Hiking in the Qingbixi Tea Garden in the evening | Having dinner at Guide Honghong's home after descending the mountain

Honghong was the earliest guide for the Cang Mountain hiking family, and in her spare time from leading hikes, she also made various forms of cold dishes in Dali. Here is herCold dish service introduction, and how she startedThe strange coincidence of making cold dishes.

“This is a relaxing and deeply local life-connected hiking activity. The evening’s light trek on Cang Mountain is more like a leisurely walk. Passing by streams and overlooking the azure expanse of Erhai Lake below. It's an easy route where you can take in the entire view of Erhai from the hillside. Along the way, we pass hidden tea gardens and courtyards nestled in the mountains, which seem like another secluded world. Tea leaves are also an important part of the locals' work and daily life. Descending through forest trails is pleasant and beautiful. After coming down the mountain, we'll go to my place, cook together, eat, and chat.”

For inquiries, please add me directly on WeChat: zhanghuili002 Honghong

Cang Mountain Light Hiking | Hillsides, Streams, Woods • Hidden Tea Gardens and Courtyards in the Mountains

A relaxing hike to experience the natural beauty of Cang Mountain and its expansive views. This is one of our classic light hiking routes on Cang Mountain. Almost anyone can complete it easily—it feels more like a stroll in the mountains.

Route difficulty: Easy; suitable for children over four years old.
Distance: 3 km in total, 2 hours of hiking, with minimal elevation gain of around 100 meters.

Route features: Effortless and not tiring, yet it encompasses Cang Mountain's natural forests, streams along the way, and sweeping views overlooking Erhai Lake and the entire Dali Plain. Additionally, we pass through scenic tea gardens, which are stunning.

Over the years, I often take my dog for walks in the mountains. It loves the grass and trees of nature, and every time we enter the mountains, it’s full of joy. This is a path we take in the evenings, especially beautiful during sunset.

1 Time: Depart at 4 PM. The hillside is most beautiful at this time, and in the evening, you can enjoy the most stunning scenery and sunsets. We’ll descend just in time for dinner.

2 Elevation gain: Approximately 100 meters, but the views are wide open, overlooking Erhai Lake and the entire Dali Plain.

3 This route offers highly representative natural scenery of Cang Mountain, including ancient tea gardens. Perhaps there's no need to visit the conventional tourist spots of Cang Mountain.

4 Tickets: No entrance fee. There are no additional costs for the entire journey.
5 Included: Afternoon tea and dinner.

Generally, we start from the foot of the mountain, walking along a gently sloping path beside a stream, where you can hear the sound of flowing water. Of course, my dogs come along too. In an instant, we transition from the hustle and bustle into nature.

Qingbi Stream:
The babbling Qingbi Stream flows down from the high altitude of 3,800 meters, remaining cool and crystal clear all year round. Walking up the mountain path for about ten minutes, looking back reveals the distant Erhai Lake. Ahead lies the layered peaks and ridges of Cang Mountain, wild grasses, and trees. Such expansive views are now rare on Cang Mountain. We’ll stop by the stream, sit under the trees, and listen to the trickling water amidst fallen leaves—it feels like a secret little world. Lucky will go to the stream to drink water, sometimes even dashing straight into the stream. The stream is shaded by trees on both sides, and only when standing by the stream can you see it winding upward through tree hollows.

Mountain Tea Garden
After a few turns, we arrive at a tea garden on the hillside. This tranquil tea garden belongs to the village below and has a quiet traditional courtyard used for tea processing. Except during the tea-picking season, no one is here—it’s peaceful and beautiful, with a spring water pipe running through it, flowing all year round. In the courtyard, there are persimmon trees and hawthorn trees, and outside stands a towering eucalyptus tree. In the spring, outside the house, there are vast patches of raspberries. Crossing the pristine tea garden, this spot on the hillside offers the best views along the route. Scattered among the tea plants are some chestnut trees, and pink cherry blossoms bloom even in winter. From here, you can gaze out over a large stretch of the Dali Plain and Erhai Lake. Sitting under the trees and taking in the expansive scenery is very relaxing.

Whenever I pass by here, I can't help but feel the beauty created by both nature and humanity.

Walk through the tea plantation, then descend the mountain from the other side. It feels like returning to the human world after a brief journey.

Then go to my nearby home for a meal, cook some homely dishes, and chat about everyday life, the past, present, and future. Time passes quickly.

Other considerations:
Bring a jacket, a small bottle of water, and wear lightweight sneakers. There will be afternoon tea, fruits, and refreshments on the hillside.