Zhangjiajie Self-Guided Travel_ Self-Guided Travel Network
I. Overview: Objectively speaking, Zhangjiajie's scenery is more appreciable than Guilin and Huangshan, and its reception facilities are quite complete. The tourism market is relatively mature, and both group tours and self-guided tours are feasible. Joining a tour group from your departure city can save you a lot of trouble, such as food, accommodation, and transportation, but it definitely doesn't mean all you have to do is have fun. Relatively speaking, after joining a group, many optional paid activities and mandatory shopping stops are unavoidable. And if guests don't contribute to the guide...
I. Overview:
Objectively speaking, the scenery of Zhangjiajie is more enjoyable than that of Guilin and Huangshan, and the reception facilities are quite complete, and the tourism market is relatively mature. Both joining a tour group and traveling independently are feasible. Joining a tour group from your departure place can save you a lot of trouble, such as food, accommodation, and transportation, but it definitely doesn't mean that all you have to do is play. Relatively speaking, after joining a tour group, many optional paid items and necessary shopping stops are unavoidable. Moreover, if guests don't contribute, the guide may not be pleasant to you. This is something that can't be changed, because now all mature scenic areas across the country, due to competition, destination local travel agencies take groups at cost or at a loss, and the remuneration of local travel agencies and guides basically all comes from the guide's secondary income generation. Also, joining a tour group is very unfree; every place is just a quick glance. Choose suitable accommodation standards and the independent travel style you need; enjoy free, in-depth, and distinctive travel. First is the autonomy of arranging tourism activities, including the determination of the tourist destination and itinerary, the choice of transportation and accommodation standards, and the arrangement of sightseeing items, giving you personal autonomy and choice. At the same time, independent travel also has great flexibility; during the trip, you can temporarily adjust or change the itinerary according to personal preferences. As long as you contact the local guesthouse or hotel that receives independent travelers, you can easily get it done. Compared with other scenic areas in the country, Zhangjiajie has even more advantages for independent travel, that is, joining a tour group from your departure place absolutely cannot visit Zhangjiajie's most attractive scenic spots such as Tianbo Mansion in Yangjiajie, Wulong Village, the One-Step-Hard-to-Move at Daguantai, Immortal Bridge, Tianzi Seat, the Divine Soldiers Gathering at Laowuchang, the Sky Garden, Mandarin Duck Waterfall, and other essential scenic spots.
II. Zhangjiajie travel anti-fraud knowledge:
1. If you come to Zhangjiajie by train or plane, on the train to Zhangjiajie and at Zhangjiajie Railway Station and Zhangjiajie Airport, there are often people wearing uniforms (mostly impersonators), or hanging the name of some reception department, or under the name of some travel agency, soliciting customers. They will ask you to join their travel agency, or ask to provide you with accommodation, guide, vehicle, and other services. At this time, you should keep a clear head and not easily have dealings with them (because they either have very high prices, or very poor service quality, and often abandon customers, and have underworld backgrounds. As long as you consult with them, they will keep pestering you and not allow others to receive you, until you join their tour out of despair). For those who pester endlessly, you can report to the duty officer, or dial 110, or dial the tourism complaint hotline to resolve it. If you have already contacted a travel reception provider in advance, then please do not contact them even more. If you come to Zhangjiajie by self-driving car, those solicitors will try every possible means to discuss with you about tour packages. Because you are driving yourself, their first step is to get on your car before you arrive in Zhangjiajie. As long as they get on your car, they have a place to perform, and there is nothing they think they cannot accomplish.
1> Hitchhikers: generally mostly girls or middle-aged women, because people generally have more sympathy for women and are more likely to relax their vigilance, and many men are embarrassed to refuse.
2> Hitchhiking locations: at fork roads, crossroads, gas stations, toll stations, and traffic police duty points near Zhangjiajie's surrounding cities and counties (such as Lixian, Shimen, Changde, Cili, and the highway drop-off point in Zhangjiajie city area).
3> Target selection: cars, vans, business travel vehicles, and non-route-operating minibuses or large buses from outside Zhangjiajie......
