5-Day All-Inclusive Tour of Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient

Description

Day 1: Arrival in Zhangjiajie, Stroll through Xibu Ancient Street

• Dining Arrangements: Meals on your own for the whole day (food recommendations provided).

• Accommodation Arrangements: Designated hotel in Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Our Arrangement:

• 🕘Morning/Afternoon Arrival and Pickup: Our guide will be waiting for you at the exit of the Arrival Hall at Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG), holding a pickup sign. Subsequently, we will transfer you to your hotel in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area for check-in, a journey of approximately 35 km, taking about 1 hour. There is no fixed itinerary today; the time is yours to spend as you wish.

Recommended Free Activities (Xibu Ancient Street Exploration):

• Location: Xibu Ancient Street, located on Jundi Road, Wulingyuan District, adjacent to Baofeng Lake and about 2 km from the Wulingyuan Scenic Area Entrance Gate (Biaozhimen).

• Suggested Duration: Evening to night, approx. 2-3 hours. The atmosphere is better when the night lights are lit.

• Experience Highlights:

  • Architecture and Atmosphere: The ancient street is a complex of traditional-style buildings that cleverly blend Tujia stilted houses (Diaojiaolou) with Miao village styles. Featuring flagstone paths and small bridges over flowing water, the main street is about 500 meters long and lined with specialty shops.

  • Cultural Experience: You can choose to watch live weaving of Tujia Brocade (Xilankapu) (not a fixed performance, usually shop demonstrations) or encounter folk artists playing Tujia Dailiuzi (percussion ensemble). In the central plaza of the ancient street, there is often a spontaneous Tujia Baishou Dance gathering every night from 7:30-8:30, which is easy to learn and open to tourists.

  • Shopping and Handicrafts: Shops on both sides sell Xiangxi specialties like silver jewelry, cinnabar crafts, Tujia Berry Tea, and chili sauce. We recommend the “Guaiyaomei Tujia Brocade” shop to learn about this National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

• Food Recommendations (Dinner on your own):

  1. Suoxi Shanzhai (Inside Xibu Ancient Street): Features Tujia Sanxiaguo (the top local dish, a stew of cured meat, tofu, radish, etc., available as dry pot or soup pot), average cost is about 80 yuan per person.

  2. Impression Niyan (Weiyang Road, near the ancient street): Specialty is Giant Salamander (Wawayu) Soup Pot (legally farmed), with tender meat and rich broth, average cost is about 120-150 yuan per person.

  3. Street Snacks: Field Chicken Cake (fried rice cake filled with shredded potatoes, etc., approx. 5-8 yuan/piece), Tujia Fried Rice (with diced cured meat and sour beans, approx. 15-25 yuan/portion), found everywhere at snack stalls in the ancient street.

Day 2: Peak Forest Secret Realm Journey (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park + Tianzi Mountain)

• Dining Arrangements: Hotel breakfast included, specialty lunch inside the scenic area included (group table meal, standard 30 yuan/person). Dinner on your own.

• Accommodation Arrangements: Designated hotel in Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Our Arrangement:

• 🕘Morning (Approx. 8:00-12:30) Yuanjiajie Fantastical Journey:

  • 8:00 Depart after hotel breakfast, accompanied by the guide to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (entry ticket included), entering from the Wulingyuan Entrance Gate (Wujiayu Gate Station).

  • Transportation: Transfer to the scenic shuttle bus (included) to the lower station of Bailong Elevator. Built in 2002, the Bailong Elevator has a vertical drop of 335 meters and an operational height of 326 meters, listed in the Guinness World Records as the tallest outdoor elevator. The elevator fee (65 yuan one way) is a mandatory project already included in your pre-paid costs.

  • After reaching the summit, take a walking tour of the Yuanjiajie core area. This is the essence of Zhangjiajie’s quartz sandstone peak forest landform, formed during the Devonian period 3.8 billion years ago.

  • Core Landscapes:

    1. Hallelujah Mountain (Southern Sky Pillar): The prototype for the “Floating Mountains” in the movie Avatar, approx. 150 meters high, standing independently with extraordinary momentum.

    2. First Bridge Under Heaven: A naturally formed stone bridge spanning two mountains with a vertical drop of 357 meters, a landmark of Yuanjiajie.

    3. Mihun Terrace (Ecstasy Terrace): One of the best viewing platforms, overlooking the dense stone peaks standing in the canyon like a fairyland.

