3 Days Wudang Mountain Highlights Tour
Classic Trip to Explore Cradle of Tai Chi
Classic Trip to Explore Cradle of Tai Chi
Wudang Mountain, located 37 kilometers from Shiyan City, is linking with flights and high speed trains. With a history over 1000 years, it is the No.1 Taoist Mountain in China, as well as the Cradle of Tai Chi and the Taoist martial arts. Taoist culture has originated on Wudang since the East Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) and some existing Taoist buildings could be traced back the 7th century. In 1994, Wudang Mountain was declared to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
No matter you want to enjoy beautiful natural scenery, magnificent large-scale ancient building complexes, profound traditional Taoist culture or admire esoteric Wudang martial arts even learn Taichi, Wudang Mountain is definitely the finest destination to full your dream.
Day 1 Wudangshan Arrival
Flight / Train to Shiyan or Wudangshan
Welcome to Wudangshan, the No.1 Taoist Mountain in China! Our local guide and driver will meet you at the train station / airport and then escort you to your hotel. The rest of today is free on your own to explore this mysterious place.
Arrival Ideas: (a) Shiyan Wudangshan Airport is about 30km to Wudang Mountain. It has flights from/to Wuhan, Xian, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Kunming, Chengdu and more cities to Wudangshan Airport. (b) Shiyan Railway Station is 36.5km to Wudang Mountain which has high speed trains linking with Wuhan (around 2-2.5 hours). (c) While Wudangshan Railway Station is about 15km to Wudang Mountain with trains connecting with Wuhan for about 2.5 hours.
Evening Activity Suggestion: In this evening, you can enjoy an optional show “A Dream of Wudang” which will be performed during 20:00-21:10 at Taiji Theater (pay on your own at the spot).
Day 2 Wudangshan (B)
Yuxu Palace - Prince Slope - Needle-Grinding Well - Nanyan Temple - Purple Cloud Palace
After breakfast, your full day Taoism exploration starts. First, make a stop at Yuxu Palace - the most imposing Taoist building cluster in Wudangshan. Everyday, numerous Kungfu fans/pupils come and play Tai Chi or other martial arts at the square. Be attracted by the lively morning exercise and join them to practice if you like.
Then, enjoy a trip to Wudang Mountain which combines ancient Taoism wisdom, historic architecture and natural beauty. Take a sightseeing bus to Prince Slope (Fuzhen Guan) which was first built in 1412 during Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). According to the legend, the prince of Jingle State came to Wudang Mountain to cultivate himself and lived on the slope, so it was called Taizi Po. Walk along a winding passage leading to the temple to reach the Pond of Tears for a beautiful story and also be amazed by the architecture wonder - Five-story Tower. Later, head to Needle-Grinding Well where Zhen Wu overcame himself before he became the God of Wudang Mountain. Enjoy the story of “Grinding an iron rod into a needle” which helped Zhen Wu realized he should not give up his belief halfway and must go on practicing Taoism and living an austere life. Afterwards, continue your visit to Nanyan Temple, a holy land where Zhen Wu ascended to the heaven. Explore this stunning palaces on the cliff and visit various Taoist temples, stylish architectures and cliff inscriptions. The last stop today is Purple Cloud Palace, one of the best preserved palaces with 9 buildings and 182 rooms on Wudang Mountain. Looking from the axle wire, the constructions locate there symmetrically along the mountain, splendid and gorgeous. Catch the rare chance to see the Taoist priests doing the afternoon chant around 17:00.
After the exploration, be escorted to your hotel.
Purple Cloud Palace
Day 3 Wudang Mountain & Wudangshan Departure (B)
Qiongtai Palace - Golden Palace - Carefree Valley - Wudang Museum - Departure
After breakfast, hop on a sightseeing bus directly to Qiongtai Palace (altitude:1350 meters), one of biggest Taoist temples of Wudang Mountain! It is also the starting point of cable car. Take a cable car to the highest peak in Wudang Mountain - Tianzhu Peak at 1612 meters peaks and enjoy some hiking up to Golden Palace (Jin Ding or Peace of Harmony), the symbol of Wudang Mountain. The construction of Golden Palace was started in 1416 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and it features the largest extant brass casting building in China. Standing on the peak, you can have a panoramic view of the vast and sacred Wudang Mountain and its hidden temples. With the impressive natural sea of clouds, sunrise and sunset, lush forests and rocks, the Palace of Harmony is like a heaven on earth. After having a wonderful time on the summit, take a cable car to get down and transfer to Carefree Valley (Xiaoyao Valley) to enjoy a light walk in this fairyland with many macaques.
