Huangshan (a city and region in central east China, which takes its name from the Yellow Mountains) is suitable for travel all year round with a different type of beauty for each season. The best time can vary depending on your preferences and what you want to experience.
The scenic area has a mountainous climate, which means it is colder and wetter than the surrounding area below. Temperatures are lower at higher altitudes. Be prepared for the change of weather as you ascend.
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Best Time to Visit Huangshan for Families and Couples
If your schedule is flexible, we recommend visiting Huangshan during the spring or autumn. During these two seasons, there are fewer tourists, pleasant weather, and beautiful scenery. (It's best to skip the peak periods during the first weeks of May and October.)
In spring, especially after the drizzle, it's the best time to witness the sea of clouds at Huangshan. You can also see vast fields of rapeseed flowers and visit nearby villages to observe spring farming activities.
Autumn allows you to enjoy a peaceful time to relax, enjoy the scenery, and sip a cup of tea. The mountains are adorned with vibrant autumn foliage, making it an excellent time for hiking.
If you're traveling with school-age children, Huangshan in summer won't disappoint either. Compared to spring and autumn, there are more tourists during the summer vacation, with June being relatively less crowded.
To avoid crowds, arrange some cultural activities such as learning to make fish-shaped lanterns. You could also visit a local family's vegetable field, pick the freshest vegetables, and even participate in cooking with freshly harvested ingredients.
Best Time to Hike in Huangshan
Walking up or trekking in Huangshan is a good choice if your physical condition permits. Your guide will plan the best route for you according to your condition and requirements.
For a better experience, you should choose a period with warmer weather, less rain, and fewer visitors. The following periods are the times we recommend for walking up Huangshan:
Mid-May to the beginning of June: There are fewer visitors than in the peak season and there is less rainfall. This is also the best period to admire the beautiful scenery of late spring and early summer.
Mid-October to November: The most popular season is over and the autumn breeze covers the mountains. You also have a better chance of having sunny days.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Excellent Encapsulation/Set of Experiences across China
It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.) more
Mar 2024, Ryan Farnan
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Beautiful Hongshuan
We recently spent 4 days with Alvin hosting us throughout Huangshan, Tunxi and Hongcun. The scenery was spectacular, hotels quirky, food excellent and knowledge and passion from Alvin was so invaluable and also fun! Would highly recommend. more
Jan 2024, Joanne
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2 days in the mountains
Alvin was attentive and good company. He went to the extra effort to show us things we were interested in viewing and provided detailed information. more
Jan 2024, Robert Fleming
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Huangshan 2-5 Jan 2024
As compared to another guide I had back in 2019 for Huangshan with another agency, Jack’s services were exemplary. He was patient and flexible to accommodate to our requests. Very knowledgeable, responsible and responsive. Throughout the trip he was always telling us the best angles and spots for nice pictures. Most importantly, he speaks English, hence we are able to communicate comfortably with a mix of Chinese and English. more
Jan 2024, Amanda Tan
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5 days 4 nights Huang Shan trip
I had very little time to plan for this trip due to my busy schedule. Emily was very helpful and almost instantly drafted a planned itinerary for me and my family after a short chat with her. Super efficient and it took me just hours to decide on my schedule. We had also very good guide (小赵)with us. She is meticulous and knowledgeable, we were all very well taken care of during the trip. Had a great and enjoyable trip! more
Dec 2023, David
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Huangshan
We booked a 3 day tour of Huangshan with China Highlights. Tony was our guide in Huangshan. He was very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. I was able to appreciate the Hui culture and Huangshan more thanks to Tony. The entire trip went smoothly thanks to China Highlights! more
Dec 2023, helen
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Wonderful experience!
Absolutely stunning at every turn. Our guide, Jack showed us wonderfully beautiful spots where few visitors go. He knew all the best spots and went out of his way to ensure our stay exceeded our expectations. The arranged hotel was very good too. Well done! more
Nov 2023, george123w2014
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Great experience from beginning to end!
