A 7-day tour for the family of 5 in Zhangjiajie and surrounding areas

Because I am traveling with my whole family, old and young, I have not arranged my daily schedule very tightly and have to take into account the physical condition of my children and the elderly. The girl is 8 years old and belongs to the type with high physical strength and energy. The two elderly people are about 70 years old.

Main attractions in Zhangjiajie and surrounding areas:

○ Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (Glass Bridge), Huanglong Cave

○ Part on the mountain of the forest park (requires sunny weather and scenery)-Tianzi Mountain (namely Helong Park), divided into Yangjiajie, Yuanjiajie, and Bailong Tiantian downhill

○ The foot of the forest park-Shili Gallery, Jinbianxi (about 7.5 kilometers in total), Laomowan (i.e. Dayang Bar Square)

○ Tianmen Mountain (requires sunny scenery)

○ Furong Town (Wangcun) is mainly for viewing the night view, so it is recommended to stay for the night or visit it at night.

○ Fenghuang Ancient City

Advance instructions on specific itinerary arrangements:

Because the mountain part of the Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain need to be visited on sunny days, otherwise it is full of fog and no scenery can be seen. Therefore, the specific day and place to go requires temporary adjustments, because the local weather is really unpredictable, especially on the mountains. Fortunately, tickets to Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain are valid for 3 days, which is enough. However, it is recommended to purchase tickets one day in advance. You can ask the hotel store to help you book tickets. The inns or hotels there basically have a booking service. The price is slightly cheaper than booking online. Although it is not much, it is more worry-free. The store will tell you which ticket to book is the most cost-effective and will not waste the insignificant ticket money.

However, it is more cost-effective to buy preferential tickets for the elderly and children themselves, and a handling fee of 5 yuan per person will be charged for booking on behalf. Special instructions need to be made here. If you buy discount tickets online, you must spend a few more yuan to buy scenic area insurance!!! Because the roads in the scenic area are wet and slippery, there is a certain danger. My mother fell off guard on the flat ground in the Grand Canyon, causing a small fracture in her ankle. She had an examination at the local hospital, had a plaster cast, and bought a wheelchair. She spent more than a thousand at her own expense. Although there is not much money, it is the person who spends it that suffers! I just booked the discount ticket online, but I didn't pay attention to insurance, nor did I have this habit. If you buy insurance, you can reimburse the medical expenses if you go to the scenic spot with the hospital's medical examination certificate.

In addition, inns basically provide hand-drawn maps and specific route guides, so don't worry too much, you will have no problem choosing the right inn.

Specific itinerary:

Usually the first day is spent on the road, it's basically afternoon or evening when we arrive in Zhangjiajie. It takes about 40 minutes to take a taxi from Zhangjiajie Airport to Wulingyuan District (the inn and store have a cooperative fleet, and the car they helped book is cheaper than the one they booked. Inns from Zhangjiajie Airport to Wulingyuan generally cost 100 yuan for 5 seats and 120 yuan for 7 seats). After arriving at the inn, you can tidy up, stroll around the surroundings when you have time, or talk to the inn store about the specific itinerary for the next day.

Note: Because the Grand Canyon, Huanglong Cave, and Forest Park (in Wulingyuan District) are all close to Wulingyuan District, and there are many inns and restaurants, as well as small commercial streets, which are convenient for food, accommodation and transportation. Therefore, it is recommended to live in Wulingyuan District to visit these three places.

Day 2: Grand Canyon (Canyon Glass Bridge), Huanglong Cave

These two attractions can be arranged in one day, first the Grand Canyon and then the Huanglong Cave, and it doesn't have to be sunny. We visited it with a light rain and an umbrella, which has a unique atmosphere.

Grand Canyon:

Tickets can be booked one day in advance at an inn.

It is only a 10-minute walk from the inn to the bus station in Wulingyuan, and it is very convenient to call Didi for less than 10 yuan. The bus runs to the Grand Canyon every 30 minutes (the fare is 12 yuan per person). In particular, you must take a direct bus to the Grand Canyon instead of passing by, otherwise you will only stop at the bus stop in the Grand Canyon. You have to climb a very steep and long slope (very tired) to get to the scenic station of the Grand Canyon, direct buses will be delivered to you directly there, connecting seamlessly.