4> Reason for hitchhiking: I am from Zhangjiajie, just happening to return to Zhangjiajie, hitching a ride, and by the way I can also guide you. Unknowing people often think they are lucky. There are also more advanced wild guides who appear in the form of public security, traffic police, and government agency personnel, asking the traffic police on duty by the roadside to stop a car for them, claiming to be colleagues from over there, handling matters here, and now needing to find a ride back.
After getting in the car, they will do their utmost to promote and boast about themselves, as if they have extraordinary abilities, and seem to know every tourism link and department in Zhangjiajie. If a deal can be made in the car (or an intention is expressed), then their task is complete. If the guest is disgusted, they will have a contact person, and after arriving at the scenic area, a companion with "stronger ability" and "greater momentum" will negotiate with you. If these efforts still don't work in front of a shrewd guest, they will pay out of pocket to book a room for you. (For example, a four-star hotel room costs at least 220, but they may buy it for you at 160 yuan. Under such a super bargain, you absolutely cannot remain unmoved. Then after you enter the room, they will pester you relentlessly, bombard you with sales techniques, and force you to join their team. If you still don't catch on, they will use female seduction and other means in the middle of the night to tempt you, not afraid that you won't take the bait. In this way, the one who suffers is still the guest, and more importantly, it disrupts the normal tourism market order and the guest's interest in travel.
How to solve: Regarding the above situations, self-driving friends should be mentally prepared. No matter whether it is some traffic police or government personnel, first refuse them getting in the car. If you encounter endless pestering, you can dial 110 to call the police, or preferably dial the Quality Inspection Brigade of the Zhangjiajie Tourism Bureau (0744-8380193) or the Quality Inspection Office of the Wulingyuan District Tourism Bureau (0744-5618331).
2. Places to pay attention to in Zhangjiajie city area
1. If you come by train, as soon as you leave the railway station you must pass through a huge square. Many women or men will gather around, foaming at the mouth and enthusiastically recommending how to travel. If you are from Sichuan or Chongqing, just speak Sichuan dialect, and these people will immediately scatter like birds and beasts, because the accent of Zhangjiajie is similar to Chongqing, Sichuan, and western Hubei dialects. These people will mistakenly think you are a local and lose interest in you. If you can only speak Mandarin, then tell them, I am here to visit relatives, someone is picking me up. Wow, likewise, they scatter like birds and beasts!
2. From the exit, walk forward another 20 meters, and you will see taxis in the square warmly greeting you. Let me tell you the market rate, thank me later. To go into the city, at most 10 yuan; if you strongly request the driver to use the meter, seven or eight yuan is enough. It's better to find a place in the city to rest first.
4. If you come by plane, there are three ways to reach the city area: First, at the exit there is a civil aviation bus waiting for you; you can directly get on and it will take you for free to the Civil Aviation Hotel on Daqiao Road in the city area. However, on the bus you must endure the civil aviation bus staff's continuous half-hour harassment to join their tour group. If you feel uncomfortable, then take a taxi? Opposite the airport exit, spend about 10 yuan to take a taxi to the city area.
III. Eating, playing, and shopping in Zhangjiajie
The city area of Zhangjiajie is not large. But commerce is relatively developed. The relatively large and complete shopping places are Wanjia Department Store and Times Square. I recommend these two places. Times Square is a newly opened supermarket in Zhangjiajie city area this year, bright and clean, recommended. No matter which hotel you stay in, a taxi to these two places costs no more than 5 yuan. The first floor of Times Square is worth a stroll, with Miao silver jewelry for sale, not expensive, distinctive, no bargaining, relatively fair. In the corner of the first floor, there is a place selling specialty items; it doesn't hurt to take a look. On the second floor you can buy daily necessities and local specialties, with everything you could want. Because it is a newly opened supermarket, all kinds of discounted goods are flying everywhere; as long as you go, you may find something. If it is noon or dusk, and you don't want to eat at a street stall, and don't want to eat hotel food, go to a place called Yinmandou to eat pickled vegetable beef, so delicious it's unbelievable, about 30 yuan for a hot pot, enough for three people. The location is in the alley down from the aviation school, right next to the pedestrian street. If you really can't find it, go to Master Hu's Three-Pot Stew by the Fengwan Bridge to eat a Zhangjiajie specialty--dry-fried intestines and walnut meat hot pot, 15 yuan per portion, though now the portion is a bit small, and with more customers, the taste is also a bit worse, but it is still worth trying for tourists.