Our guide, Frank, in Huangshan, Xidi and HongCun was knowledgeable, punctual and personable. He made everything go smoothly. The trip to China was wonderful and was enjoyed by my adult kids and their partners who have never been to China. Thank you both so much!!! more
Nov 2023, Susan X. Lu
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China 29 days trip
From our guide in Xi’an to the guide in Kwelin , they are all excellent. 韩颂 in Beijing, Susan in Xi’an, Alvin in Huang Shan, Sally in YiZhang , Peter in Zongzhing, Doyle in 昆明,Daisy in Tali, Martin in Lijiang and the last Vincent in Guilin. They all performed their services well. We are happy to have met them, hopefully we will keep in touch. more
Nov 2023, Tiong-Oen Pouw
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Enjoyable short trip with beautiful sightseeing
The Local Guide Tony was knowledgeable and he gave lots of information about the province and towns. He was patient to us especially I have slight difficulty in walking. He was capable and managed to bring us around Huang Shan to see all the different peaks and other sights even though the weather was not ideal on the first day.Overall, we enjoyed our 4 days 3 nights trip. more
Nov 2023, Lay San Ong
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Huangshan, Anhui Province, China
Our guide, Tony, was very kind, helpful and had an excellent level of English.This was the first time I booked directly with a Chinese travel agency, but I would certainly do it again and recommend it to everyone who wants to visit China. more
Oct 2023, Ina
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Stunning Yellow Mountain and beautiful Ancient Villages
We had the most fantastic experience with our tour guide, Jack Fan, who is very knowledgeable about the Yellow Mountain and was able to get us quickly to the most stunning highlights. He was our "photographer" anytime we wanted a photo and that was very often. We made the most of our time having him guiding us. He was truly the mountain man as he is a local there. He is very passionate about what he does. He loves history, nature, and travel, which is a must for a guide. He provided historical facts about the stunning Ancient villages at Hong Cun and Xidi. He answered any questions we had about history, nature, and current things we had. I felt like he was a professor, and we were his students in a very good way. He was NEVER late, and neither was our driver. They never bought us anywhere to "sell" us things. He took us to buy tea only when we asked to buy a specific tea, staying much later than he should have! I wanted to check out lotus and rice fields, which was not on the itinerary, but he squeezed it in for us. We were very well taken care of. I highly recommend Jack for a tour guide who speaks English. more
Sep 2023, annemompt
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Beautiful Huangshan
Our tour guide Tony was indeed very knowledgeable and helpful the entire trip. His explanation and description of the villages in English is very good. Tony is very accommodating to our requests too. The hike up in the mountains was really good and exciting and Tony managed to bring us to most of the recommended viewpoints and waited for us to catch our breath when we’re too exhausted hiking. I fully recommend getting Tony as your guide. more
Jul 2023, CindyBeezeebee
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"The Mysterious and Gorgeous Peaks Make Yellow Mountain a MUST Visit"
My girlfriend and I went to Yellow Mountain during the Labor Day Holiday in China, and honestly were amazed by the actual beauty of it all. Our tour guide Sunny (thank you so much for your exquisite work) made our trip even better. The hotels that were chosen by the China Highlights agency were perfect, the Shanshui Boutique in the heart of the Huangshan city was so convenient to walk from, and the Xihai Hotel on the mountains was a perfect stop for the hiking we did for two days. The tour that we did was not enough to see everything of course so we shall be returning in the near future. We were so lucky about the weather and the crowds (holiday) that the perfect visit was even more marvelous as I proposed to my girlfriend on the Flying Rock peak during a breathtaking sunset. This will always be our rock and for that I am very grateful since Sunny the tour guide made it perfect for us. more
May 2023, High F
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Absolutely Stunning Yellow Mountains
