Zhangjiajie, Furong, and Fenghuang in 6 Days

This six-day route links the towering sandstone peaks of Zhangjiajie with western Hunan's two best historic water towns. Starting in Wulingyuan puts you right at the national park trails before morning crowds arrive. Moving into downtown Zhangjiajie sets up a smooth morning for Tianmen Mountain. From there, short bullet train rides carry you south for evening views across Furong's illuminated waterfall and Fenghuang's lantern-lit riverbanks.

Choose six days, arriving the evening before

This schedule gives you two full days in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, one full day on Tianmen Mountain, and relaxed daylight and evening hours in both historic towns. It uses six hotel nights, starting with your arrival evening. You can depart Fenghuang after lunch on day six, or add an extra night if you want a slower departure.

If you have five days, spend just one day in the forest park covering Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie, then head into downtown Zhangjiajie that evening. The one-day forest park guide shows how to connect those main mountain lookouts.

If you have seven days, add a third day in Wulingyuan for extra valley hiking, or spend a second night in Fenghuang to explore quiet side alleys at an easy pace.

Add Chongqing before or after Hunan

If Chongqing comes first, take the train from Chongqing East (重庆东站) to Zhangjiajie West (张家界西站) on the day before Hunan day one. Continue by road to Wulingyuan and sleep near the East Gate. Start the park the following morning. The Chongqing–Zhangjiajie transport guide explains the stations and local transfers.

For a nine-day trip through Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, Furong and Fenghuang, arrive in Chongqing on overall day one. Explore the city on day two and travel to Wulingyuan on day three. Days one to six below then become overall days four to nine. The eight hotel nights are two in Chongqing plus the six Hunan nights shown here. Add nights for more city time; the three-day Chongqing itinerary helps you choose those visits.

If you arrive from the Huaihua or Changsha side and finish in Chongqing, reverse the destination order: Fenghuang → Furong → Zhangjiajie → Chongqing. Stay in the city for Tianmen, then move to Wulingyuan for the forest park before leaving from Zhangjiajie West.

For a trip focused on the two cities, use the Chongqing and Zhangjiajie itinerary to give the city and mountain visits more time.

Book four hotel bases and separate train legs

For your arrival night and day one, stay near the forest park's East Gate (吴家峪门票站). Both mountain days finish on this side of the valley, so you can leave your bags at the front desk and pick them up on your way out. The Wulingyuan hotel guide compares convenient spots near this entrance.

For the next two nights, pick a hotel in downtown Zhangjiajie near the Tianmen Mountain lower cable car station (天门山索道下站). Moving downtown after day two sets up an early start on the mountain, and keeping the second city night gives you a short ride to the train station on day four.

In Furong, pick an inn near the upper town entrance if you want to avoid carrying bags down steep stone stairs, or book a cliffside room facing the falls if you want the view right outside your window. In Fenghuang, choose an inn near an outer road drop-off point for easy suitcase handling, or pick a room along the Tuojiang River for direct water views.

When buying bullet train tickets on 12306, search the stations as separate legs: Zhangjiajie West to Furong Town (张家界西 to 芙蓉镇) for day four, and Furong Town to Fenghuang Ancient Town (芙蓉镇 to 凤凰古城) for day five. Buying a single through ticket from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang does not allow an overnight stop in Furong. Zhangjiajie West (张家界西站) is the high-speed rail hub, located about twenty minutes north of the older downtown conventional station (张家界站).

Use 12306 to reserve train seats. The booking window covers 15 days, including today. Enter your name and passport number exactly as shown on your US passport, and carry that physical passport for station gate checks.

