Trip Summary
Seven days among sandstone towers: three full days in Zhangjiajie's Wulingyuan forest park (Avatar Hallelujah peaks, Tianmen's 99 bends, the glass bridge), a night in riverside Fenghuang's stilted old town, with Changsha's food scene as runway.
Trip Highlights
- The Avatar peaks of Yuanjiajie at sunrise mist
- Tianmen Mountain cable car and the cliff-walk glass skyway
- Grand Canyon glass bridge — transparent 430 m above the floor
- Fenghuang's Tuo river lanterns from a stilt-house balcony
Day by Day
Day 1 — Changsha
HSR in; Orange Isle riverfront at dusk, then the Fire Palace for stinky tofu and crayfish.
Flight in · Changshainternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · Wuyi Squareby the Xiang River — food streets and the metro hubBook → Car rental · Changshapick up at Changsha Huanghua International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — To Wulingyuan
Train/bus to Zhangjiajie; Golden Whip Stream warm-up hike.
Changsha → Zhangjiajie trainHigh-speed rail ~3 hBook → Stay · Wulingyuanthe park-gate village — first bus into the Avatar mountainsBook → Car rental · Zhangjiajiepick up at Zhangjiajie West Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Zhangjiajieskip-the-line entryBook → Day 3 — Avatar mountains
Bailong elevator up, Yuanjiajie's Hallelujah pillars, Tianzi Mountain ridge.
Stay · Wulingyuanthe park-gate village — first bus into the Avatar mountainsBook → Tickets · Zhangjiajieskip-the-line entryBook → Day 4 — Tianmen & glass bridge
City cable to Tianmen's arch, 99-bend road; Grand Canyon glass bridge before close.
Stay · Wulingyuanthe park-gate village — first bus into the Avatar mountainsBook → Day 5 — Canyons or quiet
Wulingyuan's less-walked gorges (this park's own Grand Canyon) or Baofeng lake boats.
Stay · Wulingyuanthe park-gate village — first bus into the Avatar mountainsBook → Tickets · Zhangjiajieskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 6 — Fenghuang
Transfer 4 h; dusk river walk and Miao lanterns.
Zhangjiajie → Xiangxi trainHSR to Fenghuanggucheng station ~40 min, then a short taxi to the old townBook → Stay · Fenghuang Ancient Towna river-stilt guesthouse over the lantern-lit TuojiangBook → Car rental · Xiangxipick up at Fenghuanggucheng Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Fenghuang Ancient Townskip-the-line entryBook → Day 7 — Out
Morning in the old town; bus/train to Changsha or Guilin for flights.
Zhangjiajie → Changsha trainreturn HSR ~3 h for departuresBook → Flight out · Guilindeparture flights from Guilin, destination openBook → 
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