Changsha-Zhangjiajie-Fenghuang Hunan Trip (Semi-independent Travel)
May is my favorite time to travel. I took my parents on a trip to Hunan. I’ve always wanted to write a travel journal to keep as a memory, but kept putting it off until now. Let me tell you about our Hunan trip.
Day 1: April 25 – Shenyang to Changsha
Day 2: April 26 – Shaoshan
Day 3: April 27 – Changsha to Zhangjiajie, visit Huanglong Cave
Day 4: April 28 – Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Day 5: April 29 – Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang
Day 6: April 30 – Fenghuang Ancient Town, Fenghuang to Changsha
Day 7: May 1 – Orange Island Head, Changsha to Shenyang
Flights: Shenyang – Changsha; Changsha – Shenyang
Trains: Changsha – Zhangjiajie; Huaihua – Changsha
Buses: Zhangjiajie – Fenghuang; Fenghuang – Huaihua
1. Changsha: Jinjiang Inn (near the train station) stayed two nights, very close to the train station. After landing, we took the airport bus to get there. Changsha Xiaoxiang Business Hotel (South High-Speed Rail Station Branch) stayed one night; it’s a family-run hotel, the owner was very nice.
2. Zhangjiajie: Home Inn (Zhangjiajie Railway Station Tianmen Mountain Forest Park Branch), very close to the train station, very convenient.
We usually found places to eat near our accommodation. A good one was a restaurant across from our hotel in Changsha called Huitou Shike. It was pretty good, especially the chopped pepper fish head. In Zhangjiajie we had "three pots" (sanxiaguo), but I didn't really like that flavor. Changsha's specialty stinky tofu (chou gan zi) was good.
Costs (total for 3 people):
Airfare: 2865 + 3240 = 6105
Train: Changsha to Zhangjiajie 250.5, Huaihua to Changsha South 474
Bus: Fenghuang to Huaihua 180
Accommodation: Jinjiang Inn Changsha 2 nights 308, Zhangjiajie 1 night 167, Changsha Xiaoxiang Business Hotel 212
Other transport: Airport bus 54, Maglev 60, Round trip to Huanglong Cave 84
Tickets: Huanglong Cave two full tickets 190, one half ticket for over 60 years old 53
Tour packages: Two local tours – one to Shaoshan for 3 people total 204; the other for Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang 3 people total 3220
The above costs are total for 3 people. There are also meals, bus, subway fees etc. not listed one by one.
Now let me start my detailed itinerary. For convenience and freedom, we did a semi-independent tour, joining two group tours. I will introduce them in detail below, hoping to provide some reference for everyone.
To avoid peak times, we chose an evening flight.
Day 1: From Shenyang to Changsha (19:05–23:50). It was a bit late arriving in Changsha, but luckily the flight was not delayed. After landing, we took the airport bus. There were self-service machines to buy tickets at baggage claim, and buses right at the door, very convenient. We rode to the train station, then looked for the Jinjiang Inn (Changsha Railway Station Branch). The hotel was fairly easy to find, with a good environment, but it was a bit of a walk from where we got off. It was very late, so we went straight to bed.
Day 2: Today's itinerary was Shaoshan. I had booked a day tour on Ctrip, 68 yuan per person (excluding meals). The meeting point was very close to our hotel. I arrived early and found a nearby Xiaoyuan Park, so we took a walk there. There were many locals doing morning exercises. The park was not large but had a good environment. Then we took a bus to Shaoshan.
First we arrived at Liu Shaoqi's Former Residence. There was a long queue. Then Mao Zedong's Former Residence – also a long wait. After the tour, we returned by bus. We were very satisfied with this tour – no extra charges, no shopping, great guide service. A pleasant trip. When we got back to the hotel, it was a bit rainy. We ate at a restaurant opposite our hotel called Huitou Shike. The food was good, especially the chopped pepper fish head. Three of us spent a total of 90 yuan, very full.
