Zhangjiajie High-Speed Rail Returned – A Sincere Reminder for Sisters Who Haven't Gone Yet

In early June, we climbed Zhangjiajie in Hunan, and it completely exhausted me! It was incredibly tough – I literally lost 10 pounds just from coming down the mountain! Going up, gasping for breath 😮‍💨 Going down, legs shaking like jelly~ Wind-blown and sun-kissed ~ but utterly free 🔱 The scenery in Zhangjiajie is truly, truly breathtaking, but climbing it is also truly, truly, insanely exhausting. I lost 5 pounds right after coming back 😋 Enough talk, here’s the real deal! 💖 **Day 1: Tianmen Mountain** Route: Tianmen Mountain Cableway Upper Station → Yunmeng Fairy Summit → Tianmen Mountain Cableway Upper Station → West Route → Tianmen Mountain Temple → East Route → Mountain-Piercing Escalator → Tianmen Cave → Descend the 999 Steps → Downhill **Tips:** - The glass walkway costs 5 yuan per person. Don’t buy shoe covers from sellers at the foot—you can’t enter just because you have them; staff check at the entrance. - Food near Tianmen Mountain Temple is overpriced and not great. Try restaurants recommended by your hotel—they’re delicious! 💖 **Day 2: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Mountain Area)** Stayed at a homestay 10 mins from the East Gate. Took the Bailong Elevator at 8:30 AM—lucky again, only a 10-minute wait! Route: East Gate → Bailong Elevator → Yuanjiajie → Yangjiajie → Tianzi Mountain → Cableway down (East Gate) **Tips:** - **Bring a hiking stick!** There are endless steps, both up and down. - The eco-bus from Yangjiajie to Tianzi Mountain is fast with sharp turns—motion-sickness-prone folks, beware! - Don’t overpack food. Tianzi Mountain Station has a snack street with fair prices, like 20-yuan all-you-can-eat fried rice. 💖 **Day 3: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Valley Area)** Walked the entire Golden Whip Stream (now regretting it deeply). Route: East Gate → Shili Gallery → Golden Whip Stream → Great Oxygen Bar Square → Yellow Stone Village → South Gate **Tips:** 1. Shili Gallery is small—just take the mini-train in, see some monkeys, and ride back out. 2. **Monkeys WILL snatch things!** Avoid plastic bags and keep your hiking stick handy. 3. Golden Whip Stream is over 7 km (2+ hours walk). Adding Yellow Stone Village’s small loop (1.5 hours) or big loop (2 hours) is brutal on the legs. 🔥 **Optimized Route (Learned the Hard Way):** 1. After the mountain tour, take Tianzi Mountain Cableway down and head straight to Shili Gallery. The mini-train ride covers most sights in under 30 mins. Next day, enter via the South Gate. 2. From the South Gate, visit Great Oxygen Bar Square first, then Golden Whip Stream (walk just a few hundred meters before turning back to the square for Yellow Stone Village). **Critical Lesson:** Walking the full Golden Whip Stream + Yellow Stone Village left me too exhausted for Changsha later! This trip was mostly smooth—great stay at Tianmen Mountain’s Four Famous Residences Aesthetic Inn. Here are extra tips to help you: ✨ **Pro Tips:** 1️⃣ At Tianmen Mountain’s entrance, ignore shoe cover sellers—the glass walkway ticket includes them. 2️⃣ The National Forest Park is huge. With a group, hiring a guide for navigation/commentary is wise to avoid getting lost. 3️⃣ Golden Whip Stream is a hidden gem—a natural oxygen bar with crisp air. - The flat path along the stream is perfect for kids. - Pack extra clothes, non-slip outdoor shoes, and a water gun for maximum fun!