The scenic spot station in the Grand Canyon runs every 30 minutes (the fare is included in the ticket and no additional payment is required) to send tourists to the scenic spot entrance of the Grand Canyon at designated points. If you don't want to wait, there is also a private 7-seater car that can take tourists on at any time. The fare is 10 yuan per person. This driver can also wait for you to visit the Grand Canyon and pick you up at the cruise ship terminal. He can go directly back to the inn in Wulingyuan or go to Huanglong Cave. The fare is 15 yuan per person. Point-to-point pick-up allows you to walk less, which is very convenient and the price is reasonable. If you need it, you can leave the master's phone number in advance. After swimming in the Grand Canyon and boarding a cruise ship, you can call the master to book a car.

The Grand Canyon is famous for its glass bridge. There is basically no need to climb mountains. The scenic area tour bus will take you directly to the entrance of the scenic area (the glass bridge at the top of the mountain is a short walk). After walking the glass bridge, you can choose to take the elevator to go down the mountain (the elevator is divided into two sections ~ treasure hunting elevator and sculpture elevator, nothing special, just a nice name, both charge extra), or you can choose to walk down the mountain by stairs. Personally, I suggest taking a hike down the mountain first (called Tianti Plank Road). The stairs are steep, which is quite interesting. It was just that after walking, I was sweating all over my body, and my legs were a little soft.

Then at the beginning of the next section of the road, take Wuwangpo and slide down (you must ask the staff here, because there are three downhill paths: elevator, walking path, and Wuwangpo. It is not easy for you to find the entrance of Wuwangpo). Wu Wangpo charges 30 yuan per person. It's a landslide like a big slide. It's quite long. It takes about 1 minute to slide down. It's quite fast. It's very interesting. Adults and children like it. We are a family of five. We all slide down. Except for my 72-year-old father who has a little trouble balancing and always leans back, everyone else is very happy!

After skating down, you will reach the bottom of the valley. Follow the plank road all the way down, the scenery is very beautiful and there are scenery everywhere. At the end of the journey, you will find the cruise ship terminal in the scenic area. The last leg of the boat tour is the last journey to the Grand Canyon (the fee is included in the ticket). You can contact the driver I mentioned before by getting on the boat. If you are tired, you can go directly to Wulingyuan Inn, or if you are not tired, you can go to Huanglong Cave. It's okay.

Huanglong Cave:

Huanglong Cave was on the way back to Wulingyuan in the Grand Canyon. Because our mother broke her foot in the Grand Canyon, we left the scenic area and went directly to the town hospital, but we didn't go to Huanglong Cave. But I did my homework in Huanglong Cave. Tickets for Huanglong Cave are 120 yuan. There are discount tickets for the elderly and children, and tickets are free for people over a certain age. The cave is divided into two parts: walking and waterway. There are many steps to climb on foot. It is said that there are more than 1200 steps. It is quite tiring and takes more than 2 hours. Therefore, those who are physically strong and have not visited the cave can go and see it. It's quite magical and beautiful, especially for children, the cave is worth a visit. We have been to the Water Cave (also a natural cave) in Benxi, Liaoning Province before, and we didn't feel it a pity that we didn't go to the Huanglong Cave. After leaving Huanglong Cave and wanting to return to Wulingyuan, you can take Bus No. 2, which is very convenient. But it is said that the car will be picked up at 6 o'clock. If you miss this time, you will have to take a taxi back.

The next day's trip ended.

Day 3: The mountain part of the Forest Park (requires sunny weather and scenery)-divided into 1. Helong Park (i.e. Tianzi Mountain), 2. Yangjiajie, 3. Yuanjiajie, and 4. Bailong Tiantian downhill.

You can also choose sunny or cloudy days. You can find an inn to book your tickets one day in advance. The Forest Park is located in Wulingyuan District. It takes only 10-15 minutes to walk from the inn to the scenic entrance of the sign gate. A taxi costs 6 yuan.