Day 3: Changsha to Zhangjiajie (7:16–12:04, K9026). We had breakfast at a shop near the train station, had lunch on the train. After getting off, we first went to the booked Home Inn. The hotel was very close to the train station and easy to find. After dropping our luggage, we set off for Huanglong Cave. We took a bus from the central bus station to Wulingyuan, then bus No. 1 to Huanglong Cave. Although it was already afternoon when we arrived, there were still many visitors. Huanglong Cave is a karst cave landscape, and my parents liked seeing this natural wonder. There were young ladies inside giving explanations, which was great, but visiting Huanglong Cave requires a certain level of physical strength.
After touring Huanglong Cave, we returned the same way and had dinner at a restaurant near our hotel.
Then came the troublesome part. Before departure, I had booked a three-day tour of Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang. A service person was supposed to come at 6 PM to sign the contract and confirm details, but no one showed up. I called many times, always being told "coming soon." Finally, they arrived close to 10 PM. Since I had only paid a deposit online, when paying the balance, they added extra charges. We took the Yangjiajie cable car up and the Bailong Elevator down, and they made us go to Yuanjia Village, lying that you couldn't go to Yuanjiajie without visiting Yuanjia Village. And they charged us more than the actual price. A bitter lesson. I hope friends who come to play choose a regular tour group or do more research and travel independently.
Day 4: Today we toured Zhangjiajie. After breakfast, the tour guide picked us up and we headed to Zhangjiajie, which was already misty and rainy. Since it was a group tour, we followed their arrangements. The whole day was spent in the rain – from light rain to heavy rain back to light rain. Due to the weather, some scenery was not visible, which was a pity. I'll attach a few photos below.
Because the fog was too thick later, we couldn't see anything, and it kept raining. We didn't take many photos and returned to our accommodation to rest. We stayed on the mountain, conditions were poor, and the group meal was not tasty. It was very cold after the rain in Zhangjiajie.
Day 5: After breakfast, we continued touring Zhangjiajie with the guide. Finally, the weather cleared up. We toured only half a day in Zhangjiajie; the last stop was Ten Mile Gallery. We didn't take the small train there. I suggest not taking the train – walking, taking photos, and enjoying the scenery is better. After lunch, the Zhangjiajie guide sent us to Tusi City (Tucheng) and handed us over to the guide for Fenghuang. Zhangjiajie Forest Park felt just so-so to me, probably due to the weather and the tour group influence. I hope to have a better experience next time.
First, post some photos of Zhangjiajie.
After lunch, the Zhangjiajie guide sent us to the Tusi City shown in the picture above, where we waited for the Fenghuang guide. Then we took a bus to Fenghuang. The Fenghuang guide, a chubby guy, was really nice – warm, humorous, and kept explaining local customs all the way on the bus. He arranged our group dinner. We arrived in Fenghuang in the evening, and the guide dropped us at the hotel, telling us we could go see the night view on our own. Fenghuang's night view was beautiful.
Day 6: The guide said the most beautiful times in Fenghuang are the evening and early morning. So without breakfast, we followed the guide to tour Fenghuang city again. Yesterday we saw the neon lights of Fenghuang, today we enjoyed the peaceful morning.
We toured Fenghuang for the whole morning, and the trip ended. The guide took us to lunch, then we took a bus from Fenghuang to Huaihua, and then a high-speed train from Huaihua back to Changsha. This route saves time but costs more. We arrived at Changsha South Station quickly. I booked a family hotel nearby. The owner was very nice and picked us up from the station. After dinner, we took a walk nearby.
Day 7: The trip was coming to an end. Our flight was in the afternoon, and we had some time in the morning. We went to Orange Island Head. We could take the subway directly from our accommodation, very convenient. After a quick tour, we took the subway back to the hotel to pick up our luggage, then headed to the airport from Changsha South Station. Since I had never taken the maglev train, curiosity drove me to try it. It cost 20 yuan per person from Changsha South Station to the airport – really expensive! People could choose the airport bus for only 10 yuan each. Too late for regrets – just to see what the maglev is like. Our trip ended, and we boarded the plane home.
PS: This trip was taken in 2019. I wrote half of this travel journal before but stopped due to work. Recently I had some free time, and finally finished it. You could say it's a travel journal overdue by more than two years. I hope the pandemic ends soon so we can freely travel and enjoy the great rivers and mountains.