• Noon (Approx. 12:30-13:30) Enjoy group lunch at a restaurant near Tianzi Mountain Town inside the scenic area.

• 🕘Afternoon (Approx. 13:30-17:00) Tianzi Mountain “Monarch of Peak Forests” Pilgrimage:

  • After lunch, take the shuttle bus to Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve.

  • Sightseeing Route:

    1. Dianjiangtai (Appointing General Terrace): Overlooking the “West Sea Peak Forest,” where dozens of stone peaks are lined up like soldiers, a spectacular scene.

    2. Imperial Brush Peaks: Several thin, sharp stone peaks stand side-by-side, shaped like inverted writing brushes, symbolizing Tianzi Mountain.

    3. Helong Park: Pay respects to the Bronze Statue of Marshal He Long, which is 6.5 meters high and weighs about 9 tons. In the park, you can visit Tianzi Pavilion (a modern-built viewing tower for a bird’s eye view).

  • Descent Method: We arrange to take the shuttle bus to the upper station of Tianzi Mountain Cableway. The Tianzi Mountain Cableway (downward, ticket price 72 yuan) is a self-funded item to be paid on-site. If you choose to hike down (approx. 2-3 hours), please consult with your guide based on your physical condition.

• 🕘Evening: Dinner on your own, return to the hotel to rest. You can refer to Day 1’s food recommendations or ask the guide to recommend local restaurants near the hotel.

Day 3: Thrilling Canyon and Scenic Lake (Grand Canyon Glass Bridge + Baofeng Lake)

• Dining Arrangements: Hotel breakfast included, group lunch near the scenic area included. Dinner on your own.

• Accommodation Arrangements: Designated hotel in Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Our Arrangement:

• 🕘Morning (Approx. 8:00-12:00) Challenge the Yuntiandu Glass Bridge:

  • 8:00 Depart after hotel breakfast, a 1.5-hour drive to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (entry and glass bridge tickets included).

  • Core Experience: Yuntiandu Glass Bridge, built in 2016, has a total length of 375 meters and a width of 6 meters, with the bridge deck standing approx. 300 meters above the valley floor. The deck consists of 99 panels of transparent tempered glass; walking on it requires wearing shoe covers provided by the park. A bungee platform is located in the center of the bridge (bungee jumping is a self-funded experience, price approx. 1998 yuan/person, subject to the park’s daily announcement).

  • Playing Suggestions: Stay on the bridge for photos and sightseeing for about 1-1.5 hours. Those who are fearful can walk along the opaque steel structures on either side. Afterward, you may choose to hike down to explore parts of the canyon (Treasure Hunt Elevator at the bottom, slides, etc. are self-funded items), or gather at the appointed time to move to the next attraction.

• Noon (Approx. 12:30-13:30) Enjoy group lunch near the Grand Canyon area.

• 🕘Afternoon (Approx. 14:00-16:30) Leisurely Tour of Baofeng Lake:

  • After lunch, drive to the “Jasper Pool on Earth,” Baofeng Lake (entry and boat tickets included).

  • Attraction Introduction: Baofeng Lake is an artificial alpine lake built in the 1970s for power generation and irrigation. The lake is 72 meters deep, and because it is surrounded by mountains, the water quality is as clear as emerald.

  • Sightseeing Method: We arrange a shuttle bus to the lakeside pier, then transfer to an artificial wooden boat or electric cruise boat (included) to drift on the lake for about 1 hour. On the boat, a Tujia sister will explain the sights and sing folk songs.

  • Landscape Highlights: Baofeng Waterfall (lakeside waterfall), Eagle’s Nest Village, Fairy Gazing in the Mirror, and other strange peaks reflected in the lake, offering a tranquil scene.

• 🕘Evening (Approx. 17:30) Journey concludes for the day, return to Zhangjiajie City (approx. 1 hour drive). We arrange a drop-off at a designated downtown location to disband; dinner and subsequent accommodation are on your own (pre-consultation available if booking assistance is needed).

  • Downtown Food Recommendation: You can head to “Nanmenkou Food Street” or “Dayong Fucheng Food Street” to try authentic snacks like Straw Hat Noodles, Sour Vinegar Fish, and Blood Tofu. Recommended restaurant: “Fuzhengyi Sanxiaguo” (a chain with multiple locations), average cost about 70 yuan.

