Mount Emei (Emeishan) is situated in southwest Sichuan, 7km from Emeishan City and 37km from Leshan City. Emeishan is one of China's four sacred Buddhist Mountains and has been a popular place of pilgrimage for the past 1800 years. Legend has it that Bodhisattca Samantabhadra preached here and pictures of the elephant that supposedly carried him up the mountain are found in many of the shrines dotted about the hillside. There were once 150 temples and monasteries on the mountain. Today, only 30 remain and only 20 of these are active although none are impressive sights in themselves.

Although Emeishan is still hugely popular with pilgrims, (the smoke from incense and burning paper in the temples en route stings your eyes!) the mountain is equally famous for its spectacular scenery. The word "Emei" in Chinese means "Eyebrows of beauty" and locals believe that the peaks of Emei resemble the eyebrows of a woman! Towering 3099 meters high, Emei is the highest of China¡¯s mountains and as such, the temperature here is ideal for lush vegetation and some stunning and rare plants and wildlife. The forested slopes, hot springs and wonderful views here could keep you for days. It is best to allow at least a couple of days to explore the low slopes of the mountain and perhaps an additional day to make it to the peak at Wanfoding.

Although the mountain is a big pilgrimage site, and becoming increasingly popular with tourists, it is possible to escape the crowds and head off on some of the smaller trails, exploring at your own pace. This is a wonderfully atmospheric area, and the impressive views, scenery mixed with the sight of monks and the sound of bells, make for one of China's more interesting areas to explore and discover.

The scenery on Emeishan varies widely according to the seasons. In spring and summer, the foliage is dense, lush and green and, due to the sheer height at the top of the mountain, temperatures up here are a welcome respite from the baking heat elsewhere in the province. In autumn, it is spectacular too, with the color on the leaves changing and temperatures a little cooler. Winter too on Emeishan, although VERY cold (often below feezing between October and April), is gorgeous. The light at this time is pretty and the snow forms a beautiful coat over the hillside.

Emei Mountain belongs to the humid middle and northern subtropical zone, but it has unique climatic features. Firstly, Emeishan has a rather low average temperature of 14-19¡æ. It is a good idea therefore, to always take a sweater or some warm clothing with you, as even on the hottest days, temperatures at the top can be cool. Secondly, temperatures on the mountain vary with the terrain, the height and and the time of day, hence the Chinese saying that ¡° Emei is a mountain with four seasons in every day". The rainy season is between April and September and waterproof macs are essential. It is a good idea to stick to the main paths when the rainfall is heavy, as wandering off can prove dangerous. Bear in mind too, that there is no heating in many of the basic hostels on the mountain and, although blamkets are provided it can get very chilly!