Zhangjiajie Self-Drive Tour: Seeking the Taste of Spring 2010
In spring, Zhangjiajie is a tender green, with blue sky, white clouds, green grass, and blooming flowers. The warm sunlight shines on you, and everything is so beautiful. The uniquely charming Xiangxi culture, rich ethnic customs, the spring of the south—strolling leisurely on the verdant mountain forest paths, Zhangjiajie's spring is beautiful. The blue shimmering sky is like the eyes of the earth, letting white clouds drift back and forth across its forehead. In Zhangjiajie, where sunset and new moon embrace at the same time, is where you can experience…
In spring, Zhangjiajie is a tender green, with blue skies, white clouds, green grass, and blooming flowers. The warm sunshine falls on you, and everything is so beautiful. The uniquely charming Xiangxi culture, rich ethnic customs, and the spring of the southern land—strolling leisurely along the verdant mountain forest paths—Zhangjiajie's spring is beautiful. The shimmering blue sky is like the eyes of the earth, letting white clouds drift freely across its forehead. In Zhangjiajie, where you embrace both the sunset and the new moon at the same time, is where you experience Zhangjiajie, and where you appreciate Zhangjiajie. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, you can also taste Zhangjiajie's specialty snacks.
Spring in Zhangjiajie is different from other seasons. Spring in Zhangjiajie is very mild, very comfortable, and full of poetic charm.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, together with the three major nature reserves of Suoxiyu, Tianzi Mountain, and Yangjiajie, forms Wulingyuan, the core scenic area of Zhangjiajie.
In 2004, it was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Geopark. The geopark encompasses a rich variety of geological relics, including sandstone peak forests, mesa platforms and forts, natural bridges and stone gates, barrier valleys and ravines, karst gorges, karst caves, springs and waterfalls, streams and lakes, as well as sedimentary, structural, and stratigraphic profiles, and stone biological fossils. Its highly varied and unpredictable landform landscapes preserve an ecological environment and ecosystem in an almost undisturbed primitive natural state.
Besides the Wulingyuan core scenic area, Wulingyuan District has the "Best Cave Mansion in China" Yellow Dragon Cave, the "Jade Pool on Earth" Baofeng Lake, and the National Whitewater Slalom Base. Cili County has Jiangya Hot Spring, Wanfu Hot Spring, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, the "Little Three Gorges" Loushui Rafting, and Wulei Mountain, a Taoist site known as the "Southern Wudang." Yongding District, where the city proper is located, has the "Zhangjiajie New Legend" Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, the "Hundred-Mile Gallery" Maoyan River Rafting, Tujia Customs Park, the Old Courtyard, Dayong Prefecture City, and the "Famous Jiangnan Temple" Puguang Zen Temple. Sangzhi County has emerging scenic areas such as the "Asia's Largest Cave" Jiutian Cave, the He Long Former Residence Memorial Hall, the thousand-year-old ancient town Kuzhuzhai, Fengluangxi National Forest Park, and Badagongshan Nature Reserve. Zhangjiajie City is also a settlement area for ethnic minorities such as the Tujia, Bai, and Miao, who account for 69% of the city's total population. Various folk customs often fill domestic and international tourists with great interest and endless reverie. Around Zhangjiajie City, there are also scenic spots such as Peach Blossom Spring and Mengdong River, and it is also very convenient to go to the Three Gorges and Guilin.
Below is a brief introduction to several self-driving routes to Zhangjiajie.
