Zhangjiajie / Mengdong River / Fenghuang Travelogue
Departed Shanghai around 16:00 on 9/11, Shanghai–Changsha sleeper train. Arrived Changsha Station at 7:45 on 9/12, stayed on Platform 2 to buy a ticket directly, boarded the 8:08 Changsha–Zhangjiajie train for 72 yuan. Reached Zhangjiajie around 14:30, hired a car for 60 yuan straight to the Forest Park.
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.
9/11 Departed from Shanghai around 16:00 in the afternoon, Shanghai-Changsha sleeper: 282
9/12 Arrived at Changsha Station at 7:45 in the morning. Without leaving the station, bought a supplementary ticket directly at Platform 2 and boarded the 8:08 Changsha-Zhangjiajie train, ticket price 72 yuan. Arrived in Zhangjiajie around 2:30 in the afternoon, directly hired a car for 60 yuan to go to the Forest Park (Zhangjiajie is composed of the Forest Park and Wulingyuan. Arrived at the Forest Park at 3:50, and what greeted us was the beautiful peak forest. First checked in and stored luggage at Zhangjiajie Hotel (standard room for 2 people, 120 yuan). At 4:00, headed for Huangshizhai. Zhangjiajie's ticket is 248 yuan (including 2 yuan insurance); within 2 days, you can re-enter with the ticket and your own fingerprint. After entering the Forest Park, took the eco-bus directly to the cableway. Since it was the off-season, there were not many people in line, and 3 minutes later we arrived at Huangshizhai, where there is a viewing platform built around the mountain; from various angles you can look straight at Zhangjiajie's majestic peak forest, and with the guide's explanations along the way there was much more fun. Finally, after seeing Liuqi Pavilion, we went down the mountain. Among the 3 attractions on the way down, the most famous are Dinghai Shenzhen and Tianshu Baoxia. Walking down the mountain involved more than 3,000 steps. Returned to the hotel for dinner, 60 yuan.
9/12 Departed at 7:00 in the morning, carrying luggage and walking Jinbian Stream/Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain. Jinbian Stream is a canyon, with a stream flowing through it, named after the famous Jinbian Rock. It is a great place to look up at the peak forest, with a total length of more than 7 kilometers; walking to the end brings you to the Shuizhaosimen scenic spot. If you take the Bailong Elevator to Yuanjiajie, you must walk all the way to the end. If you want to experience the fun of climbing, there are signs along the way directly to Yuanjiajie and Shadaogou. We are lazy people, so we chose the former. The Bailong Elevator (ticket price 56 yuan) is the world's longest sightseeing elevator, with a total length of 383 meters, standing against the rock wall, looking a bit strange. But with the Bailong Elevator, you don't have to climb more than 7,000 steps, which is still much more convenient. Opposite the Bailong Elevator is the Shenbing Tianjiang scenic spot. At the top of the peak, take the eco-bus directly to Yuanjiajie. Yuanjiajie is a great place for viewing the peak forest from afar; the main attractions include Mihun Terrace and No. 1 Bridge under Heaven. Coming out of Yuanjiajie, we took the eco-bus directly to Helong Park on Tianzi Mountain, which is a place where tourists gather. From Tianzi Mountain we took the cableway; because we had to catch the 17:00 train to Mengdong River in the evening, we had to give up Shili Gallery. By the time we reached Mengdong River, it was already 6:30 in the evening at Mengdong River Station. Because the river was shallow, we could only take a bus to Furong Town. Furong Town is a small town nestled among the mountains; the stone-slab road in the town became famous because the movie Hibiscus Town was filmed there. The whole town has a strong commercial atmosphere. We had bought tickets in advance for the next day's rafting, 128 plus 10 yuan for the bus fare. At night we stayed at Tianxia Diyi Luo, standard room 80 yuan; the room was so damp you could grow mushrooms in it. For dinner we tasted Tianxia Diyi Luo; the taste was average and the price too high, costing 78 yuan for 2 people.
9/13 Was woken up by the service call at 5 in the morning, took the 6 o'clock shuttle bus to Mengdong River, arrived at 7. Mengdong River was the best scenery of this trip; it was a completely different experience from the rafting in Zhejiang, with one rapid after another, beautiful waterfalls along the banks, and monkeys frolicking in the primitive forests on both sides. Accompanied by the boatman's melodious mountain songs, splashing water in a water fight with people on other rubber rafts, it felt absolutely great. The whole trip took 3 hours. At noon we returned to Furong Town, ate the famous rice tofu, then went directly to the highway and flagged down a bus to Jishou, fare 15 yuan per person. After 90 minutes, arrived at Jishou Railway Station, then transferred at Jishou Bus Station to Fenghuang, fare 10 yuan per person. After 90 minutes, arrived in Fenghuang. Inside Fenghuang town, you can take the eco-bus for 1 yuan per person directly to the foot of Hongqiao in Fenghuang Ancient Town. Fenghuang is not as beautiful and tranquil as the legends say; it feels like a very commercialized small town. The Tuojiang River water is very clear, but the stilted houses on both sides have already been renovated later; except for the original wooden ones from Louwailou to Duocuilou, which retain a history of several hundred years and are still worth seeing, the others are already very fake. The whole ancient town is under construction everywhere, full of shops selling batik clothing and silver ornaments, and also inns. Tuojiang Renjia was already full. We found accommodation at Tuofeng Inn, a very nice private inn, clean and with especially great views, facing the waterwheel and small waterfall opposite, with Hongqiao and Tiaoyan visible on both sides, and the owner was especially polite. The room rate of 40 yuan was the cheapest we stayed at. In the evening we ate at Linbo Lou; the pickled fish there was good. Two people spent 55 yuan and ate until full; most importantly, that restaurant is a preserved stilted house with a hundred-year history, and eating by the river while looking at the scenery was truly comfortable.
9/14 Got up early to see the dawn over the Tuojiang River, paid respects at Shen Congwen's grave, and in the afternoon went shopping and shopped like crazy. In the afternoon took a bus back to Jishou. At 19:00 took a bus from Jishou to Changsha, sleeper 152 yuan.
9/15 Arrived in Changsha at 7:00 in the morning, stored the bags at the railway station, went to Mawangdui, ticket price 50 yuan, and visited Yuelu Academy, ticket price 18 yuan. In the evening took a bus back to Shanghai. Seat ticket 170 yuan.
9/16 Arrived in Shanghai at 8 in the morning.
This trip cost 2 people a total of 3,600 yuan, of which accommodation and meals cost about 800 yuan.
Friendly tips:
1. Zhangjiajie's attractions are scattered, so it is recommended to find a guide; the fee for a regular guide is 50-100 yuan per day.
2. Very few private individuals go rafting on the Mengdong River; to go rafting, you must buy the ticket one day in advance and transfer at Furong Town together with a group.
3. Remember to bring an extra set of clothes for rafting on the Mengdong River, and buy a water scoop on shore, otherwise after one water fight you'll be completely soaked.
4. The toilets in Fenghuang are run privately by households and are relatively unclean.