Shanghai / Zhangjiajie / Tianmen Mountain / Fenghuang DIY Travelogue
This trip to Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang involved eleven of us, all recently retired colleagues. After careful planning, we arranged a nine-day itinerary as follows: Shanghai—Cili—Suoxiyu (where the Wulingyuan ticket station is)—Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area—Yuanjiajie Scenic Area—Yangjiajie Scenic Area—Golden Whip Stream—Tianmen Mountain—Fenghuang Old Town—Huaihua. Generally, going to Zhangjiajie...
This article is compiled from the original travel notes on the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com); it is a record of trips from earlier years. Time-sensitive information such as ticket prices, schedules, and accommodation prices is subject to the latest announcements from scenic areas and transportation authorities; the itinerary ideas and attraction introductions still have reference value.
This time we went to Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang for tourism, 11 people in total, all colleagues who had just retired not long ago. After careful planning, we arranged a nine-day itinerary. The details are as follows: Shanghai—Cili—Suoxiyu (where the Wulingyuan ticket station is located)—Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area—Yuanjiajie Scenic Area—Yangjiajie Scenic Area—Golden Whip Stream—Tianmen Mountain—Fenghuang Ancient City—Huaihua. Generally, when going to Zhangjiajie, people take a train from Shanghai and get off at Zhangjiajie Station, but we got off at Cili Station, then took a bus to Suoxiyu to go to Zhangjiajie. The reasons for choosing this were: 1. Train 1607 from Shanghai to Huaihua is under the jurisdiction of the Huaihua region, and the roadbed is being repaired along the way, so almost every train is delayed by 2 or 3 hours, while Cili Station is reached 1 hour earlier than Zhangjiajie Station, and you can directly transfer to the north gate of the Wulingyuan ticket station for accommodation, so the time will not be too late. 2. The new highway from Cili to Suoxiyu has just been completed, and the road condition is very good. 3. Staying in a hotel near the Wulingyuan ticket station makes entry and exit convenient (the park ticket is valid for 2 days), and after going to Tianzi Mountain that day and returning to the hotel, you do not need to carry luggage.
D1: Take train 1607 from Shanghai West Station (departs at 18:47) to Cili.
D2: We did not arrive in Cili until 12:10 at night, nearly 6 hours late altogether (this rarely happens). A few days earlier we had contacted Zhangjiajie guide Xiao Chen to arrange a car to pick us up (we did not know Xiao Chen before, and had not paid a deposit), but it was already the middle of the night; everyone was very worried about whether he would come. When we came out of the station and saw the pickup sign held high, we truly felt an indescribable relief; the driver had waited for us for more than 6 hours! Here, I thank this driver, and also thank Zhangjiajie guide Xiao Chen. During the several days in Zhangjiajie, no matter what the circumstances, they would solve your difficulties.
That day we stayed at Furong Hotel (at the north gate of the Wulingyuan ticket station), 2-star; it is suggested to stay in a deluxe double room.
D3: Visit Tianzi Mountain and the Ten-Mile Gallery.
Enter from the north gate of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area (ticket 248 yuan per person); there is a free eco-bus to the cable car boarding place. To conserve energy and travel light, it is suggested: 1. Stay at Furong Hotel for two days; the ticket is valid for two days; 2. Take the cable car up Tianzi Mountain (cable car uphill 52 yuan per person).
After reaching the top of Tianzi Mountain, take the sightseeing eco-bus to Grand Sight Terrace (arriving in 20 minutes). Grand Sight Terrace connects two absolutely classic scenic spots: One Step Is Hard to Take and Immortal Bridge.
From Grand Sight Terrace, pass a gas station and enter the scenic area. At a spacious spot there is a fork in the road: the left road goes to One Step Is Hard to Take, and the right road goes to Immortal Bridge. Near One Step Is Hard to Take there is another fork: the left road goes to One Step Is Hard to Take, and the right road leads to another viewing platform, Divine Chicken Pecking Food (where you can take in the full view of the Ten-Mile Gallery). One Step Is Hard to Take is between two cliffs, with a bottomless abyss below your feet; without the steel frame bridge beneath your feet, one would never dare to step out. After returning to the fork, you can head toward Immortal Bridge and Tianzi Seat.