Zhangjiajie's tourist attractions worth visiting are divided into three routes:
Zhangjiajie city area sightseeing route: mainly includes Dayong Prefecture City Multi-Ethnic Cultural Grand View Garden and Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park.
The Dayong Prefecture City Scenic Area centrally displays the religion, performing arts, architecture, handicrafts, clothing, food, and other cultures of the five major ethnic minorities in Xiangxi. If you want to feel the charm of the splendid multi-ethnic intangible cultural heritage of Xiangxi, it is the first stop you must visit in Zhangjiajie. The ticket is 70 yuan, and the evening song and dance gala price is 80 yuan.
And Tianmen Mountain is even more famous. In 1999, humans first flew a plane through Tianmen Cave; in 2005, Russian fighter jets planned to fly through Tianmen Cave; in 2005, a French spider-man climbed Tianmen Cave barehanded; in 2008, self-driving enthusiasts from across the country conquered the heavenly road; in 2008, Aishan, the seventh-generation inheritor of Xinjiang Dawaz in China, walked a tightrope. Whether successful or failed, this series of magical and terrifying stories has made Tianmen Mountain the focus of people all over the world every time. In addition, inexplicable mysteries such as Tianmen Turning, Tianmen Water Turning, Tianmen Cave Opening, and Li Na's Marriage also make Tianmen Mountain even more worth tourists' yearning. And the world's longest cableway, the world's most thrilling cliff plank road, and the world's most exciting highway wonder all challenge the limits of visitors' boiling blood and strong hearts. Tianmen Mountain is currently rated as one of China's 50 most popular places for foreigners. Tianmen Mountain ticket is 260 yuan per person.
Zhangjiajie West Route Tourism: West Route tourism includes one cave, one village, one lake, and one rafting:
One cave is Asia's number one cave--Jiutian Cave. Jiutian Cave is divided into upper, middle, and lower levels, with a total area of more than 2.5 million square meters, and the lowest level is 420 meters below the surface. The cave has 40 halls, 3 underground rivers, 12 waterfalls, 5 natural bridges, 6 thousand-hill fields, and 3 natural lakes. In 1987, more than 20 cave experts from 17 countries conducted on-site investigations three times and determined that Jiutian Cave is Asia's number one cave. In 1995, Jiutian Cave was designated as an "International Cave Association Exploration Base" (only two in the country), and was absorbed as a member of the International Cave Association (only three in the country). Jiutian Cave's three great wonders--the Tujia mountain village, the underground forest wonder, and the sparkling Crystal Palace--make every visitor applaud in amazement.
One village is the thousand-year-old Kuzhu Village. Kuzhu Village was built in the Tang and Song dynasties and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a history of nearly 2,000 years. Because it connects to Sangzhi County above and faces steep gorges below, and is located by mountains and water with a dangerous terrain, it was once a commercial dock on the upper reaches of the Lishui River, with people and boats coming and going in an endless stream, very prosperous. The small town had shops, inns, brothels, embroidery towers, workshops, pawnshops, theaters, and temples all complete, and was praised as "an old dock with thousands of sails, an ancient market gathered with merchants, a pleasure den where boatmen's souls wander, and a kaleidoscope of Ming and Qing society." The ancient fire walls and low stilted buildings, and the now dilapidated brothels that once made all the rafters linger, still show visitors the wisdom of the Tujia people; the bluestone slabs in the village and the washing clubs of Tujia village girls by the river all tell of the changes of this ancient village.