After getting down the mountain, be transferred to Wudang Museum to get a further understanding about Taoism and the Wudang Mountain. Walking through the eight halls, you can learn about the history of Taoism, architecture, celebrities, Taoist statues, folk customs, music and martial arts to enrich your journey.
After the tour, be escorted to Wudangshan Shiyan Airport / train station to catch your flight or train to next destination. Service ends!
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in 4-star hotel
and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your
traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of
currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 6.85. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change
according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Hi Mr Wang,
Thanks! I had a weekend away to Xi’an, China to celebrate my birthday. It was an exciting weekend and it was certainly something off the beaten trail for most of my friends. The itinerary you have suggested provided good coverage of the city’s rich history. From the fascinating Terracotta Army to the City Walls to the sacred Mount Hua, to the Muslim Quarter to the Drum & Bell Towers, there’s an interesting story from every historical era in Xi’an. I managed to hike up Mount Hua from North Peak to West Peak, but I didn’t get to do the dangerous plank walk as it was closed.
The hotel Eastern House was very accessible too with food places within steps and its proximity to the Drum Tower is a plus. The room was very clean and comfortable.
At this point, I have to quickly mention our amazing tour guide Betty Jiao Yan who was assigned to us as part of our private tour package. She made our time feel so very special and I wonder if Xi'an would have been as awesome without her. She had such a positive and caring nature and when we had to say goodbye, we felt very sad. It was strange to miss a guide after only knowing her for 5 days! Luckily we still keep in touch on WeChat. Our driver Mr Ma was very polite, punctual and accommodating, making our travel a pleasant experience
Anne
Hi Jack,
Thanks. The Harbin and Snow Town trip was excellent and very enjoyable. We are now in Japan skiing, and will send our feedback upon our return on 31st Jan.
Best wishes
Leong
Hi Rita,
From my end, everything is remarkable! Jane is amazing! She really make us feel welcome.
All the hotels were amazing too! My parents also very impressed.
I will definitely reaching out again, next time when I visit China. There’s many more places I want to visit.
Best regards,
Jefry
Dear Rita,
We are home. Thanks for arranging this nice trip. Everything worked out nicely except the smoking room problem in Chengde.
Thanks again.
John
Hi Rita,
In response to your enquiries, we had a wonderful experience with the tour arrangements in both Guilin and Yangshuo. Both the tour guide and driver were very professional and handled the arrangements well.
I am surely recommending any friends or relatives who are interested in travelling to China in future to use China Discovery. Also, will be looking at other destinations for ourselves too.
Thanks once again for the wonderful experience.
Kwan
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Purple Cloud Palace
Nanyan Temple
Yuxu Palace & Kung Fu Learning
Five-story Tower of Prince Slope (Fuzhen Guan)
Golden Palace
Wudang Museum
Qiongtai Palace
Carefree Valley (Xiaoyao Valley)
Spring (March~May) and autumn (September~November) are the best seasons to visit Wudang Mountain.
In Spring, the weather starts getting warm with trees turning green and flowers in blossom. It will be chilly on the mountain and snow can be seen on the top of the mountain. Travelers should bring enough warm clothing and as well as raincoats. The annual grand Temple Fair (the Emperor Zhen Wu’s birthday) falls on the third day of the third lunar month. Travelers who are interested in the temple fair and profound Taoism culture, you can come to Wudang Mountain in March or April (on March 26, 2020).
In Autumn, the weather will be quite pleasant - the sky is clear and the air is crisp. The whole mountain becomes a mysterious fairyland, the Taoist temples and palaces under the blue sky look very solemnly and majestically. On the ninth day of ninth lunar month, many Taoist believers and travelers come to Wudang Mountain to attend the great Prayer Meeting which belongs to the Enlightenment day of Zhen Wu who has cultivated himself for 42 years. A grand ceremony will be held in Purple Cloud Palace and other temples. It falls on October 7 in the year of 2019.
If you are interested in the Temple Fair and Prayer Meeting, please feel free to contact our professional travel consultants for more information.
There are many professional Kungfu academies or schools to learn and experience the incredible Kung Fu, Tai Chi or other martial arts. The following are the best recommenced places to learn Kungfu situated at the foot / on the top / near Wudang Mountain.
