A friend came up with a sudden idea to go to Zhangjiajie and asked if I would be willing to travel with them. They usually leave on Mondays or Fridays, but I didn't struggle for too long before agreeing. After all, I have been thinking about Zhangjiajie for too long. Before, every trip was planned for a long time (at least 3 months or more), but this time we are also in the fashion of taking a spontaneous trip.

Regarding the itinerary:

D1 Suzhou - Shanghai - Zhangjiajie, stay at Zhangjiajie Sunshine Hotel and wait for my quirky friend to eat the legendary Lao Wu Fish Head Hot Pot restaurant,;

D2 Zhangjiajie - Tianzishan Ticket Station - Wulong Village - Tianbo Prefecture - Helong Park, stay at a homestay near Xianren Bridge;

D3 The best bridge in the world - Enchanting Valley - Dinghai Shenzhen, walk down the mountain to Jinbianxi, then take the environmental protection vehicle out of Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot ticket station, watch Huanglong Cave, watch the misty rain Zhangjiajie performances, stay in Zhangjiajie late, and eat the recommended three dishes;

D4 Zhangjiajie train to Jishou, bus to Dehang Miao Village, return at noon by bus to Fenghuang Ancient Town at 3pm, play in Fenghuang Ancient Town, and stay overnight in Fenghuang;

On the morning of D5, Fenghuang Ancient Town. At noon, the bus will arrive in Huaihua, and in the evening, the train will return to Jiangsu via Shanghai.

As the scenic spot is under the jurisdiction of Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot District, it is generally called Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot Scenic Spot. In Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot Scenic Spot, it is divided into several small parts, which are composed of five parts, namely Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Suoxiyu. These five parts have a total ticket of 245 yuan+3 yuan insurance. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is divided into Huangshi Village, Jinbian Creek Tourist Line, and Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, which includes attractions such as the First Bridge in the World, the Enchanting Platform, and the Back Garden. There is a famous Wulong Village in Yangjiajie Scenic Area, where you can climb to the sky in one step. Tianzi Mountain is the widest, divided into the Grand View Terrace, Xianren Bridge, One Step Hard to Walk, Laowuchang, Helong Park and other boutique tourist routes. And Suoxiyu is divided into ten mile art galleries, water winding four gates and other tourist routes. The scenic area is relatively large and the terrain is complex. If you want to fully explore it, it will take at least six or seven days, and it will take at least three days to walk through the classic works.

Recommended route: National Forest Park - Jinbianxi - Shili Gallery - Tianzishan - Yuanjiajie (the world's first bridge, enchanting platform, backyard) - Tianmen Mountain - Mengdong River Drifting

Regarding transportation from Zhangjiajie city to scenic spots:

There are five ticket stations in the scenic area, namely Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot, Forest Park, Shuirao Simen, Tianzishan and Yangjiajie. There are shuttle buses arriving at Zhangjiajie Central Station. Generally, there are more buses entering the scenic spot from Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot Ticket Station and Forest Park Ticket Station.

Regarding accommodation in scenic areas:

There are many homestays in the scenic area that can be stayed in, and they also provide food and accommodation. The conditions are good, but the prices are small and expensive. It is best to book in advance.

Regarding internal transportation within the scenic area:

Referring to the figure below, there are free environmentally friendly vehicles running between the various scenic spots along the yellow line, and there is also a cable car, which is relatively convenient. For areas without standards, only walking is allowed.

Wulong Village

Due to entering from Tianzishan ticket station, the first stop was Wulong Village.

The original name of Wulong Village was "Heilong Village", which used to be a place where bandits lived. It was located in a remote and dangerous area, with cliffs on all sides and only one up and down road. The terrain was treacherous, and as the saying goes, one man was the key to the pass, and ten thousand men could not pass it.

Many people in the world have visited Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot, but few people know about Wulong Stronghold. In order to attract tourists' attention, the local tourism bureau specially changed the name of the bandit den according to the movie "Anti Banditry in Wulong Mountain". Of course, those who have watched the movie know that that place is absolutely steep and treacherous, with one man holding the key and ten thousand men unable to open it.

Tianbo Mansion

Continuing from Wulong Village leads to Tianbo Mansion.

