Come hike at China’s most dangerous trail and experience the thrill of the infamous plank walk at Mt. Hua.
A living history book
Mount Hua, or Hua Shan is a mountain located about a 120 kilometres east of the Chinese city of Xi’an. Located in central-northwest China, Xi’an records the greatest changes of the country just like a living history book. Here, experience China’s changes over several centuries.
As the starting point to the famous Silk Road and home to the site of the famous terracotta warriors – declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987 – of the Qin Dynasty, which are still in fact, in the process of being excavated, the city has definitely earned itself a reputation.
Xi’an has much to offer – heat up at former imperial bathing spot, Huaqing Hot Springs, visit the Shaanxi history museum or best of all, experience the most dangerous hike in the world at Mt. Huashan.
China’s gem
One of China’s Five Great mountains, it not only has a long history of religious significance and but is also home to one of the most dangerous hikes in the world. Known for a natural vista of steep and elevated natural paths, precipitous crags and high mountain ranges, its five peaks are the quintessential attractions and each has it distinctive charms.
Plankwalk in the sky
Isn’t life all about a little adventure? Come experience the thrill of walking up about a few hundred feet high, head in the clouds and feet on a precarious looking plank and measly looking chains. Can I really entrust my life with those filmsy looking planks that are haphazardly nailed together?
We wonder, too. But it seems many who have tried the plankwalk can can vouch for its safety. The path lead by the plank leads to nowhere – you’ll have to make a turn and walk back the same path from which you came from. As if walking one-way is not bad enough, you now have to share already limited space on the planks with opposing traffic.
But through the walk, one is able to stand in awe of Mt. Hua’s largely untouched beauty from a bird’s eye view. There are also several steep (read: really, really steep) stone stairways to climb to access certain parts of the mountain. We are certain he breathtaking view would definitely be worth the arduous, nervewrecking, why-did-I-even-do-this climb.
Getting there
It takes 45 mins to get to Xi’an via high speed rail, and then a bus ride outside the station to get to Mt. Hua. Within Mt. Hua itself, there are several other means of transportation to get around the different peaks including taxis, buses and a cable-car system.
By Eu Shuqi
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