Immortal Bridge is a natural stone slab spanning between two peaks. The bridge is one meter wide and about fifteen or sixteen meters long. The bridge surface is very narrow and has no railings, and below the bridge is a bottomless abyss. Visitors can only turn around on the bridge surface and come back; without a certain amount of courage, one would never dare to go onto Immortal Bridge. Perhaps to prevent visitors from falling off, several iron wires block the front of the bridge. I climbed over the wire netting and walked onto the bridge. Standing here and taking a photo is quite good; on the bridge and below it, between heaven and earth, merged with nature as one, the feeling is really good! The other end of the bridge is a stone wall. I boldly climbed onto the stone wall (the timid must not try), and above was a small platform. Standing on it, the scenery before my eyes simply stunned me: all around were jagged peak forests, appearing and disappearing in misty clouds, displaying different beautiful postures. Below the cliff was an unfathomable canyon, with steaming mist surging from here to there, rolling, silently roaring... This was the most beautiful scenery I saw in Zhangjiajie.
Not far from Immortal Bridge is the viewing platform Tianzi Seat. Tianzi Seat is a place where the Tujia people often absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Since we came here, of course we could not miss it either; we also had to absorb some, and let us also feel the sensation of gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Tianzi Seat has a natural stone wall, three meters long, two meters high, and half a meter thick, facing south from the north, just like the back of a dragon throne. It is said that this was where the Xiang King sat back then. We took a group photo here, and everyone's expression came out very well; perhaps we had absorbed enough spiritual energy.
Return to the roadside at Grand Sight Terrace and wait for a bus to Shentang Bay. From the Shentang Bay viewing platform, you can see the layered ridges and peaks of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. The so-called mysterious sound of war drums at Shentang Bay is also very hard to hear by chance. Return along the original route to He Long Park. There are many stalls here selling all kinds of snacks, such as roasted corn, fried potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, wild kiwi, roasted chestnuts, and so on. We casually bought some snacks, which saved meal time and was much better than eating the buffet at the restaurant next to the parking lot.
From the cable car boarding place to scenic spots such as Grand Sight Terrace, One Step Is Hard to Take, Immortal Bridge, Human Maze, Point-General Terrace, Divine Chicken Pecking Food, and Tianzi Seat, the tour takes 3 hours in total.
In the afternoon, you can visit He Long Park, mainly to see the two scenic spots Imperial Brush Peak and Fairy Presenting Flowers. Because this is a must-visit place for tour groups led by travel agencies, there are crowds everywhere, and there is no feeling of returning to nature at all, so we hurried past. Then we chose a route down the mountain; the place to walk down the mountain is right beside Tianzi Pavilion. After descending from here to the Moon Pass scenic spot, there are two roads to continue: the left road leads to the South Heaven Gate scenic spot, and the straight road goes down the mountain via Wolong Ridge. We took the straight road down the mountain and walked for more than 2 hours in total. After going down, it is directly the end point of the Ten-Mile Gallery, and also the starting point of the sightseeing mini-train. On both sides of the stone path of the Ten-Mile Gallery are flowers, grasses, trees, and peaks of various postures and colors; every scene is like a beautiful landscape painting. We got on the mini-train (ticket price 21 yuan one way), resting while listening to the onboard broadcast introduce the beautiful scenery of the Ten-Mile Gallery, and finally took the eco-bus back to Furong Hotel in Suoxiyu.
D4: Visit Yangjiajie—Yuanjiajie—Number One Bridge under Heaven
The scenery in the Yangjiajie and Yuanjiajie area is the essence of the entire Wulingyuan Scenic Area, much more beautiful than Huangshizhai and Tianzi Mountain. After seeing Number One Bridge under Heaven and Tianbo Mansion, Huangshizhai looks quite ordinary. I do not know why travel agencies do not bring tour groups here; there are few visitors here, which will bring you a good mood. Therefore, do not miss this route; the tourist eco-buses inside can take you to these scenic spots at any time and anywhere.
