3 Nights in Zhangjiajie, 1 Night in Changsha: A 5-Day Trip
In mid-December, after the onset of winter, there was a rare fine day with a mild sun, not too bright but warm, a gentle warmth that made one feel restless and eager. On the 19th, the two of us discussed it, checked the Zhangjiajie weather forecast for the next few days, and decided on the spot: we would set off for Zhangjiajie on the 21st.
For flights, there was only one option: Juneyao Air at 7 a.m. from Hangzhou to Zhangjiajie, so no choice there. The return trip was a bit awkward: we had planned for three nights and four days, but Juneyao Air only flew every other day. So, we decided to take it as it came and detour to Changsha, where we could enjoy the scenery described in Chairman Mao’s poem: “Alone in autumn, the Xiang River flows northward past Orange Island; I see a thousand hills crimsoned through, their leaves thick-dyed with hue; the stream so crystal-clear, a hundred boats compete…” Chairman Mao’s poetry is truly wonderful.
On Monday the 21st, at 5:30 a.m., the “ride-sharing” driver was a young man who was on his way to work at the airport. I recall that on the ride-hailing platform there is an option: “Passenger pays toll.” Usually, to secure a ride, we habitually check that box, but this young driver declined it, explaining that the highway only incurs a toll on the return trip. Apart from thanking him, I didn’t say much; it was perfectly normal, but I was secretly pleased—not because I saved 20 yuan, but because I witnessed a young person’s calm and generous spirit, a refreshing contrast to the world’s widespread penny-pinching shrewdness.
Back to the main story. Early morning flights are usually on time, and everything went smoothly. After landing, we hailed another ride-sharing car, again driven by a young man. Let me add a note here: Zhangjiajie Airport is small, with few passengers, but there were clusters of people who, according to what we later heard, were touting travel services—what exactly they did is unclear. On the way to the hotel, the young driver kindly advised us not to pay attention to them, to avoid being cheated.
Regarding the transfer from Zhangjiajie Airport to Wulingyuan Hotel: I had inquired and learned that a taxi would cost about 90 yuan; alternatively, you could take a taxi from the airport to Yongding District Bus Station, or walk 100 meters from the airport gate to the starting point of Bus No. 4 (a circular route), take it to “Guanlipeng Roundabout,” and then walk 700 meters to the Central Bus Station. (I haven’t tried this; it’s just for reference.)
Our hotel was the Crowne Plaza Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan, three nights for 999 yuan, a promotional price from Ctrip’s boss sale in the first half of the year. Located in Wulingyuan, it’s conveniently close to the iconic gate leading to Tianzi Mountain. You can also walk to Xibu Old Street. There are many restaurants in the town center, where you can mingle with locals and experience the authentic atmosphere of Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan. As for the food, my impression is that it’s spicy. If you ask for a little spicy, they give you something that, even when not spicy, still makes you cry—this is Hunan cuisine? Finally, we found a dumpling restaurant called “Zhanggage” to give our taste buds a break.
Let me talk about the itinerary: (Zhangjiajie is suitable for independent travel)
On Tuesday the 22nd, we left the hotel a little after 8 a.m., took a taxi for 6 yuan to Wulingyuan’s iconic gate. (Alternatively, turning left from the hotel and walking along the river for about 15 minutes also leads to the gate.) In the car, I casually asked the driver whether it was better to take the “Bailong Elevator” or the “Tianzi Mountain Cableway” to go up the mountain. Actually, opinions vary, and one should experience it personally. After the trip, I think taking the “Tianzi Mountain Cableway” up is better, for two reasons: first, the view from the cable car is beautiful; second, the Yuanjiajie area is severely backlit in the morning. The “Bailong Elevator” is really a last resort—paying 65 yuan just to ride an elevator.
I did the opposite: Iconic Gate – Bailong Elevator – Yuanjiajie – Yangjiajie – Tianzi Mountain – Tianzi Mountain Cableway – Iconic Gate.
The “Bailong Elevator” quickly reaches the upper station, then we took a sightseeing bus to Yuanjiajie.
Yuanjiajie is the location where the movie “Avatar” filmed in Zhangjiajie. We visited Back Garden, Lost Soul Terrace, Mount Hallelujah, Lianxin Bridge, Longevity Pool, Tortoise Asking Heaven, and the First Bridge Under Heaven. The paths in Yuanjiajie are mostly flat and easy to follow with signposts. There’s a KFC at the visitor center.
Lost Soul Terrace has two levels: the first is a gentle slope from east to west, about 100 square meters; the second is about 2 meters lower than the first, a stone slab extending horizontally from the first. From here, the mountain mist makes it feel like a fairyland, leaving one spellbound. That was the knowledge I gathered before coming. What I actually saw here under the winter sun was hazy mountains and hazy sky—no wonder it’s called the “off-season.” That’s a story for later. Of course, the towering stone pillars in the valley are still magnificent regardless of the season.
Kunlun Pillar, also called Floating Mountain, is named after the floating mountain in the movie Avatar that was modeled after it. The best spot to admire Kunlun Pillar is not by the Avatar sculpture; you need to walk further to Lianxin Bridge for the best view. Lianxin Bridge is a hollow steel structure bridge from which you can look directly down to the valley a thousand meters below.
First Bridge Under Heaven is a natural arch bridge between two mountains. You can view it from an observation deck. To take a photo, you need to go around to the plank road behind the bridge.
The attractions in Yuanjiajie are relatively concentrated; you can cover them in about an hour and a half. Then follow the signs to Tianqiao Parking Lot to take a sightseeing bus to Yangjiajie (get off at Wulongzhai Stop).
