Essence of Xiangxi | 6-Day 5-Night Surreal Journey through Zhangjiajie + Avatar + Furong Town + Fenghuang Ancient Town

Welcome to Zhangjiajie. Our guide will meet you at the airport exit and take you to the hotel in Wulingyuan Scenic Area for check-in. The total distance is 35 kilometers, and the drive takes about 1 hour. After arriving at the hotel, you can arrange your time freely. Suggestions for free time: Visit Xibu Old Street, where you can browse shops selling local Xiangxi folk culture souvenirs or distinctive handicrafts, stroll along the old street to admire the local Tujia-style residential architecture, and explore the street's food, tasting specialties such as frog cakes and Tujia fried rice. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG) has many direct international routes, such as Malaysia (4h55m), South Korea (3h35m), etc., as well as many direct domestic routes, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, etc., making transportation extremely convenient. 2. By train: Zhangjiajie's rail connections are also well developed. You can take a high-speed train to Zhangjiajie from cities such as Changsha (2-4h), Fenghuang Ancient Town (1h), Beijing (11h), Shanghai (9h), Guilin (7h), and Guangzhou (13h15m). Extended trivia Wulingyuan Scenic Area: Wulingyuan Scenic Area is hailed as one of China's top ten tourist destinations. It is not only a World Natural Heritage Site but also one of China's first World Geoparks. It consists of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, Yangjiajie Scenic Area, and Suoxiyu Nature Reserve. Our itinerary mainly visits the most popular and representative Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve.

After breakfast, you will head to China's first national forest park — Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. First, you will take the shuttle bus to the Bailong Elevator, known as the "World's No. 1 Lift." This elevator once broke the Guinness World Record for the tallest outdoor elevator, and it is also the fastest and heaviest outdoor sightseeing elevator. In just 66 seconds, it will smoothly carry you from the foot of the mountain to the top, letting you experience the thrill and excitement of rising from a deep valley straight into the clouds in an instant. After reaching the mountaintop platform, you can take in the magnificent surrounding mountain scenery, then hike into the real-life Pandora world — Yuanjiajie, which is a filming location for the movie Avatar and the site of the real-life Hallelujah Mountain (originally named South Heaven Pillar). Here, you can stroll along the trails and visit major attractions in turn, including the Back Garden, Mihun Terrace, and the No. 1 Bridge under Heaven (a natural stone bridge and the signature attraction of Yuanjiajie). You can also immerse yourself in Zhangjiajie's fantastical peaks as you walk, and gain a deeper understanding of Zhangjiajie's geological and landform features along the way. Afterwards, take the shuttle bus to visit Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, known as the "King of Peak Forests." Here, you will first go to Dianjiang Terrace to overlook the spectacular scenery of the West Sea peak forest, then head to the representative of the king of peak forests — Yubi Peak, to admire rows of upright peaks resembling writing brushes. Finally, hike to Helong Park to see the bronze statues of Marshal He Long and his warhorse, and visit the nearby Tianzi Pavilion along the way, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire national forest park. After the tour, return to the hotel to rest.

After breakfast, you will drive about 56 kilometers (about 1.5 hours) to visit Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, praised as "one of the most beautiful canyons in the world," and experience the world's longest and highest fully transparent glass bridge, the Yuntian Du Glass Bridge. It is the world's first cable-stayed glass suspension bridge with a large-variable spatial cable system, about 375 meters long and paved with 99 panels of fully transparent glass. From a distance, the glass bridge looks as thin as a cicada's wing, "invisible" amid the mountains, water, and sky. The bridge deck is about 300 meters above the valley floor. Walking on the bridge, you can take in the magnificent scenery of the entire grand canyon and look down at the deep canyon below, which is very thrilling and exciting. In addition, in the middle of the bridge there is the world's highest bungee jumping platform. If you are brave enough, you can give it a try—it is very exciting and unforgettable (the bungee jumping fee is at your own expense). Afterward, you will visit the mirror-like Baofeng Lake. Nestled among surrounding mountains, Baofeng Lake has clear, emerald-green water that reflects the blue sky, white clouds, and surrounding peaks, resembling an exquisite ink-wash painting. You can take a quaint pleasure boat through the landscape, immerse yourself in the beauty of the surrounding lake and mountains, and enjoy a leisurely, peaceful time. After the visit, return to downtown Zhangjiajie, about 35 kilometers away, about 1 hour by car.

