2 Days Mini Group to Xi’an & Mt. Huashan, No Shopping

Thanks for booking our 2 days mini group tour to Xi’an and Mt. Huashan! This morning, meet your guide in your hotel in downtown Xi’an at the time appointed the day before. At around 9:00 am, embrace a comfortable 1-hour car ride to the Terracotta Army Museum, a UNESCO-honored mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC), the first emperor in China’s history. En route, the guide will certainly give you a warm welcome and a detailed introduction to today’s tour schedule.

Up to now, more than 8,000 funeral objects, including life-sized terracotta warriors and horses have been excavated in this archaeological site, which undoubtedly adds a strong touch to China’s glorious ancient civilization. Once there, enjoy a fast entry and head straight to Pit No.1, the first to be discovered and also the largest and most spectacular burial pit in the Museum. Facing the combat phalanx of nearly 6,000 neatly arranged pottery soldiers and horses, you may be overwhelmed by the magnificent momentum of the Qin Army. Then move to Pit No.2, where infantries, cavalries and archers of totally different looks will make you can’t help but wow at the superb carving skills of craftsmen at that time. And in Pit No.3, probe into the command system of this mighty legion with the help of your guide. Of course we won’t let you miss out on a newly-launched exhibition, which displays 230 especially treasurable archaeological excavations of the past 50 years. The iconic green-faced terracotta figure, gold or silver camels, bronze waterfowls, each of them will blow your mind.

Lunch will be on your own arrangement, and your guide is willing to offer assistance if you need it. There is a food court with various restaurants or stalls at the exit of the Museum, but you are only advised to patronize Western or Chinese fast food chains like Subway, KFC, or Wei Cold Skin Noodles for a more hygienic meal. In general, it costs around USD 7 per person.

After lunch, you will be driven back to downtown Xi’an and first visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, located in the Da Ci’en Temple built by the Tang Emperor Li Zhi in memory of his dead mother, Empress Zhangsun. The 7-storey Pagoda was built after the Temple and was used to store the Buddhist scriptures and Sariras brought by famous monk Xuanzang from India. Despite its weather-beaten appearance, you can still see some carefully carved Buddha patterns on it. With your guide, also delve into legendary origins and more royal anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD) of this thousand-year-old structure.After that, make your way to the City Wall. Firstly built in 582 AD, this precious remains has been expanded and rebuilt through serval dynasties, and finally formed its current scale during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). As one of the most completely preserved ancient city walls in China, it offers a series of gate towers, archery towers, corner towers, crenels and suspension bridges for you to admire. Take a leisurely walk on it and enjoy an amazing panorama of Xi’an, where quaint buildings and modern skyscrapers interlock. Biking is also available here, and if you are interested, rent a bike at CNY 45 / USD 6 to experience an unusual City Wall tour.

Next, we will get to the Muslim Quarter, which consists of several snack streets specializing in Shaanxi specialties. On both sides of the flagstone road are unique Hui-style buildings and stalls, and the shouting of vendors makes this venue really lively. Here, you will be surrounded by the aroma of Chinese Hamburgers, Biang Biang Noodles and Kebabs. At 18:00 or so, your guide will transfer you back to your hotel, and if you want to stay later here for dinner, then you can go back to your hotel by yourself when you are done.

This morning, your guide will pick you and other fellow members up between 7:30 and 8:30, and then set off to Mt. Huashan, one of the Five Sacred Mountains in China. Facing the Yellow River to the north, Qinling Mountains to the south, and Xi’an city to the west, it is known both domestically and internationally as the “the most dangerous mountain in the world”.

► Kind Notes:
1. Touring on the mountain requires a lot of hiking on the mountain, so it’s better to wear your most comfortable sports shoes today. And to cope with the relatively lower temperature and strong wind, a thick jacket should also be prepared.
2. We would be remiss if we didn’t remind you that there are no restaurants on the mountain, and that is also why we don’t include lunch in the tour. It is recommended that you have a substantial breakfast at the hotel and pack some quick energy booster food like chocolates and bread. You can also get some snacks and drinks at rest stops on the way, but note that the prices are generally higher than usual.

About 1.5 hours’ drive later, you will be at the foot of Mt. Huashan. Quickly pass through the entrance and take the eco-bus to the lower cableway station, where we will take the cable car up to the West Peak first. With a W-shaped undulating trend, the cableway is both a scenic sightseeing line and an exciting but safe experience line. The scene in front of you is ever-changing along the way, sometimes the peaks with luxuriant vegetation, and sometimes the nearly vertical cliffs. Off the carriage, your thrilling hike begins. Some of the trails you will pass through are as steep as 80 degrees, and you have to hold on chains on either side to climb up. There is a naturally formed boulder like a blooming lotus at the summit of the West Peak, so it is also called Lotus Peak. Next to the Taoist temple Emerald Cloud Palace, you will see another huge rock split in the middle, as if it had been hacked by the long axe beside it, and that is the famous Axe-splitting Rock, which was said to be created by Liu Chenxiang in ancient Chinese mythology when he saved his mother here. Curious about this story? Your guide will definitely explain more details to you on the spot.Then reach the East Peak, where the mountain walls stand so upright like they have been carefully whittled, and the abyss on the eastern side is even more daunting, while the gentle slope on the west side is covered with towering pines and junipers, which is a good place for you to enjoy the cool and rest. Boarding the viewing platform and looking far away, the mountains are looming in the sea of clouds, making you feel like breaking into a fairyland. Afterwards, walk through a blade-like ridge about 300 meters (984 feet) long, one of the well-known perilous paths, to arrive at the South Peak, the highest peak of Mt. Huashan. Legend has it that wild geese returning to the north often stop here to rest, thus it is also called Landing Wild Geese Peak. At the top of the Peak, you will be welcomed by Black Dragon Pool. It is interesting to know that the water inside has never dried up during droughts or overflowed during floods, making it a great wonder. At the end of the tour, you will be taken back to the Upper Cableway Station of West Peak and down the mountain by cable car. Your guide and driver will then escort you back to your hotel in downtown Xi’an, arriving at around 18:00.

By now, your Xi’an and Mt. Huashan tour is over. Hope you have gained a lot of travel joys with us these 2 days. Want to visit more attractions in and around Xi’an? Then feel free to contact us, and our travel consultant will customize a tour to your satisfaction.