Trip Overview
When: Late April - Early May 2021 (Labor Day Golden Week)
Duration: 7 days
Travelers: Couple
Budget: ~4,800 RMB (~$670 USD)
Transportation: Flight from Shanghai to Zhangjiajie, high-speed train to Changsha
This trip had been on my bucket list for nearly 5 years—Zhangjiajie, side-by-side with Jiuzhaigou as a "must-visit in this lifetime." And since Changsha was just a short trip away, how could we not go eat (chi) our way through it?
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: Fly into Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (荷花机场). Note: Taxi drivers at the airport can be aggressive. Use Didi (China's Uber) but expect higher prices during peak hours. Alternatively, take the airport shuttle bus.
Money Matters: Most places accept mobile payment (WeChat Pay/Alipay). However, keep some cash for small vendors and temple offerings.
Language: English is limited outside major hotels. Download an offline translation app. Key phrases in Mandarin: Zhangjiajie (张家界), Changsha (长沙), ting che (停车/stop here).
Best Time to Visit: Avoid Labor Day (May 1-5) if possible—crowds are massive. If you must go, book tickets and accommodation weeks in advance.
Day 1: Shanghai → Zhangjiajie
We caught an evening flight from Shanghai on Spring Airlines (春秋航空) 9C8983, departing at 20:10 and arriving at 22:35. Tickets were expensive due to the holiday, but still reasonable compared to other airlines.
Reality check: Spring Airlines charges extra for baggage, so pre-purchase your luggage allowance online to save money.
After landing around 11 PM, we faced the chaos of Zhangjiajie airport parking lot. Black car drivers were shouting offers, and taxi drivers were trying to overcharge. We waited for a Didi driver who accepted our higher offer—worth it for peace of mind.
Accommodation: Quanji Hotel (全季酒店), Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Branch—conveniently located near the train station.
Day 2: Wulingyuan National Forest Park (武陵源风景名胜区)
The forest park ticket is valid for 4 days. We chose to hit the park on Day 2 while we still had energy and before the holiday crowds arrived.
Pro hack: Buy tickets that allow entry from all 5 entrances. Bring your ID—tickets are tied to your ID card.
We took a rickety minibus from the bus station to Wulingyuan (12 RMB/$1.70 USD per person, 40 minutes). The driver drove like he was fleeing the scene of a crime, but hey, we arrived!
The Hundred Dragon Heavenly Stair (百龙天梯)—one of the world's highest outdoor elevators. The view when emerging from underground is genuinely breathtaking. Pro tip: One-way is enough to experience it.
From there, we headed to Yuanjiajie (袁家界), the filming location for Avatar's Hallelujah Mountains. The famous Qiankun Pillar (乾坤柱) towers before you—this is where Avatar's floating mountains were inspired.
Warning: The monkeys here are not shy. They'll follow you if they smell food. If you have snacks, hide them well—or prepare to share!
We continued to the First Bridge Under Heaven (天下第一桥)—a natural stone arch connecting two mountain peaks. The area is covered in love locks (同心锁), rusting reminders of past couples.
End of Day 2, we were exhausted but happy. Dinner at Hetian Garden Private Kitchen (禾田园私房菜)—absolutely delicious! We tried the local stir-fried pork and iron plate cabbage. Paired with 3% glutinous rice wine (much better than the 35% baijiu my boyfriend mistakenly ordered first!).
Day 3: Tianmen Mountain National Park (天门山国家森林公园)
Foreigner tip: Book the A-line tickets in advance online! These give you the legendary sky cable that soars directly from the city up to the mountain—flying over residential areas. It's worth every penny.
The Tianmen Mountain cable car (天门山索道) is not for the faint of heart. It's one of the longest cable cars in Asia, climbing over 7 kilometers. One moment you think you've reached the top—nope, just passing through to the next peak!
Our route: West Line → Glass Skywalk (玻璃栈道). The skywalk requires an additional 5 RMB (~$0.70 USD) for shoe covers—pay on-site via WeChat.
Reality check: If visiting during holidays, the glass skywalk is more about people-watching than adrenaline. The North-Eastern tour groups make it feel like a Saturday night market!
We then explored the Guigu Trail (鬼谷栈道)—much more peaceful with cool breezes in the shaded areas. The cliffside walkway is an engineering marvel. How did they build this?