I heard that Yangjiajie scenic area was under maintenance, so we didn’t go to Tianbo Mansion or Wulongzhai.
To see the Great Wall of Nature, you first need to walk up a slope, which is quite tiring. If you’re not in good physical condition, it may not be worth it.
Returning to Wulongzhai Parking Lot, we took an eco-bus to Shengtangwan, where we could visit Shengtangwan and Dianjiangtai. I had read about this in my research, but almost no one on the bus gets off midway before He Long Park. We were lucky this time: when the bus reached Daguantai (also a lesser-known spot), a student-like young man got on alone and later chose to get off at Shengtangwan—just what I wanted. So we visited those two places.
Shengtangwan is about 600 meters deep, shrouded in mist all day. Legend says it’s a meeting place for immortals; others say it’s where King Xiangwang ascended to heaven; another version says it was the ancient battlefield of the five Yang women of the Song Dynasty. The truth remains a mystery. Strangely, if you approach the pool, you can faintly hear sounds of gongs, drums, shouting, and horses—as if thousands of troops are fighting. Legends, after all, are just stories. We were again awed by the magical stone peaks, because the view from Dianjiangtai and Shengtangwan felt completely different from the Xihai Stone Forest. Honestly, no aesthetic fatigue, just more beauty. (It should be the same group of stone peaks, just from a different angle.)
Note: To reach the Shengtangwan observation deck, you need to walk down stairs for about ten minutes. The key is that returning means climbing up. The distance between Shengtangwan and Dianjiangtai is short. From Dianjiangtai, you need to flag down an eco-bus to go to He Long Park. Behind He Long’s statue, you can see another angle of the Xihai Stone Forest, as well as the imaginative Imperial Writing Brush Peak and Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers.
By this point, we had visited all the main attractions in Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan. Checking the time, it was only before 4 p.m. We had walked at a leisurely pace, enjoyed the scenery, and, most importantly, did not need to queue for buses or the elevator—this is the advantage of the off-season. Feeling very satisfied.
Today’s itinerary: Walk from the hotel to Wulingyuan Bus Station, take a minibus (10 yuan) directly to the gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Enter, then take an eco-bus to the Huangshizhai Cableway station, ride the cable car to the top of Huangshizhai → hike a loop on the summit → return by cable car to the Grand Oxygen Bar Square → then walk downstream along the stream, which is Golden Whip Stream, 7.5 km long, taking about 2.5 hours. Passing attractions like Golden Whip Rock, Longevity Spring, Two Turtles Probing the Stream, and Huaguo Mountain, we eventually reach Si Shui Rao Men eco-bus station, then take a bus back to Wulingyuan iconic gate.
To be honest, the views of stone peaks at Huangshizhai were not as impressive as yesterday’s, and on top of that, it was under renovation, making the summit look messy like a construction site. Almost all the visitors were tour groups. I hadn’t gotten accurate information beforehand; if you see this, don’t go there.
Also, while browsing guides, I came across this: Luancuan Slope connects the “Thousand Li Meeting” in the Golden Whip Stream Grand Canyon with the Back Garden in Yuanjiajie. This uphill path has over 2,000 steps with four rest areas, so you can climb while resting. While walking along Golden Whip Stream, we saw the sign for Luancuan Slope—just for your reference if you’re interested.
Today we go from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station to Changsha Railway Station.
In Changsha, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt, which included lounge access. Our son arranged this “hotel staycation,” which was the perfect finish to this trip.
We went to Orange Island and then Guojin Street. Actually, I had made a reservation for Super Wenheyou, but seeing the crowds of young faces on Changsha streets, I wisely gave up on Wenheyou—do what suits your age, right? On Taiping Old Street, we visited Jia Yi’s former residence.
Today we return to Hangzhou. We bought high-speed train tickets from Changsha South to Hangzhou East, departing 13:27 and arriving 18:05. Changsha South Railway Station is spacious, and the waiting room chairs are quite comfortable. Boarding with your ID card is simple and convenient. Taking the high-speed train is a good option for short-distance travel, I think.
Overall, this trip to Hunan was smooth, pleasant, and wonderful. There were a couple of minor unpleasant incidents, though. For example, in Changsha, I encountered two taxi drivers who weren’t great. The first one: we took a taxi to Orange Island. He pointed from the car at the bridge and said, “Here it is,” so we got out and walked quite a distance. For out-of-town visitors, not being familiar with the area is a disadvantage—walking from the hotel might not have been much farther than walking after that taxi ride. I filed a complaint on Didi; they investigated and replied that the complaint was valid, and the driver was educated and corrected. The customer service process was standard, but I knew it was meaningless—can’t blame them. The second incident was when we went to the South Railway Station. I hailed a “Kuaidi New Taxi” on Didi platform, which clearly showed the estimated distance and price. But when we arrived at the South Station, the price changed from 39 yuan to 62 yuan. Before I could object, the driver proactively said, “50 yuan, scan my WeChat to pay.” Since I had booked through the platform, I insisted on paying through the platform. Seeing I was stubborn, he compromised. I ended up paying 40 yuan via the platform. I don’t know how he altered the price; there must be a loophole in Didi’s taxi fare system. The 62-yuan fare definitely involved a detour (no traffic jam), and paying via WeChat scan offline is also against the rules. But I didn’t want to bother Didi customer service again. So-called education and criticism, but poor management just enables a few dishonest drivers to cheat out-of-town passengers.