In April 23 China Highlights organised a 3 day, 2 night trip for us from Shanghai to Huangshan. From the Bullet Train to the scenery at the World Heritage Yellow Mountains to the Tea ceremony - It's a must visit for anyone visiting China, however, not often on Western Tourist Programs. more
May 2023, Megan S
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Stunning Yellow Mountains - Huangshan
In April 23 China Highlights organised a 3 day, 2 night trip for us from Shanghai to Huangshan in the Anhui Province. From the Bullet Train to the scenery at the World Heritage Yellow Mountains, the meals and the Tea ceremony - It's a must visit for anyone visiting China, however, not often on Western Tourist Programs. Liberman who arranged the trip, and Tony who was our guide were always available to assist us. 10/10 - Thanks very much. Adam Liaws, "Destination Flavour China"(S1 Episode2 visits the Anhui province - worth a watch to see how beautiful the region is. more
May 2023, Leonie Megan
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Mystical misty mountain tour
We three ladies took a three-day trip away from our families to enjoy the peace of the countryside and the inspiring beauty of Huangshan. China Highlights and our tour guide, Jack Fan, made the trip everything we had hoped for an even more. We started the first day with bicycle and foot tours in Bishan Village- absolutely charming! We then moved to Huangshan and… wow! It’s easy to see what artists and poets have been inspired throughout the centuries. Jack has spent years on the mountain and knows every corner of it. He made sure to take us to the best places in the limited time we had and made it all extra special by sharing the history and stories. He also knew exactly how long every path would take and planned to maximize our time with a steady pace. Early rain quickly passed and left us with the views of the moving “sea of clouds” that everyone talks about. We are all so glad we didn’t miss Huangshan- there’s a reason everyone says it’s the most beautiful mountain in China. Thanks, Jack, for a wonderful tour! more
Apr 2023, christinajeanne
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4 Day Yellow Mountain Trip
Tony was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide, who skillfully dealt with any issues as they arose to make sure the days passed seamlessly and enjoyably. more
Sep 2022, Paul
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5-Day Dynamic Huangshan Tour is a must!
My husband and I were in awe of the natural beauty of the Yellow Mountain. Our guide Phillip Tong, with China Highlights, gave us an exceptional experience at our pace. (As an older couple this was greatly appreciated.) He shared his vast knowledge of history and cultural significance as we trekked over and around the mountain, touring Bishan, and Hongcun. We concluded our trip by making fish lanterns. China Highlights has once again provided us with great memories. more
Aug 2022, Catherine C
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I did a 4 day trekking in the Yellow…
I did a 4 day trekking in the Yellow Mountains with China Highlights and it was even more stunning than I thought it would be. Spend two nights in the mountains and one in Huangshan, totally worth is. This is a place you must visit and according to my guide every season had it’s own beauty. I will definitely come back! Coco planned the whole trip according to my wishes and Tony was a perfect guide being very knowledgeable and supportive. If you don’t have 4 days I’m sure a three, or even two, day trip will be very nice as well! more
Aug 2022, Elizabeth
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Best Times to View a Huangshan Sunrise and Sunset
Viewing a sunrise and sunset is one of the top things to do in Huangshan. Stay in the mountains to have the chance to enjoy the spectacular views.
Here is an approximate timetable of Huangshan sunrises and sunsets. You may refer to your guide for the actual times, and the hotels in the scenic area also have detailed timetables.
Season | Spring (late Mar. to May) | Summer (Jun. to Sep.) | Autumn (Oct. and Nov.) | Winter (Dec. to early Mar.) |
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Sunrise | 05:10 to 06:11 | 05:05 to 05:55 | 06:00 to 06:37 | 06:23 to 07:04 |
Sunset | 18:19 to 18:57 | 18:05 to 19:12 | 17:09 to 17:53 | 17:07 to 18:13 |
Please note: The hotels in the mountains are harder to book, especially in the peak season. Book as early as you can.
Best Time to See the Sea of Clouds
Huangshan's sea of clouds scenery has been famous in both ancient and modern times. It is praised as one of the four wonders of Huangshan. Every November to May, you have the best chance to admire this view.
