Mount Emei (Golden Summit)

Mount Emei (Emeishan) is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China and a UNESCO World Heritage site (alongside the Leshan Giant Buddha). Rising steadily from the Sichuan basin to 3,099 meters at the Golden Summit (Jinding), hiking Emei is an endurance trek with deep cultural roots. The full hike from the base usually takes 2 to 3 days, involving a relentless ascent up tens of thousands of carved stone steps. The trail weaves through dense forests, passing numerous active Buddhist temples where hikers can rest, eat vegetarian meals, and sleep. The mountain is famously inhabited by Tibetan macaques. The major reward is reaching the Golden Summit, home to a towering, multi-faced golden statue of Samantabhadra, often standing above the 'Sea of Clouds'.

Technically Stage 8 of the Swiss Via Alpina, this traverse crosses the border between the Cantons of Glarus and Uri. Starting at Urnerboden—Switzerland's largest alpine pasture—the trail climbs toward the Klausenpass before a massive, spectacular descent into the Schächental valley. The path stays high on the sunny northern slope (the 'Schächentaler Höhenweg'), offering constant views of the jagged Glarus Alps and the limestone spires of the Schärhorn. It is a hike of immense scale and pastoral charm, passing through active cheese-making settlements.