Essence of Hunan: Amazing Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient Town
Changsha – Zhangjiajie – Tianmen Moutain – Fenghuang Ancient Town
Recommended tour length: 7 days
Recommended entry city: Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou
Recommended departure city: Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou
Best time to visit: All year round
Day 1 Changsha
Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, is a city with history of more than 2,000 years. It is also a city of media art and a food paradise. Fabulous snacks and delicacies can be found on every streets, including stinky tofu, a must-try delicacy.
Recommended excursions and experiences:
Hunan Provincial Museum (National First-Grade Museum)
Covering an area of 49,000 square meters, Hunan Provincial Museum has a collection of more than 180,000 objects, among which the relics unearthed in Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tombs, bronze wares of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, celadon wares, calligraphy works and ancient paintings are the highlights.
Website: http://www.hnmuseum.com/en
Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tombs Exhibition
The excavation of the three Western Han Dynasty (202 BC – 8 AD) Tombs at Mawangdui, Changsha, of the Chancellor Li Cang and his wife and possible son, was one of the world’s most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. More than 3,000 relics have been unearthed here, including silk products, lacquer works, potteries, bamboo slips, and a female body that has been well-preserved for more than 2,000 years. The well-preserved mausoleum structure and rich funerary objects provide an opportunity for people to learn about social customs from 2200 years ago.
Website: http://www.hnmuseum.com/en/content/changsha-mawangdui-han-dynasty-tombs-exhibition
Yuelu Academy (national 4A-level tourist attraction)
This is known as one of the “Four Major Academies” in Chinese history. Its structure adopts a central axis symmetry, and there is a deep courtyard form with several entrances. This is the largest, most well-preserved academy architecture complex in existence.
Pozi Street (local food street)
With a history of 1200 years, this is one of the “Four Famous Food Streets” in China. Strolling around the 640-meter-long street, visitors will be able to try various local delicacies such as plum juice, stinky tofu, sugar oil cake, rice dumplings, spring rolls, radish cake, and wontons.
Travel from Changsha to Zhangjiajie：
Distance from Changsha to Zhangjiajie: Approx. 348 kilometers
Duration: Approx. 4 hours by bus and 3 hours by high-speed train
Day 2-5 Zhangjiajie
Located in northwestern Hunan Province in South China, belonging to the hinterlands of the Wuling Mountain range, three thousand stone peaks rise up from the ground, with eight hundred winding streams. Zhangjiajie is world-famous due to its amazing landscapes its role as the backdrop in the 2010 3D movie Avatar.
Recommended excursions and experiences:
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (World Natural Heritage by UNESCO, national 5A-level tourist attraction)
Established in 1982, this is the first authorized national forest park in China, and the inspiration for the floating “Hallelujah Mountains” in the movie Avatar. The main scenic spots in the park are Yuanjiajie, Huangshi Village and the Golden Whip Stream
Yuanjiajie Scenic Area
Yuanjiajie, with its fog and peaks, was a main backdrop in the movie “Avatar”. It is also known as “Yin and Yang pillar”. From “Enchanting Platform” on the peak, visitors can see hundreds of mountains all around, which create an extraordinary atmosphere.
Website：http://www.hnzjj.com/wlyen/
Bailong Elevator
Located in Yuanjiajie, Bailong Elevator is 335 meters high, with a speed of 5.25 meters per second. It was included in the IAID “Top 10 International Artificial Landscape Engineering”, and named “The World’s Tallest Outdoor Elevator”.
Huangshi Village
Located west of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, this village is located 1,080 meters above sea level. The karsts here create an incredible atmosphere. Its peak is open and flat, with cliffs and rock faces in every direction. This village is the largest viewing platform in the entire forest park. Huangshi Village has two walking trails from north to south. Alternatively, you can take a 10 minute cable car to the top of the village
Golden Whip Stream
This was one of the filming locations of China’s classic TV play “Journey to the West”.
Transport between Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park
Distance: 50 kilometers
Time: 1 hour
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park (national 5A-level tourist attraction)
Tianmen Mountain is named after Tianmen Cave, a natural karst cave under the mountain. The mountain is often misty – as you ascend the steps to the cave, tourists will feel like they are visiting a heavenly court.
