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Wooden tour boat on the Tuo River with Wanming Pagoda and misty hills behind
Photo: crongbin · CC BY-SA 3.0

6-day private tour

6-Day Changsha – Zhangjiajie – Fenghuang Tour

A loop from Changsha, Hunan's capital — the fast train from Changsha Railway Station to Zhangjiajie, Tianmen Mountain on Route C, a full day in the national forest park, the Grand Canyon glass bridge, two nights in Fenghuang Ancient Town, and a private car back to Changsha.

Highlights

  • Starts and ends in Changsha, so you can fly in and out of Changsha Huanghua International Airport
  • The fastest high-speed train to Zhangjiajie West, from Changsha Railway Station (not Changsha South)
  • Tianmen Mountain on Route C on arrival day, then a full day in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
  • The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in the first entry slot
  • Two nights in Fenghuang Ancient Town, with a Tuo River boat and historic houses included
Walking level
Moderate — 3–5 hours on foot with stairs, at an unhurried pace.
Best season
April–June and September–November; avoid the 1–5 May and 1–7 October holiday weeks
Good for
Travelers flying into Changsha · Couples · Travelers with six days in Hunan · Travelers interested in Miao and Tujia towns
Where to stay
Two nights in Wulingyuan and two in Fenghuang. We suggest a night in Changsha before day 1 so you can take a morning train.

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. 1

    Day 1: Changsha to Zhangjiajie by high-speed train, Tianmen Mountain

    • 07:45Meet your guide at Changsha Railway Station for a morning train. Fast trains to Zhangjiajie West leave from here and take from about 1 hour 45 minutes (Changsha South trains take about 3 hours).
    • 10:30Arrive at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station, where your private car and driver meet you. Lunch on the way.
    • 12:00Tianmen Mountain Mountain Gate (about 20 minutes from the station). Route C, the only route running since 13 October 2026: express cable car up, the Climb Tianmen escalator to Tianmen Cave, then the seven-level escalator to the summit.
    • 13:30Cliff paths and glass skywalks on the summit, then down by escalator and express cable car before closing.
    • 17:00Drive about an hour to your Wulingyuan hotel.

    Overnight: Wulingyuan · Meals: Not included

  2. 2

    Day 2: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

    • 07:15Enter at the South Gate in the early time slot your guide has booked.
    • 08:00Golden Whip Stream, a flat walk along the stream (about 2.5–3.5 hours end to end).
    • 11:15Bailong Elevator up (one way) to Yuanjiajie: Hallelujah Mountain viewpoint and First Bridge Under Heaven. Lunch on the plateau.
    • 14:00Eco-bus to Tianzi Mountain's rim viewpoints, then the Tianzi Mountain cable car down (one way).
    • 16:00Ten-Mile Gallery mini-train (one way), then back to the hotel.

    Overnight: Wulingyuan · Meals: Not included

  3. 3

    Day 3: Grand Canyon glass bridge and a free afternoon

    • 07:30Drive about 40 minutes to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Entry opens at 08:00 with your timed, passport-named ticket.
    • 08:15Cross the glass bridge, then walk down through the canyon to the boat at the exit.
    • 12:00Lunch back in Wulingyuan, then a free afternoon. Your park ticket is still valid if you want a second look at a viewpoint.

    Overnight: Wulingyuan · Meals: Not included

  4. 4

    Day 4: Private car to Fenghuang Ancient Town

    • 08:30Check out and drive to Fenghuang, about 3.5–4 hours with a break.
    • 12:30Lunch and check in near the Tuo River.
    • 15:00Walk the old town with your guide: stone lanes, bridges and the wooden stilt houses along the river.
    • 19:00Evening by the river, when the old town is lit.

    Overnight: Fenghuang Ancient Town · Meals: Not included

  5. 5

    Day 5: A slow day in Fenghuang

    • 07:30Early walk along the river before the day visitors arrive.
    • 09:30Day boat on the Tuo River and visits to the historic houses on the combo ticket.
    • 13:00Lunch, then a free afternoon to explore at your own pace. Your guide is on hand for suggestions.

    Overnight: Fenghuang Ancient Town · Meals: Not included

  6. 6

    Day 6: Private car back to Changsha

    • 08:30Check out and drive to Changsha, about 5–6 hours with breaks.
    • 15:00Drop-off at your Changsha hotel, Changsha Huanghua International Airport or a railway station.

    Meals: Not included

Every itinerary is a starting point. We adjust order, pace and stops to the weather, crowds and what you enjoy.

