Self-Guided Trip from Changsha to Zhangjiajie by Train
Self-Guided Trip from Changsha to Zhangjiajie by Train. Day 1: Take the train from Changsha to Zhangjiajie City. Train N726 (8:55 am–2:16 pm), hard seat 70 yuan/person. After arriving at Zhangjiajie Railway Station, take Bus No. 2 (1 yuan/person) from the station plaza to the long-distance bus station downtown, then take a bus from there to Wulingyuan District (1...
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.
Independent Travel to Zhangjiajie by Train from Changsha
On the first day, take a train from Changsha to Zhangjiajie City. Train N726 (8:55 a.m.–2:16 p.m.), hard seat 70 yuan/person. After arriving at Zhangjiajie Railway Station, take Bus No. 2 (1 yuan/person) from the station square to the city's long-distance bus station, then from the long-distance station take a bus to Wulingyuan District (10 yuan/person).
As soon as you leave the railway station, many locals will come up to persuade you about lodging or to take a taxi to hotels in the scenic area. It is best not to follow them, because the cheap ones have very poor conditions, and ordinary prices will be very expensive. Although our route is a bit troublesome, it is relatively economical and not too tiring.
Before going, I had also checked independent-travel guides online, which said that for accommodation, the area near the Wulingyuan District government is relatively convenient. On the train we also asked local people in the same car, and finally chose Jinhua Hotel (two-star, 80 yuan/standard room, low-season price).
After we settled in at the hotel, it was already 5:00 p.m. The hotel attendant told us that there was still time at this hour to visit Yellow Dragon Cave, so together with a family we had just met on the train, we chartered a small minivan to Yellow Dragon Cave. The small minivan is a common means of transport here, stopping whenever hailed. Generally, for short rides it is 2 yuan/person; for going to Yellow Dragon Cave we were quoted 10 yuan one way, and split among 5 people it came to the same.
The ticket for Yellow Dragon Cave is 65 yuan/person. Because we went near dusk, there were very few tourists, so the guide took just the 5 of us into the cave to visit, which was much more relaxed and free than being in a group of dozens during peak season. The guide was a local Tujia girl, very cute, and she even sang mountain songs for us. Yellow Dragon Cave is one of the typical karst landforms. Besides stalactites of various shapes, inside there is also an 800-meter-long underground river that requires a boat ride to tour. Among our fellow visitors, some had been to karst caves in Guizhou, Guilin, and other places, and felt that karst caves all over the world are pretty much the same. As for the features of scenic spots, I think it is naturally a matter of opinion. Just as this time, when boating across the underground river, I was no longer holding my breath in silence as I had 8 years ago, but seeing those uncanny natural scenes still spontaneously aroused respect in my heart.
We spent about an hour and a half touring Yellow Dragon Cave. When we came out, the people along the way selling snacks and tourist handicrafts had already dispersed. As we crossed the stone bridge over the stream, we unexpectedly found that the minivan driver who had brought us earlier was still waiting there for us.
Back at the hotel, we were in no hurry to go back, because we were extremely hungry, so we had dinner at a flavor restaurant opposite the hotel. This is one of the advantages of independent travel—not having to be arranged by a guide, including what to eat. While waiting for the food to come to the table, we chatted with the owner, and I recognized the accent as exactly that of my hometown. When I asked, it indeed was, and so this dinner became even more flavorful amid the casual talk.
On the second day, we took a bus to the gate of the Forest Park. (The Forest Park ticket is 245 yuan per person, allowing unlimited entry and exit within 48 hours.)
On our first day in the park, our route was Huangshizhai and Golden Whip Stream. Since the park gate closest to Huangshizhai is the Forest Park gate, we chose to enter from here, but this made taking the bus a bit troublesome. Later we learned that because there are free shuttle buses in the Forest Park that run between the various scenic spots, if you stay near the Wulingyuan District government offices, going directly to the Wulingyuan ticket gate is the closest option. A minibus ride takes about 15 minutes to get there, and then you just choose the shuttle bus based on the scenic spot you want to visit.
To get to Huangshizhai, most people choose to take the cable car up, then tour the scenic spots at the summit, and then hike down, which basically allows you to take in all the scenery. But this is also a real test of your stamina, because after coming down the mountain, there is still the beautiful but long and winding Golden Whip Stream to walk.
