3-Day Yellow Mountains, Hongcun Village and Tunxi Ancient Street Private Tour

Climbing Huangshan, the Yellow Mountains, is unreal, the granite peaks rising out of a literal sea of clouds. We caught a sunrise from the summit that I will never forget. Day three at Hongcun village, the ancient water village that featured in Crouching Tiger, was the gentle, painterly counterpoint. Three days perfectly balanced.

The UNESCO Yellow Mountains deserve all the hype. The famous twisted pines clinging to cliffs, the cable car up, the clouds rolling through the peaks. Our private guide paced the climb well and knew the quieter trails. Hongcun and Tunxi Ancient Street added lovely culture and food to the mountain scenery.

Tunxi Ancient Street in the evening was a charming wander, old shopfronts, ink stones, local snacks. But the Yellow Mountains were the soul of the trip. We stayed overnight on the mountain to catch sunrise above the cloud sea, which the private itinerary made easy. Hongcun's reflective pond is a photographer's gift.

Spectacular three days. Huangshan involves serious walking and a lot of stairs even with the cable car, so come fit. The reward is some of China's most iconic scenery. Hongcun's Anhui-style white houses and the old Tunxi street were lovely lower-key days. Guide was excellent and flexible with the weather.