Tianmen Cave
Located in the center of Tianmen Mountain, Tianmen Cave is a 131.5 meter-high natural karst cave under the mountain. It runs from north to south, like a door to heaven.
Stairway to Heaven
With 999 steps, this is the way to Tianmen Cave. Before and after the rain, the inside and outside of the cave become shrouded by “Heavenly Mist”, like a mystical fairyland.
Glass Skywalk
With a total length of 60 meters, the Glass Skyway built along the cliffs is made of clear glass. Visitors here can feel the thrill of walking on air.
Tianmen Mountain Cableway
This is one of the few cableways in China with a height different of more than a few kilometers. The cableway is 7455 meters long. It connects the urban part of Zhangjiajie with the top of the mountain. The journey takes 28 minutes, and is regarded as one of the “Four Wonders of Tianmen Mountain”
Travel from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang
Distance: Approx. 200 kilometers
Duration of bus journey: 4 hours
Days 6 – 7 Fenghuang Ancient Town
Recommended excursions and experiences:
Fenghuang Ancient Town (national 5A-level tourist attraction)
Fenghuang Ancient Town, also called Phoenix Town, was originally built in 1556. It contains more than 120 Ming Dynasty (368 – 1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) residences, and more than 30 temples. This city has the most cultural relics is Southwest China is and among the top 10 cultural sites in Hunan. The bluestone streets, stilted buildings, ancient architecture and strong Miao customs here demonstrate the unique flavor of Xiangxi. Recommended excursions include the boat ride on Tuojiang River, Duocui Tower, Huilou Pavilion, the Old Street paved with flagstones, Yang Ancestral Memorial, Fenghuang Ancient City Museum, and Hongqiao Wind and Rain Bridge.
New ways to play
The following tours can be added to your trip
New ways to play in Changsha
- Half Day Tour Changsha Jiandu Museum and Orange Isle
Changsha Jiandu Museum: Established in 2002, Changsha Jiandu Museum is the first modern themed museum in China to combine collection, protection, collation, and study of bamboo and wooden slips. The museum owns 150,000 unearthed slips from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) and Western Han Dynasty (202BC-8). Visitors will have a chance to learn about the process of making bamboo and wooden slips. - Orange Isle: This is one of many alluvial sandbanks in the lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River. It is also the largest inland continent in the world, and is a key scenic spot in Changsha.
New ways to play in Zhangjiajie
- Day Tour to Furong Town
With a history of over 2,000 years, Furong Town is located in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. It not only has wonderful scenery, but is also a place where visitors can learn about the culture of the Tujia people. - Tour Ten-Mile Gallery by Sightseeing Train
Ten-Mile Gallery one of the highlights of Suoxi Valley. On both sides of the 5km-long valley, there are countless wild flowers and forests. Wondrous peaks and rocks can be seen in the distance. As they explore the valleys or look observe the scenery through a car window, visitors will feel like they have entered a painting, becoming enchanted with the natural beauty. - Tour Baofeng Lake by Boat
Baofeng Lake is known as the “World Classic Lake”. It is 2.5 kilometers long and located 2 kilometers south of Wulingyuan in Zhangjiajie. The clear lake reflects the mountains, and the boat on the lake looks as if it is in a painting. - Day Tour to Tujia Folk Customs Park and Yellow Dragon Cave
Tujia Folk Customs Park: Located in Zhangjiajie city, the buildings here are mostly made from wood and stone. The carved beans and painted buildings are incredible to see. Tourists here can learn about Tujia marriage customs, headware, batik, brocade, silver ornaments, interesting stones, root carvings, and so on. They can also enjoy authentic Tujia folk performances. - Yellow Dragon Cave: Yellow Dragon Cave is located in the Wulingyuan Scenic area, the core scenic spot of Zhangjiajie. It has a total area of 100,000 square meters, with four floors containing caves within caves, mountains within caves, caves within mountains, and rivers within caves. The objects such as stalactites and stone columns here are fascinating.