After entering the scenic area, divide the shuttle bus lanes into different scenic spots, and watch carefully and don't make the wrong mistake.

Take the shuttle bus (the shuttle bus is included in the ticket) to the cableway station, then take the cableway up the mountain (the ticket includes the cableway). There is a small observation deck here to have a brief look, and then take the bus to visit one attraction at a time. There are shuttle buses between attractions and attractions. Special instructions: The mountain road is rugged and has many corners. Some distances are still too long, which makes it easy to get motion sickness. I need to prepare motion sickness medicine or motion sickness stickers in advance. My girl fainted and felt very uncomfortable. The motion sickness stickers I buy now on the mountain are 40 yuan a box of 4 stickers.

Helong Park.The most beautiful scenery is at the middle observation platform in Helong Park (i.e. Tianzi Mountain), with the best viewing angle and the widest viewing range. In the words of a local tour guide, the scenic spot ticket costs ~215 yuan, and the scenery from this observation deck is worth 200 yuan.

Yangjiajie.The mountain road from Helong Park to Yangjiajie is the longest, and it takes a long time to take the shuttle bus. There is a natural Great Wall here that is the main attraction. We didn't visit it because our children suffered from carsickness, so we just stayed here to rest. The inn also said that if you are too tired, you can simply take a look at the Yangjiajie or skip it.

Yuan Family Realm.There are many important scenic spots in the Yuan Family Boundary, such as the World's First Bridge, the Pillar of Heaven and Earth (Hallelujah Mountain is the location where Avatar is located) and the Ecstasy Platform. After walking through these, you will go directly to the ferry station to the Hundred Dragons Ladder.

Hundred Dragons Stairway:A tall straight ladder can hold many people. If you weren't the first to enter and stand in front of the glass window, all you would see is heads.

After taking the Bailong Ladder, go directly to the ferry station and take the bus back to the Wulingyuan Ticket Station and leave the scenic spot.

The third day of the trip ends.

Day 4: The foot of the Forest Park-Shili Gallery, Shuihuan Simen (the starting point of Jinbian Creek), Jinbian Creek (about 7.5 kilometers in total), Laomo Bay (the focus of Jinbian Creek is Laomo Bay)

After entering the scenic area from the sign gate, take the shuttle bus passage to Shili Gallery and head to Shili Gallery.

Shili galleryThere is a small sightseeing train at the hotel (you can buy a one-way ticket for an extra fee). It is recommended that people who want to travel the entire journey of Jinbian River conserve their strength here, spend money to buy a one-way ticket and take the small train to tour up, and then walk down on foot after the tour. Because the way down is a small slope, it is easier to walk and will not be too tired. You can also take photos along the way.

After taking the small train up, the most interesting thing there is the monkey garden. There are many wild monkeys for tourists to feed. It is simply a playground for children. Some merchants sell monkey food (peanuts for 10 yuan a bag, bananas, apples), which can be bought and fed to monkeys. Of course, if you buy it at the foot of the mountain in advance, it will be cheaper.

Note: Don't tease the monkeys when feeding them. Give them sincerely if you want to. Don't hand them out and pull your hand back. Don't even if you are afraid of being scared. The monkeys will get angry and chase you. If you scratch and bite you, you will need to go to the local area for an injection once you get injured.

Water surrounds the four doors: You can take the shuttle bus from Shili Gallery and you can go to Shuiwaosimen. This isgolden whip Creekthe starting point of，The total length of Jinbian River is about 7.5 to 8 kilometers，The end point is Laomo Bay (i.e. Dayang Bar Square)It takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to walk the entire Jinbian River. The scenery along the way is beautiful, and if your physical strength permits, it is worth walking. After walking to the Big Oxygen Bar, you will leave the scenic area from the Forest Park Ticket Station at another scenic area in the Forest Park (not the same entrance as the sign gate to enter the scenic area), and take a taxi or take a car back to the inn to rest.

