān) and the city's convenient transport connections make it a good option for a short break from Beijing. There are two train stations in the area: Taishan Railway Station (泰山火车站 tàishān huǒchē zhàn), which is 4km away from the mountain and operates standard speed trains to Beijing, and Tai'an Railway Station (泰安火车站 tài'ān huǒchē zhàn), which is 25km away from the mountain and operates high-speed trains. Despite being further away, the latter is the better option as there are around 15 trains a day from Beijing that will get you there in two hours or so. From the station, it's easy to get a taxi to your chosen entrance to the mountain (although watch out for touts and scalpers).

The most popular route to the top, and the one that will get you the best photos, is the East Route. Spanning more than 7,200 steps, this is supposedly the same route taken by the emperors. The route starts from Dai Temple (岱庙 dài miào), passing the Midway Gate of Heaven (中天门 zhōng tiān mén) and finally reaching the South Gate of Heaven (南天门 nán tiān mén). The climb is strenuous (particularly the vertiginous climb to the South Gate of Heaven), taking anywhere from two and a half to six hours, there are many places of cultural interest to stop at along the way, including Ten Thousand Immortals Tower (万仙楼 wàn xiān lóu), the Arhat Cliff (罗汉崖 luóhàn yá), and the Palace of Goddess Doumu (斗母宫 dòumǔ gōng). A through ticket to the mountain and the Dai Temple, among other attractions, is RMB 115 and is valid for three days.

If you are either unable or unwilling to climb to the summit, you can take a bus to the Midway Gate to Heaven (RMB 30 each way) and then change to a cable car to the South Gate of Heaven (RMB 100 each way). From the South Gate of Heaven, it is another short walk to the highest peak of the mountain, known as Jade Emperor Peak (玉皇顶 yù huáng dǐng). Be wary of long queues for the cable car and keep an eye on closing times (5.30pm in summer, 5pm in winter), unless you want to find yourself stumbling down the mountain in the dark.

The other option if you miss the last cable car (whether intentionally or on purpose) is to stay on the summit. The added advantage of this is that you can rise early and catch the sunrise, one of the more popular ways to experience Mount Tai. The hotels on the summit are all pretty basic but two good options are the "venerable" (to put it charitably) Shenqi Hotel (神憩宾馆 shénqì bīnguǎn) and the newer Yunchao Hotel (云巢酒店 yúncháo jiǔdiàn), both of which will set you back a minimum of RMB 400 per night for a twin room. Note that it is freezing at the summit at this time of year so remember to wrap up warm or borrow a padded cotton jacket from your hotel. One more thing to note – and this applies to hotels at the base of the mountain as well – is that you should check in advance if your hotel of choice accepts foreign passport holders, as some, including chains like 7 Days Inn, do not.

Images: Shutterstock, Kanegen (via Flickr), Wikimedia, Robynne Tindall