Days one and two: mountain peaks and Golden Whip Stream

Start day one at the East Gate (吴家峪门票站). Take the free park shuttle bus to the lower Tianzi cable car station (天子山索道下站), ride up, and explore the viewpoints around Helong Park (贺龙公园). Catch the upper park bus to Yangjiajie parking lot (杨家界停车场), switch buses to Yuanjiajie, and walk along the cliff path past the First Bridge Under Heaven (天下第一桥), Hallelujah Mountain (乾坤柱), and Enchanting Terrace (迷魂台). Take Bailong Elevator down to the valley and ride the shuttle back out through the East Gate.

On day two, check out and leave your bags with the front desk. Take a short local bus or taxi to the South Gate (森林公园门票站) and walk beside Golden Whip Stream (金鞭溪) toward Water Surrounding Four Gates (水绕四门). This flat valley walk covers about 5.7 km (3.5 miles); allow three to four hours for photos and rests. At the end, take the park bus back to the East Gate, collect your luggage, and ride into downtown Zhangjiajie. The two-day forest park guide details this exact route.

The forest park ticket costs CNY 236 (≈ USD 35 ) per adult and covers four consecutive calendar days including valley buses. Adding CNY 72 (≈ USD 11 ) for the Tianzi cable car up and CNY 65 (≈ USD 9.7 ) for Bailong Elevator down brings park transit to CNY 373 (≈ USD 56 ) per adult. The public bus from Wulingyuan town to the South Gate costs CNY 8 (≈ USD 1.2 ) per person.

A taxi or ride-hail between Wulingyuan and downtown Zhangjiajie takes about 40 to 50 minutes and costs around CNY 80 to 100 (≈ USD 12–15 ). Local coaches between Wulingyuan Bus Station (武陵源汽车客运站) and Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station (张家界中心汽车站) cost CNY 13 (≈ USD 1.9 ) per person and take about 90 minutes door to door.

Day three: Tianmen Mountain with a city evening

Reserve a morning entry time for Tianmen Mountain and budget four to six hours on the peak. Ride up to see the natural rock arch at Tianmen Cave (天门洞), then take the long escalators built inside the mountain up to the summit paths. Walk the West Line cliff path (鬼谷栈道) for sheer drop-offs and sweeping valley views. Spend the evening back in downtown Zhangjiajie enjoying local restaurants and packing your bags for the morning train.

A standard Tianmen Mountain ticket costs CNY 285 (≈ USD 43 ) per adult, including the cable car and mountain transit.

Only Route C operates from 13 October 2026. Catch the free shuttle bus from the city lower station (天门山索道下站) to the mountain gate (天门山国家森林公园-山门). From there, take the Express Cableway up to the cave square. Climb the 999 steps or ride the lower five-stage escalator to Tianmen Cave, then take the seven upper escalators to the summit paths. Return along the same route back to the mountain gate, where you can take the free shuttle or hail a cab back to downtown Zhangjiajie. The downtown city-to-summit cableway is closed for rebuilding.

Day four: high-speed train to Furong and the evening waterfall

After breakfast, take a 20-minute taxi from your city hotel to Zhangjiajie West Station (张家界西站). Arrive 45 to 60 minutes before departure to clear security. The bullet train ride to Furong Town Station (芙蓉镇站) takes about 25 to 30 minutes, with second-class fares running CNY 22 to 40 (≈ USD 3.3–6.0 ) per person.

From Furong station, take a local minibus or taxi to your inn's road drop-off point. The drive takes 10 to 15 minutes and costs about CNY 20 to 30 (≈ USD 3.0–4.5 ) per taxi. Drop off your suitcases before heading down into the historic stone streets.

Spend the afternoon and evening exploring the Furong Town Scenic Area (芙蓉镇景区), which charges CNY 108 (≈ USD 16 ) for adult admission. Begin near Baishou Hall (摆手堂) and Tuwang Bridge (土王桥), check out the upper lookout over the falls, and walk the path that passes directly behind the cascading water. Climb back up Five-Mile Stone Street (五里石板街) for street food and artisan shops. Stay through dusk when bright lanterns and spotlights illuminate the falls and cliffside stilt buildings.