If you are too tired and don't want to travel the entire journey of Jinbian River, just walk for a while and turn back. Take the shuttle bus back to the sign gate and exit the scenic area.

The fourth day of the trip ends.

Day 5: Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain is in the urban area of Zhangjiajie. It takes about 40 minutes to drive from Wulingyuan to the urban area near Tianmen Mountain. You can choose to move near Tianmen Mountain, or still live in Wulingyuan and take a bus back and forth from Wulingyuan.

Because our next stop was to Furong and Fenghuang, we moved to an inn near Tianmen Mountain Cableway Company.

The inn where I live is next to Tianmen Mountain Cableway Company, which is very convenient to get to Tianmen Mountain. The B line ticket I booked at the inn the night before the ticket. There were too many informants A and I didn't want to waste time queuing early in the morning, so I booked line B.

Difference between Line A and Line B(Only the rolling ladders parallel to the 999 steps cost extra, and other rolling ladders are included in the ticket):

Line A ticketFirst, queue up at the cableway company to take the big cableway up the mountain, and then walk down in a large circle to tour. When you finally arrive at Tianmen Cave, you can walk down the 999 steps (it takes your knees to get down the steps), or you can spend money to take a rolling ladder down. Finally, take the shuttle bus back to the starting point cableway company.

Line B ticketFirst take a shuttle bus from the cableway company to the foot of Tianmen Cave. At the foot of Tianmen Cave, you choose to climb the 999 steps or spend money to take a rolling ladder up. Then walk for a large circle, and finally walk to the big cableway, take the big cableway down the mountain, and return to the starting point cableway company.

In fact, it's quite good to climb the 999 steps once. If you rest three to five times in the middle, you will be able to climb with all your strength. My 8-year-old girl and I climbed up. I rested five or six times. My girl almost climbed up in one breath. Watching her back gradually shrink and finally disappear under Tianmen Cave, I sighed with emotion,"It's still good to be young"!

In addition to the A and B lines, the route on the mountain is also divided into the east line and the west line. The east line is longer and the west line is shorter. The east and west lines add up to a large circle to complete the mountain, and the main attractions are concentrated on the west line.

In fact, walking down the east and west lines together is not tiring, because there are basically no steep or difficult places on the mountain, and they are relatively gentle. We started from the east line and walked down the west line. It was quite interesting to come down in a big circle. If you enter the scenic area late or your physical strength is too weak, then you can only choose to walk on the western line.

There is a glass plank road on both the east and west lines, and the charge is 5 yuan per person (be careful not to collect money for shoe covers. Don't listen to rumors about buying cheap shoe covers at the foot of the mountain. You won't recognize them at all). There are signs on the mountain for the specific travel route, and you can also ask the staff.

The fifth day of the trip ends.

Day 6: Furong Town (Wangcun)

You can take a bus from Zhangjiajie City to Furong Town. It is very cheap, more than 150 kilometers, and it takes about 2-3 hours by car. Taxi is particularly expensive and not recommended. If you know how to drive, I recommend renting a car, which is much cheaper than taking a taxi. Our family of five rented a car. Because my mother was in a wheelchair and was not convenient for taking a bus, and she had to go to Phoenix for the next trip, so we chose to rent a car.

Furong Town is very small, so don't book tickets in advance. Online package tickets are very expensive, and there are other attractions that are unnecessary. After I arrived at the inn, I bought it at the inn by scanning the official code. The entrance fee was only 60 per person. People over 65 years old and children are free of charge, but the elderly require a service fee of 10 yuan (i.e. insurance premium).

Furong Town is most famous for its waterfalls in the village. It is known as the thousand-year-old town hanging on the waterfalls. Against the backdrop of the lights, the night view is beautiful and moving. Accommodation in the Furong Town Scenic Area is affordable if it is not near the waterfall. The night view of the waterfall is relatively expensive. It costs 700 to 800 per night if it is not in the peak season. The price of river view is second only to the waterfall. We lived in a courtyard inn at the entrance outside the scenic area. In the evening, we started to walk around Furong Town, looked at the night view and took photos. In fact, only women like such a romantic night view. Men, children, and parents don't understand the customs very well. So I didn't spend a lot of money to book a "expensive room".

