If you are planning a trip to Zhangjiajie and wondering whether to add Fenghuang Ancient Town or Furong Town, the short answer is: add both if you can. These three destinations form a natural one-week route through western Hunan that combines Avatar-style mountain scenery, a lantern-lit riverside ancient town, and a waterfall village most travellers never see. Here is how to plan it.
Why This Trio Works
Zhangjiajie gives you the dramatic sandstone pillars and mountain views. Fenghuang gives you the riverside stilt houses, lanterns and Miao culture. Furong Town — a 2,000-year-old village built on a waterfall — sits between them and turns a simple transfer day into a highlight. Together, they form a route where every day looks completely different from the last.
Suggested 7-Day Route
- Arrive Zhangjiajie — airport pickup, rest, light evening walk
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — Yuanjiajie Avatar pillars, Bailong Elevator
- Tianzi Mountain & Golden Whip Stream — panorama views and gentle valley walk
- Tianmen Mountain — cable car, cliff walk, Heaven’s Gate staircase
- Glass Bridge or Baofeng Lake, then Furong Town — morning activity, afternoon transfer, waterfall at night
- Furong Town morning, then Fenghuang — waterfall in daylight, transfer to Fenghuang, riverside lanterns at dusk
- Fenghuang morning, departure — quiet lanes, optional Miao embroidery workshop, transfer to airport/train
Why Furong Town Is Worth the Stop
Furong Town is often overlooked by international travellers because it is less famous than Fenghuang. But the waterfall-through-the-village scene is one of the most photographed spots in Hunan — especially at night when lit from behind. Most group tours treat it as a rushed 90-minute photo stop. A private tour lets you stay overnight, eat dinner with the waterfall as your backdrop, and walk the stone lanes in the quiet morning before day-trippers arrive.
Photography Tips for This Route
- Zhangjiajie: Late morning at Yuanjiajie for pillar lighting; cable car left side going up Tianmen Mountain
- Furong Town: Waterfall lit from behind after sunset — shoot from the lower platform or stone bridge
- Fenghuang: Blue hour (20 minutes after sunset) from the Rainbow Bridge for lantern reflections on the water
- Miao costumes: Arrange through your guide in Fenghuang — the riverside makes the best backdrop
Private Tour vs Group Tour on This Route
A group tour will typically skip Furong Town entirely or stop for 90 minutes in the afternoon. In Fenghuang, group buses arrive mid-morning and leave by late afternoon — missing the lantern-lit riverside that makes Fenghuang special. A private tour lets you stay for the evening, adjust timing for photography, and avoid shopping detours. If photography, culture and flexible pacing matter to you, this is a route where private makes a real difference.
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Like this route? It is the heart of our 7-day Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang private tour — or tell us your dates and we’ll tailor it. Related: the best Zhangjiajie itinerary and the Zhangjiajie travel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do I need for Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang and Furong Town?
Seven days is the comfortable amount for all three. It gives you two to three days in Zhangjiajie for the Avatar pillars and Tianmen Mountain, an overnight in Furong Town to see the waterfall lit at night, and an evening in Fenghuang for the lantern-lit riverside. Five days is possible if you drop Furong Town or shorten Zhangjiajie.
In what order should I visit the three places?
Start in Zhangjiajie, then move to Furong Town, then finish in Fenghuang. Furong Town sits between the other two, so it turns a transfer day into a highlight instead of backtracking. Going Zhangjiajie to Furong to Fenghuang keeps the driving short and lets you arrive in each town for its best light.
Is Furong Town worth adding, or is Fenghuang enough?
Furong Town is worth the stop. It is a 2,000-year-old village built around a waterfall and is far less crowded than Fenghuang. Most group tours rush through in about 90 minutes, but a private tour lets you stay overnight, have dinner with the waterfall behind you, and walk the stone lanes before day-trippers arrive.
Why choose a private tour for this route instead of a group tour?
Group tours often skip Furong Town and leave Fenghuang before the lanterns come on, which are the moments that make these places special. A private tour with a local Zhangjiajie team lets you stay for the evening, adjust timing for photography, avoid shopping stops, and keep an English-speaking guide throughout.
Is Tianmen Mountain cable car open in 2026?
Yes. Tianmen Mountain is fully open. You ride one of the world’s longest cableways from the city up to the mid-mountain station, then a scenic shuttle road and in-mountain escalators take you up to the cliffside paths and Heaven’s Gate as part of this route.
How do I book and pay for this itinerary?
Send us your travel dates and we send a personalised PDF itinerary within 2 hours, free. You confirm with a small deposit of 10-20% online, then pay the balance in person in China after signing the contract. Cancellation is free up to 30 days before arrival.