For a quick local bite, order rice tofu (米豆腐), a bowl of tender rice jelly cubes topped with savory sauce, scallions, and pickled greens.

Day five: morning in Furong and sunset in Fenghuang

Enjoy a quiet morning wandering Furong's upper stone alleys before day-trippers arrive. Collect your luggage and head to Furong Town Station about 75 to 90 minutes before your train.

Take the high-speed train south to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station (凤凰古城站). The train takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes, with second-class tickets costing about CNY 53 (≈ USD 7.9 ) per person. Plan for about two to three hours total from hotel checkout in Furong to check-in at Fenghuang.

At Fenghuang station, dedicated shuttle buses connect directly to the historic town for CNY 7 (≈ USD 1.0 ) per person. Line 1 runs to Qifeng Square Visitor Center (奇峰广场游客中心), while Line 2 runs to Nanhuali Visitor Center (南华里游客中心). Pick the line closest to your hotel. A direct taxi from the train station to an old town road gate costs about CNY 25 to 30 (≈ USD 3.7–4.5 ).

After dropping off your luggage, take an afternoon stroll along the Tuojiang River (沱江) between North Gate Tower (北门城楼) and Rainbow Bridge (虹桥). Walk downstream toward Wanming Pagoda (万名塔) for classic postcard views of traditional wooden stilt houses (吊脚楼). In the evening, walk the riverbanks again as lanterns glow along the water, bridges light up, and wooden boats glide past. Walking through the streets and along the river paths is completely free.

Day six: morning on the river and onward travel

Use the early morning for peaceful photography along the mist-covered river before shops open. If you want to tour historic homes such as the Shen Congwen Former Residence (沈从文故居) or take an official daytime wooden boat cruise, a combined sightseeing pass costs CNY 128 (≈ USD 19 ) per adult. If you simply want scenery and atmosphere, the free riverside paths are plenty.

Leave your luggage at the front desk during your morning walk. Plan to head to the station about two hours before departure to cover your lane walk, shuttle ride, and security check.

For onward connections, search trains from Fenghuang Ancient Town (凤凰古城). Huaihua South (怀化南) sits just 30 minutes south on the high-speed line and offers easy connections toward Guilin, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. Direct trains also run northeast back to Changsha.

If you have a return flight from Zhangjiajie Airport (DYG), take a direct one-hour high-speed train from Fenghuang Ancient Town back to Zhangjiajie West, then take a 25-minute taxi to the airport. For a flight the following morning, return to Zhangjiajie after your day-six morning in Fenghuang and add a seventh hotel night in the city.

To continue to Chongqing after this southbound route, look for an afternoon direct train from Fenghuang Ancient Town (凤凰古城站) to Chongqing East (重庆东站). The ride takes about four hours via Zhangjiajie West, with no change on the direct service. Keep the morning walk on day six and add your Chongqing hotel nights after the six Hunan nights.

Tickets, luggage, and practical tips

Main admissions for this route total CNY 766 (≈ USD 115 ) per adult: CNY 236 (≈ USD 35 ) for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, CNY 285 (≈ USD 43 ) for Tianmen Mountain, CNY 108 (≈ USD 16 ) for Furong Town, and CNY 137 (≈ USD 21 ) for the Tianzi cable car and Bailong Elevator rides. Bullet trains, local station transfers, meals, and hotels are extra.

• Your forest park ticket stays valid for four consecutive days from your first entry. Make sure to reserve your specific entrance gate for both days.
• Always carry your physical US passport in your day pack on moving days, as you will scan it at train stations and scenic gates.
• When booking inns in Furong and Fenghuang, message the front desk ahead of time to find out their nearest road drop-off point. This keeps you from carrying heavy suitcases down long flights of stairs.
• Train schedules and ticket entry slots run on Beijing Time (GMT+8).
• If you want an extra day of hiking, add a day for the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge from your Wulingyuan base.