“The Path of Death”, which not everyone can walk along. The world famous Chinese attraction "Hua Shan - Death Mountain" The most dangerous hiking trail in China

As delicious as Chinese tea is, it is not usually associated with adrenaline rushes and fear of death. However, Mount Huashan in China managed to combine both tea and adrenaline, because it is here that the most terrible and dangerous walking trail in the world, which takes tourists straight to the tea house at an altitude of 2160 meters.

Mount Huashan has been one of the most important places for Taoists since the second century BC - then a Taoist temple was built at its foot. Since then, pilgrims and monks have lived on and around the mountain. A whole network of dangerous paths allows them to reach five peaks, each of which has a religious building, such as a tea house. Together these five peaks form the petals of the lotus. The trails have been strengthened due to the recent influx of tourists, but they are still very dangerous and have a bad reputation. They say up to 100 people a year fall from these trails.

Mount Huashan is one of the five sacred mountains Taoism.

Some parts of the trail are truly terrifying.

Monks and pilgrims built these “steps” to the top of the mountain.

The trails were strengthened as the route grew in popularity among tourists.

The most high peak the mountain reaches 2160 m.

The main thing is to look where you are going... And it’s better not to look down.

In some places local residents they also cut steps right into the mountain wall.

But in other places, the only security measure is iron chains.

This trail has a bad reputation, but that hasn't stopped many adventurers from trying it out. dangerous road on myself.

Of course, if the adrenaline still takes over you completely, you can always take a break and relax in the chess pavilion.

If you cannot live without thrills and simply dream of a new dose of adrenaline, then the extreme “attraction” on the Chinese Huashan Mountain is for you. Both daredevils come here who want to prove to themselves and the world their own fearlessness, as well as weak-spirited people who dream of getting rid of their inner insecurities. Huashan Mountain is an effective pill for fears and an effective vitamin of self-affirmation.

Flower Mountain, which is how the word Huashan is translated into Russian, is a sacred Chinese mountain that unites five petal-shaped peaks and is located near the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province. There are many fascinating tourist routes here, including cable car rides and hiking. Curious travelers can, if they wish, reach each of the five peaks of Huashan - South, North, West, East and Central.

The most convenient way is to use the funicular and climb from the foot North Mountain to its top. The road to the Western Peak is also safe. The hike to the North Peak, starting from the eastern entrance, with all the tortuosity and steepness of the ascent, although it requires a fair amount of physical training, is also not associated with much risk, since it is laid along fairly wide stone steps.

But there is also a tourist route that can make the most impressionable tourists faint - this is the transition from the North Peak of Huashan to the South Peak. Some travelers, having taken the first step, literally turn to stone with horror, unable to unclasp their cramped fingers and move from their place. And this is not surprising.

It’s not for nothing that this road, laid along steep vertical cliffs, is called the path of death - falling off the narrow boards into a bottomless abyss would mean certain death, but the flow of tourists trying to make the risky climb is not thinning. Travelers step on boards nailed over the abyss and move to the top, hugging the rock or holding on to chains firmly soldered to the stone wall.

No railings or fences - just you, a stray wind, and hundreds of meters under your feet. Of course, there is some kind of insurance - all daredevils are wearing a belt with a cable and a carabiner on it so that they can cling to the safety rope stretched along the entire route.

The reward for brave tourists will be not only the marvelous panorama opening from the South Peak - the highest of all five “petals” of the Huashan flower, but also a whole bouquet of stormy emotions experienced by travelers who have overcome the ascent. The news that climbing a dangerous path is not a one-way route, but a round trip, sounds like a bolt from the blue to many tourists, but the descent, as a rule, is easier.

Couples in love who believe in lucky omens leave symbols of unquenchable feelings on the top of the conquered mountain - shiny locks and red ribbons, the abundance of which dazzles the eyes. Each of those who have conquered the dangerous path happily shares the extraordinary sensations from the climb - at first it is panic fear, and then the delightful euphoria of not giving up, succeeding, overcoming, winning.

