1. Invitation to the secret realm hidden between the mountains and rivers
When the morning fog flooded the jade waterway of Pingshan Canyon, Tujia folk songs echoed between the stone walls of Tusi City, and this land that was kissed at 30° north latitude opened the mystery. Enshi, the ‘World Selenium Capital’, which lies on the border of Hubei, Chongqing and Hunan, has both geological epics that have evolved from the earth for 300 million years, as well as the living fossils of the Tujia people that have been passed down for thousands of years. Here, the canyon cliff dances with the smoke of the stilted building, and the clear river and the radiance of the water of the Xilan Kapu meet. A 6-day journey is enough to let you understand the symbiotic code of nature and human beings. zitain
2. Geographical location and core introduction
Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture is located in the southwest of Hubei Province, connecting Jingchu in the east, Xiaoxiang in the south, Yuqian in the west, and Shennongjia in the north. 10,000 square kilometers. There are 29 ethnic groups living here, and the population of ethnic minorities such as Tujia and Miao nationality is 54%. zitain
As ‘Xi Linhai’ and ‘Natural Oxygen Bar’, the average annual temperature of Enshi is 16.2 ℃, which is just between the two ‘stoves’ of Wuhan and Chongqing. There are also five world-class business cards: World Cultural Heritage Tangya Tusi City Site, Enshi Grand Canyon – Tenglong Cave World Geopark, human intangible cultural heritage Enshi Yulu, ‘World Selenium Capital’ health care resources and ‘Dragon Boat Tune’ cultural symbol, 2024 It attracts more than 100 million tourists every year, and the comprehensive tourism income is nearly 80 billion yuan. zitain
3. Detailed planning of the 6-day itinerary
Day 1: Enlightenment of Enshi and Tujia Style for the First Time
Arrive at Enshi Xujiaping International Airport (the fourth international airport in Hubei Province) in the morning, and take a taxi to hotel near Wuyangba in 15 minutes. After putting down the luggage, I went straight to the old shop of ‘Zhangguan He Zha’, and tasted the authentic Tujia breakfast of soybean grinding and boiled green vegetables, with a bowl of potato rice to warm the heart and stomach. zitain
In the afternoon, I went to Tusi City, passed through the antique mountain gate, and saw the stilted building built on the mountain. Stop in front of the Tusi Prince’s Mansion, listen to the instructor to talk about the rise and fall of the Tusi system; wave the hand dance performance, and follow the dance steps of Brother Yaomei to experience the happiness of ‘Zhiga Sid’. Don’t forget to go to the cultural and creative area to see the production process of the brocade of the Silan Cappu, this is a ‘love letter’ fabric for Tujia girls. zitain
In the evening, dine at the ‘Baren Hall’ next to Tusi City, order a stir-fried bacon with squid, sour and appetizing, and try another cup of Tujia rice wine. After dinner, I took a taxi to Daughter City. When the lanterns were beautiful at the beginning of the stilts, I went to the batik hand-made shop, watched a Nuo mask praying performance. zitain
Day 2: The Quest of the Stone Forest and the Dialogue of Ancient Geology
In the early morning, take the Shubuya Stone Forest special line bus at the Enshi Bus Terminal (25 yuan/person, 1.5 hours by car, half an hour) from the city in the early morning. After arriving at the scenic spot, go to Lianhuazhai first, the sun is sprinkled through the cracks, and the gray-white stone forest is dyed golden, and the stone pillars of different shapes are like gatherings of immortals. ‘Eagle spreads its wings’. zitain
At noon, we dine at the farmhouse near the scenic spot. I recommend dried shredded potatoes and the cold folded ear root, which are all local flavors with soil fragrance. In the afternoon, we will explore the Mozigou, the stream in the canyon is gurgling, and the stone forest walls on both sides are standing. If you have enough time, you can participate in the ‘geological treasure hunt’ interactive game in the scenic spot to win a small gift of selenium tea. zitain
In the evening, take a special bus back to the city, go directly to the ‘Big Tiger Hot Pot’ on Juyuan Street, order a sour soup and bacon pot, and cook with local green vegetables. After dinner, visit Yunmu Coffee, watch the cultural and creative products transformed by young people with the Elements of Sai Lan, and feel the collision of old Tujia and new trends. zitain
Day 3: Traveling in the Center of the Earth and Seeking You in the Secret Realm of the Canyon
Get up early and take the scenic through train to Jixin Valley (40 yuan / person, 1.5 In the hour, I took a panorama of the plank road at the entrance of the scenic spot. The hanging glass trail hangs on the cliff of Qianren, and the green river water is under my feet. Walking along the trail, passing through the ‘Time and Space Tunnel’ cave, the stalactites are like a dream under the light, and the roar of the waterfall and the crispness of the birds are in the ears. zitain