Early in the morning, we entered the north gate of the Forest Park again. To reduce physical exertion, we decided to take the eco-bus to the Bailong Elevator and ride the world's tallest and fastest elevator up the mountain, reaching the peak in 2 minutes.
Standing on the elevator, you can view the scenic spot Divine Soldiers Gathering opposite: dozens of straight stone pillars tower in a forest, with green trees layered on the peaks, awe-inspiring like great generals facing battle.
Then take the tourist eco-bus to the Number One Bridge under Heaven scenic spot and find an inn to stay.
After putting down our luggage, we first went to the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. The first place we reached was Number One Bridge under Heaven. It is a huge naturally formed stone bridge, flying across between two peaks, magnificent and majestic beyond compare, and together with Couple Rock it is called the Two Wonders of Wulingyuan. Walking along the stone steps, on one side is a deep valley of several hundred meters; there is no end to the road and never enough scenery to see. The so-called Soul-Enchanting Terrace and Back Garden are both famous viewing platforms. Unfortunately, because the weather was bad and the mist was too thick, we could not see clearly. It is worth mentioning that the scenery seen from a viewing platform 100 meters east of Number One Bridge under Heaven is said to be the image on the back of the 100-yuan RMB note.
Returning from the Back Garden along the road, you can quickly reach Number One Bridge under Heaven, and return to the inn for lunch. The tour time is about 2 hours. In the afternoon, visit Yangjiajie.
At the boarding point at Number One Bridge under Heaven, take the eco-bus back, get off at the intersection of the Yangjiajie parking lot, and follow the gravel road into the scenic area. After walking forward for about ten minutes, you will see a fork: turn left to go to One Step to Heaven and Sky Corridor, and turn right to go to Wulong Village and Tianbo Mansion.
The mysterious and unpredictable Wulong Village was formerly a place where bandits lived, and became famous because of the film Records of Suppressing Bandits in Wulong Mountain. The terrain here is steep, with cliffs on all sides, and only one pass up and down, separating the stronghold from the outside world. Remnants of the bandits' den still remain. After climbing more than a thousand steps and passing three ghost gates such as Good Man Slope and Who Dares Not Bow His Head (one of the difficult passes requires passing sideways, so fat people cannot go), we arrived at the bandits' gathering hall. Here, we saw the large bamboo basket used by the bandits to imprison the kidnapped "stronghold lady," the daily utensils used by the bandits, and the bandit chief's chair, and so on.
Going around the gathering hall and climbing onto a suspended cableway and a vertical aerial iron ladder, you reach the famous Tianbo Mansion. Looking around, there are countless quartz sandstone peak forests of different postures in Yangjiajie, rising straight from the ground, magnificent and spectacular. In the misty rain, nature once again displayed her beautiful and magical scroll. The most astonishing thing is that layer upon layer of mountain rock actually formed huge natural stone walls, like the ruins of an old castle, like the broken ruins of the Great Wall; it truly makes one marvel endlessly!
Return to the fork and head in the direction of One Step to Heaven. On the narrow path there are lush green woods everywhere, and various plants grow in well-arranged layers; everything returns to nature, returns to between heaven and earth. The One Step to Heaven viewing platform also requires climbing an iron ladder to get up, and from it you can overlook the Yangjiajie peak forest; its momentum is also quite majestic. At this time, the rain was falling harder and harder, and the sky looked especially gloomy. The only female companion traveling with me already showed signs of fatigue, so we had to turn back. The Sky Corridor—a plank road carved into the cliff—was not visited, another regret!
16:30, we set off on the return journey from "One Step to Heaven." At 17:30 we reached the Yangjiajie parking lot and took the shuttle bus back to the guesthouse.
D5: Tour Yuanjiajie — Luancuanpo — Golden Whip Stream — Zhangjiajie National Forest Park South Gate
From "No. 1 Bridge under Heaven," you can descend via "Shadao Gully" back to "Zicao Pool" at the midpoint of "Golden Whip Stream" (about 1.5 hours). You can also descend from "No. 1 Bridge under Heaven" via "Luancuanpo" back to "Qianli Xianghui" at the midpoint of "Golden Whip Stream." However, because a section of stone steps at "Shadao Gully" had not yet been repaired, we chose to descend via "Luancuanpo."
