Tongren Travel Guide! 3 Days and 2 Nights to Unlock Fanjingshan

Tongren, a hidden gem in northeastern Guizhou! With the sea of clouds of Fanjingshan on one side and thousand-year-old Miao villages on the other, how can you experience both natural beauty and cultural wonders in 4 days and 3 nights? This guide covers hidden gems that 99% of tourists don't know about: Fanjingshan skip-the-line routes, cliffside hot springs, century-old Miao village long-table feasts, canyon via ferrata... Enjoy sour soup fish, Guoba noodles, and She Fan for just CNY 100 per day! Includes outdoor hiking, photography spots, and vlog editing secrets. Students, families, and Trip Moments photographers can copy this itinerary directly! Day 1: First Exploration of Fanjingshan, Unlocking the Cloud Wonderland Keywords: Off-peak climbing + Mushroom Rock photography + Cliffside hot springs Morning: Avoid the crowds with two routes Take a 1-hour taxi ride from Tongren Fenghuang Airport directly to Fanjingshan (CNY 50/person for a shared ride). Remember to book tickets 3 days in advance (CNY 120 including sightseeing bus)! Choose from two routes: East Route (regular route): Rush to the cable car before 7:30 (CNY 70 one way), go directly to Mushroom Rock, and take magical photos like those in "Castle in the Sky" while the fog hasn't cleared yet; West Route (hiking route): Hike up the mountain from Yinjiang Huguo Temple (same ticket price). Enjoy a 3-hour hike through the primeval forest and encounter Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys. Fewer people and wilder scenery! Afternoon: Life-or-Death Race to the Golden Summit Must-see sights: Mushroom Rock (shoot upwards to avoid crowds), Cheng'en Temple (bronze hall from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty), and Scriptures Wall; Tips for reaching the summit: Access to the Golden Summit is restricted after 14:00. It is recommended to start climbing before 13:00 (requires using both hands and feet). The crevices at the top are only wide enough for one person to pass through, so hold on tight to the chains! Hidden photo spot: Take photos of the Golden Summit from the Old Golden Summit. Use a telephoto lens to compress the clouds and mist for a truly ethereal effect! Evening: Soak in the cliffside hot springs After descending the mountain, head straight to Shiqian Foding Mountain Hot Springs (CNY 98, 40 minutes' drive from Fanjingshan). We recommend the "Cave Medicine Pool" (42°C). Enjoy the view of the 100-meter waterfall while soaking. If you're hungry, order a hot spring egg (cooked by hanging it in a bamboo basket in the hot spring) and dip it in chili powder for a truly divine experience! Day 2: Journey Through Miao Territory: Thousand-Year-Old Villages and Canyon Extremes Keywords: Miao King City exploration + Via ferrata climbing + Long-table feast Morning: Immersive script killing in Miao King City Drive for 1 hour to reach the starting point of the "Great Wall of Southern China"—Songtao Miao King City (CNY 80). Level up your experience: Costume experience: Rent Miao costumes for CNY 30 (headwear weighs over 5 kg) and become a "Miao girl"; Bamboo raft maze: The boatman sings Miao folk songs as you navigate through the water stone forest. Watch out for "bandits" ambushing from the shore (interactive performance); Armory surprise: Touch Ming Dynasty cannons and try shooting a three-shot crossbow (CNY 20/5 arrows). Afternoon: Ma Cao River Canyon Via Ferrata "Red Stone Forest Scenic Area" (CNY 168 including via ferrata), 15 minutes from Miao King City, offers an Iron Man-style experience: Beginner route: 200-meter cliff traverse with a 200-meter deep valley below. Photos from the glass viewing platform at the end will blow up your social media; Advanced route: 70° incline climbing + 15-meter high single-plank bridge. It is recommended to bring a GoPro to capture a first-person perspective; Safety precautions: Wear non-slip hiking shoes, store your phone in a locker, and don't turn back midway! Evening: Long-table feast with mountain views Book a long-table feast at "A Mei Farmhouse" in Miao King City (CNY 68/person). Must-try experiences: Gate-blocking wine: Don't use your hands to hold the ox horn when drinking rice wine, or you'll be penalized with three more bowls; Exotic cuisine: Stir-fried Houttuynia cordata with bacon, "Leigong Shi" (Nostoc