At noon, I taste wild fish hot pot in a restaurant in the scenic area. The fish meat is tender and thornless, and the soup is rich and white. In the afternoon, I challenged the high-altitude zipline, and flew past the canyon, the wind whistled in my ears, and there was a 300-meter-deep stream at the bottom of the valley. If you don’t want to be too exciting, you can walk slowly along the creek sidewalk and pick up a few rounded pebbles as a souvenir. In the afternoon, I stayed next to the ‘Secret Village Homestay’ next to the scenic spot. The 270° floor-to-ceiling window is facing the canyon, and in the evening, you can see the red rock wall on the sunset. zitain
In the evening, if you eat farm food at the homestay, the owner will bring out his pickled bacon and planted vegetables, sit around the fire pond after the meal, and listen to the old Tujia people say ‘The Origin of the Ba people’ According to legend, occasionally a mountain wind blows through the window lattice, bringing the fragrance of grass and trees. zitain
Day 4: Rafting in Pingshan, Fox and Shadow of Wonderland
In the early morning, we will drive a 1.5-hour drive to Pingshan Canyon (it is recommended to charter a car, the cost is about 200 yuan / trip). The scenic spot is restricted, and you can avoid the flow of people when you arrive early. First, take a sightseeing bus to the pier, and put on a life jacket and board a small wooden boat. When the boat traveled to the depths of the canyon, the boatman gently rowed the oars, and the water surface could hardly rise. zitain
The boatman will stop the boat at the best shooting point and help you take suspended photos. Remember to wear light-colored clothes. The green mountains and green waters in the background will make people look more prominent. At noon, I eat Hecai noodles near the scenic spot. The noodles are strong, and the side dishes have Tujia characteristics of squeezed Guangjiao. In the afternoon, I walked a line of sky, and only one person passed sideways through the narrowest part. When you look up, you can see ‘a ray of sky light’. On the return journey around the afternoon, you can buy some cypress and bean curd in Hefeng County along the way, which is a special product made by intangible cultural heritage. zitain
In the evening, go back to the urban area of Enshi, go to the night market next to the ‘Flower Women’s Clothing Store’, try oily and social meals, and then buy a cup of local selenium tea drink to relieve tiredness. If it coincides with the weekend, there is a bonfire party in Daughter City, you can follow the crowd to dance and dance, and experience the joy of ‘host and guest sharing’. zitain
Day 5: Wonders of the Caves and Audio-Visual Feasts
In the morning, take the train to Lichuan (40 minutes by car, the fare is 18.5 yuan), and 10 minutes by taxi to Tenglongdong Visitor Center. The moment you enter the cave, you are shocked: the 74-meter-high and 64-meter-wide opening is like a giant beast, and the cave can accommodate a 20-story building. First, take a sightseeing car to the laser show venue, and the morning performance starts on time. zitain
At noon, you can eat Lichuan yam stewed pork ribs at the restaurant in the cave. In the afternoon, I visited the song and dance performance of ‘Yishui Lichuan’. After the performance, you can experience the adventure of the underground dark river, take a boat into the depths of the cave, and watch the stalactites change in the light. In the afternoon, take the train back to Enshi, the fare is 18.5 yuan, and it will arrive in 40 minutes. zitain
In the evening, dine at a restaurant near ‘Changyi Designer Brand Collection Store’, and order a ‘Top Ten Bowls of Tujia’, among which the Xisha meat and crispy meat are the most distinctive. After dinner, go to the Enshi Yulu Museum, see more than 2,000 tea collections, and learn about the thousand-year history of this steamed green tea. There are also tea art performances in the museum to watch. zitain
Day 6: Cultural Supplements and Returning Journey Say Goodbye
In the morning, it can be arranged according to the return time: if you return in the afternoon, you can go to the Enshi Prefecture Museum (free and open) to see ‘Shizhou Ancient City’ The cultural relics of the exhibition area, understand the changes of Enshi from the Tusi era to modern times; if you return in the morning, you can go to the Wuyangba business district to buy souvenirs. zitain
At noon, I have the last Tujia dish in the urban area. I recommend the oil tea soup of ‘Chen Ji Restaurant’. This is the local people’s favorite breakfast. It is particularly refreshing with biscuits.
In the evening, return to the hotel to pack your luggage and go to the airport or train station (20 minutes by taxi from the city to the airport, 15 minutes to the train station). If you have enough time, you can buy some selenium tablets at the ‘selenium product counter’ of the airport to bring a healthy family to your family.