After breakfast at 7:00 in the morning, we walked down the stone-step path beside the "No. 1 Bridge under Heaven" shuttle bus stop, and not far down was the "No. 1 Bridge under Heaven." Continuing down along the path, we came to "Heaven's Gate Newly Opening," "Mihun Terrace," and "Rear Garden." Past "Rear Garden," a stone-step path leads into the valley; walking down for about an hour brings you to "Qianli Xianghui" by the side of Golden Whip Stream (many backpackers climb up the mountain from here to go to "Rear Garden").
Walking upstream along Golden Whip Stream, with towering, upright rock peaks on both sides and the gurgling water accompanying you all the way, the air after the rain was as if washed clean, carrying that fresh and sweet fragrance of mountain herbs unique to the mountains, with occasional fine rain and dew drifting over — it was truly wonderfully comfortable. Not far along, we came to the beautiful and tranquil "Zicao Pool," where two streams, one from Golden Whip Stream and one from Shadao Gully, merge and flow east together. The dark green stream water flowing over the red sandstone was a splendid sight. Here there are low waterfalls and shallow shoals; sheets of silvery spray splashed and shattered into a thousand cups of auspicious snow. Above the pool, a huge nanmu tree spread like a giant umbrella over the stone slab bridge at the pool, making it seem so cool and leisurely.
Beside Zicao Pool there is an antique-style teahouse that specially offers visitors a beverage made by the Hakka people — lei cha. This magical lei cha is a treasured treat used by local people to entertain guests; drink one bowl and you are sure to feel refreshed. The basic ingredients of lei cha are tea leaves, rice, sesame, soybeans, peanuts, salt, and orange peel, sometimes with some green herbs added; the medicinal herbs used vary with the season and climate. Once the ingredients are ready, put them into the mortar, clamp the mortar between your legs, grip the pounding stick tightly with your right hand or both hands, and use its round end to grind repeatedly in circles along the inner wall of the mortar until the ingredients are ground into a tea paste. Then pour in boiling water, sprinkle in some chopped scallions, and it becomes an everyday drink. Lei cha can both quench thirst and satisfy hunger, and is often used to entertain guests. The price is 25 yuan per portion, and it also comes with some small snacks, with no limit on quantity or time. Each of us ordered a portion and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Along the way we viewed rock formations of different shapes, including Baolian Deng, Pishan Jiumu, Double Stone Jade Bamboo Shoots, Golden Whip Rock, and Drunken Arhat, and after about 1.5 hours we reached "Laomowan." Laomowan is the starting point of Golden Whip Stream and has a monument erected there.
The original plan was to visit the Huangshizhai scenic area next, but at this time it was still raining and the sky was gray and hazy. Everyone worried that after going up we would not be able to see anything, so we decided to leave the park gate and go directly to the hotel. On Guide Yang's recommendation, we stayed at the Qingyanshan Hotel outside the forest park (three-star, 100 yuan per standard room). Because we had to check in at around 3 o'clock that day, the stay was relatively long, and added to several days of rain, everyone was exhausted, so we had to choose a more comfortable hotel.
D6: Tour Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain, this magical and beautiful peak, was where in 1999 a world aerobatic flying master piloted an aircraft through Tianmen Cave, broadcast live around the world, causing a strong sensation at the time. Even then, I longed for the day when I could climb to the very top of Tianmen Mountain, personally experience the spectacular and rare natural miracle of Tianmen Cave, and fulfill this lifelong wish. This time it happened that I was traveling to Zhangjiajie, and I also learned that Tianmen Mountain Forest Park had just been renovated, so of course I could not let this opportunity pass. It was just after the rain had cleared, and we headed straight for Tianmen Mountain.
Tianmen Mountain is less than eight kilometers from the Zhangjiajie city area. The lower station of the Tianmen Mountain cableway is located in the Guanliping area of the city, and ordinary transportation within the city can take you smoothly to the scenic area operations office. Our guide Yang chartered an 11-seat Jinbei van in Zhangjiajie National Park, which first took us to the lower station of the Tianmen Mountain cableway at 8:00 in the morning, and then at 4:30 in the afternoon took us on to Fenghuang Ancient Town (the charter fee was 900 yuan, absolutely worth it: on the one hand it saved the trouble of transferring between vehicles, and on the other hand we could leave our luggage in the van and travel light).