Eating in the scenic area is more expensive, especially restaurants with waterfalls views. The price is twice as expensive as outside, and the taste is average. We lived in a courtyard-style inn outside the scenic area where we could order meals in the morning. His family's food was among the best in Furong Town. It was cooked by a skilled chef in the kitchen of his inn. It was clean, sanitary and convenient. The bacon was also made by the store itself. It is also very pleasant to eat special meals while blowing the air conditioner in the room.

The sixth day of the trip ends.

Day 7: Phoenix Ancient City

On the morning of the seventh day, we rushed to Fenghuang Ancient City, which was also about 150 kilometers. It took an hour and a half by car and 2-3 hours by bus. There are 3 buses a day from Furong to Fenghuang by bus, and the fare is 60 yuan per person. The ticket price from Fenghuang back to Furong Town is 70 yuan/person.

Phoenix is much bigger than Furong, and it takes more than two hours for local people to visit the entire Phoenix by themselves. Everyone on the Internet says that Fenghuang Ancient City is not good and is more commercial. I have been to the ancient cities of Lijiang and Dali, and personally think that compared to these two ancient cities, Phoenix is much better. After all, in addition to commerce, the city has the Tuojiang River and cultural attractions (former residences of celebrities, museums, etc.). The river views and night views are also very beautiful and tasteful, which is much better than the purely commercial ancient city.

There is no need for tickets in Phoenix (unlike Furong). The expenses are basically for small cultural attractions in the city, boats on the upper reaches of the river at night (cruise ships must be taken at night, the night view is beautiful, but it is boring during the day), and a live performance adapted from Shen Congwen's "Border Town". If you are not interested in cultural attractions, you don't have to buy; if you are not interested in boats, you don't have to buy; if you are not interested in performances, you don't have to buy. In this case, you will only have to spend food and accommodation. We regard Phoenix as an important attraction, so we bought a general ticket (cultural scenery, cruise ship, performance) from the inn at 258 yuan/person, and a discount ticket for the elderly and children at 230 yuan/person.

I spent the money I had saved before on accommodation in Phoenix and booked a river view room in the inn with the best river view. It was a penthouse room perpendicular to the river, with the balcony of the room hanging directly above the Tuojiang River. It's like pushing the door and window to see the river view, sitting on the river and enjoying the fish lantern. We booked two rooms for 5 people, which happened to cover one floor of the inn (there are only two rooms on each floor, a total of 3 floors). We almost enjoyed the oversized and comfortable living room of the inn. It was simply too beautiful! Moreover, the inn has complete facilities and high-quality supplies. The price after the Dragon Boat Festival is more than 440 a night, which is acceptable and worth it!

Girls are very interested in renting Miao clothes. I think there is a full-day rental, but personally don't think it's necessary, because it's too hot, and the nice-looking Miao clothes are thicker. After wearing them for a long time, it's really hot. I rented it at night to cool it down at night. I rented old Miao clothes. I wore it from head to toe and wore it at 20 yuan per hour. The clothes looked very new and clean. The girl and I each rented a set. The new Miao clothes are much more expensive.

I originally thought we would rent it for an hour, take photos, and have enough time, but in fact, the hour passed in a short time. We rushed to take photos and then returned the clothes, and we got lost in the middle. The boss also called and said that he couldn't exceed the time limit and that he would have to pay more when he exceeded the time limit, which caused us to ask and run all the way, and returned our clothes in sweat. Therefore, it is recommended that when renting Miao clothes, you can negotiate with the boss and rent them for a longer period of time. According to the inn, the bargaining price can be 50 yuan per day.

The local restaurant recommended by the inn is quite delicious. It costs about 90 yuan per person. Phoenix can also order takeout, sit on the balcony and watch the beautiful night view, and eat kebabs, which is so comfortable.

The seventh day of the trip ends.