Day 4: Celestial Mountain and Ancient Town Night (Tianmen Mountain → Fenghuang Ancient Town)

• Dining Arrangements: Hotel breakfast included, group lunch near Tianmen Mountain included. Dinner on your own in Fenghuang Ancient Town.

• Accommodation Arrangements: Designated characteristic hotel/inn inside or around Fenghuang Ancient Town.

Our Arrangement:

• 🕘Morning (Approx. 7:30-13:30) Tianmen Mountain Peak Stroll:

  • 7:30 Check out after hotel breakfast, drive to Tianmen Mountain Cableway Lower Station (located in Zhangjiajie downtown).

  • 8:00-8:30 Board the Tianmen Mountain Cableway (entry and cableway tickets included). Built in 2005, it has a total length of 7455 meters and a height difference of 1279 meters, making it the longest high-mountain passenger cableway in the world, taking about 28 minutes one way. Along the way, you can overlook the “World’s Top Highway Wonder” – the Tianmen Mountain Winding Road (99 turns).

  • Summit Tour (Approx. 4 hours): The summit features a loop tour line, divided into East and West lines.

    1. Glass Skywalk (self-funded project, shoe cover fee approx. 5-10 yuan): Located on the West line, 60 meters long, built on the outer edge of a cliff, opened in 2011. Please do not run on the walkway or lean heavily against the guardrail.

    2. Guigu Skywalk: A total length of approx. 1600 meters, standing entirely in the middle of a thousand-foot cliff, with relics along the way like Guigu Cave (legendary cultivation site of the hermit Guiguzi).

    3. Tianmen Mountain Temple: Originally built in the Tang Dynasty and later reconstructed. The temple enshrines relics of Sakyamuni Buddha (according to records) and is the center of Buddhism in Xiangxi.

    4. Yunmeng Fairy Peak: At an altitude of 1518.6 meters, it is the highest point of Tianmen Mountain, offering a 360° view of Zhangjiajie city and the surrounding mountains.

  • Descent Experience: Take the Mountain Peak Trans-Mountain Escalator (included, 7 sections in total, total length approx. 897 meters) downward to Tianmen Cave. Tianmen Cave is the world’s highest natural mountain-piercing cave, 131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide, and 60 meters deep, formed by karst processes in geological history.

  • Final Choice: After arriving at the Tianmen Cave Plaza, you may choose to walk down the 999-step “Stairway to Heaven” to the cable car station, or self-fund the Heaven-Reaching Escalator (approx. 32 yuan one way) downward. Then take the Express Cableway back to the mountain gate.

• 🕘Afternoon (Approx. 14:00-18:30) Head to Fenghuang Ancient Town:

  • After lunch, we arrange for a car transfer (approx. 3.5 hours) or a high-speed train based on the schedule (from Zhangjiajie West Station to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station, approx. 1 hour, with another 20 minutes for transfer to the ancient town) to Fenghuang.

  • Transportation Note: Specific transportation methods are subject to the departure notice. If by high-speed rail, the guide will assist with procedures and drop-off; arrival at Fenghuang will be met by local staff.

• 🕘Evening (Free Activity) Initial Exploration of Fenghuang Night View:

  • Recommended Free Activities:

    • Tuojiang River Boating (Self-funded project, approx. 85 yuan/person, better at night): Drift down the river and admire the light reflections of the stilted houses on both banks.

    • Night Tour Route: Stroll along the Tuojiang from North Gate Pier, passing through Tiaoyan (Jumping Stones) and Xueqiao (Snow Bridge) to Hongqiao (Rainbow Bridge); the brightly lit route is a golden path for photography.

    • Bar Culture: There are many quiet bars along the Tuojiang banks, mainly gathered in the Huilong閣 area, where you can listen to folk music and enjoy the river view.

• Food Recommendations (Dinner on your own):

  1. Junzi Restaurant (Hongqiao Middle Road, near Hongqiao): Signature dishes are Xuebayu (Blood Cake Duck) (duck meat stir-fried with glutinous rice blood cake) and Smoked Meat with Ferns, average cost about 60 yuan.

  2. Zhongxin Old Restaurant (Laocai Street, near the former residence of Shen Congwen): Specialty Miao Style Sour Fish Soup and Guanguan Mushroom with Pork, average cost about 70 yuan.

