One-Day Trip to the Ancient Town of Phoenix from Zhangjiajie
🚄 Seamless bullet train connection for worry-free cross-city tours The itinerary includes round-trip/one-way bullet train tickets from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang Ancient City, so you don’t have to worry about complicated transportation transfers and can easily enjoy a one-stop cross-city cultural tour.
🏞️ Condensed essence of the ancient city, see all the classics at once The itinerary carefully connects core landmarks such as the Tuojiang Jumping Rock, Diaojiaolou buildings, Wanming Pagoda, Ancient City Tower, and Chen Family Ancestral Hall. In one day, it will take you to appreciate the complete picture of the ancient city’s “mountains, rivers, city towers, and pagodas” and the unique customs of the Miao region.
🗣️ Select your own language for barrier-free communication and a deeper experience The itinerary thoughtfully provides Chinese or English group options, which you can choose freely according to your own language habits. Whether it’s listening to authentic cultural explanations or communicating smoothly with the tour guide, the exclusive language service ensures that your understanding of the ancient city’s history and customs is seamless, allowing the cultural experience to reach your heart.
What to expect
[Pre-Departure Notice] 📲 After placing your order, our staff will contact you around 21:00 the day before departure. 📩 The day before the trip, we will send you the tour guide’s contact information via WeChat/WhatsApp, etc. 💬 Bilingual customer service is available online (09:00-22:00), providing exclusive service throughout the trip with real-time responses, ensuring worry-free communication and a more comfortable journey.
[🚗 Meeting Point] Chinese Group Tour: Zhangjiajie West Railway Station (take the bullet train to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station on your own, and the tour guide will wait for you at Fenghuang Ancient Town Station). Chinese Group Tour: Zhangjiajie West Railway Station (English-speaking tour guide will accompany you on the bullet train to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station).
[Itinerary] 🗺️ Zhangjiajie West Railway Station—Fenghuang Ancient Town—Zhangjiajie West Railway Station (If you choose a package including a one-way bullet train ticket, you will not return to Zhangjiajie West Railway Station).
[✨ Featured Attractions]
Fenghuang Ancient Town, located in western Hunan, is a national historical and cultural city built along the Tuojiang River and known as "China's Most Beautiful Small Town." It is famous for its depiction in Shen Congwen's novel "Border Town," with its well-preserved Ming and Qing architectural styles, unique Miao and Tujia ethnic customs, and the scenery of the Tuojiang River flowing through the town, forming a tranquil landscape where mountains and rivers complement each other.
🚶 Tuojiang Jumping Rocks This is Fenghuang Ancient Town’s most interesting and iconic landscape. Two rows of stone piers of varying heights span the clear Tuojiang River, forming a unique passage connecting the two banks.
🏮 Huilong Pavilion Stilt Houses The stilt houses stretching along both banks of the Tuojiang River are the soul of Fenghuang architecture. These wooden structures are supported by wooden pillars and built over the river, staggered and well-arranged.
🗼 Wanming Pagoda Standing on the bank of the Tuojiang River, it is a beautiful seven-story hexagonal brick pagoda. It and the surrounding Hong Bridge and stilt houses together form Fenghuang’s most classic skyline. The pagoda’s name means “ten thousand names return to the heart,” and it is especially charming when lit up at dusk or night, making it a favorite landmark for photography enthusiasts.
🏯 Fenghuang Ancient Town Tower and Xiangxi East Gate Tower The ancient town tower is a testament to Fenghuang’s military defense history. Among them, the Xiangxi East Gate Tower (also known as “Shengheng Gate”) is the most majestic and is one of the four ancient city gates.
🏛️ Chen Family Ancestral Hall Also known as “Chaoyang Palace,” it is a relatively well-preserved family ancestral hall building in the ancient city. Its architecture is exquisite, and the layout of the stage, main hall, etc., is well-organized, showcasing the ethnic style of the Xiangxi region.
Reviews
Ideal if you don't have a vehicle and want to see both towns in one day from Zhangjiajie. Quick visit to Furong but free time in Fengshuan. Both towns are magnificent.
Tour is good for those without transport to the various places of interest. personally not a fan of guided tour, so will only recommend to those who have interest in those. (1) furong; took a boat ride to the town - quite abit of walking in the small alleyways (do prepare umbrella or raincoat) and behind the waterfalls. (2) had catered lunch, third photo was a prepared meal in a lunch hall with many tour groups with performance (if this isn’t your kind of food, prep your own). (3) small visit to Miao tribe, with a short tour of the locals and their stories - my fav on the trip. (4) feng huang ancient town; entire river that was vendors trying to sell you photography and dress up services. small walk into the actual town that is filled with shops for souvenirs. dinner is OTOT; many food options available along the river (2nd floors) to catch the light up scenery. the whole journey started at 7:50am (pickup from hotel) and ended close to 11pm. speaking mandarine is a plus to comms.
It was a perfect daytrip! Our driver was very good and helpful.
Furong Village is often promoted as a hidden gem, but in my experience, it felt a bit overrated. The scenery is pleasant, but nothing particularly unique compared to other spots in the region. The real letdown, however, is something that’s rarely mentioned — the village involves an unexpectedly long and exhausting climb. There are countless steep stairs that can really take away from the enjoyment, especially in the heat or if you’re not prepared for such intense walking. That said, one highlight that stood out was the gold market. Surprisingly affordable and filled with interesting finds, it ended up being the most enjoyable part of the visit for me. Overall, I’d recommend managing expectations — it’s worth a stop if you’re nearby, but not necessarily a must-see destination.
Good to know
If you require private tour services in English or other languages, you can click the link below to learn more: [/en-US/activity/137391-depart-from-zhangjiajie-to-furong-town-and-fenghuang-ancient-town/?lang=zh_CN]
⏰ Time Arrangement The bullet train usually departs at 8:30 AM and arrives at 9:50 AM. The departure and arrival times may vary during holidays or vacations. We will communicate the specific time with you one day before departure. Thank you for your understanding!
🔄 Itinerary Arrangement Chinese Group Tour: Zhangjiajie West Station (take the bullet train to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station on your own) Chinese Group Tour: Zhangjiajie West Station (English-speaking guide accompanies you on the bullet train to Fenghuang Ancient Town Station)
👥 [Group Formation Instructions] For this itinerary within the Fenghuang Ancient Town scenic area, the tour guide will take you by taxi. By placing an order, you are agreeing to this tour arrangement. Please be aware of this before booking if you have concerns!
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