The best view appears when the sky clears up after rain or snow. In the twilight hours, the clouds are colored with red, orange, and yellow.
Huangshan in Spring
Spring in Huangshan is from late March to May.
Spring weather: The average temperature is from 5°C (41°F) to 10°C (50°F). It is mostly rainy, misty, and cloudy.
Spring arrives late in Huangshan. The brilliantly blooming flowers and fresh, crisp air are features of spring. Spring is one of the best seasons in Huangshan.
What to wear: Prepare layers of sweaters and a coat because the temperature gets lower the higher you climb. Wearing layers that can easily be taken on and off is convenient for comfort when hiking.
Spring is not the peak season: May 1 to 5 is the Labor Day holiday in China. Other than this period, there won't be too many visitors. You can enjoy a smooth journey in spring.
Huangshan in Summer
Summer in Huangshan is from June to September.
Summer weather: The temperature ranges from 13°C (55°F) to 19°C (66°F), with more rainfall than in spring.
In summer, Huangshan becomes a sea of green. It might be hot at the base but it gets cooler when you go higher up.
Summer is also the rainy season and the air is at its clearest. You can enjoy views of the mountains continuing into the distance. After the rain, the peaks are surrounded by mist, creating dream-like scenery.
What to wear: Prepare summer clothes and sun protection. Also, prepare a jacket for the evenings when the temperature gets lower. During summer thunderstorms with high winds, it is not recommended to use umbrellas due to safety concerns; raincoats are preferable.
Summer is the peak season: The long summer holiday for Chinese students and teachers falls in July and August. The Yellow Mountains region is crowded in this period. You'd better book 3 months in advance.
Huangshan in Autumn
Fall is from October to November.
Autumn weather: The temperature ranges from 4°C (39°F) to 11°C (52°F). The temperature turns cold, with less rainfall than in summer.
The climate is very comfortable and the scenery is stunningly beautiful in autumn. The Yellow Mountains region is one of the best places in China to enjoy fall foliage, looking down on the deciduous trees of the ravines and valleys. The pines, of course, retain their verdant needles.
What to wear: Prepare sweaters and a coat for this season.
The first week of October (1st–7th) is another peak season, being a national holiday, so Huangshan is more crowded, and it costs more to travel and stay in hotels. We recommend traveling after the holiday if your time is flexible.
Huangshan in Winter
Winter is from December to March.
Winter weather: The temperature during the daytime is about 3°C (37°F) and it drops to about -6°C (21°F) at night. The weather is freezing.
Winter is freezing up on the mountains and spectacular snowscapes are seen every year. Seas of clouds linger on the cold days in winter and the pine trees are frozen with rime, turning the mountains into a beautiful picture.
Additionally, it's an ideal moment to indulge in a hot spring experience following a mountain climb.
What to wear: Prepare warm winter clothes, including fleeces or a down jacket, and walking boots or snow boots that accept crampons (hirable there).
Winter is the off-season: The mountainside is much less crowded and it is much cheaper to travel. It's a good time to go if you are working with a budget.
Recommended Huangshan Tours
All of our tours can be adjusted or customized based on your requirements. Just contact us if you have a good idea about what you want to do. You could also start from one of our popular itineraries including Huangshan:
- 12-Day Guilin, Chengdu, Luoyang, Xian, Huashan and Beijing Tour
- 15-Day Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Huangshan and Shanghai
- 21-Day Shanghai–Suzhou–Huangshan–Hangzhou–Guilin–Zhangjiajie–Xi'an–Datong–Beijing
Huangshan Climate and Travel Information by Month
- Huangshan Weather in January
- Huangshan Weather in February
- Huangshan Weather in March
- Huangshan Weather in April
- Huangshan Weather in May
- Huangshan Weather in June
- Huangshan Weather in July
- Huangshan Weather in August
- Huangshan Weather in September
- Huangshan Weather in October
- Huangshan Weather in November
- Huangshan Weather in December