The all-inclusive ticket for the Tianmen Mountain scenic area is 258 yuan per person (including scenic area admission, round-trip Tianmen Mountain cableway, shuttle bus transportation, and insurance). It is worth mentioning that the scenic area management here can be called a model for tourist scenic areas nationwide. From the lower cableway station to the upper station, the connection between the cableway and the shuttle buses, the directional signs and introductions to scenic spots on the east and west lines at the summit, and the dedication of every staff member (including armed police soldiers) all made visitors feel safe, convenient, and comfortable.
The Tianmen Mountain cableway has a total length of 7,455 meters and is the longest single-line circulating passenger cableway in the world. It uses equipment imported entirely from the French company POMA, and it is said that one cabin costs more than 200,000 yuan. The ride from the lower station to the upper station takes 40 minutes in total, the longest cableway ride of my life. It passes through the city area, crosses the Xiangxi Railway, and rises straight into the clouds. We passed through thick layers of clouds, and when a vast sea of clouds appeared before our eyes, how spectacular it was! We jumped and cheered, wishing we could devour all of this ever-changing beautiful scenery. Our eyes could not take it all in, and photography could not capture it all; we truly experienced the feeling of riding the clouds and driving the mist.
After climbing to the summit, a cold wind struck us, giving a real feeling that "one cannot bear the cold at such a height." The summit of Tianmen Mountain has the reputation of an "aerial garden," with natural bonsai everywhere, and rare stones and fine trees all around creating a huge natural garden without any trace of artificial work.
The touring routes are divided into the east line, west line, and middle line. The east line is called the Biye Yaotai Scenic Area, where you can visit Diaosuo Shenyu, Upside-down Bonsai, Tianmen Fanshui, North Overlook of Tianmen, Lingquan, Lingquan Temple, and Kuaile Forest; you can also climb to Yunmeng Xianding and experience the shock and wonder of "clouds born beneath your feet, all the strange peaks in view, all phenomena before your eyes." In addition, in the core protection area of the primitive forest you can observe rare plants such as dove trees and oaks, and appreciate the beauty of the aerial garden and the wild charm of the primitive forest. Then visit Zuiyun Pavilion, Kouyun Pass, Xianyuan, Shimen Suocui, South Overlook of Tianmen, Mushi Qiyuan, Mushi Qiyuan, Shenxian Zuo, and other scenic spots, arriving at Yingtao Bay service area to rest. The full route is nearly 3.7 kilometers and takes about more than 2 hours to tour.
Here I especially want to mention the flying waterfall at "Xianyuan." On the cliff of Tianmen Mountain at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters, one can actually see a flying waterfall spurting out from the cliff wall, and there is no water source around the waterfall, which is truly puzzling. Even more remarkable, at the "Tianmen Fanshui" scenic spot, spring water flows out from the top of Tianmen Cave, and the drier the weather, the greater the flow; it is said that when major historical events occur, it will pour out a flood as big as a bucket! The legend is naturally not credible, but it adds a layer of mystery to this place.
The west line is called the Mixian Qijing Scenic Area, starting from Yingtao Bay and passing through Qiuer Cave, Chisong Gate, Guiguzi Cave Viewing, Baihe Ce, Xianjing Qishi, Small Tianmen, Tianshu Stone, Guigu Bingpan, Guigu Tianqian, Yihong Pass, and others. At Lingxiao Terrace, you can view the Zhangjiajie city area and the surrounding landscape from afar, and then take the cableway down the mountain. The main sights are the peculiar landscapes formed by stone shoots and stone buds and the steepness of the cliffs, and amid richly magical folk legends you can feel the mysterious aura of recluses and experience the fantasy of being in a fairyland. The full route is about 2.7 kilometers and takes about 1.5 hours to tour.
The middle line runs from Yingtao Bay through the main peak of Tianmen Mountain and Yefu Treasure Hiding directly to the upper cableway station; it takes only half an hour to get from the Yingtao Bay service area to the upper cableway station.