Following Golden Whip Stream to Shuiraosimen, there are shuttle buses. So we found a more convenient way back. Sitting in the restaurant eagerly waiting for my dinner, I calculated that I had walked for 7.5 hours that day. But walking through such beautiful mountain forests really didn't feel tiring at all. After dinner, I also browsed a few small shops nearby and bought back a big bag of bright red plums—they were incredibly sweet and fragrant.
On the third day, we took a minibus to the Wulingyuan ticket gate.
Today we learned our lesson and it took only 15 minutes to reach the Wulingyuan ticket gate. Today our targets were Ten-Mile Gallery, Tianzi Mountain, and Yuanjiajie.
Because it rained heavily the night before, there was still thick fog in the morning. Although it let us better appreciate the saying 'There are immortals in Zhangjiajie,' it still affected the views somewhat. Ten-Mile Gallery is a canyon ten li long, named for its beautiful scenery along the way that looks like a natural painting. There is a mini train that runs back and forth through Ten-Mile Gallery. Because of the long walk the day before, my calves were already protesting severely, so as soon as I saw the mini train, I jumped on without a second thought. Once aboard, I somewhat regretted it. First, because I hadn't chosen a good seat—the spots with the best views are on the left side of the mini train, but I mistakenly sat on the right. No matter how I craned my neck along the way, I couldn't see the picturesque scenery the tour guide described. Also, watching the tourists strolling leisurely along the path just a meter away, that sense of ease and contentment was certainly not something you could get on the chugging mini train.
Back at the starting point, we took the shuttle bus to Tianzi Mountain. The cable car at Tianzi Mountain is a must-ride; you have to experience the feeling for yourself. Because when we arrived at Tianzi Mountain, the thick fog kept gathering and dispersing, we didn't see the legendary perilous peaks. After lunch and a rest, we set off for Yuanjiajie.
When we arrived at Yuanjiajie, the weather was perfect—not only did the clouds part and the fog lift, but warm sunshine also shone through. The scenery here was a feast for our eyes. Yuanjiajie was the place our friends had strongly recommended before the trip, and visiting it truly lived up to expectations. The mountains of Yuanjiajie are more perilous and more varied than those of Huangshizhai.
After leaving the mountains of Yuanjiajie, a bus took everyone to the famous Bailong Elevator. It's famous not because it gets your heart racing, but because its steel-and-concrete man-made structure was once questioned by the World Heritage protection organization, which believed it damaged Zhangjiajie's natural landscape. A single ride takes just over 100 seconds, yet the ticket is not cheap—over 40 yuan. Standing at the elevator entrance, I was a bit nervous, thinking I was about to experience a heart-pounding test. But once inside, it felt much like a sightseeing elevator in a big shopping mall—the descent was very smooth and the speed wasn't very fast. Before I could properly enjoy the view outside the window, the elevator plunged into the mountain wall, traveled through darkness for a while, and then arrived. It turns out the elevator is built attached to the mountain wall, and roughly more than one-third of the lower portion goes through the mountain wall, so no outside scenery can be seen during that stretch.
Back at the hotel in the evening, I found that my camera's memory card was almost full, and I hadn't brought a laptop, so I had to find a photo shop to transfer the files to a USB drive. It turned out the local photo shops were more experienced than us and had already formed a monopoly trust—transferring to a USB drive cost 10 yuan, a fixed price with no bargaining, and they wouldn't even develop photos there. It seems there are plenty of backpackers like us who are greedy for beautiful scenery but underprepared.
On the fourth day, we walked 25 minutes from the hotel to Baofeng Lake.
Baofeng Lake is a pool of emerald water nestled in the mountainside. From the foot of the mountain, you can already see the waterfall cascading down the cliff face. In the square in front of the waterfall, there are also song and dance performances by ethnic minorities—truly beautiful mountains, beautiful water, and even more beautiful people. Quite a few tourists vied to take photos with those sweet girls, and I even heard them say that if this were posted online, it would create another 'fairy sister.'
Baofeng Lake is very lovely, but beside it stands a steep and perilous peak, on top of which is an Eagle Fort. It's said that this was once a bandits' lair. I really wanted to go up and take a look, but I simply couldn't climb anymore—what a pity.