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Below are are useful tips after I went on a Mt. Huangshan tour and can be a reference for anyone who would like to take a mountain tours:

Start early

Start your hike early, as it takes about 6 hours or more to reach the summit.

Travel light and take only the essentials

Travel light and take only the essentials - Bring a backpack with a jacket, as temperature drops as altitude increases and the weather is a little chilly in the late night and early morning. Buy your bottled water and some light snacks in a Tunxi grocery or someplace else before arriving at Huangshan. Once you arrive at Huangshan, the higher you climb, the higher the prices climb with you!

Hire a porter

Leave the unnecessary behind, as there are LOTS and LOTS of stairs. If you have no choice but to travel with your luggage and your hotel is at the summit, you’d better hire a porter to carry your bag. The porter will walk along with you, explaining major sites along the way (only in Chinese though), and look after you! The price is always overpriced, and you must negotiate the price first with the porter. The fabulous views of the Mountains do make it all worth while.

Wear comfortable shoes

Be prepared to climb hundreds of steps up & down to various peaks. As stairs are narrow somewhere and the ground may be slippery, be careful when you walk along the edge of cliff and stairs. No high heel shoes!! Sneakers are good enough while sturdy comfortable hiking shoes can be a better choice. Don’t let people push you over! When observe do not move. Take care & watch out!

Use a walking stick

A walking stick is very useful even if you are just going up and down by cable cars and walking the steps on the top of Mt. Huangshan. It can help you to balance and reduce the weight on your knees. Do not throw them away. Take them home as souvenir to remember the wonderful and tiring moments at Mt. Huangshan.

Bring a raincoat instead of umbrella

Never use umbrella, always wear your raincoat (it can be bought there), as wind in the mountains can be very strong, it would be a safety hazard to use an umbrella. Also umbrella can block your view. It might rain in Huangshan. A rainjacket will protect you both from rain and wind.

No smoking

Apparently you are not free to smoke wherever you like. There are designated areas for smoking. So do your part of preventing a fire caused by cigarettes from destroying Huangshan. Breathe the fresh air instead.

No rubbish

If you see the old men carrying all the material up and carrying all the rubbish down the steep mountain steps every day, you would not want to waste anything up there or throw any rubbish inconsiderately. Keep Huangshan beautiful and natural for everyone who is visiting or will visit in the future. Natural environment cannot be protected only by picking up rubbish.