  3. Snacks: Ginger Candy (hand-pulled on site, many time-honored brands like “Zhang’s” and “Liu’s”), Shrimp Cakes (freshly fried by the Tuojiang, approx. 5 yuan/piece), Miao Style Shefan (seasonal delicacy, common in spring).

Day 5: Ancient Town Heritage and Waterfall Wonders (Fenghuang Ancient Town → Furong Town → Return Journey)

• Dining Arrangements: Hotel breakfast included. Lunch and dinner on your own (recommendations provided).

• Accommodation Arrangements: No accommodation for today; drop-off after the tour ends.

Our Arrangement:

• 🕘Morning (Approx. 8:30-11:00) Fenghuang Ancient Town Cultural Exploration:

  • 8:30 After breakfast, follow the guide for a deep tour of the ancient town (the 9-Scenic-Spot combo ticket depends on product inclusion; below are conventional sightseeing spots):

    • Former Residence of Shen Congwen (located on Zhongying Street): Built in the fifth year of Qing Emperor Tongzhi (1866), it is a typical Southern Courtyard House, displaying the author’s manuscripts, letters, and life materials.

    • East Gate Tower (Shengheng Gate): Built in the fifty-fourth year of Qing Emperor Kangxi (1715), it is one of the well-preserved city towers, which you can climb for a view.

    • Hongqiao Wind and Rain Bridge: Built in the seventh year of Ming Emperor Hongwu (1374), it is a three-arch stone bridge with a wooden pavilion structure on top, now housing shops and tea houses. This is a classic spot for photographing the panorama of the Tuojiang and stilted houses.

  • Free Activity Suggestion: You can look for silver shops along Hongqiao East Road to watch Miao silversmiths forge jewelry, or visit Batik Workshops to learn about traditional dyeing crafts.

• Noon (Approx. 11:30-13:00) Proceed to Furong Town:

  • After gathering, drive to Furong Town, known as the “Millennium Ancient Town Hanging on a Waterfall” (ticket included), approx. 1.5 hours drive.

• 🕘Afternoon (Approx. 13:30-16:00) Furong Town Tusi Culture Tour:

  • Have lunch after arrival (on your own), then proceed with sightseeing.

  • Core Attractions:

    1. Xizhou Bronze Pillar Park: The core is the Xizhou Bronze Pillar (replica), originally cast in 940 AD (Later Jin Dynasty), recording the treaty between the King of Chu and the Tusi leader Peng Shichou; it is a vital relic for studying Tujia history.

    2. Tuwang Bridge: A typical Tujia covered bridge (Langqiao) with mortise and tenon joints and exquisite carvings, perfect for resting and viewing.

    3. Tuwang Palace and Youyang Palace: Legendarily the Tusi’s summer resort, the architecture is built into the mountain overlooking the You River.

    4. Waterfall Viewing Platform: The best spot to view the Furong Town Grand Waterfall (approx. 60 meters high and 40 meters wide). Visiting at dusk is recommended; when the lights come on, the interaction between the waterfall and stilted house lights creates the most dreamlike scene.

• 🕘Evening (After approx. 16:00) Return to Zhangjiajie for Departure:

  • After sightseeing, a 2-hour drive back to Zhangjiajie downtown.

  • We arrange to drop you at Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG) or Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, concluding the entire itinerary. Please book flights departing no earlier than 19:30 or high-speed rail for a corresponding time.

• Food Recommendations (Lunch on your own):

  • “Tianxia Diyiluo” Restaurant in Furong Town: Signature dishes are Rice Tofu (as seen in Liu Xiaoqing’s movie) and Osmanthus Fish, average cost about 50 yuan.

  • After returning to Zhangjiajie downtown: If time permits, you can choose to have dinner downtown, referring to the food recommendations from Day 1 and 3.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — Practical Information

Tickets & Booking

• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Wulingyuan core scenic area) single ticket: Standard ticket year-round CNY 165 each, with optional CNY 3 insurance, valid 4 consecutive days; concession ticket year-round CNY 83 each. Per the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission “Notice on Matters Concerning Ticket Prices of the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area” (Xiang-Fa-Gai-Jia-Fei-Gui [2024] No. 977), effective from Jan 1, 2025, valid 5 years; advance booking required (Timed and site-specific reservation entry is used; visitors are encouraged to use the “Zhangjiajie One-Machine Tour” WeChat mini-program for real-name reservation tickets and fast ticket-check entry)^[src]