Tiantai Mountain rises in the Qionglai range about a hundred kilometres south-west of Chengdu, and it belongs to the wet, heavily forested edge of the Sichuan basin where the plain meets the mountains. In Chinese terms it is a famous mountain rather than a national park: it has been visited for its scenery and its temple for centuries, and the paths up it are stone stairways and pavilions rather than engineered trails. The summit area is over a thousand metres, which is enough to make the nights noticeably cooler than the city.
What the walk is like
The mountain is walked rather than climbed by any technical route: a network of stone steps and boardwalks follows streams up through bamboo and broadleaf forest, past small waterfalls, pools and carved rocks. The main lower loop takes a few hours at an easy pace, and the full ascent to the upper temple and the summit ridge is a long day. Because the basin receives heavy rainfall, the streams are reliable and the moss and ferns are dense; the path is wet and the stones slippery after rain.
The fireflies
Tiantai Mountain is known in China for its fireflies. In late spring and early summer, on still, humid nights, fireflies appear in numbers along the lower valleys and around the streams, and the mountain runs a firefly viewing season with restrictions on light and noise in the relevant areas - no torches during the viewing period, and no catching. The display is weather-dependent and lasts a few weeks; the precise dates move with the season and are announced locally.
Practical notes
The mountain is reachable by road from Chengdu in around two hours, and there is accommodation in the gateway town and inside the park, which is the better option if you want the fireflies, since the viewing happens after dark. The park charges admission. Bring proper shoes for wet stone, rain gear, insect repellent and a warm layer for the evening. Weekdays outside the firefly season are quiet; the viewing weeks themselves are busy and should be booked ahead.