End the entire journey on the eighth day, you can take a bus back to Zhangjiajie. It seems that you can also take a green train. For specific walking methods, you can consult the local inn, and the owners will be very enthusiastic to answer and provide help for you. Finally, let me talk to you about the performances in various places, because I was very troubled about this matter at the beginning. After all, the ticket prices were not cheap, and it was not realistic to watch them all.

About national performances in various places:

There is one thing that cannot be avoided in ethnic performances in various places. That is, there is a 20-30-minute on-site sale before the official performance, and so-called celebrity calligraphy and paintings are generally sold. It is equivalent to selling goods through live broadcasts, which people basically don't like, but this is a routine process. In any tourist city and any ethnic group, performances are like this and cannot be avoided. The difference lies in the length of time and whether the atmosphere at the scene is too awkward to stand.

Wulingyuan: "Charming Xiangxi" and "Eternal Love"

The store recommended it, but we didn't go to see it. The reason is that we have seen "Eternal Love" in Yunnan. It is very good and there is no need to repeat it. The online review of "Charming Xiangxi" was not good, saying that the sales time before the performance was too long and the interaction between the host and the audience was awkward. Moreover, the program was basically acrobatics, with few ethnic characteristics, and some dance movements were too indecent. It is not worth watching.

Tianmen Mountain: "Fox Fairy"

"Fox Fairy" is a live-action performance. The venue and lighting are very good, so we didn't go to see it. The reason is that the performance venue is at the foot of the mountain at the entrance of Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area. In the past, the theater took more than 20 minutes by car, which was a bit far. Secondly, the theater is open-air. If it rains and other weather conditions, you will either watch it in the rain or go home early if you think you are unlucky. The merchants will not refund or compensate. The inn helped me book 188 yuan per ticket including pick-up, but 168 yuan per ticket excluding pick-up. The price was not low and there was a risk of force majeure, so I gave up.

Ancient City of Phoenix: A real-life stage play adapted from Shen Congwen's novel "Border Town"

We all went except my mother, whose foot hurt, who didn't go.

Reason for choice: First of all, the script is adapted from the famous writer Shen Congwen's novel "Border Town", which ensures that the plot is not bad. Secondly, I personally think that good and high-quality performances are still worth seeing, especially for children, which is a positive artistic influence and infection. Moreover, the performance on the real-life stage will give people a sense of reality, and the scene will be more shocking and worth a visit.

Actual situation:

1. There was also a period of selling calligraphy and paintings before this performance, but the time was relatively short, and there were no sections of forced promotion, awkward interaction, or bragging. The one with the rhythm is a kind and elegant old man with glasses. He looks more comfortable and leaves when the process is over.

2. The overall service and Taoism are good. The stage design is very beautiful and layered, and the lighting is shocking. The last thing I thanked for was a stage design company in Beijing. The costumes and props are very good. Even the big yellow dog often followed by the grandfather of the character in the play is performed by a real big yellow dog. He stands in his place obediently and does not bark or run around. His acting skills are great! Haha!

3. During the performance, the protagonist had a highly technical aerial dance with a sling (I don't understand professional terms, so let's call it that for the time being), which was performed by a professional stuntman. It was both technical and aesthetic. Some difficult movements can make people involuntarily exclaim.

4. There are about 100 actors, all of whom are very dedicated and energetic, and the overall performance quality is very high.

In short, this performance of "Border Town" is both technical and artistic. My father, who has always been picky, praised it and said it was worth paying to watch! The ticket booked by the innkeeper is much cheaper than the ticket purchased by himself. Zone A (the best viewing area) is 180 yuan/person, and Zone B is 150 yuan/person, both inclusive of pick-up and drop-off. Even if he was not allowed to pick him up, it would only cost 10 yuan to take a taxi from Phoenix Inn, which was relatively close.

PS: Actually, there's not much difference between Area A and B. We don't have many audiences when watching the performance. Tickets need to be checked, but no one checks the tickets. There are a lot of empty seats in Area A, and people who buy tickets for Area B just come and sit in the front row of Area A, and no one cares about it. This will save a lot, right? Hahaha!

Let's write the strategy here. There are really enough. I hope it will be helpful to friends who want to go next. refill!