Yuelu Mountain, Changsha | Complete Guide

🌟 Reservations are required for Yuelu Mountain. If you plan to take the cable car or slide, please enter through the East Gate, as the South Gate only has sightseeing buses. If you plan to take a sightseeing bus, you can enter through either the East Gate or the South Gate. 🌟 First, check in at Hunan University, then have a serving of Xiangqun Pot Stickers before heading to Yuelu Academy, one of the four major academies in China. Tickets are CNY 60. Remember to exit the way you came in, otherwise you'll have to walk a lot more. 🌟 Continue on to Aiwan Pavilion, one of the four famous pavilions in China and a must-see at Yuelu Mountain. This area is always crowded. 🌟 Continue up the stone steps for about 20 minutes to reach the ancient Lushan Temple. Rest for a while before continuing on. 🌟 Pass Baihe Spring, the Tomb of Cai E, and the Tomb of Huang Xing to reach the top of the mountain. The hike takes about 1 hour. 🌟 There are two viewing platforms at the top of the mountain: the sightseeing corridor overlooks the city of Changsha on the east bank of the Xiang River, and the Love Platform offers a distant view of Xianjia Lake on the north side of Yuelu Mountain. There is also a sign marking the elevation of Yuelu Mountain at 300.8 meters. 🌟 There are basically no scenic spots on the way down to the East Gate. There is a pavilion called "Beiji Peak" along the way where you can rest if you're tired. The hike down takes about 40 minutes.