Ctrip is launching a 100 Laowai Huangshan Challenge from March 28-30, 2014, calling on expats in China to hike Huangshan Mountain together with English tours. The three-day, two-night trip includes accommodations, meals, admission fees and transportation. Participants can book discounted packages of 1000 RMB from December 13, 2013 to January 14, 2014 or 1500 RMB from January 15 to February 14, 2014 and receive Ctrip vouchers. The goal is for Ctrip to engage expats in China by exploring the country's rich cultural heritage through travel.
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06012014 100 laowai huangshan challenge
1. For Immediate Release
CTRIP LAUNCHES THE 100 LAOWAI HUANGSHAN CHALLENGE
Shanghai, China (06, January, 2014):Ctrip.com is campaigning for participants for the ¡°100
LaowaiHuangshan Challenge¡± from 28 March to 30 March 2014. This three day two
night journey is calling out to expatriates in China to hike up the historical Huangshan
(Yellow Mountain) together, and create a deeper understanding of the mountain
through the English language tours provided. Huangshan has been inscribed as an
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990 and spreads over a property of 16,060 ha with
buffer zone of 49,000 ha.
In this challenge, participating hikers can conquer the mountain according to their
choice of level of difficulty. Take this opportunity to meet new friends and engage with
fellow nature lovers while getting a healthy workout at the UNESCO world heritage site.
Simply sign-up at http://english.ctrip.com/tours/97587
All participants that book from 13 December 2013 to 14 January 2014 will enjoy a 50%
discount at 1000 RMB nett per person (original retail price is 2000 RMB). Subsequent
bookings from 15 January to 14 February 2014 will be priced at 1500 RMB nett per
person, and entitled to 250 RMB worth of Ctrip.com vouchers.
¡°Ctrip.com aims to be the leading travel solution and inspiration to expats living in China.
We hope to engage the expat community by cultivating their interest in exploring
China¡¯s rich culture and heritage through their travels.¡± Beth He, Director of Ctrip
International Website Division.
Terms and Conditions:
1. The package includes
a. An experienced English-speaking tour guide
b. Two-nights (5 star) accommodation with breakfast
c. Admission fees with round-trip cable car tickets
d. Four meals as listed on the itinerary
e. Transportation between sites with 33-seat vehicle
2. This activity is open to all ages and nationalities
2. 3. English language proficiency is highly recommended for all participants
For information or to learn more about Ctrip¡¯s International Website, contact:
Jayne Goh
Marketing Manager
O: (86 21) 3406 4880x15003
M: (86) 13124866181
Email: jayne_goh@ctrip.com
Day 1 Huangshan City arrival
Airport pickup
You will be met at HuangshanTunxi International Airport by your guide (holding a
Ctrip sign) on arrival of your flight to Huangshan.
Huangshan Railway Station / Tunxi Bus Stop pickup is also available.
Hotel drop-off
Check in at the Huangshan International Hotel in Huangshan City.
The rest of the day is yours to spend relaxing or exploring the area (your guide can
provide suggestions for restaurants and shops).
Day 2 Huang Shan (includes breakfast, lunch & dinner)
7:00 a.m. Breakfast
7:30 a.m. Hotel pickup
After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel and taken to the Yungu Cable
Car stop at the foot ofHuang Shan (The Yellow Mountains), from where you will
ascend one of the peaks of this magnificent mountain range.
Huang Shan
The craggy rock faces, hanging mists and clustered pines of Huang Shan create a
lovely and distinctly Chinese landscape, one instantly recognizable from countless
images on silk, paper and porcelain. The mountain range, consisting of some 70
peaks over 1,000 m (3,300 ft), spills across the southern province of Anhui in an
exquisite jumble of scenic highlights¡ªtwisted lone pines clinging to stony spires, seas
of clouds filling rugged valleys and crystalline, spring-fed pools.
3. Your tour will begin from the Beihai Scenic Area. You may choose between Option
A and Option B, with Option B being the less strenuous choice.
Please indicate your preferred tour option (Option A or Option B) in the "Special
requests" section when booking online.