One lake is the Kuzhu River Grand Canyon, where you can take a luxury antique oil tanker for calm-lake sightseeing. It is a section of the upper reaches of Maoyan River. The total length is about 30 kilometers, and it is the most mysterious place in Zhangjiajie; it is one of the birthplaces of Tujia culture; it is the ancient battlefield where the Xiangxi Tujia leader--King Qin Hou--fought against the Ming dynasty; it is the bandit den where the last bandit in Xiangxi, Qin Xinguo, hid for fifteen years, with mysterious Ba people hanging coffins; here green mountains and clear waters, high gorges and dangerous cliffs, caves and ancient villages, Tujia customs, and folk legends decorate the Kuzhu River Grand Canyon magnificently and charmingly. The cliffs on both sides of the lake are mostly 90 degrees, and the winding waterways and the streams and rapids extending deep into the mountains make the Kuzhu River Grand Canyon even more primitive and wild, like the plots of a great book, gripping one after another, intoxicating. In the canyon's calm lake, on the luxury cruise ship, the strong Tujia folk culture and customs are fully displayed here. The affectionate Tujia girls' folk songs and dances will keep your thoughts lingering in your mind.
One rafting refers to Maoyan River rafting. Among Hunan's four major river systems, the most beautiful scenery, the largest drop, and the fastest current is the ecological river Lishui River, and Maoyan River is the section of the Lishui River with the most beautiful scenery, the most rapids, and the biggest waves. It is 32 kilometers west of Zhangjiajie city, with a rafting distance of 28 kilometers, a drop of 66 meters, and a total of 55 thrilling but safe river beaches. Maoyan River has green mountains and clear waters, picturesque scenery, deep gorges, many beaches and waves. Along both banks are steep cliffs and dangerous peaks, flying waterfalls and flowing springs, strange and dangerous mountain shapes, deep rocks and dense forests, ancient and magical; the river is rapid like an arrow, fierce waves like galloping, splitting rocks and piercing gorges, peaks turning and water rotating. It can truly be said: "Not the Three Gorges, but better than the Three Gorges."
There are many local specialties here, among which the most famous are kudzu root powder, fern root powder, rock ear, and eucommia tea among the Three Treasures and One Wonder. These are all pure natural green foods. Kudzu powder has beauty and skin-care effects for women, and can help men sober up. Stir-fried cured meat with kudzu powder is a famous Xiangxi dish. Rock ear is even more precious, because it grows on cliffs and precipices and is very rare, so good rock ear in Zhangjiajie market costs at least two or three hundred yuan per jin. Of course, inferior products also cost several tens of yuan. Eucommia tea has the effect of lowering the three highs (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids). Buying it back to show filial respect to elders is a very good gift.
IV. How to reach the Wulingyuan core scenic area?
Wulingyuan refers to a district. It includes: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (that is, Huangshizhai and Golden Whip Stream and Yuanjiajie), Yangjiajie, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve (including Daguantai, Laowuchang, and Helong Park), and part of Suoxiyu----Ten-Mile Gallery. These places use one unified ticket of 248 yuan, which means that whether you only visit Yuanjiajie or Ten-Mile Gallery or Laowuchang, or visit all the above places, you must spend 248 yuan. There are 5 ticket stations for entry, namely Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Ticket Station, Wulingyuan Ticket Station, Tianzi Mountain Ticket Station, Zimugang Ticket Station, and Yangjiajie Ticket Station. Buying a ticket at any ticket station allows entry to the above scenic areas.
Note: It is strongly recommended that friends traveling independently enter the scenic area from Tianzi Mountain Ticket Station (Reason: Tianzi Mountain Ticket Station is the only road where vehicles can go from the bottom of the mountain to the top. Direct bus from the city area to Tianzi Mountain Ticket Station costs 13 yuan per person. After contacting the guesthouse in the scenic area, tourists can put down their luggage and then play, saving the cost of taking the elevator 56 yuan per person and the cableway 52 yuan per person.
On the last day, walk Golden Whip Stream and exit from Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Ticket Station. In this way, tourists can have it much easier.)
V: How to tour within the core scenic area?
