Tour Overview
Duration
5 Days / 4 Nights
Cities
zhangjiajie1 , FurongTown , Zhangjiajie National Forest Park , Tianmen Mountain , 72 Unsual Houses
Tour Type
Private Tour
Difficulty
Daily Itinerary
Day 1
Day 1 Kuala Lumpur to Changsha by Air | Airport Pick-up & Hotel Check-in
Welcome to Changsha! When you land, our driver will greet you at Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX) and transfer you straight to your hotel for check-in. You may take the rest of the day to rest and settle in at your own leisure.
Optional Add-On: One-Day Changsha City Tour
If you’d like to explore this UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts, we can easily arrange an extended one-day Changsha sightseeing trip. Our best-selling Changsha itinerary covers must-see highlights including the famous Orange Isle and the picturesque landscapes of Yuelu Mountain, with convenient sightseeing shuttle buses included for a comfortable visit.
Day 2
Day 2 Changsha to Zhangjiajie by High Speed Train | Tianmenshan National Forest Park, Tianmenshan Cable Car, Tianmen Cave, Glass Walkway
The cableway section running from Middle Station to Mountain Summit is temporarily closed for maintenance. A revised alternative sightseeing route will be arranged for your group.
Adjusted Itinerary Route
Lower Cable Station → Middle Cable Station → 99-Bend Road Sightseeing Shuttle → Tianmen Cave → Glass Skywalk & Cliff Plank Road → Tianmen Cave Lower Plaza → Express Gondola to Scenic Exit
One-way cable car ride time: 10–12 minutes
Key data: Peak altitude approx. 1,300 m; Tianmen Cave opening: 131.5 m tall, 50 m wide
Physical exertion level: ☆ Easy (All sections supported by cable cars and mountain escalators). Rating upgrades to ☆☆☆ Moderate if you choose to walk down the 999 stone steps under Tianmen Cave.
Today’s convenient half-day tour takes you to Tianmen Mountain, known as “the Soul of Zhangjiajie”, merely 8 km from downtown. Suitable for visitors of all ages, this highland scenic trip involves almost no strenuous climbing. The world’s longest mountain cable car and continuous mountain escalators help you skip all steep staircases.
99-Bend Road
Board the iconic city-to-mountain cable car and ride up to Middle Station. Transfer to an eco-shuttle bus to travel along the legendary 99-Bend Road, a jaw-dropping cliffside road lined with countless sharp hairpin bends and spectacular valley views.
Tianmen Cave
Arrive at Tianmen Cave, a mysterious natural arch standing 131.5 meters high — a prime photography spot often wrapped in drifting mist. You may opt to test yourself by descending the famous 999-step stone staircase at your own pace.
Glass Skywalk & Summit Attractions
Take indoor mountain escalators to reach the mountaintop. Brave the thrilling Glass Skywalk suspended 1,430 m above the deep valley, wander along the Cliff-Hanging Plank Road, and visit the tranquil Tianmen Temple surrounded by dense green woods.
Before departing, enjoy your final panoramic mountain views from the summit, then board the express gondola that takes you straight back to the exit plaza to finish the tour.
VIP Fast-Track Service (Skip Long Queues)
Bypass huge tourist crowds at Tianmen Mountain cable car stations with our exclusive VIP fast-track access. Your waiting time will be cut down to only 10 minutes or more. Reach out to our team to reserve this service in advance.
Day 3
Day 3 Zhangjiajie Tour | From Zhangjiajie National Forest Park to Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve; Bailong Elevator, Hallelujah Mountains, Tianzi Mountain
Route: Private transfer from Zhangjiajie City to Wulingyuan Town → Bailong Elevator → Yuanjiajie Scenic Zone → Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve → Descend via Tianzi Mountain Cable Car
Elevation gain: +326 m
Altitude range: 1,074 m – 1,262.5 m
Physical exertion level: ☆☆ Low difficulty
All sightseeing transport including elevators, cable cars and eco-shuttle buses is provided; the route is friendly for seniors and children.
Total walking distance: approx. 6–9 km
Full tour duration (including rest & lunch breaks): 7–9 hours
Discover Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site famed globally for its rare quartz sandstone pillar landscape. This condensed highlights tour covers two core gems: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve.
Morning: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park & Yuanjiajie
We kick off the day with a ride on the Bailong Elevator, officially recognised as the world’s tallest outdoor sightseeing lift.
Pro Tip: For unobstructed panoramic views, stand on the far-right side of the elevator cabin. If the spot is occupied, simply wait for the next trip.
Upon reaching Yuanjiajie’s summit plateau, gaze upon the iconic Hallelujah Mountain, the real-life prototype of Avatar’s floating peaks. Follow the cliff-edge sightseeing trail past Lost Soul Platform and Backyard Garden, surrounded by thousands of vertical stone spires rising from a sea of green foliage.
Travel Hints: Ancient plant fossils can be spotted along sections of the trail. If you feel uneasy with steep drop-offs, you may quickly cross the open-grate iron bridge without lingering.
Afternoon: Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve – “King of All Peaks”
Board the eco-shuttle bus to Tianzi Mountain, widely hailed as the King of Peak Forests. From Dianjiangtai Viewing Platform, admire the legendary Imperial Writing Brush Peaks and mist-shrouded West Sea Peak Forest. Conclude your mountain exploration at He Long Park and Tianzi Pavilion, where you can enjoy sweeping bird’s-eye panoramas of the vast sandstone pillar landscape before heading back to your hotel.
Motion Sickness Tip: The winding mountain shuttle road between Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain can trigger car sickness; bring anti-motion sickness patches if you are prone to discomfort.
Important Tour Note
During peak tourist seasons, your local guide may reverse the visiting order of Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain to cut down queue waiting times and avoid massive crowds.
Optional Upgrade: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park VIP Fast-Track Service
Exclusive preferential rates available for VIP upgrades, including:
VIP fast-lane entry at main park gates to skip regular ticketing queues
Priority boarding or private chartered eco-shuttle buses inside the scenic area
Private dedicated lanes for Bailong Elevator, no long waiting lines
VIP fast-track access for Tianzi Mountain downhill cable car
Contact our travel team to book this service and avoid crowded lines throughout your tour.
Add-On Adventure Extension: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
Craving more heart-pounding outdoor thrills? Extend your trip with a full day at Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Key highlights include the world-famous longest & highest glass-bottom bridge, zip-line glides, the world’s tallest commercial bungee jump, and rock climbing experiences. Reach out to us to add this extra adventure day to your itinerary.
Day 4
Day 4 Zhangjiajie - Furong - Fenghuang | Furong Ancient Town (Day View), Fenghuang Ancient Town (Tuo River Boating)
Total driving distance: 220 KM
Estimated driving duration: 5 hours
Daily highlights: Waterfall ancient town, Tuojiang River night scenery, optional Miao ethnic costume photoshoot
We first take a 3-hour ride to Furong Ancient Town, a 2,000-year-old settlement famed as “the ancient town hanging on a waterfall”.
Wander its stone lanes throughout the afternoon and explore time-honored landmarks: the historic Xizhou Bronze Pillar, Tuwang Wind & Rain Bridge and the royal Youyang Palace. Finish your sightseeing with stunning views of the grand waterfall framed by classic Tujia cliff stilt houses, then hit the road for Fenghuang Ancient Town, which lies 116 kilometers away.
Fenghuang Ancient Town sits beside the serene Tuojiang River, just like a flowing traditional Chinese ink painting. Upon arrival while daylight remains, stroll cobblestone alleys lined with well-preserved Qing Dynasty buildings and snap photos of the symbolic Hongqiao Rainbow Bridge. When night falls, thousands of red lanterns illuminate the riverbanks, turning the whole town into a glowing, fairy-like wonderland.
Elevate your journey with a Tuojiang River cruise. Pick a daytime boat trip to observe genuine local riverside life, or an evening sail to admire shimmering lantern reflections dancing on the water.
Overnight accommodation will be arranged inside Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Optional Add-On: Ethnic Travel Photoshoot
You can book a Miao costume photoshoot in either Furong Ancient Town or Fenghuang Ancient Town. The package covers full makeup, hair styling, and 30–40 finished high-quality photos. Feel free to contact us if you wish to add this experience to your tour.
Day 5
Day 5 Fenghuang - Zhangjiajie - Changsha, Changsha Departure | Airport Transfer
Spend your morning wandering freely to explore Fenghuang’s profound cultural heritage at your own pace. Dive into the literary world of Shen Congwen, the celebrated Chinese writer who brought this riverside ancient town everlasting fame through his timeless classic Border Town. Step into Shen Congwen’s Former Residence to view his preserved personal manuscripts and daily relics, and learn about the inseparable bond between the writer and his hometown.
Afterwards, walk to the Ancient East Gate (Donghua Gate). Climb the ancient gate tower for a sweeping overlook of rows of antique buildings and the tranquil Tuojiang River. Do not skip Hongqiao Rainbow Bridge, the town’s landmark; you can unwind in a traditional riverside teahouse and take spectacular wide-angle shots of the whole water town scenery.
Wrap up your cultural exploration by visiting local craft workshops. Watch veteran ethnic artisans demonstrate centuries-old handicrafts, including Miao silver carving and Tujia batik dyeing.
Brief itinerary
You won’t find towering Avatar stone spires, unique waterfall-running ancient towns and authentic Chinese stilt houses anywhere across Malaysia. This exclusive 5-day Zhangjiajie tour is custom-made for Malaysian visitors.
Each daily schedule is carefully arranged for easy, low-tiring travel, ideal for family trips with elderly relatives and children.
Roam Zhangjiajie’s magnificent stone forest landscape, gaze at Yuanjiajie’s iconic Hallelujah Mountain, and admire the grand natural arch cave of Tianmen Mountain.
Apart from breathtaking mountain vistas, explore Furong Ancient Town — a timeless cliff village with a thunderous grand waterfall flowing right through its heart. Finish your journey in Fenghuang Ancient Town, where you can take a leisurely cruise along the Tuojiang River and appreciate rows of classic riverside stilt houses.
Why Travel with Asia Odyssey Travel?
Over 16 years of local operation
Our headquarters are based in Hunan, supported by professional local tour guides and reliable, experienced drivers.
Customized itineraries for Malaysian tourists
Planned by a dedicated team that fully grasps the holiday preferences and comfort demands of Malaysian families.
Premium exclusive VIP benefits
Access discounted VIP fast-track tickets, plus flexible trip extension choices such as a one-day sightseeing tour of Changsha.