The Tianbo Prefecture Scenic Area is located at the foot of Wulong Village, with 10 stone walls standing relatively parallel, varying in height and grandeur, resembling the ruins of the ancient Houjiang Xiangfu site, as if this place was originally the Tianbo Prefecture of the Yang family generals.

Tianbo Mansion passes through Wulong Village, with treacherous mountains and beautiful scenery. It only needs one pass to isolate the village from the outside world. Once the village gate is closed, it is isolated from the outside world, and there is no need to worry about any fears or worries.

After visiting Wulong Village and Tianbo Prefecture Scenic Area, I started taking a car back to Tianzishan Helong Park. At this moment, the sky started to rain, and the clouds and mist instantly filled the air, making it impossible to see anything.

Helong Park

Tianzi Mountain, formerly named Qingyan Mountain, is one of the four scenic spots in Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot, because the ancient Tujia leader Xiang Dakun led the local farmers to uprising and claimed to be the "Son of Heaven". It starts from Tianzi Pavilion in the east, reaches Jiangjun Rock in the west, and borders Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in the south, stretching for nearly 40 kilometers with a total area of nearly 100 square kilometers. The highest point is Tianzi Peak, which has an elevation of 1262.5 meters, and the lowest point is 534 meters. Due to the uprising led by Xiang Dakun, a leader of the Tujia ethnic group in the Song Dynasty, who claimed to be the "Heavenly King" and later died here, it was named Tianzi Mountain and even earned the nickname of "King of the Peak Forest".

Tianzishan has four wonders: cloud waves, moonlight, rosy clouds, and winter snow. The clouds and mist in the mountains are ever-changing, with a myriad of postures. Sometimes they are like the waves of the river and sea, surging like waves, and sometimes they are like light veils covering themselves, ethereal and void. At sunrise, the sky shines brightly, and at sunset, the rosy glow is infinite, decorating Tianzi Mountain into a magnificent imperial palace. Under the night wind, the bright moon casts shadows, the cliffs are washed away, all is silent, romantic and charming, with a feeling of 'dancing to clear the shadows, what is it like being in the human world'. After entering winter, snow overwhelms dangerous peaks, frost is covered by pine and cypress trees, and ice cones hang upside down, enduring for a long time without melting, creating a magical scene of silver makeup. It enjoys the reputation of "who knows the face of the Son of Heaven and returns without looking at the Tianxia Mountain", "who does not visit the Tianzi Mountain, will not go to Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot", and "who is beautiful in the world and who is high in the mountain does not know".

Unfortunately, at this moment, clouds and mist were pervasive, and visibility was almost zero, completely submerging places such as Diandiantai, Helong Park, Xianren Bridge, Shenbing Gathering, Yubi Peak, and Fairy Scattered Flowers. Fortunately, it is early November, the late autumn season in Zhangjiajie, and the leaves in the mountains are yellow and red, which are also very beautiful.

Tianzi Mountain is not only dangerous, but also gives people a sense of mystery and tranquility, especially famous for its spectacular stone forests. Countless stone peaks are like swords and halberds, towering among them like a thousand armies, with an unparalleled momentum.

It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon, and the rain was getting heavier and heavier. The friends also felt a bit tired of aesthetics, after all, they couldn't see anything, so they decided to go back to the homestay to rest.

Yuan Jiajie

The next morning, I took an environmental protection car from the scenic area and arrived at Yuanjiajie.

In the Yuan family realm, there are thousands of beautiful mountains and hundreds of beautiful waters. Among them, the Yin Yang realm, where yin and yang face each other, is lifelike; the divine turtle, who has experienced thousands of years of wind and rain and is speechless, explores the sea; the ingenious first bridge in the world; and the mysterious and unfathomable Wulong Village... In the Yuan family realm, it is like entering a gate of awe.

Standing in the Yuan family realm, the wonderful caves, mountains, rivers, and rocks make the four words "fairyland on earth" surge in people's hearts, which is breathtakingly beautiful.

Considering the heavy fog and low visibility along the way, it was decided to descend from the Misty Valley to the Golden Whip Creek.