Option A
Make your way to the Xihai Scenic Area and head to Bright Summit Peak. At an
elevation of 1,840 m (6,037 ft), this is the second tallest peak in this mountain range
and offers fabulous views of other major summits and of swirling cloud seas when
the weather is right. You'll also take in sights including the Flying Stone, a huge
boulder perched on an outcrop of rock.
12:30 p.m. Lunch
Enjoy lunch (Chinese food) at the West Sea Hotel.
After lunch, make your way to the Cloud-dispersing Pavilion for wonderful views of
peaks, ridges, pines and bamboo. On the way, you'll take in more beautiful scenery
and view a mass of yellow rapeseed which blooms here at the end of March.
3:00 p.m. Huang Shan descent
You'll then descend the mountain via the Taiping Cable Car and head back to your
hotel.
Option B
First, make your way to the Beginning-to-Believe Peak which offers wonderful photo
opportunities. Gaze into the deep chasm below and view the unusually-shaped pines
and rocks which characterize this area.
11:30 p.m. Lunch
Enjoy lunch (Chinese food) at the North Sea Hotel.
After lunch, take in other sights including the Lion Peak, so named as it resembles a
crouching lion, and make your way to the Cloud-dispersing Pavilion for wonderful
views of peaks, ridges, pines and bamboo.
3:30 p.m. Huang Shan descent
You'll then descend the mountain via the Taiping Cable Car and head back to your
hotel.
6:00 p.m. Dinner
In the evening, you'll join a welcome ceremony along with other guests and enjoy a
delicious welcome banquet.
4. Overnight at the Huangshan International Hotel.
Day 3 Nanping Village (includes breakfast & lunch)
7:30 a.m. Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast in the hotel.
8:00 a.m. Hotel pickup
9:30 a.m. Nanping Village
Head to Nanping Village, an ancient town which is over 1,000 years old. Here you'll
see well-preserved ancestral houses and buildings which date back to the Ming and
Qing dynasties. The houses are simple in structure but elegant in style. The
famous Mt. Linli, the site of the main battlefields during theThree Kingdoms Period,
lies at the southern end of the village. A favorite site for cinematographers, the
village also served as the setting for the famous Chinese movie Ju Dou directed by
Zhang Yimou.
11:30 p.m. Lunch
Enjoy a lunch of Chinese food.
2:00 p.m. Hu Kaiwen Chinese Ink Stick Factory
After lunch, stop at the Hu Kaiwen Chinese Ink Stick Factory where you'll learn
how Anhui's famous calligraphy and painting ink sticks are made.
3:00 p.m. Tunxi Old Street
Next, visit Tunxi Old Street in Huangshan City, a strip of traditional Huizhou-style
shops and residences which date back to the Song Dynasty.
8:00 p.m. Airport drop-off
Your guide will accompany you to HuangshanTunxi International Airport for
your departure flight (dinner and flight not included).
Huangshan Railway Station / Tunxi Bus Stop drop-off is also available at 4:30 p.m.
About Huangshan (Yellow Mountains)
The craggy rock faces, hanging mists and clustered pines of Huang Shan (Hu¨¢ngSh¨¡n, »Æ
ɽ), the "Yellow Mountains," create a lovely and distinctly Chinese landscape, one
instantly recognizable from countless images on silk, paper and porcelain. The mountain
5. range, consisting of some 70 peaks over 1,000 m (3,300 ft), spills across the southern
province of Anhui in an exquisite jumble of scenic highlights¡ªtwisted lone pines clinging
to stony spires, seas of clouds filling rugged valleys and crystalline, mountain spring-fed
pools.
Depending on your stamina and tolerance for crowds, there are several ways to
tackle Huang Shan. Three cable car lines connect peaks also linked by well maintained
trails. It can take a lot of walking to escape the throngs of tourists, but it can be done.
Regardless, Huang Shan's natural scenery, punctuated by classical temples and pavilions,
is virtually guaranteed to be a major high point of any tour of China.
Although strenuous, hiking is not a backwoods experience by any stretch: Foot paths
along are generally paved with stone steps, all hand-laid over the centuries. In the more
trafficked areas, the trails are often lined with vendors selling water, ice cream and
souvenirs; you'll also find plenty of shaded areas to stop and rest. Take the hike slowly
(the humidity combined with altitude can sneak up on the hardiest hiker) and
remember to drink lots of water.
