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Johannesburg to Hunan: Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang

Johannesburg → Zhangjiajie → Fenghuang

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
"1_tianzishan_wulingyuan_zhangjiajie_2012.jpg" by chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
1 tianzishan wulingyuan zhangjiajie 2012 (Dayong)
Photo: chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sandstone pillars & a riverside old town Best season (general guide): Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

Hunan, in central China, has one of the country's most surreal landscapes, thousands of sandstone pillars rising from forest. This route spends four nights in Zhangjiajie and two in Fenghuang. From Johannesburg you'll connect through Hong Kong, Guangzhou or another hub. The Wulingyuan Scenic Area, listed by UNESCO, includes Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Its quartz-sandstone pillars, many hundreds of metres high, rise among ravines and streams. Trails and cable cars lead to viewpoints, and the Bailong Elevator climbs the cliff.

How to pace it: Spend days one to four in Zhangjiajie: day one, the city; day two, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park; day three, Yangjiajie or Tianzi Mountain; day four, Tianmen Mountain. Then spend days five and six in Fenghuang: day five, road to Fenghuang; day six, the old town by the river.

Tianmen Mountain, near the city, is reached by a long cable car and has a natural arch high in the cliff. The area is home to the Tujia and other minority groups. Fenghuang is an old town on a river, with houses on stilts, stone bridges and lanes. The Miao and Tujia people live in the area, and the town is lit up at night.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Summer is hot, humid and very busy. Zhangjiajie's park is large, so plan each day around one area and use the shuttle buses. Mist often hides the pillars in the morning but can lift dramatically. In Fenghuang, stay in a guesthouse by the river for evening views, and explore the lanes early before day-trippers arrive. Bring comfortable shoes for steps, and a rain layer.

Good to know: Buy park tickets that cover several days, and start early to beat crowds. Carry your passport for tickets and hotels, and have a payment app ready.

Canada advises a high degree of caution in China (advisory updated 31 Aug 2026).

Pack snacks and water, as food inside the park is limited and queues for lifts can be long in busy periods.

Suggested outline

  1. Johannesburg

    Start

  2. Zhangjiajie

    By air · 4 nights suggested

    Sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan and the cliffs of Tianmen Mountain.

  3. Fenghuang

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    A riverside old town of stilt houses.

    Fenghuang County
    "Fenghuang_hunan.jpg" by Vera & Jean-Christophe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Zhangjiajie — Arrive; the city· Johannesburg → Dayong (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day, then Dayong → Zhangjiajie (overland)
  2. Day 2 · Zhangjiajie — Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
  3. Day 3 · Zhangjiajie — Yangjiajie or Tianzi Mountain
  4. Day 4 · Zhangjiajie — Tianmen Mountain
  5. Day 5 · Fenghuang — Road to Fenghuang· Zhangjiajie → Fenghuang (overland)
  6. Day 6 · Fenghuang — The old town by the river
  7. Day 7 · Fenghuang — Travel home from Fenghuang· Fenghuang → Dayong (overland), then Dayong → Johannesburg (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Zhangjiajie

Nearest airport: Dayong Search fares · Dayong ↗

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