Jinbianxi Grand Canyon

The Golden Whip Creek is named after its flow through the Golden Whip Rock, with a total length of 5700 meters. It passes through the cliffs and peaks, and the valley has lush vegetation. The stream water is clear all year round and is known as the "Landscape Gallery" and "Human Wonderland". There is a poem that praises: "Clear flowing water and green mountains, mountains like painted screens, people like immortals, immortals like walking in paintings, looking up at the sky step by step.

The mountains and streams from four directions converge here. When you are surrounded by water around four doors, you can see that the mountains are surrounded by peaks, the streams are gurgling, and the peaks are like whips and swords... Whether you enter the scenic area from the Forest Park or from Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot, you can instantly reach them in the green mountains and clear waters.

Travel tips: There are buses to Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake at the entrance of Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot Scenic Area. The running time is from 5:30 to 23:00 every day, and the charge is 1 yuan per person time.

the yellow dragon cave

Huanglong Cave Scenic Spot is located in Wulingyuan National Scenic Spot Scenic Spot, the core scenic spot of Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province. It is a typical karst landform. It is famous all over the world for its top honors such as "World Karst Cave Wonder", "World Karst Cave Versatility Champion", and "China's Most Beautiful Tourist Karst Cave". Huanglong Cave stands out in the world with its vast three-dimensional cave space, rich cave landscapes, and comprehensive water and land tourism routes. The ticket is 80 yuan.

Huanglong Cave enjoys top honors such as "World Cave Wonder", "World Cave Omni Champion", and "China's Most Beautiful Tourist Cave". It is a typical karst landform and is also known as the "Underground Magic Palace". Inside the cave, there are caves, mountains, mountains, and rivers. There are "caves outside the cave", "buildings outside the building", "sky outside the sky", and "mountains outside the mountain". It is intricately connected, and under the five colored lights, strolling through it feels like entering a fairyland on earth.

China National Geographic likes double springs or N-springs, and has rated ten of China's most beautiful mountains, five of its most beautiful lakes, five of its most beautiful deserts, and six of its most beautiful karst caves. Zhijin Cave ranks first with "dreamy" and Huanglong Cave ranks third with "all-around".

Coming out of Huanglong Cave, the large stage play performance "Smoke and Rain Zhangjiajie" at the entrance of the scenic area is now a trial operation, free of charge, and may have to be charged in the future, 160 yuan per person. If you don't watch it, you won't see it for free! My friends!!!!

Yanyu Zhangjiajie

Yanyu Zhangjiajie "is a large-scale ethnic style song and dance drama invested and constructed by Tianxia Phoenix Media Company, which has gone through nearly 10 years from planning to official performance.

The drama is based on the most simple living scenes of the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups in Zhangjiajie, and uses unique and clever dance techniques for artistic creation. It integrates modern stage art, 5.1 high fidelity surround sound effects, dreamy multi screen matrix, ring screen projection, and virtual real interactive performances. With wonderful and stunning music, it brings the audience the most beautiful visual and auditory enjoyment.

This is my first time watching such a large-scale dance drama. With the combination of modern sound and light technology, the Xiangxi style is beautifully interpreted. I wonder how many people will fall in love with it after watching it.

About Zhangjiajie cuisine: Zhangjiajie's Tujia diet not only has strong national characteristics, but also integrates the essence of Hunan cuisine. Spicy is a characteristic of Hunan cuisine, and Tujia cuisine is no exception. In addition to spiciness, Tujia people also love to eat preserved, sour, and pickled dishes with unique flavors. It is recommended to try them.

Master Hu, three pots (Sanjiaoping store)

"Master Hu's Three Pots" is very famous. What he recommends is dry fried intestines, dry fried walnut meat and Xiangxi bacon stewed together. When eating, you can also order a sour radish, which is crisp and sour.

Spicy and sour, they are both my favorites. Fish meat is very flavorful and I'm also looking for fame, but it's hard to find a place and not many people go there, unlike waiting for a spot in a three pot restaurant.

My friend's plane returned to Chengdu last night. I took the train route from Zhangjiajie Railway Station to Jishou early in the morning, and then took a rural bus from Jishou Railway Station to Dehang Miao Village. The ticket was 30 yuan, and the student ticket was half price.