Because of time constraints, we did not go to the Mixian Qijing Scenic Area (we will leave it for next time). From the east line we took our time touring to Yingtao Bay, spending nearly 3 hours, and arrived at Yingtao Bay around 12:30. Fast food is available here, 25 yuan per portion, tasty and clean, absolutely good value. In the afternoon we took the middle line back to the upper cableway station, then immediately took the cableway to the middle cableway station, where we transferred to the Tongtian Avenue shuttle bus directly to Tianmen Cave.
Tongtian Avenue, together with the Tianmen Mountain cableway, Tianmen Cave Opening, and the aerial garden, are known as the four great wonders of Tianmen Mountain. It has ninety-nine bends in total. Viewed from above on the cableway, it looks like a giant dragon rising, or like a jade belt coiling around, reaching straight to the horizon, leaving people awestruck and worthy of being called the number one highway wonder under heaven. From here you can go directly to the front of the Heavenly Ladder below Tianmen Cave.
The Heavenly Ladder has a total of 999 steps. People who do not often climb mountains will find it daunting, and many give up halfway up; it is indeed exhausting. However, what amazed me was that my sickly and frail wife, supported by my arm, actually also climbed the last step. Indeed, standing on the Heavenly Ladder, it inspires you to press forward courageously and without hesitation; it can give a person courage and confidence. Once you reach the goal, that sense of pride arises spontaneously, and the difficult and winding path seems no more than that.
Tianmen Cave was formed by an earthquake collapse. It is the highest mountain-piercing rock cave in the world. The cave gate is 132 meters high, 37 meters wide, and more than 60 meters deep (thick). The cave is shaped like a gate, just like a gateway to heaven, hence the name "Tianmen." Standing in front of the cave gate and looking up, great sheets of thick mist rise through the cave gate, and the fine rain drifting from the top of the cave gate pours down like silver beads, striking people like ice water piercing the bones. Past Tianmen Cave, there are steps leading to Yunti Rock, Wind Cave, and Duanshan Bridge. That Duanshan Bridge, like the "No. 1 Bridge under Heaven" at Yuanjiajie, is where two mountains split apart and a stone grew in between; the Duanshan Bridge spanning both sides sits above Tudi'ao, about 5 meters long and only 1 meter wide. When visitors pass by, it is extremely thrilling. But because of time constraints, regrettably we could only go next time.
At 3:30 in the afternoon we descended the Heavenly Ladder, and a sightseeing bus took us directly back to the lower station of the Tianmen Mountain cableway (about 40 minutes). Afterward we still got into the chartered van and set off for Fenghuang Ancient Town. At 8 in the evening we arrived at Nanhua Gate of Fenghuang Ancient Town. Because it was already late, the stilted houses along the Tuo River were already full, so for the time being we stayed at a Lanxing Inn near the North Gate.
D7: Tour Fenghuang Ancient Town
Fenghuang Ancient Town has rich cultural and natural resources. It presents the connotations of human culture to the world through the support of natural beauty: a green mountain embracing the ancient town, a bend of the Tuo River winding around the town, an old stone-slab street, a row of distinctive stilted houses, a wind-and-rain ancient city wall, an old castle full of vicissitudes... and even more, the Chaoyang Palace, Wanshou Palace, Tianwang Temple, and Xiachang Pavilion with their flying eaves and bracket sets. Numerous ancient buildings dot the area, enabling the entire mountain town to retain an antique Ming and Qing style and appearance.
The main sightseeing spots in Fenghuang Ancient Town include Wanming Pagoda, the stone-slab street, the North Gate Tower, Hong Bridge, the Shawan stilted house complex, and the four great sights of Fenghuang (Tuo River boating, East Gate Tower, Former Residence of Shen Congwen, Former Residence of Xiong Xiling), among others. It is best to buy a map of Fenghuang City, 5 yuan per copy. Among them is a brown map of Fenghuang Ancient Town compiled by A Guang, which is very practical and detailed. You can search according to the map, and the scenic spots on it are clear at a glance.