Don't miss the suspension bridge (悬索桥)—it wobbles quite a bit in the middle, which makes for hilarious photos with Aunties striking their signature poses.
The mountain is stunning but hazy due to crowds and weather. The highlight: Tianmen Cave (天门洞), a massive natural hole in the cliff face. You can see it via the famous 999 Steps—but seriously, take the escalators down (multiple sections, total length is insane!).
Senior alert: Do NOT attempt the 999 stairs if you have knee issues. The multiple escalator sections are your friends.
Dinner: San Xia Guo (三下锅)—local specialty. Warning: It's VERY spicy! The stir-fried腊肉 (cured pork) was incredible though.
Day 4: Wulingyuan Round 2 + Transfer to Changsha
Back to Wulingyuan—this time to see Ten Mile Gallery (十里画廊) and Tianzi Mountain (天子山).
Pro hack: Take the small train (单程38 RMB/$5 USD) going TO Ten Mile Gallery, then walk back. The return route is downhill, making it easier.
The landscape here feels like a Chinese ink painting come to life. The cable car up to Tianzi Mountain offers breathtaking views—definitely worth the extra ticket.
We visited He Long Park (贺龙公园) and the Imperial Brush Peak (御笔峰)—legend says these peaks were the Emperor's writing brushes, discarded when he lost a battle.
Late afternoon: High-speed train from Zhangjiajie to Changsha (about 3 hours).
Accommodation warning: We made the mistake of booking a serviced apartment near Wuyi Square. Photos were VERY misleading (classic bait-and-switch). The neighborhood had a garbage recycling center downstairs. We had to switch hotels the next day—learn from our pain: avoid serviced apartments!
New hotel: Jinjiang Inn (如家商旅)—much better!
Day 5: Taiping Old Street (太平老街) Food Marathon
Changsha = food heaven. And the crown jewel: Tea Yan Yue Se (茶颜悦色)—the legendary milk tea that ONLY exists in Changsha. No franchises anywhere else!
Pro hack: Their seasonal specials are incredible. We tried multiple and they were all delicious. Price: ~15-20 RMB ($2-3 USD) per cup—amazing quality for the price. Pro tip: If you see someone standing in line, they'll often get free sample tastings!
Taiping Old Street is packed during holidays (expect 30+ minute lines for popular spots), but the food is worth it.
Must-try foods:
Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐): The famous Black Classic (黑色经典) version is crispy outside, soft inside, with pickled vegetables. WARNING: The smell is... intense. My boyfriend loved it; I could barely handle it!
Sugar Oil Cakes (糖油粑粑): Chewy rice flour balls fried in brown sugar. Light, sweet, with osmanthus fragrance. I ate way too many.
Chili Oil Snacks: Everything here comes with a kick.
We attempted to visit Wenheyou (文和友)—the famous retro restaurant—but there were 20,000+ people in line. You need to scan to get a number at 10 AM to eat at 8 PM. No luck for us!
Instead, we found another spot serving the same crayfish (小龙虾)—because when in Changsha!
Day 6: Hunan Provincial Museum (湖南省博物馆) + Night Food Run
Must-visit: Hunan Provincial Museum. Book via WeChat mini-program at least a day in advance—especially critical during holidays.
The star exhibit: The Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tombs (马王堆汉墓). The preserved body of Lady Xin Zhui is fascinating—you see all the nested coffins and finally, her actual remains. Not for the squeamish, but absolutely historically significant.
We also realized something embarrassing: Our Changsha photo album is 90% food. The museum? Zero photos. Oops.
Back to茶颜悦色—we were determined to try every flavor. We now have a running joke: Which one is our favorite? Answer: All of them.
Night market at Wuyi Square (五一广场) is chaotic in the best way—comparable to Shanghai's Nanjing Road. The IFS building has a famous rooftop art installation and a pink zebra crossing (like Shibuya!).
By midnight, we calculated we'd consumed 10 cups of milk tea in 2 days. No regrets.
Day 7: Changsha → Shanghai
Last day—time to head home and pick up our cat, who was being catsat by family. A perfect end to an amazing trip!
Final verdict: Zhangjiajie's landscapes are otherworldly—worth the crowds. Changsha is a food lover's paradise. Come hungry, leave happy (and possibly with a few extra pounds)!