Dehang Miao Village is located 24 kilometers west of Jishou City, with an area of 580 square kilometers. This is a magical land, a beautifully crafted scenic pearl! In this self-contained Dehang Scenic Area, there are streams crisscrossing, deep canyons, waterfalls cascading, peaks competing for beauty, ancient trees and flowers, rare birds and animals, and Miao ethnic scenery.

Dehang Miao Village

Dehang "is a Miao language that means" beautiful canyon ". The beautiful canyon is like spring all year round, with peaks competing for beauty, streams and rivers intertwining, waterfalls cascading, ancient trees and flowers, rare birds and animals, and beautiful scenery.

There are free Miao family song and dance performances in Dehang Miao Village.

Due to the song and dance performance being held in front of the village, it is difficult to miss. The performance venue is grand, with a majestic background surrounded by mountains and clouds. Appreciating such songs and dances is also a pleasure.

Take a bus from Jishou Bus Station and you will arrive at Fenghuang Ancient City in two hours. Actually, before going to Fenghuang Ancient City, I had a lot of imagination about him, including many negative reports online. After going there, I still felt very good and it was worth a visit.

Located in the southwest of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hunan Province, Phoenix Ancient City is the seat of Phoenix County, one of the first "China's top tourism counties". It is a famous historical and cultural city in China and a national 4A level scenic spot. It was once praised by the famous New Zealand writer Louis Alley as the most beautiful town in China. It is comparable to the Old Town of Lijiang in Yunnan Province and Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi Province, and enjoys the reputation of "North Pingyao, South Phoenix".

There is nothing better than boating on the Tuojiang River to appreciate the beauty of Fenghuang Ancient Town. The scenery on both sides can be seen in full view, and there are crowds that can avoid the hustle and bustle.

Hongqiao Wind and Rain Tower

No matter how commercialized the development is, the eyes cannot deceive people. The profound history of the Phoenix Ancient City Wall can be seen at a glance, which is the essence of Phoenix Ancient City and will not change due to commercialization.

It cannot be denied that the night of the Phoenix is beautiful, and can even be called a kind of exquisite beauty. Strolling along the banks of the Tuojiang River, the drizzling rain makes it look so beautiful from any angle. I feel that this beauty is not due to the Tuojiang River or the Phoenix, but rather because of its dazzling allure, debauchery, and the noisy music that invades from all sides. It makes people forget the memories, heaviness, and accumulation that once existed here, and also forget that they have been to Phoenix before.

Regarding accommodation in Fenghuang Ancient City:

Accommodation in Fenghuang Ancient City is very convenient. You can stay in the stilted houses by the Tuojiang River, where you can experience the true Xiangxi style. Most of the southern inns in Tuojiang are mainly stilted houses, and the advantage is that you can personally experience the architectural style of the Miao family. Although the inns north of the Tuojiang River are not stilted houses, they have better viewing space to appreciate the charm of the Tuojiang River and stilted houses. There are several good inns between Hongqiao and Tiaoyan, such as Xiaoxiao Inn, Cuicui Inn, Jiangbei Inn, and Old Customer Sales Inn. From Huilong Pavilion to Shen Congwen's tomb, there are many excellent stilt houses and inns, such as Tuojiang Renjia Inn, Guanjinglou Inn, Tianlaosan Inn, Fenghuang Ancient City Youth Hostel, etc. Behind the city wall between the east and north gates, there is a row of stilted houses mostly used as guesthouses, one by one. During the off-season, it costs 40-60 yuan, and during the peak season, it costs around 200 yuan. You will definitely find a satisfactory one.

Regarding Phoenix's cuisine:

There are too many delicious foods in Phoenix, and anyone who has been to Phoenix will never forget its rich variety of delicious food. Whether it is displayed in the store or on the roadside stalls, you can smell their enchanting aroma from afar. Phoenix cuisine is mainly spicy and sour in color, with a rich flavor that can make you sweat profusely and satisfy your appetite. The specialty dishes here include blood duck, glutinous rice pickled sour fish, smoked bacon every other year, canned mushrooms, sour tofu soup, dried pickled sour radish shreds, etc.

Early in the morning, getting up early and strolling through the ancient city of Phoenix, experiencing the unique beauty of the ancient town.

Take a bus to Huaihua at noon and take a train back to Jiangsu via Shanghai in the evening. The trip to Xiangxi came to a perfect end.