For those who are bored with monotonous tourist programs with visits to various monotonous temples and an endless number of museums, there is an excellent alternative for real extreme sports enthusiasts: this is the death trail on Mount Huashan in the city of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

This trail is located at an altitude of about 2000 meters on the sacred Mount Huashan, which has five petal-shaped peaks, the highest peak is the South Peak, 2154 meters above sea level, the lowest North Peak is 1614.9 meters high.

How to get to the top

There are two ways to get to the mountain, there are two entrances, one entrance from the West, which is equipped with a cable car and you can only go to the top along it (the cost of a one-way lift costs 140 yuan, which is about $20), the cost of a bus that will take you to it is $3.

Second entrance from the North, there is also cable car, but it costs a little less than 120 yuan in both directions. But there is also walking route with steps carved into the rock and rope bridges. But the path will not be easy and will take you about 6-8 hours to climb.

What is the path of death

At the top there is simply stunning views of the mountains and nature of China.

The trail on Mount Huashan is a very popular tourist destination both among visitors from other countries and among the Chinese themselves. Therefore, very often there is a decent queue for it, so get ready to stand in it for at least 20-30 minutes. (maybe, of course, you will be lucky and you will pass it, but we were not lucky).

Although the death trail looks scary from the photographs, it is practically safe, since before you start you are given special safety equipment (belts and a cable with a carabiner, the total cost is about 30 yuan - that’s about 4 bucks).

After you receive the ammunition and put your things in the storage room (so as not to accidentally drop them while walking along the trail to the bottom).

You will have to wait a little longer, since the path has only one end and you can return from there only the same way you came, trying to miss the people coming back to meet you.

Only after this can you hit the road. The trail begins with a descent along metal piles driven into stone.

At the bottom you will be met by a Chinese man who will help you fasten the carabiner from one cable to another.

Somewhere in the middle of the path, there is a booth in a hole in the rock where you can take first-class photographs, but if you have a phone with you, you will not need its services; the main thing is not to drop your gadget down. The Chinese say that this happens very often, maybe they do it to sell their photos, but it’s better to be safe.

The route lasts only 15-20 minutes. Climbing to the top you can see a small sacred altar and beautiful landscape opening from Mount Huashan.

Be sure to visit the death trail, get new emotions and enjoy the views of the surrounding nature.

Watch the video


The Death Trail is considered the most dangerous hiking trail in the world. Extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world come to the foot of the mountain to which this road leads to tickle their nerves and loudly declare their courage. The whole danger of the “Path of Death” lies in the fact that it is made of narrow boards hanging over a bottomless abyss.


In order to climb Mount Hua Shan in China, you need to go along one of the most extreme roads in the world. This trail begins at its foot with steps carved directly into the mountain itself, which rise upward almost perpendicular to the surface of the earth.



But the climb up the mountain does not end on this stone path. For those who want to achieve south side peaks, further travel will be more dangerous. After overcoming the mountain slope along the “Heavenly Staircase” carved from stone, travelers will find its extreme continuation - a road made of wooden planks. Tourists who have any health problems are offered to get to the southern peak by a special cable car.



It is because of the second part of the road that climbing Mount Huashan is considered the most dangerous place for pedestrians.





Chains nailed down as handrails appeared relatively recently. 700 years ago, when the path was built by hermits, people climbed the mountain only on rough planks.





Mount Huashan is sacred to the Chinese. WITH Chinese language its name translates as "Flower Mountain", which is quite justified, since it combines five peaks, thus resembling the shape of a petal. In addition to the “Road of Death”, there are many less dangerous tourist routes to Huashan.



A narrow wooden path leads to the very top of Mount Huashan, which is located far beyond the town of Xi’an located at its foot.



So much effort put in by travelers on the most dangerous path in the world does not bring them untold riches. At the end of the road there is an ordinary tea house, which was once a Taoist temple. In it, travelers can rest and replenish their strength after a difficult journey.