The Wulingyuan core scenic area is very large, with an area of 264 square kilometers. Within the scenic area, three thousand stone peaks rise from the ground, and eight hundred streams wind tortuously. It can be said to integrate peaks, forests, caves, lakes, and waterfalls, and combine wonder, beauty, seclusion, wildness, and danger. "A scene every five steps, a heaven every ten steps." It is praised by Chinese and foreign tourists as "the number one wonder mountain under heaven" and "the original of Chinese landscape painting." If you visit all of it, it probably takes six to seven days. To walk through the essential scenic spots generally also requires three days. There are many fork roads in the core scenic area, and many beautiful scenic spots are relatively remote. From one scenic spot to another, tourists often cannot correctly estimate the time. Detours and wasted back-and-forth travel are things that many pure independent travelers often encounter.
For details, please consult: Zhangjiajie Traveler's Home Guesthouse
Zhangjiajie Traveler's Home Guesthouse is located in the core position of the scenic area, Tianzi Mountain at an altitude of more than 1,260 meters. The guesthouse was established in 2008. It is a professional reception center for independent travel/self-driving travel/individual travelers in the scenic area. It provides tourist friends with: station pickup, chartered vehicles, accommodation, meals, guides, and other comprehensive services. (Color TV--each room is equipped with a receiver and can receive more than 40 TV stations, independent bathroom, 24-hour hot water supply, a computer in the lobby for tourists to look up information and upload pictures.) The guesthouse provides online booking for tourists, eliminating the trouble of carrying luggage while looking for accommodation. Convenient transportation--(free environmentally friendly buses in the scenic area stop on request). Affordable prices and convenient transportation make it your first choice for staying when visiting Zhangjiajie!
1> It is closest to the famous scenic spot Daguantai (the best place to watch the sunrise), Sky Garden, and Mandarin Duck Waterfall. 2> No need to enter the mountain a second time, no need to carry luggage, and no need to suffer from queuing. You can stay in the scenic area as long as you want, and don't worry about the ticket expiring.
3> There is no forced consumption during the trip, and a group can be formed even with one person. It provides tourists with car rental, route design, and other services.
Contact phone: 13762183790
Online service QQ 1041540441 370690015
VI: Corresponding transportation from all over the country to Zhangjiajie
Guangzhou direction: Guangzhou--(Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway)→Changsha--(Changchang Expressway)→Changde--(Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Changsha direction: Changsha--(Changchang Expressway)→Changde--(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Wuhan direction: Wuhan--(Hanyi Expressway)→Jingzhou--(National Highway)→Gong'an--(National Highway)→Lixian, Hunan--(Provincial Highway)→Shimen County--(Provincial Highway)→Cili County--(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
East China direction: 1. Shanghai—→Nanjing—→Hefei—→Qianshan—→Huangmei—→Huangshi—→Wuhan—→Jingzhou—→Lixian—→Shimen—→Cili County—(Changzhang Expressway)→ Zhangjiajie or Shanghai—→
Hangzhou—→Jinhua—→Quzhou—→Nanchang—→Zhuzhou—→Changsha—(Changchang Expressway)→Changde—(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Beijing direction: Beijing--(Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway)→Wuhan--(Hanyi Expressway)→Jingzhou--(National Highway)→Gong'an--(National Highway)→Lixian, Hunan--(Provincial Highway)→Shimen County--(Provincial Highway)→Cili County--(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Nanchang direction: Nanchang--(National Highway 207)→Zhuzhou--(Expressway)→Changsha--(Expressway)→Changde--(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Hefei direction: Hefei—→Wuhan—→Jingzhou—(National Highway)→Gong'an—((National Highway)→Lixian, Hunan—(Provincial Highway)→Shimen—(Provincial Highway)→Cili County—(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Zhengzhou direction: Zhengzhou--(Expressway)→Wuhan--(Expressway)→Jingzhou--(National Highway)→Gong'an--(National Highway)→Lixian, Hunan--(Provincial Highway)→Shimen--(Provincial Highway)→Cili County--(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Jinan direction: Jinan—→Handan—(Expressway)→Wuhan—→Jingzhou—(National Highway)→Gong'an—(National Highway)→Lixian, Hunan—(Provincial Highway)→Shimen—(Provincial Highway)→Cili County—(Changzhang Expressway)→Zhangjiajie
Chongqing direction: Chongqing—→Fuling—→Wulong—→Pengshui—→Qianjiang—→Xianfeng—→Longshan, Hunan—→Yongshun—Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie Tourism Website: