I went to SenLinGongYuan the week after the Chinese New Year on the 5th of February 2006 and stayed there for 5 days. I read most of the information on this site and to thank everyone I decided to share the experience and at the same time help further travellers interested in visiting this incredible place. As I read most of it in Chinese I have left this text on the Chinese version on the website as well. If you would like to pose some more questions or clarify anything please use my e-mail agostinhomiguel@yahoo.com.
Buy a map of the place when you arrive. I will try to give you all the information you may need to travel there but at the same time I had one possible experience there, so others may be interested in doing it differently. I hope that I can help everyone.
Flying or arriving by train, leaves you in completely different places. The Airport is very near to ZhangJiaJie (张家界市) while the train station is a bit far from the city center. Getting to the park entrance leaves you with a couple of options, basically the main entrances to the park:
- 张家界门票站 - ZhangJiaJie Natural Reserve
- 水线四门门票站 – Shuisimen (this entrance is the closest for those who choose to stay in 武陵源市 – Wulingyuan city)
- 杨家界门票战 – unknown
- 天子山门票 –TianZiShan near to 天子山镇
All of these entrances can only be reached by taking a bus from the local bus station (not the normal city buses) in ZhangJiaJie - 汽车站 (long distance). It takes about 40 mins to an hour and the prices range from 8 to 10 yuan. I advise the ZhangJiaJie entrance or the 水线四门 (Shuisimen) for those who decide to sleep in 武陵源市 (Wulingyuan) and visit the park from there.
Suggested itinerary
张家界门票站 - ZhanJiaJie entrance – 250 yuan (entitles you to two entrances if on two consecutive days or one entrance until you decide to leave the park) and includes the park buses, which run between all the four main areas.
Follow the path on your right – 金鞭溪 (JinBianXi) (the left one leads you to 寨石黄 – ZhaiShiHuang – which is lower than the place where the right path leads to).
The path winds through the trees and the cliffs, where I would like to point out:
- 神鹰护鞭 ShenYingHuBian
- 劈山救母 PiShanJiuMu
- 长寿泉 ChangShouQuan
- 欢宾岩 HuanBinYan
- 双龟探溪 ShuangGuiTanXi
- 紫草潭 ZiCaoDan
- 千里相会 QianLiXiangHui
All of them are related to the shape of the rocks and the Chinese culture. They are useful to follow the track on the map, have a nice time enjoying the names and the shapes (but no more than that!!!).
There are a couple of maps on the way and there are three main options:
- go through the valley (first option) – not a good idea if carrying a sizeable back pack and the floor is very slippery.
- up the mountain (second option), which is tiresome but puts you immediately in 后花园 (HouHuaYuan) and 天下第一桥 (TianXiaDiYiQiao), which are unforgettable places. I chose this one.
- the cable car (last option, just continue to the end of the path) is the most suitable for those who hate steps.
I carried a backpack of 15 Kg (a bit more probably) and got to the top with two stops and a bit of sweat (temperature ranging from -2 to 5ºC). Not an easy climb, but totally worth it when you reach “heaven”. The view is gorgeous: several cliffs lay in front of the path and if lucky clouds will be shifting between them.
The track leads to a village with a couple of places to sleep. The best one costs around 100 yuan for 2 persons (no AC) and 120 yuan (with AC). Running water is only available if the weather allows it. While I was there, the pipes were frozen and I just had the water made available by the ladies of the “hotel”. Good for one night, not more if there is no water (the hotel in 天子山 is much better and obviously more expensive – 380 yuan for 2 persons, but try to bargain for 300 yuan), but it is the ideal place to stay in a cheaper way.
The afternoon was clouded by a heavy fog, which gave in around 4 p.m and presented us with the famous landscape of 张家界: clouds floating amidst the rocky cliffs!
The local restaurant is expensive (Chinese standards) and there is little you can do besides taking food with you or pay their price. A local guide may get you a cheaper meal!
From the village - 农村 (袁家界 - YuanJiaJie) to 杨家界
Take a bus to 杨家界 and in about 20 to 30 min you are there. There are two main spots and all the others are located between them: 一步登天 (YiBuDengTian), 空中走廊 (KongZhongZouLang), 黑龙寨 (HeiLongZhai) and 天波府 (TianBoFu). Take the path on your left (the beginning of the track may not be visible by fallen trees, but it is there) – the right one will be the way out. Follow that direction until the end – there is again another division on the way, but stay on the left. A “step to heaven” (一步登天) presents you with a vision of the valley and a remarkable landscape, the “corridor” (空中走廊) gazes into the杨家界门票战. Come back and turn left (previous right, since you were going on the opposite direction) to the second place (former thieves' location). The track goes down and up through a very narrow opening on the rock but again what awaits you is beyond description. This takes around 3 hours and a heavy backpack can be left at the beginning of the track (near to the bus station). Again a guide can be of help, but a price is paid – 2 yuan.
Return to the same place where you got off from the bus and catch the bus to the last stop - 天子山. The local hotel is great, but only has water for 2 hours (19.00 to 21.00), and luckily in the morning if there are not many clients.
Nearby you can find:
- 贺龙公园 (HeLongGongYuan)
- 御毛峰 (YuMaoFeng)
- 仙女献花 (XianNuXianHua)
- 武士驯马 (WuShiXunMa)
In the distance TianZi peak can be seen and all the peaks in between; another unforgettable place! A hot bath awaits you and if you want wash your clothes – everything will be dried in the morning!
天子峰 – take the bus to the peak and get off before the peak (if the weather is clear go till the end). A road path leads to the beginning of the track (10 min walking up). Visit 仙人桥 (XianRenQiao), 天子座 (TianZiZuo), 神子座朝 (ShenZiZuoChao), and 一步难行 (YiBuNanXing). Come back and walk/take the bus (same place where you got off) to the next place: 神堂湾 (ShenDangWan), and 点将台 (DianJiangTai). Ascending the peak as I said before takes a morning, since it is the highest peak around (I didn’t do it, because it was snowing heavily and the visibility was low). I went back to天子山 and to the贺龙公园 again.
索溪峪 (SuoXiYu) –水线四门 (ShuiXianSiMen) – 武陵源 (WuLingYuan) – 王龙洞 (WangLongDong)
Follow the road to the bus station and continue until you reach 贺龙公园, instead of going towards the statue of Marshal 贺龙 (turn right) and continue straight and wander through the “sleeping dragon” (卧龙岭). There are two possible paths, one leading to 十里画廊 (ShiLiHuaLang) and the other to the main entrance facing 武陵源. I advise you to go through the first one, because though longer it allows you to discover the valley and leave the top of the mountain. An electric train waits for you and the most important: the view around. Do not take the train (20 yuan) and just follow the path next to the line. A profusion of peaks and views will accompany you until arriving at the bus station. Take the bus to the lift 水线四门 and enjoy the closest view of the “Generals aligning” rock and the lift (just above our heads on the hill). There is no way to go up except using the lift (unfortunately!).
From there, take the bus to 武陵源门票战 and say goodbye to “paradise”. The 索溪峪 lake lays in front of you and if you have time you can forget about the bus and follow the road on foot.
(If you ascended the天子峰 your day will be over and you can find a place to stay in 武陵源 or take the bus to 张家界 (10 yuan, 40 min); walk straight to the main road and forget about the taxis – small mini vans – unless you want to spend the night there (prices range from 100 to 150 yuan for 2 persons and the amenities are good).
As I did not climb the 天子 peak I still had time to go to the王龙洞 (Cave of the Dragon emperor), which is further away (bus, 7 yuan). The entrance ticket costs 57 yuan and you have to wait for a guided tour (the worst part). The cave is very interesting, big and filled with nature’s creations – stalagmites, stalactites which were big, huge, thin, fat; worth a visit, if you have never visited such a cave (if not the case, stay in 森林园 until the end of the afternoon or go to the 宝峰湖).
宝峰湖 (BaoFengHu) – train to 广州 (Guanzhou) (16.02 – 6.36; 371 yuan 硬卧)
The lake park can be reached on foot (20 min) and it costs 62 yuan (without the insurance). The price includes the famous boat ride (40 min) with a guide. Similar scenery as before, but the largest lake awaits you as the final “attraction”. Follow the path on your right and enjoy your last climb! (avoid lots of people by going this way – 80 min, instead of in front – 10 min).
As a final comment I would say that a guide is very important for a first visit though I consider it not to be mandatory. I went with one and gained more than a guide – a friend. Mr Chen was great, went with me to every place and his willingness to learn English was very impressive and though we spoke in Chinese I managed to teach him some more words, so do the same and enjoy this truly unique place. Trust him.
