Lushan is beautiful, and I sincerely recommend visiting in October to November, because-

Lushan is beautiful, but it is not recommended to go in October to November, because... 🍁 "Kuanglu is the most beautiful under heaven," and in autumn, Lushan blends its beauty into golden yellows and crimson reds~ The sea of clouds wraps around the red leaves, the autumn breeze carries the scent of osmanthus, and walking on the stone steps feels like reading a flowing landscape poem 📜 This comprehensive guide covers everything from transportation to accommodation, from must-see spots to hidden local delicacies, helping you capture all the autumn beauty of Lushan! 🚌 Transportation Guide | How to get there with ease? 1. High-speed rail travelers: Taking the train to "Lushan Station" is the fastest nationwide. Turn right after exiting the station to find the "Lushan Cableway" boarding station. It runs every 20 minutes from 7:30 to 19:00, one-way ticket costs 60 RMB, and it takes 20 minutes directly to Guling Town, saving 1.5 hours compared to the mountain bus and avoiding motion sickness. 2. Air travelers: Fly to Nanchang Changbei Airport. The airport shuttle bus "Nanchang—Lushan" runs 4 times daily (9:30/11:30/14:30/17:30), taking 2.5 hours to the cableway lower station, then transfer to the cableway up the mountain, with seamless connections. 3. Self-driving travelers: Navigate to "Lushan South Gate Transfer Center." After the National Day holiday, parking spaces are ample, with a 24-hour parking fee of 30 RMB; after purchasing the "Sightseeing Bus + Ticket" combo, park at the foot of the mountain and take the scenic shuttle bus up. Driving yourself on the winding mountain roads can be tiring. 🗺️ Classic 3-day 2-night itinerary | No backtracking! Day 1: Guling Town → Ruqin Lake → Huajing → Jinxiu Valley → Xianren Cave → Datianchi → Longshou Cliff → Suspension Bridge → Guling Town (sightseeing bus + walking, sunset at Longshou Cliff) Day 2: Sunrise at Hanpoukǒu → Botanical Garden → Wulao Peak → Sandie Spring → Descend from East Gate (overnight in Haihui Town or return to Jiujiang) Day 3: Donglin Temple + Pure Land Garden (48-meter golden Buddha statue) → Return trip. If your afternoon transport is late, add a quick 40-minute visit to Bailudong Academy. 🌟 Must-see autumn scenes | Miss it and wait a year! 1. Ruqin Lake morning mist: Starting mid-October, with large day-night temperature differences, the lake is wrapped in white mist around red maples. Before 7:00 AM, the lake is windless, and every photo looks like an ink painting. 2. Jinxiu Valley Red Leaf Valley: Late October to early November, the valley features three layers of colors from maple, sweetgum, and smoke tree. Viewing from the plank road overlooking the valley floor, the colors explode. 3. Sunrise at Hanpoukǒu + Poyang Lake sea of clouds: Stay in Guling Town the day before, leave at 5:20 AM and take a 15 RMB taxi to Hanpoukǒu. Sunrise is around 6:20 AM, when the sun rises over Poyang Lake, the lake surface looks like a spilled palette. 4. Wulao Peak ginkgo: Two 300-year-old ginkgo trees on the fourth peak platform, full golden leaves in early November, framed with distant peaks. Drone shots are stunning. 5. Botanical Garden Sweetgum Avenue: 11 straight sweetgum trees, fallen leaves form a red carpet. The official "Red Leaf Festival" runs from October 28 to November 15. Visiting on weekdays means fewer crowds and a private experience. 6. Sandie Spring autumn waterfall: With less rain, the waterfall looks like a white ribbon hanging into colorful forests, clearer than in summer. Buy the "round-trip cable car + scooter" combo in advance to save 2 hours of energy. 🍲 Local delicacies | Missing these means missing out! 1. Lushan Stone Chicken: Actually a thorn-breasted frog living in mountain streams. After clear stewing, the meat is more tender. At Guling Town's "Xiaotianchi Stone Chicken Restaurant," half a portion is the minimum order, and adding stone ear mushroom soup is incredibly delicious. 2. Cloud Mist Tea Fragrant Duck: Smoked with tea leaves, the duck meat carries a light oolong aroma, rich but not greasy. The "Yunzhong Hotel Restaurant" is the most reliable, book one hour in advance. 3. Poyang Lake Fat Fish Head: Fish head stewed with chopped chili and tofu puffs, spicy at Jiangxi level, mild spice recommended. "Haihui Town Fish House" on the way down is 30% cheaper than on the mountain. 4. Three-cup Stone Ear: Stone ear is a unique moss-like plant in Lushan, cooked in the style of three-cup chicken. After soaking up the sauce, it tastes like black truffle, a must-order for vegetarians. 5. Chestnut Braised Chicken: New chestnuts arrive in October, sweet and glutinous, braised with native chicken. The sauce is so good it can be eaten with three bowls of rice. At Guling Main Street's "Old Kitchen," free extra vegetables are served. 🏘️ Accommodation recommendations | Choose by attraction, save time and effort! 1. For sunrise at Hanpoukǒu: Staying in "Guling Town" is most convenient, with direct buses in town. If budget allows, choose the century-old villa "Lushan Hotel," with balconies facing the mountains, off-season prices around 400+ RMB; backpackers can choose "Yunding Youth Hostel," a 5-minute walk to the sightseeing bus station, beds at 60 RMB. 2. For sunset at Longshou Cliff: Choose "Yunshe Inn," a 10-minute walk to Longshou Cliff. The inn has a viewing platform and offers hot ginger tea. Autumn room rates are 200+ RMB. 3. For descending and visiting Donglin Temple: Stay overnight in "Haihui Town" guesthouses, standard rooms at 120 RMB including pick-up and drop-off. The next day, it’s a 10-minute walk to Donglin Temple Pure Land Garden. After seeing the big Buddha, take a taxi directly to Lushan Station, about 15 minutes total. ⚠️ Lushan autumn tips | Avoid pitfalls! 1. Temperature difference: In October to November, daytime is 15-20°C, nighttime 5-8°C. For sunrise, wear a down jacket and thermal pants; autumn clothes suffice at noon. A jacket with a detachable liner is most practical. 2. Reservation: Tickets cost 160 RMB / sightseeing bus 90 RMB, buy online 7 days in advance. Use your ID to enter the mountain. On weekends during the red leaf season, visitor limits apply. Without a reservation, you might waste a trip. 3. Sandie Spring return mountain card: Returning from Sandie Spring to Guling requires a 2 RMB "return mountain card." Many don’t know and get charged a 20 RMB "service fee." Remember to buy it proactively at the spring entrance hut. 4. Monkey prevention: Wild macaques are at Wulao Peak and Sandie Spring. Do not carry transparent plastic bags; monkeys will snatch them. If surrounded, throw food far away immediately and avoid eye contact. 5. Sun protection: High altitude means strong UV rays. Autumn clouds are thin, so reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, or you’ll get a "Lushan red" plateau sunburn face in one day. Autumn in Lushan, every step is a view, every bite is autumn flavor~ This guide helps you plan your trip clearly, no need to think twice, just go! Would you like me to make a printable 3-day 2-night itinerary for you? That way, you can just follow it when you arrive~