Hikers have two basic choices of paths: Eastern and Western Steps. The former is the
easier of the two; the latter the more scenic and rugged. The area in the north of the
mountain range is connected to the two paths by a Peak Circuit trail (often the area is
referred to as the "Summit," although it is comprised of a number of peaks) which
affords glorious views of the "cloud seas" and even offers a measure of privacy as one
gets further from the cable car terminals.
Regardless of which path you find yourself on, you'll come across scores of whimsically
named rocks, trees and scenic outlooks. They're usually named after some creature or
figure they resemble ("Magpie in a Plum Tree", "Embroidering Goddess," "Immortal
Drying His Boot," "Monkey Transfixed by the Sea" and the like). One notable example
is Welcoming Pine (Y¨ªngk¨¨S¨ng, Ó¿ÍËÉ), a lone tree near the Jade Screen
Pavilion (Y¨´p¨ªngL¨®u, ÓñÆÁÂ¥) reputed to be some 800 years old. The pine stands by
the Western Steps with branches outspread like arms, greeting all comers. Perhaps the
most famous tree in China, its likeness has graced everything from cigarette packages to
the five yuan note.
You'll also notice a lot of stone inscriptions. These carved characters, often dating back
many centuries, hold special meaning for the Chinese, often having to do with famous
literary figures, poems and legends. One inscription, for example, is found on the
"intoxicated rock." The two characters refer to a story about Li Bai (701-762), the
6. great Tang poet. Apparently, Li Bai was so enraptured by the Huang Shan
scenery (not to mention full of his beloved wine) that he seranaded the lucky stone and,
naturally enough, it joined in and got drunk as well.
Although we do not recommend you either drink to excess on the trail or carve your
inspiration into the mountainside, no matter how overcome by Huang Shan's beauty
you may be (you're not Li Bai and grafitti is punishable by law), we do recommend you
join the masses in viewing the sunrise from one of the peaks¡ªthe area
overlooking Beihai (B¨§ih¨£i, ±±º£) is especially lovely. It's well worth braving the morning
chill.
History of Huangshan
Known as Yi Shan in ancient texts, the mountain range took on its present name during
the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), most likely in honor of Huang Di, the "Yellow Emperor,"
purported father of the Han Chinese people. The first reference to Huang Shan comes,
unsurprisingly, in a poem (by China's beloved poet, Li Bai). The mountains have long
provided inspiration to China's poets and painters, as well as legions of pilgrims who
come to visit a site sacred to both Daoists and Buddhists.
Over time, Huang Shan's trails have come to be furnished with stone stairways, temples
have been built and the area has been made increasingly accessible. Since the late
1980s, tourism¡ªboth domestic and international¡ªhas increased greatly. In 1999,
Huang Shan was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Climate in Huangshan
The area around Huang Shan enjoys a mild climate with four distinct seasons: cool falls,
snowy winters, pleasant springs and humid summers. It rains a lot, mostly from May to
September. As you ascend, the temperature may drop significantly. Winter brings very
cold winds to the region and average temperatures around -3?C (26?F). The best time
to visit Huang Shan is spring or fall when the weather is moderate and the humidity and
heat drop off.
About Ctrip
Ctrip(Ctrip.com International Ltd.) is China's leading online travel agency, established in 1999 and
NASDAQ listed since 2003. Ctrip serves over 60 million members from China and around the globe,
7. offering over 250,000 bookable hotels worldwide, 9,000 international and 1,600 domestic flight routes
and a wide range of vacation packages, tour options and China high-speed train tickets to business and
leisure travelers in China and abroad.
Ctrip¡¯s English language site (english.ctrip.com) was launched in 2005 to cater to the growing demand of
non-Chinese-speaking travelers, and quickly became the most visited English-language travel website in
China. Today Ctrip English is part of the Ctrip International Website, which also includes flight, hotel,
vacation packageand train ticket booking services in Japanese, Korean, French, German, Russian and
Spanish.