2009 Latest Zhangjiajie Travel Guide
2009 Latest Zhangjiajie Travel Guide. Zhangjiajie City is located in northwestern Hunan and has two districts: Yongding District and Wulingyuan District. Yongding District is the downtown area, which for tourists is not only a transportation hub but also rich in tourism resources, such as Tianmen Mountain, Tujia Folk Customs Park, Old Courtyard, Xiuhua Mountain Hall, Dayong Prefecture City, and more...
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.
2009 Latest Zhangjiajie Travel Guide
Zhangjiajie City is located in the northwest of Hunan and has two districts under its jurisdiction: Yongding District and Wulingyuan District. Yongding District is the urban area. For tourists, the urban area is not only a hub for entering and leaving, but also rich in tourism resources, such as Tianmen Mountain, Tujia Folk Customs Park, Old Courtyard, Xiuhua Mountain Hall, Dayong Prefecture City, and other attractions. Wulingyuan District is the scenic area; the so-called core scenic area administratively belongs to Wulingyuan District. Suoxiyu is where the Wulingyuan District government is located. Besides the Ten-Mile Gallery sightseeing route being included in the Wulingyuan core scenic area, there are many highlight attractions, such as Baofeng Lake, Longwang Cave, Huanglong Cave, bonfire parties, whitewater rapids, and more. After nearly twenty years of development, Suoxiyu has become Zhangjiajie's tourist distribution center and a concentrated area for tourists to stay and dine. With hotels everywhere and shops lining the streets, plus fully equipped entertainment facilities, it is the place tourists love most.
Guide to eating, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, and shopping in Zhangjiajie's urban area:
1. Eating in Zhangjiajie's urban area: In Zhangjiajie's urban area, there is plenty of good food. Besides spicy flavors, the Tujia people are especially fond of smoked, sour, and pickled dishes, which have a unique flavor. It's recommended to give them a try.
The first recommendation is Zhangjiajie's signature dish: Sanxiaguo (Three Ingredients in a Pot). There are two kinds of "Sanxiaguo." One is a convenient dry pot made with three main ingredients, a hot pot stewed without soup. "Master Hu's Sanxiaguo" is very representative; Sanxiaguo costs 40 yuan per pot, and the portion is quite generous. The other is a soup pot, where free-range chicken, duck, pig (or sheep) offal, dog (or beef) meat, Tujia smoked pork, etc. are pre-prepared, then stewed together after guests order. When eating, you can also order lotus root, taro, potato, kelp, etc. steamed in bone broth—what a great taste! You'll be sweating all over! "Auntie Tang's Sanxiaguo" is very representative.
You can eat wild game, for those with deep pockets to indulge: 1. "Louwailou Specialty Restaurant" has a distinctive name, called "Louwailou," taken from the poetic line "green mountains beyond mountains, pavilions beyond pavilions." They have wild boar, smoked meat, and more. Recommended local specialties: yellow pork, Miao sour meat. 2. Heizhugou Wild Mushrooms—fresh varieties of mushrooms will dazzle you.
In Zhangjiajie's urban area and Suoxiyu in Wulingyuan District, the streets are full of food stalls at night. 50 yuan can let four people eat very well. Tujia specialty foods include smoked wild game, blood tofu, New Year reunion dishes, She rice, sour fish, Hezha (ground soybean residue), fried wild bee eggs and pupae, etc. It's recommended to try the uniquely flavored Tujia hot pot and Tujia snacks, including kudzu powder, rice wine, cold jelly, baba (rice cakes), etc. They're all inexpensive—be sure to try them.
If you want to chat or enjoy Tujia cuisine, you can also go to the night market opposite Dayong Bridge Park at Sanjiaoping in the city. Pick a spot with more people, order some barbecue and a few vegetarian dishes. With the cool breeze outside and the steaming heat inside, it has a special charm!
Zhangjiajie's local specialties are especially famous for kiwi fruit, Qingyan Mingcui tea, lobster flower tea, pine mushrooms, etc.—all natural and authentic. You can also buy some Tujia-flavored "Tujia Mei La La" series foods to bring home.
2. Accommodation in Zhangjiajie's urban area:
Zhangjiajie is a city of hotels and guesthouses. After all, it's a long-established tourist city with a certain reception capacity, offering various grades with plenty of choices. The main hotels and guesthouses are distributed across three major areas: Zhangjiajie's urban area, Wulingyuan District (Suoxiyu), and the exit of the Forest Park. Farmhouse stays are mainly distributed in Yangjiajie's Wulong Village, followed by Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain scenic areas.
Staying at a hostel in Zhangjiajie's urban area costs 20-40 yuan per person; if you want a higher grade, a two-star standard double room is 80-100 yuan per room; three-star is 180-220 yuan per room; four-star is 280-380 yuan per room. In the urban area, hotels are most concentrated on Jiefang Road, Renmin Road, and near the bus station. Zhangjiajie International Hotel, Xianglong International Hotel, Guizu Hotel, Langhao Hotel, etc. are all good choices. It's recommended that backpackers stay near Jiefang Road and the bus station, as it will be more convenient when going to the scenic area or returning.