This morning, you will visit [Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park]. Tianmen Mountain is about 8 kilometers from downtown Zhangjiajie. It is the foremost sacred mountain in western Hunan and a mountain suitable for visitors of all ages. You will take the cable car directly to the summit (about 30 minutes), and along the way you can take in a panoramic view of the 99-bend winding mountain road and the surrounding magnificent mountain scenery. After reaching the summit, you will begin two exciting cliff-walk hiking experiences. First, you will visit the fully transparent glass skywalk, which is 1.6 meters wide and 60 meters long. Walking on it feels like strolling above the clouds, with majestic mountain scenery beside you and a bottomless valley below, making it very thrilling. After that, you will walk the 1,600-meter Guigu Plank Road. The entire walkway clings to the cliff face like a giant dragon, and as you walk you can overlook the surrounding mountains, making the experience both thrilling and spectacular. Afterward, visit Tianmen Temple, one of only five Buddhist temples in the world that preserve a Buddha relic. You can also go to Yunmeng Immortal Summit, the highest point in Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the surroundings. Then take the escalator to Tianmen Cave, the most unmissable attraction in Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area and the world's highest natural karst cave through a mountain. After sightseeing, you can choose to walk down the steep 999 steps or take the elevator directly to the cable car station, and then take the cable car down the mountain. Afterward, drive (about 2.5h) to Furong Town, located southwest of Zhangjiajie. [Furong Town] is a thousand-year-old town hanging above a waterfall. A magnificent waterfall runs through the town, complementing the ancient stilted houses and the surrounding verdant scenery, creating a picturesque scene. After arriving in Furong Town, you can stroll through the ancient town, admire the highly distinctive Tujia architectural style, and experience the relaxed local atmosphere. When night falls, the ancient town is brilliantly lit, and the waterfall is illuminated as well. Its beautiful night view is well worth photographing and keeping. In addition, at around 7:30, you can go to Baishou Hall and Yinan Square to watch performances and gain an immersive understanding of the local Tujia history, culture, and customs. Finally, stay overnight in Furong Ancient Town.

This morning, you will explore [Furong Town] in depth and discover more of the charm of this thousand-year-old ancient town. First, visit the Xizhou Bronze Pillar Garden, a group of bronze pillar sculptures depicting the scene of an ancient treaty signed between the King of Chu and the local "Tuwang." Here, following your guide's commentary, you can gain a deeper understanding of the historical events of the local Tujia people in olden times. Then come to Tuwang Bridge, a typical Tujia stilted building structure with high upturned eaves and a majestic appearance, and one of the most popular photo spots for visitors. After that, visit Youyang Palace within the Tuwang Palace, once the summer retreat of the local chieftain. Finally, go to the Waterfall Viewing Platform to once again admire the largest and most spectacular waterfall in Xiangxi, with its magnificent scene of rushing down under the sunlight, and take your best travel photos. Then drive about 116 kilometers to Fenghuang Ancient Town. [Fenghuang Ancient Town] is one of the most beautiful ancient towns in China, famous for its simple ancient town appearance, diverse folk culture, and beautiful scenery. The ancient town nestles against the mountains and faces the water, with the Tuo River running through it. The bluestone streets in the town, the stilted houses along the Tuo River, the many ancient buildings, and the strong Miao ethnic flavor together create a unique Xiangxi charm. After arriving at the ancient town, you can take a boat along the Tuo River and immerse yourself in the scenery along the banks of the ancient town. When night falls, the night view of the ancient town is also superb. You can stroll through the ancient town and enjoy the brightly lit night scenery, seek out and taste the local snacks, or experience the distinctive bars in the ancient town.

This morning, you can freely explore Fenghuang Ancient Town, which gained international fame because of the famous literary work Border Town. You can first visit the Former Residence of Shen Congwen, a renowned Chinese writer and the author of Border Town. The residence preserves original manuscripts and other personal belongings. Strolling through it, you can gain a deeper understanding of the story between this literary master and the ancient town, and also admire the simple and elegant courtyard-style residential architecture of southern China. Afterwards, you can head to the nearby East Gate Ancient City Tower, where you can stand atop the tower and overlook the ancient town and the Tuo River. In addition, the landmark attraction of Fenghuang Ancient Town — Hong Bridge — is not to be missed. Hong Bridge was built over the Tuo River and is the best spot for photographing the reflections of the densely packed stilted houses on both banks of the Tuo River in the water. Besides, along both sides of Hong Bridge there are various teahouses and local specialty handicraft shops. You can browse them, look at exquisite goods with strong local characteristics, and also watch local Miao silversmiths and batik artisans at work on site. After the tour, this wonderful surreal journey to Zhangjiajie, Hunan, will come to an end. Our driver will take you to the airport or train station for your next destination.