After arriving in Fenghuang and checking in, take your time strolling through the ancient town. What Fenghuang gives people is a feeling of leisure. Walking slowly along the bluestone slab road that retains its original appearance, taking a boat to view the antique old buildings, walking from the North Gate Tower along the city wall to the East Gate, or casually entering any teahouse or coffee shop and enjoying the view while tasting something — all are good choices.
When in Fenghuang, you must take a look at the stilted houses by the Tuo River, touch the city wall of the ancient town, walk across the jumping rocks, stroll along East Gate Old Street, tour the Shawan scenic area, and taste the sour and spicy foods unique to this place. These are the essence of the ancient town, and from them you can understand its past and feel its cultural heritage. As for the Former Residence of Shen Congwen, if visitors do not know much about Chinese literary history and archaeology, there is really no need to go to Shen Congwen's former residence and grave, especially Shen Congwen's grave. I took a look, and besides being overgrown with weeds, it also gave people a desolate feeling.
Fenghuang tour tickets include: Fenghuang Ancient Town Scenic Area (Tuo River boating, Former Residence of Shen Congwen, Former Residence of Xiong Xiling, Yang Family Ancestral Hall, East Gate Tower, Hong Bridge Art Tower), Southern Great Wall Scenic Area 45 yuan/person, Huangsiqiao Ancient Town Scenic Area 20 yuan/person, Qiliang Cave Scenic Area 50 yuan/person. Originally the Fenghuang Ancient Town scenic area ticket could be split and bought separately for one of the attractions, but now this has been canceled; even if you go to just one attraction, it still costs 86 yuan/person. The Southern Great Wall and Huangsiqiao Ancient Town show too many traces of new construction, so going or not going is optional. Therefore, in my view, touring Fenghuang Ancient Town does not require buying a ticket, and you can still experience the ancient town, appreciate the ancient town, and understand the ancient town. This is the advantage of independent travel! No wonder the people of Fenghuang are planning to enclose the entire ancient town and charge one big Fenghuang Ancient Town gate ticket.
When at the Tuo River, of course you have to take a boat. Based on online suggestions, we did not take the tour boat from the North Gate pier to Shen Congwen's grave, which costs 86 yuan per person and is only that short distance. We walked to Shen Congwen's grave and took a boat downstream; the round trip took more than an hour, and eleven people spent only 60 yuan in total. The feeling was no different. After getting off the boat, we spent another 1 yuan to take a rickshaw from Shen Congwen's grave back to Hong Bridge, experiencing the flavor of a primitive means of transportation.
The night view of Fenghuang Ancient Town is very beautiful. As night falls, all the red lanterns hung high on the Shawan stilted house complex on both banks of the Tuo River are lit, rows of colored lights on Hong Bridge dye a large stretch of the river red, and the reflection of the pearl-like Wanming Pagoda and Xiachang Pavilion set each other off beautifully... Even more interesting are the paper flower lanterns peddled on the street; light the candles and set them drifting on the Tuo River, and they look wonderful. At this time, almost all the small vendors in the whole town and tourists from all over the world gather here. There are stalls and vendors everywhere: selling snacks, selling fruit, selling trinkets, selling handicrafts, monkey shows, singing and storytelling — everything you could want. The night of the ancient town is a boiling night, a sleepless night, a night full of vitality. Blend in with them and enjoy life well; perhaps you will even have an unexpected harvest.
D8: Return journey
In the early morning, we left Chilaju Inn in Fenghuang Ancient Town and headed for Huaihua City, where we took train 1528 from Huaihua to Shanghai back to Shanghai (departing at 12:20). The long-distance bus station to Huaihua is not far outside Hong Bridge. The fare is 20 yuan per person. There are minibuses as early as 7:00 in the morning, and it takes 2.5 hours to reach Huaihua. In Huaihua we happily enjoyed a hearty meal at a restaurant, and before leaving we took away the dishes we had not finished (and ordered two more cold dishes), filling enough rice for dinner on the train (the food on the train is really not tasty and the price is expensive). We spent the cost of one meal and actually ate two! You tell me whether we know how to "carefully calculate."
D9: Arrived in Shanghai on time at 16:19 in the afternoon.
Tips
1. Many backpackers think the scenery of Yangjiajie and Yuanjiajie is the essence of the entire Wulingyuan scenic area, and by comparison Huangshizhai is much inferior. That is indeed true. But I myself went to Huangshizhai 20 years ago and felt that it also has its own characteristics and style, and it is still worth a visit. However, the two popular scenic spots that almost all travel agencies arrange, namely "Huanglong Cave" and "Baofeng Lake," I think are not worth visiting at all during a tour of the Zhangjiajie area. The geomorphological structure of "Huanglong Cave" is much the same as karst caves all over the country, and "Baofeng Lake" is an artificially created high-mountain lake; taking a tour boat around it is not very interesting.
2. After touring Yangjiajie and Yuanjiajie, descending the mountain with heavy luggage may be very tiring. Local porters are available to carry your backpack for you, charged at 20 yuan per item, and they will carry it all the way to outside the forest park gate or to your hotel.
3. From Zhangjiajie Forest Park to Fenghuang Ancient Town, if you do not charter a vehicle, you can first take a bus to the Zhangjiajie city area for 10 yuan, and then go directly to Fenghuang Ancient Town. Zhangjiajie is 238 kilometers from Fenghuang Ancient Town. Every day at 8:30 in the morning and 2:30 in the afternoon there are scheduled buses from the bus station to Fenghuang Ancient Town, with a journey of about 4 hours; you can also take train 2011 from Zhangjiajie to Jishou (departing 17:28, arriving 19:33); or take train N734 to Jishou (departing 18:42, arriving 20:47), fare 12 yuan/person. In addition, taking the Zhangjiajie City–Jishou City minibus from Zhangjiajie (Iveco, running 2.5 hours, fare 45 yuan/person, one bus every 30 minutes) is also very convenient. As for Jishou to Fenghuang, there are many long-distance buses, every day from 6:00 to 20:00, fare 15 yuan/person.
4. The people of Fenghuang are very particular about food, paying attention to color, aroma, and taste. The biggest feature of Fenghuang cuisine is its emphasis on spicy and sour flavors, and it can cook up all kinds of delicious dishes. Sour food is a unique dietary custom of the Miao people. Glutinous rice with sour chili, sour soup fish, cured meat, stir-fried pickled vegetables, and mushroom tofu are all representative dishes of Fenghuang. In particular, there is a dish called sour chili chicken that you must not miss. Fenghuang also has many snacks, such as leaf cakes, glutinous rice cakes, and braised eggs. There is also a peculiar snack on the small streets—pickled radish, made like Sichuan pickles, very sweet and sour and tasty. At the head of Hongqiao Bridge, the 'Old Brand Noodle Shop' sells rice noodles, wontons, and the like, and the taste is also very good. In addition, don't forget to bring a few packs of Fenghuang's famous ginger candy for friends and relatives to try.
5. It is suggested not to dine in those restaurants along the Tuo River; they are expensive, give small portions, and the food is not good. Go to the new town area, where there are many restaurants and hotels. That is where we had lunch: eight meat dishes, six vegetarian dishes, one soup, and a plate of fruit for only about 200 yuan. The price is absolutely low, and the food is no worse than in the ancient town.
6. Many backpackers online recommend staying in the stilted houses by the Tuo River, but I disagree. We did not stay in a stilted house the first night, and the second day we deliberately found a stilted house inn to stay in. In fact, there was not much point. Staying in a stilted house is simply to enjoy the scenery of the Tuo River, but how can the single view from the window compare with the scenery on both banks of the entire Tuo River? Whether day or night, most of the time it is more fun to wander outside. Moreover, the stilted houses have simple facilities and are expensive.
7. Our per-person spending on this trip was within 1,700 yuan, including: round-trip train tickets 544 yuan; bus tickets and chartered car fees 120 yuan; Tianzi Mountain (uphill) cable car fee 52 yuan per person; Bailong Elevator (uphill 56 yuan per person); 'Ten-Mile Gallery' mini train 33 yuan per person (round trip); Fenghuang Tuo River boating 10 yuan per person; Wulingyuan Scenic Area entrance ticket 248 yuan; Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area through ticket 258 yuan; 6 days of accommodation 185 yuan; meal expenses 200 yuan.