Mt. Tai (Tai Shan)

Buy your Mt. Tai ticket at one of the mountain’s four entrances and expect to pay extra for the several cable car and scenic bus routes that make navigating the vast site easier. The classic hiking route starts at Hong Gate and follows the Imperial Road to Jade Emperor Peak, the mountain’s highest point. Some climb through the night to watch the sunrise from the top.

Many visit Mt. Tai from nearby Tai’an, a small city around two hours from Beijing by bullet train, or Jinan, the capital of Shandong province. Qufu—home of the Qufu Temple of Confucius, Cemetery of Confucius, and Kong Family Mansion—is 20 minutes away by bullet train, and many travelers spend a few days exploring the area. One popular option is a 2-day guided tour of Mt. Tai and Qufu by bullet train from Beijing.

• Mt. Tai is a must for anyone interested in Chinese culture; photographers and hikers will also value it.

• Even if you take buses and cable cars, you’ll still be walking a lot. Wear sensible shoes.

• The temperature at the top of Mt. Tai is significantly lower than at the base, so bring layers when hiking at cooler times of year.

• The mountain has bathrooms and a range of food and drink options.

• Allow anywhere from a half-day to two days to explore Mt. Tai, depending on your appetite for culture and hiking.

• Steps and steep slopes mean Mt. Tai is not a suitable destination for travelers with mobility issues.

Mt. Tai sits north of Tai’an in Shandong, northern China. Tai’an has direct bullet train connections to a range of major Chinese cities and is around two hours by bullet train from Beijing. The Hong Gate is about an 8-mile (13-kilometer) taxi ride from Tai’an’s high-speed railway station: the closer, older railway station only has slow trains.

Mt. Tai is a popular pilgrimage for Chinese travelers, so avoid visiting on weekends and holidays at the start of May and October. The mountain is open 24/7, but cable cars run only during daylight and stop in the early evening (and during bad weather). The weather is warmest between April and mid-November, although night climbs can still be cool; snow is common in winter.

Hikers love to follow the classic Imperial Road up Mt. Tai, but at around 6 miles (9 kilometers), it takes many travelers more than half a day. Time-poor travelers can shave time off the journey by riding scenic buses and cable cars. Start at the Tianwaicun entrance, not Hong Gate, and catch the sightseeing bus to the Midway Gate to Heaven (Zhongtianmen). From here, you can hike for two to three hours to the summit or board the cable car to the South Gate to Heaven (Nantianmen) and start the steps close to the finish.