Wulingyuan (Suoxiyu): In the villa area of Gaoyun Village (quasi-three-star), prices are roughly 110-150 yuan per standard double room (depending on peak and off-peak seasons). Three-star is 160-200 yuan per standard double room (depending on peak and off-peak seasons).
3. Transportation in Zhangjiajie:
Zhangjiajie is just a small mountain city. In the urban area, taking a taxi from the east end to the west end costs only 20 yuan, with a starting fare of 3 yuan. Taking the ring-road Bus No. 10 costs 1 yuan per person and can take you around Zhangjiajie!
4. Entertainment in Zhangjiajie's urban area:
Things to do in the city: In the urban area, places worth visiting include the Tujia Folk Customs Park (80 yuan per person), which Bus No. 10 passes by, and a 5-yuan taxi ride gets you there. The Tujia Folk Customs Park mainly introduces ethnic minority architecture and customs. Inside, there is the Nine-Heaven Stilted Building that has set a Guinness World Record, and there are Tujia folk performances every night, including walking on knives and fire, Ghost Valley divine skills, and more.
There is also the Old Courtyard and Xiuhua Mountain Hall (30 yuan per person), which are also worth visiting to fully understand Tujia customs and folk culture. The indoor scenes of the recently popular Hunan TV drama "Bloody Xiangxi" were filmed at the Old Courtyard.
Tianmen Mountain (one-day tour): (258 yuan per person, including cable car) It has the world's longest cable car—the Tianmen Mountain Cable Car; a wonder of Chinese highways—the winding mountain road; and climbing 999 steps will take you right to the bottom of Tianmen Cave. In May 1997, famous singer Li Na ascended Tianmen Mountain and, as if enlightened by a mysterious force, attained sudden enlightenment and converted to Buddhism. In 1999 and 2006, world stunt flying masters flew planes through Tianmen Cave. French spider-man Alain Robert successfully challenged Tianmen Mountain on November 18, 2007, performing "aerial ballet" on a cliff face nearly 200 meters vertical.
5. Shopping in Zhangjiajie's urban area
Zhangjiajie's urban area is not large. The relatively large and well-stocked shopping venues include Bubugao Supermarket and Meini Supermarket, among others.
Zhangjiajie has many local specialties, especially famous for kiwi fruit, Qingyan Mingcui tea, lobster flower tea, pine mushrooms, etc.—all natural and authentic, cheap and excellent. Sangzhi Salted Dried Tofu was a tribute item in the Qing Dynasty. "Gegen Bao" pure natural green series beverages combine health benefits and longevity. Maoping Maojian tea has a refreshing fragrance, mellow taste, and beautiful color; drinking it moistens the lungs and refreshes the mind. These are all excellent specialties.
Overview of Zhangjiajie Scenic Area, routes, transportation, accommodation, dining, and entertainment guide:
1. Overview of Zhangjiajie Scenic Area:
Zhangjiajie Scenic Area is divided into core scenic area tour routes: (Huangshizhai/Jinbian Stream; Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie; Tianzi Mountain;) and surrounding scenic area tour routes (Huanglong Cave/Baofeng Lake; Maoyan River, Maoyan Lake; Jiutian Cave; Tianmen Mountain; Puguang Zen Temple; Yuhuang Cave Grottoes; Wulei Mountain), etc.
There are mainly three routes from the city to the core scenic area:
a. From the bus station to Zhangjiajie Forest Park. The full-price entrance ticket is 248 yuan per person. Students under 24 years old can purchase discounted tickets at 134 yuan per person with valid student ID; those with military officer certificates or military academy student certificates or provincial-level or above journalist certificates and seniors over 70 years old can enter free of charge. Moreover, friends who purchase discounted or free tickets can also buy discounted tickets for cable cars, elevators, sightseeing trains, and other tourist facilities within the scenic area! Finally, exit from the Wulingyuan "Landmark Gate."
B. Take a bus from Zhangjiajie Bus Station to the Wulingyuan "Landmark Gate" to enter the park, and exit from Zhangjiajie Forest Park.
c. Take a minibus from Zhangjiajie to Tianzi Mountain, then take a bus directly from the Tianzi Mountain ticket station to the top of Tianzi Mountain. The ride takes about 3 hours. This option can save 58 yuan per person on elevator or cable car fees, or save energy by climbing over 8,000 fewer steps, but the bus ride is longer. It's recommended to first check into a "farmhouse stay" in the scenic area to store your luggage, then start sightseeing. Finally, exit from the Forest Park ticket station.
2. Transportation in the scenic area:
At the bus station, transfer to the BUS heading to the scenic area. To Forest Park it's 10 yuan per person, taking about 45 minutes; to Wulingyuan it's 12 yuan per person, taking about 55 minutes. You buy tickets on board, no need to purchase at the station ticket office. After arriving at Wulingyuan, take a taxi for 3 yuan to the Landmark Gate (the ticket station), or take Bus No. 3 to the Landmark Gate.
