Harbin–Changbai Mountain 6D5N Itinerary: Avoid These Pitfalls!

DAY 1️⃣ Shenzhen to Harbin: We bought our tickets two weeks in advance. The cheapest option was to fly from Shenzhen to Changchun, then take a high-speed train to Harbin. The day before departure, we found that the price of direct flights from Shenzhen to Harbin had dropped significantly, so it's worth waiting for a price drop. DAY 2️⃣ Harbin: Hongzhuan Morning Market–Central Street–Saint Sophia Cathedral–Harbin Ice and Snow World–Music Gallery. Enter Harbin Ice and Snow World at around 4 pm to catch the beautiful sunset. We stayed near Harbin Railway Station, which was convenient for visiting these attractions. I recommend the matcha bread and ice cream at Modern Hotel. The matcha bread is filled with red bean and cheese. DAY 3️⃣ Datudingzi Mountain–Snow Town: We took a high-speed train from Harbin Railway Station to Yabuli West Railway Station and joined a one-day tour to Datudingzi Mountain–Shili Gallery–Snow Town. The rime on Datudingzi Mountain is stunning, highly recommended! We stayed near Yabuli West Railway Station, so check if there are any restaurants near your hotel. DAY 4️⃣ Erdaobaihe Town, Changbai Mountain: We took a high-speed train from Yabuli West Railway Station to Changbai Mountain Railway Station and visited Edelweiss Park–Frozen Rose–Chinese Merganser Park–Yunding Tiangong–Yikou Changbai Coffee. Our hotel was in a great location, just a 5-minute walk from Edelweiss Park. Frozen Rose is next to the park, and there is a free shuttle bus to Yunding Tiangong outside the park. Chinese Merganser Park is also nearby. After visiting, you can walk to a restaurant and Yikou Changbai Coffee, then walk back to the hotel. We had iron pot stew for dinner. There were a lot of people waiting in line, so I suggest going early. I had rice-flavored coffee at Yikou Changbai Coffee, which is rice milk + coffee. It was delicious. DAY 5️⃣ Changbai Mountain North Slope–Hot Spring: The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the Changbai Mountain North Slope Visitor Center. After ticket inspection, you need to take a 50-minute bus ride to the transfer center. After getting off at the transfer center, there are buses to Heaven Lake and other attractions. We were lucky that Heaven Lake was open that day! The North Slope bus can take you to Lanjing Julong Hot Spring. Bring your swimsuit and buy a hot spring ticket for CNY 268 per person. After the hot spring, there is a bus back to the North Slope Visitor Center. Wait for the bus 15 minutes in advance. We had Korean BBQ for dinner, which was nice and warm. DAY 6️⃣ Heping Ski Resort–Return: We hired a driver to take us to rent ski clothes, go skiing, and take us to Changbai Mountain Railway Station. The beginner slope at Heping Ski Resort is suitable for beginners, but the coach fees are very expensive. We had ginseng chicken soup and rice wraps for lunch, which were delicious! It snowed all day in Erdaobaihe Town, and we experienced the romance of a snowy city. This trip was perfect! Pitfalls: 1. For direct flights from Shenzhen to Harbin, you can wait until one or two days before departure to buy tickets. The price dropped from over CNY 1,500 to over CNY 800. 2. Skiing in Changbai Mountain is the least cost-effective. If you are a beginner and need a coach, the price is CNY 450 per hour. It is best to ski in Changchun, Harbin, or Yabuli. Yabuli is the most cost-effective. 3. There is not much demand for car rentals in Changbai Mountain. Most hotels offer free station transfers. The driver will ask if you need a car for your next trip, and you can book with them. If you stay near the North Slope, you only need a car for rafting and skiing.