What's included

What's included

  • Private English-speaking local guide for 6 days, from Changsha and back
  • Private car and driver from Zhangjiajie West on day 1 to Changsha on day 6
  • National forest park ticket (4-day validity, eco-buses included)
  • Bailong Elevator (one way) and Tianzi Mountain cable car (one way)
  • Ten-Mile Gallery mini-train (one way)
  • Grand Canyon glass bridge ticket
  • Tianmen Mountain ticket, Route C (express cable car and seven-level escalator, up and down)
  • Climb Tianmen lower escalator (uphill) and glass skywalk shoe covers
  • Fenghuang day boat and historic-houses combo ticket
  • Real-name ticket booking in your passport names

Not included

  • Hotels, including a night in Changsha before day 1 (we book them for you on request, at the hotel's own rate)
  • Lunches and dinners
  • Flights to and from Changsha, and the high-speed train tickets from Changsha to Zhangjiajie West (we book the train in your passport names)
  • Fenghuang night cruise and other optional sites
  • Travel insurance and personal expenses

Why this route works

If you fly into Changsha, Hunan’s capital, the fastest way on to Zhangjiajie is the high-speed train, and the station matters. Trains to Zhangjiajie West from Changsha Railway Station take from about 1 hour 45 minutes. Trains from Changsha South take about 3 hours or more. Your guide meets you at Changsha Railway Station and travels with you, and your private car waits at Zhangjiajie West.

Zhangjiajie West is about 20 minutes from Tianmen Mountain, so you go straight there on day 1. Since 13 October 2026 only Route C runs, from the Mountain Gate by express cable car and escalators. Then you move to Wulingyuan for two nights: a full day in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and the Grand Canyon glass bridge on day 3 with a free afternoon in case weather forces a swap.

Fenghuang Ancient Town gets two nights, so you see it in the evening, in the early morning and on a slow day in between. On day 6 the private car takes you back to Changsha, ending the loop where your flight leaves.

Local tips for this route

  • Spend the night before day 1 in Changsha. It lets you take a morning train without the stress of a same-day connection from the airport.
  • Book trains from Changsha Railway Station, not Changsha South. The trains are faster and cheaper. Both stations are on Metro Line 2 if you need to get between them.
  • Carry your passport for every train and ticket. High-speed train tickets, scenic-area tickets and hotels all check the original passport.
  • Keep the glass bridge flexible. It closes in fog, strong wind and thunderstorms; the free afternoon on day 3 gives room to move it.
  • Pack a small overnight bag for Fenghuang. The old town’s lanes are stepped and narrow, so leave the big suitcase in the car.
Illuminated skyscrapers and Juzizhou Bridge reflected in the Xiang River at night, Changsha
Photo: Liuxingy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Calligraphy name board and couplets on the gate of Yuelu Academy, Changsha
Photo: EditQ, CC BY-SA 4.0
Panorama of sandstone peaks under a clear blue sky from Helong Park on Tianzi Mountain
Photo: Codas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Glass walkway and suspension cables of the Grand Canyon bridge leading toward two pillars
Photo: Codas, CC BY-SA 4.0

Places on this tour

Let us book your hotel

We check foreigner registration, breakfast and pickup logistics before we book — at the hotel's own rate.

Ask us to book

Frequently asked questions

Which Changsha station has the fastest trains to Zhangjiajie?

Changsha Railway Station. Trains from there to Zhangjiajie West take from about 1 hour 45 minutes. Trains from Changsha South go the long way round and take about 3 hours or more, and cost more.

How do I get from Changsha airport to Changsha Railway Station?

The airport shuttle bus to the Civil Aviation Hotel near the station takes about 40 minutes. You can also take the Maglev Express to Changsha South and change to Metro Line 2. We can arrange a private transfer instead.

Why not drive from Changsha to Zhangjiajie?

The fastest trains cover the roughly 360 km in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and you can relax on board instead of spending the morning on the expressway. Your private car waits at Zhangjiajie West, so you still have it for the rest of the trip. If you prefer to drive, ask us.

Can we take the train back from Fenghuang instead of driving?

Yes. High-speed trains from Fenghuang to Changsha take about 2–3 hours, which shortens day 6. We book them on request and adjust the price.

Can US citizens use visa-free transit for this tour?

Changsha Huanghua and Zhangjiajie airports are both ports for the 240-hour visa-free transit, and the whole of Hunan is a permitted stay area. You need an onward ticket to a third country or region. Rules change, so check with your airline before booking.

Is the Tianmen Mountain cable car from downtown running?

No. Since 13 October 2026 the long cable car from downtown Zhangjiajie is suspended. Route C, from the Mountain Gate by express cable car, still reaches Tianmen Cave and the summit cliff paths.

You might also like

5-Day Zhangjiajie + Fenghuang

The classic Zhangjiajie sights over three days — the national forest park, the Grand Canyon glass bridge and Tianmen Mountain on Route C — then a private-car journey to Fenghuang Ancient Town for an evening on the Tuo River and a morning boat ride before you return.

Moderate walking

Price on request

4-Day Furong Town

Two days in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park including the quieter Yangjiajie area, Tianmen Mountain on Route C, then an evening and morning in Furong Town, the old Tujia town built on a cliff over a waterfall — private guide and car throughout.

Moderate walking

Price on request

Tell us how you like to travel. We will plan the rest.

Send your dates and interests. A local planner replies within 12 hours with a draft itinerary and a clear price — no deposit until you are happy with the plan.

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