(a) At the foot of the Wudang Mountain near Yuxu Palace, you can go to Wudang Daoist Traditional Kungfu Academy (武当道家传统武术馆) where offers short-term study and long-term study. If you have limited time, it is a good idea to take part in the short Tai Chi experiencing classes (1-2 hour, 0.5-1 day or more days). If you want to spend loner time, you can take 10-15 days to learn Tai Chi 13 Form or Tai Chi 28 Postures Course.
(b) On the top of Wudang Mountain at Qiongtai Palace, it is Wudang Wuji Kungfu Academy (武当无极功夫馆) can customize your Kungfu experience based on your time and likes. You can have 1-2 hour’s Kungfu learning, or 3-7 days’ learning or long-term classes.
(c) China Wudang Kungfu Academy (武当师行功夫馆), 5km to Wudang Mountain Scenic Area, provide good training environment, like skilled coaches, spacious training ground, healthy food and comfortable accommodation. There are long-term classes and short-term classes based on your likes.
Note: If you are Kungfu fans or travelers who want to have Kungfu experience, please tell us your likes, time planning and schools you prefer. We can customize your Kungfu experience and add it into your Wudang Mountain tour!
Numerous sightseeing buses are available at Wudang Mountain Scenic Area which can escort you to every scenic spot. They run service during 07:00-17:30 or after. Please check the distances between different scenic spots and driving time as following:
| Tourist Center - Needle-Grinding Well: 6.5km, about 15mins | Purple Cloud Palace - Nanyan Temple: 3km, about 7mins |
| Tourist Center - Prince Slope: 10km, about 25mins | Needle-Grinding Well - Prince Slope: 4km, about 10mins |
| Tourist Center - Nanyan Temple: 23.5km, about 50mins | Prince Slope - Purple Cloud Palace: 10km, about 30mins |
| Tourist Center - Purple Cloud Palace: 20km, about 40mins | Qiongtai Palace - Golden Palace: 2km, about 30mins |
| Tourist Center - Qiongtai Palace: 26km, about 50mins - 1 hour | Nanyan Temple - Golden Palace: 4km, about 2-3 hours (hiking) |
Winding Mountain Road Notice: Please pay attention that the road up or down the Wudang Mountain is quite winding and zigzagging, and you may catch carsickness. Please take some anti-motion sickness pills with you.
Besides seeing the Taoist temples, palaces and the art of architecture, you can enjoy different kinds of activities to experience Taoism culture and truly linking yourself with the Tao.
Tea Tasting: Learn six types of Tea (Green Tea, Yellow Tea, White Tea, Wulong Tea, Red Tea and Dark Tea) and the tea produced in Wudang Mountain, get to know the use of tea set and learn the method of brewing tea. Enjoy some peaceful time and soak up tea with your partners.
Scriptures Copying: Learn some basic Chinese under the guidance of a master and try to copy the famous work Tao Te Ching. You will get to comprehend the meaning of Tao while you doing the copy.
Traditional Chinese Medicine & Medical Skill: Chinese medical therapy is totally different from Western medicine therapy. Feel the contrast and get to know the essence of traditional way of treating a disease by facing to facing with the Taoist doctors.
Attend the Afternoon Chant in Purple Cloud Palace: Taoist priests have daily routine to do morning music and chanting around 05:00 which is called “Breaking the Quiet”. As the sun rises and the people in the temple wake up, the sound of a drum calls them to the main altar where they begin their morning ritual. They will do afternoon chant around 17:00. Catch the time to enjoy the chant in Purple Cloud Palace.
Have a Chat with Taoist Priests at Night: You can have some time to communicate with the true Taoist priests who live in the temples or palaces on Wudang Mountain. By talking with them, you will enjoy the story of them and know Wudang Mountain and the Taoism deeper.
No matter what kinds of activities you are interested, feel free to tell us your ideas and we can add it into the trip. For detailed prices and arrangements, please ask for your travel consultants who are here ready to help!
Nightlife in Wudangshan will be simple and limited. If you want a place to kill your time, you can go to Taiji Theater to enjoy the Kungfu show “A Dream of Wudang”. It will be performed during 20:00~21:00 on every Friday and Saturday evening. Please go there 10 minutes in advance.
Wudang Mountain
Wudang Mountain
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