commune), and pickled raw fish; Bonfire revelry: Dance the bamboo pole dance to the rhythm of the Lusheng. Photographers can capture stunning shots of the silver ornaments reflecting in the firelight! Day 3: Exploring Ancient Towns: Zhushan Ancient Town and Jinjiang River Drifting Keywords: Industrial nostalgia + Refreshing drifting + Night market food tour Morning: A journey through time in the mines Depart from Tongren city center and arrive at Wanshan Zhushan Ancient Town in 1 hour (CNY 60). Capture some cyberpunk-style photos: Underground Great Wall: A 970-kilometer mine tunnel transformed into a light and shadow tunnel. Wear fluorescent clothing for a post-apocalyptic feel; Cliffside swimming pool: Swim in the former Soviet expert building (CNY 80 extra), with a breathtaking abyss as the backdrop; Nostalgic surprise: Watch an open-air movie from the 1980s in the Workers' Cultural Palace. The small shop sells old-fashioned orange soda. Afternoon: Two ways to enjoy the Jinjiang River Gentle option: Take a bamboo raft on the Jinjiang River section of the Nine Dragons Cave Scenic Area (CNY 60/person). The boatman will point out the "Jiang Taigong Fishing" rock formation on the shore; Thrilling option: Tianshengqiao Canyon drifting (CNY 128/person). Seven drop dams, and a stainless steel basin is a must for water fights! Photography tip: Use a drone to follow the drifting boats and create a "jungle adventure" tracking shot! Evening: Exploring Zhongnanmen Night Market Must-try food list at "Zhongnanmen Old Street" in Tongren's old town: Guoba noodles: Crispy rice flour pancakes cooked in an iron pot, rolled with pickled radish and Houttuynia cordata (CNY 10/serving); She Fan: Stir-fried wild onions, bacon, and Artemisia. Buy it from the grandma wearing a blue headscarf (CNY 8/bowl); Divine combination: Iced sweet wine with grilled tofu. Capture the bursting moment in slow motion! Day 4: Hidden Gems Finale: Yunshe Village and Tianshengqiao Keywords: Slow living + Cave exploration + Buying the right souvenirs Morning: Relax in the "First Tujia Village of China" Yunshe Village in Jiangkou (free). Things to do: Shenlongtan: Witness the "three tides a day" spectacle, where the water level rises and falls every 4 hours; Ancient papermaking: Make paper using bamboo screens in a century-old workshop and dry it to create a notebook (CNY 30 for the experience); Hidden cafe: Order a Moutai latte (CNY 48) at the "Tujia Diaojiaolou Cafe" and watch the water wheel turn from the terrace. Afternoon: Explore Asia's largest natural bridge "Bijiang Tianshengqiao" (CNY 40), 40 minutes from the city center: Cave hiking: Explore the 1.5-kilometer underground river with a headlamp. The stalactites resemble a giant dragon's spine; Waterfall rappelling (with a professional guide): Rappel from the 68-meter cave ceiling. The water curtain is exhilarating during the rainy season; Wild photo spot: At 3 pm, the sunlight slants into the cave, creating the perfect "Jesus light" for silhouette photography. Evening: Souvenir shopping guide Must-buy list: Yuping Xiaodi (try blowing it to hear the sound), Sizhou stone ink slabs (a crisp knocking sound indicates good quality), and vine tea (check for white frost); Bargaining tip: Say "Ge Wu Ah" (Miao for "good friend") when buying Miao silver jewelry to get at least a 30% discount; Shipping tips: The Dazishi Post Office offers on-site packaging and shipping nationwide, with rates half the price of those in scenic areas. [100,000+ Players' Hardcore Guide] Transportation: 1.5 hours by high-speed rail from Guiyang to Tongren; car rental is recommended for exploring the scattered scenic areas (CNY 200/day); Accommodation: Stay in a panoramic glass room at "Xieshan Jingshe" at the foot of Fanjingshan; choose Jinjiang Hotel in the city center for stunning night views; Things to avoid: Don't accept the ox horn cup when offered wine in Miao villages (you'll have to finish it); buy raincoats at the foot of Fanjingshan (CNY 5 vs. CNY 25 on the mountain); Clothing: Wear quick-drying clothes and non-slip shoes for hiking. Choose dark blue or bright red for photos in Miao villages. Final soul tip: The magic of Tongren lies in the fact that—you think you are looking at the mountains, but the mountains are actually looking at you. Take this guide and experience the wildest heartbeat of the Wuling Mountains!