Day 1: Arrival → Stay in Wulingyuan
Afternoon Entry: Biaozhimen Gate → Bailong Elevator (Hundred Dragons Elevator) → Yuanjiajie (Hallelujah Mountain/Avatar Pillar, First Bridge Under Heaven). Evening: Stroll through Xibu Street and enjoy Tujia Three-Pot Stew.
Day 2: Full Day Wulingyuan → Stay in Downtown Zhangjiajie
Morning: Tianzi Mountain (Imperial Writing Brush Peaks, He Long Park) → Ten-Mile Gallery. Afternoon: Gentle hike along Golden Whip Stream. Evening: Bus back to downtown, night view of the 72 Wonder Tower.
Day 3: Tianmen Mountain → Departure
Enter at 7:00 AM (Route A): Cableway up → Glass Skywalk → Guigu Plank Road → Tianmen Cave & 999 Steps. Tour concludes by afternoon for departure.
Scenic Spots Introduction
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park China's first national forest park, world-renowned for its spectacular quartz-sandstone pillars and as the prototype for the "Hallelujah Mountains" in the movie Avatar. It forms the core of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area.
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park Known as the "Soul of Zhangjiajie," featuring the natural mountain-penetrating cave "Tianmen Cave" (Heaven's Gate), thrilling Glass Skywalks, and one of the world's longest cableways.
Tianzi Mountain Praised as an "Expanded Bonsai and Miniature Fairyland," famous for its seas of clouds, winter snow, unique stone forests like the Imperial Writing Brush Peaks, and legends of the Tujia King.
Yellow Dragon Cave (Huanglong Cave) A world-class karst cave wonder dubbed the "Underground Pearl." Filled with diverse stalactites and featuring deep subterranean rivers available for boat tours.
Baofeng Lake Known as the "Jade Pool on Earth," this alpine flat lake is surrounded by towering peaks. Visitors can take boat rides while enjoying folk songs and stunning reflections of the mountains.
Local Delicacies
Tujia Three-Pot Stew (Sanxia Guo) Zhangjiajie's signature dish. Choose two or three meats (e.g., bacon, pork intestine, tripe, beef tendon) stewed with vegetables like radish, potatoes, and tofu sheets. Available dry or in soup. Spicy, aromatic, and perfect with rice.
Rock Fungus Stewed with Free-Range Chicken A premium high-mountain delicacy. "Rock Fungus" grows on vertical cliffs over 1,000m high and is difficult to harvest. Slow-cooked with local chicken, resulting in a golden clear broth, tender meat, and a crisp, nutritious texture.
Stir-fried Beef Slices (Da Gu Pi) Featured on CCTV. Uses choice beef trimmings stir-fried rapidly with beef tallow, local peppers, and secret spices. Crispy yet tender, with a numbing spice kick that pairs perfectly with rice.
Duck with Blood Rice Cake (Xueba Ya) A traditional Tujia hospitality dish. Duck blood mixed with glutinous rice forms "blood cakes," stewed with duck pieces. The duck is tender, the cake is soft and savory, slightly spicy, and without any gaminess.
Glutinous Rice Cake in Syrup (Tangyou Baba) A classic Xiangxi sweet snack. Glutinous rice balls are fried golden and coated in caramelized sugar syrup. Crispy outside, chewy inside, sweet but not greasy.
"Pig Head" Cold Noodles (Zhu Naoku Liangmian) A popular street food. Wide alkaline noodles are blanched, cooled, and topped with chili oil and signature Litsea cubeba oil, plus various toppings. Sour, spicy, and refreshing.
Mugwort Rice Cakes (Haozi Baba) A limited spring delicacy. Fresh mugwort mixed with glutinous rice flour, stuffed with diced bacon or brown sugar, then pan-fried. Features a subtle herbal fragrance and soft texture.
Xiangxi Cold Tofu Salad (Mi Doufu) A summer favorite. Silky rice tofu cubes tossed with chili oil, vinegar, garlic, and cilantro. Sour, spicy, and cooling.
High-Mountain Vine Tea (Mei Cha) A unique local tea covered in a natural white frost. The brew is clear; it tastes slightly bitter initially but leaves a sweet aftertaste in the throat. Naturally caffeine-free and suitable for all ages.
Kudzu Root Starch (Ge Gen Fen) A starch ground from wild kudzu roots in the deep mountains. When brewed with boiling water, it turns translucent and gelatinous like jelly. Sweetened with sugar or honey, it is soothing for the stomach.