After entering the mountain, eco-buses shuttle between attractions, which is very convenient. If you want a more leisurely experience, you can take mountain cable cars and sedan chairs. The Tianzi Mountain cable car costs 50 yuan per person for up or down; the Huangshizhai cable car costs 48 yuan per person for up or down; the Bailong Elevator costs 56 yuan per person for up or down. You can also take a sedan chair for a "flying" sensation. Prices are higher than cable cars—generally 100 yuan on flat ground and 200 yuan going uphill. You can negotiate the price down a bit, depending on your bargaining skills.
3. Sightseeing in the scenic area:
Three days and two nights is relatively suitable for visiting the scenic area—two days for the core scenic area and one day for the surroundings. Too short, and you can't see all the highlight attractions; too long, and your brain stays highly tense, leading to visual fatigue and visiting similar attractions.
Backpackers can follow maps on their own, asking directions along the way, and travel freely. However, Zhangjiajie Scenic Area covers 246 square kilometers. If you visit everything, it takes about six to seven days; to cover the highlight attractions, it generally takes three days. There are many forks in the core scenic area, and many beautiful attractions are relatively remote. Tourists often cannot correctly estimate the time from one attraction to another. Taking detours, backtracking, and wasted trips are common occurrences for many pure independent travelers. Many backpackers find themselves still unable to find lodging when it's already very late, which is quite embarrassing. Although it's independent travel, hiring a reputable independent guide within the core scenic area to help with directions, explanations, and arranging itineraries and time is still very necessary.
The quality of food and accommodation operators in the scenic area varies, and things against guests' wishes happen from time to time. If you want a more relaxed experience, you can use the scenic area's commonly used "Xiong Longrong style" all-inclusive package, which is very worry-free and saves you from "battling wits" with "unscrupulous merchants" over prices. The all-inclusive package is a three-day, two-night (economy route) tour of Zhangjiajie at 470 yuan per person; (comfortable leisure route) at 650 yuan per person (including scenic area entrance ticket at 248 yuan per person, two nights' accommodation, five main meals and two breakfasts, and free arrangement of a guide to accompany guests throughout). Plus a complimentary 100,000-yuan travel liability insurance (not accident insurance).
Hiring only a guide costs 50 yuan per day. They'll take you wherever you want to go, and dining and accommodation are up to you.
4. Accommodation in the scenic area:
The entrance ticket to the mountain is 248 yuan, valid for two days, and you can enter the mountain repeatedly within those two days (the ticket has a fingerprint verification system, so it cannot be transferred to another person); but that is for the convenience of tour groups. Because there are no large hotels in the core scenic area, tour groups can only stay at the foot of the mountain; while friends traveling independently can choose the more convenient family inns inside the scenic area. Although the accommodation conditions there are somewhat worse than in the city, it saves the fatigue of traveling back and forth, avoids retracing your steps, and also saves time. In the scenic area, it is recommended to stay at farmhouses or inns in the Yangjiajie and Wulongzhai area. First, this place is in the core zone of the scenic area, making it very convenient to visit the surrounding scenic spots; second, after going up the mountain you can leave your luggage at the inn, making it easy to tour lightly. The inns are adjacent to scenic spots such as Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Daguantai, Tianzi Mountain, and Laowuchang; the farmhouses here are very concentrated, and most of the farmhouses praised by netizens are in this area;
Wulingyuan farmhouse stays are 60-80 yuan per standard double room. (With air conditioning, private bathroom, color TV, hot water shower, Simmons mattress)
Core scenic area: farmhouse stays 60 yuan per standard double room (air conditioning, private bathroom, color TV, hot water shower, Simmons mattress). The usual room rate is 30 yuan per person, and there are also many family-style inns to choose from. Safety and hygiene are generally not a problem, so you can stay with peace of mind.
Because you need to cover yourself with a quilt at night in the scenic area in summer, air conditioning is not needed. If you really need air conditioning, there is a quasi-three-star hotel next to Helong Park at 180 yuan per standard double room.
5. Food in the scenic area:
Prices in scenic areas around the world are several times higher than on the market, and Zhangjiajie's scenic area is no exception, because the mountains are high and food has to be carried or shouldered up by villagers, so the cost and price are relatively high. Meat dishes cost more than 30 yuan each, game dishes more than 80 yuan, including wild boar, muntjac, bamboo partridge, pine mushroom, wild wood ear, and so on, while vegetables cost more than 15 yuan.
6. Entertainment in the scenic area:
In Wulingyuan District you can attend some local folk-custom entertainment programs, such as the bonfire party of "Charming Xiangxi," the Tujia-style night market, and the local specialties of Tianzi Street;
Along the way in Zhangjiajie's scenic area there are many spots for listening to mountain songs, and at each spot there are several Tujia girls. You can request songs from the song list, or ask them to sing their specialties, and it only costs 10 yuan. The "Sky Song Stage" at the "Wulongzhai" scenic spot is the best place to listen to mountain songs. It is located halfway up the mountain, facing an open valley, and the opposite peaks form a natural echo screen. You must stand facing the valley to listen, because only then can you truly feel the original charm of mountain songs echoing through the empty valley.