From Changsha: Changsha—(via Changchang Expressway)→ Changde—(via Changzhang Expressway)→ Zhangjiajie City-→ Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (or Wulingyuan Scenic Area)
From Wuhan
1. Wuhan-(via Jingzhu Expressway)→ Changsha—(via Changchang Expressway)→ Changde—(via Changzhang Expressway)→ Zhangjiajie City-→ Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (or Wulingyuan Scenic Area) Recommended
2. Wuhan—(via Hanyi Expressway)→Jingzhou—→Gong'an—→Lixian, Hunan—→Shimen County—→Cili County-(after crossing the bridge, go straight ahead)→Wulingyuan Scenic Area (Suoxiyu) About 8 hours
3. Shanghai—→Hangzhou—→Jinhua—→Quzhou—→Nanchang—→Zhuzhou—→Changsha—(via Changchang Expressway)→ Changde—(via Changzhang Expressway)→ Zhangjiajie City-→ Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (or Wulingyuan Scenic Area) About 20 hours
Section Route Area Driving Mileage (Quote Parameters Pictures Forum) Travel Time Road Conditions
Changsha City--Zhangjiajie City Changde City 320 km 3.5 hours Expressway
Changsha City--Fenghuang Ancient Town Zhangjiajie City, Jishou City 615 km 8 hours Expressway + National Highway + Provincial Highway
Changsha City------Mount Heng - 118 km 2.5 hours Expressway
Changsha City------Shaoshan Ningxiang County 89 km 1.5 hours National Highway + Provincial Highway
Changsha City------Yueyang - 171 km 2 hours Expressway
Wuhan City----Changsha City - 360 km 4 hours Expressway
Guangzhou City----Changsha City - 700 km 7-8 hours Expressway
Jingzhou City--Zhangjiajie City Gong'an, Lixian, Shimen 320 km 5.5 hours National Highway + Provincial Highway
Huaihua City--Zhangjiajie City Fenghuang, Jishou 300 km 5.5 hours National Highway + Provincial Highway
Shaoshan----Zhangjiajie City Changde, Cili 380 km 7-8 hours Expressway + Provincial Highway
Wulingyuan--Zhangjiajie City - 38 km 50 minutes Provincial Highway
Zhangjiajie City--Fenghuang Ancient Town Jishou City 238 km 4.5 hours Provincial Highway
Zhangjiajie City--Jishou City Within Yongshun County 186 km 3 hours Provincial Highway
Zhangjiajie City--Furong Town - 82 km 1.5 hours Provincial Highway
Jishou City--Fenghuang Ancient Town - 52 km 1.5 hours Provincial Highway
Next, I'd like to recommend a great self-driving route in Zhangjiajie.
Day 1: Arrive in Zhangjiajie City by car. The guide meets your car at the expressway exit. Visit Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, take the world's longest high
mountain cableway, and see Tianmen Cave. Stay in Zhangjiajie City.
Day 2: Visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: the premium scenic area of Huangshizhai, the premium scenic area of Golden Whip Stream, Water Winding Around Four Gates, Ten-Mile Gallery, etc.
Stay in Suoxiyu, Wulingyuan.
Day 3: Visit the world's wonder of peak forests—Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area, West Sea, Tiantai, Fairy Presenting Flowers, Imperial Brush Peak, He Long Park, Wolong Ridge,
Baizhang Gorge, etc. Then drive back and end the pleasant journey.
Notes for self-driving and independent travel:
Friends doing self-driving or independent travel in Zhangjiajie should pay attention to the following points:
1. The temperature difference between the scenic area and the city is about 5 degrees. Even in summer, you may still need a thin quilt in the scenic area—this is not an exaggeration.
2. The less luggage, the better; the lighter, the better. It is best to bring an umbrella or rainproof clothing (you can also buy a disposable raincoat locally, 5--8 RMB each). Because mountain weather is unpredictable. In summer, be sure to bring mosquito repellent. Prepare some simple medicines such as disinfecting wet wipes, band-aids, anti-inflammatory tablets, and anti-diarrhea tablets (to prevent acclimatization). Wear non-slip sports shoes, and bring extra film and batteries, as they are more expensive in the scenic area.
3. Prepare a small amount of dry food (climbing mountains consumes energy) to satisfy hunger, bottled drinking water (to reduce travel expenses), and keep money in separate places. If you have a nationally accepted bank magnetic card, it is best to bring it, as well as your ID card.
4. It is best to travel with several people, so many costs can be shared, and you can look after each other.
5. If you have a student card, senior card (70 and above), disability card, military officer card, or provincial-level journalist card, don't forget to bring it before leaving, as you can enjoy corresponding discounted tickets.
6. Zhangjiajie is famous for its mountains, so most of the time is spent climbing, so everyone must choose flat-soled shoes.
7. Friends driving themselves should note: do not be fooled by fake traffic police. As long as they are not driving a police car and are instead in an ordinary car, they are fake traffic police. You can ignore them.