4. Recommended core attractions
- Enshi Grand Canyon (5A)zitain
- Highlights: The geological wonder composed of Baili cliff, Qianzhang waterfall, and virgin forest, the 150-meter-high ‘a stick of incense’ is a natural miracle.
- Tickets: 170 yuan (including Yunlong ground seam + Qixingzhai), 105 yuan for ropeway (recommended to save energy)
- Time-consuming: All day, you can enter the park at 6-7 o’clock to meet the morning fog wonderland
- Must experience: trekking on the cliff plank road, cloud dragon ground seam viewing waterfall
- Pingshan Canyon (‘Semporna’)zitain
- Highlights: The ‘glass sea’ that is as clear as a mirror, and the suspended boat is like a boat in the air
- Tickets: 210 yuan (including ferry tickets), 11:00-14:00 The water color is the brightest when the sun is shining
- Time-consuming: 3-4 hours, wear light-colored clothes to take pictures and take pictures
- Must experience: the first line of the sky, the depth of the canyon, oxygen and lungs
- Tenglong Cave (Asia’s largest cave)zitain
- Highlights: Giant caves that can accommodate helicopter flights, laser show and Tujia song and dance ‘Yishui Lichuan’ are shocked
- Tickets: 150 yuan (including sightseeing bus)
- Time-consuming: 2-3 hours
- Must experience: laser show in the cave (fixed time), hot air balloon overlooking the hole
- Sobuya Stone Forest (460 million years of underwater wonders)zitain
- Highlights: The stone forest group formed during the Ordovician period, the light and shadow of Lianhuazhai and Mozigou are beautiful.
- Tickets: $78
- Time-consuming: 3 hours
- Must experience: Exploration of Kowloon Huiyin River Falls, Karst Landscape Science Research
- Enshi Tusi City (‘The First City of Tujia in China’)zitain
- Highlights: The country’s largest cultural landmark project, the stilt building and the hand-waving performance show the Tujia customs
- Tickets: $45
- Time-consuming: 1-2 hours, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, there are at least the performance of performers
- Must experience: Exploring the secrets of the Tusi Wangfu, intangible cultural heritage skills viewing
- Earth Center Valley (the first moat in Central China)zitain
- Highlights: The plank road hangs above the canyon, and the stream passes through the valley, which is both thrilling and beautiful
- Tickets: Glass bridge, zipline and other items
- Time-consuming: half a day
- Must experience: high-altitude zipline, valley bottom hydrophilic play
5. Precautions for travel
- Traffic Tips: The scenic area is scattered, it is recommended to charter a car (400 yuan/day) or take a direct train to the scenic spot. There are shuttle buses directly to various scenic spots in Enshi Bus Terminal (opposite the railway station), such as the Grand Canyon 25 yuan / 1.5 hours, Suobuya 25 yuan / 1.5 hours. Self-driving needs to pay attention to many curves on the mountain road, some sections have moss and are easy to slip, and drive cautiously in rainy days. zitain
- Dressing Guide: Using the ‘onion-style dressing method’ – short-sleeved + thin jacket + windbreaker, the temperature difference between the morning and evening in the mountainous area can reach 10 ℃. You must wear non-slip sneakers, plank road and slate looming; Pingshan Canyon can bring creek shoes to play in the water. zitain
- Diet reminder: Tujia dishes are hot and sour, and you need to make it clear ‘slightly spicy’ when ordering (local slightly spicy ≈ locally medium spicy). Scenic spots are more expensive, and you can bring your own snacks; when you first taste special dishes such as combined residues and social meals, you should avoid gastrointestinal discomfort and prepare gastrointestinal medicines. zitain
- Ticket Appointment: Pingshan Canyon, Tenglong Cave and other scenic spots are restricted, you need to make an appointment in the ‘Code Upstream Enshi’ AI system 1-2 days in advance. zitain
- nationality: When entering Tusi City, do not touch the sacrificial items at will. You can applaud but not make noise when watching the hand dance, and you need to take it with both hands when accepting Tujia rice wine. zitain
- other preparations: Sunscreen (SPF50+), sunglasses are necessary, strong ultraviolet rays in the mountains; zitain
6. Suggestions for the return journey
- Traffic options: High-speed rail priority, Enshi station to Wuhan 2.5 hours, to Chongqing 1.5 hours, the ticket source is tight and need to be purchased 3 days in advance; the flight can be direct to Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, Xujiaping International Airport 240 The hourly transit visa-free policy is convenient for foreign tourists. zitain
- Baggage: Selenium tea, cypress dried bean curd and other dry goods can be directly packed in the suitcase; the brocade of the brocade needs to be folded and flat to avoid hooking; the fragile tea ware is recommended to be wrapped with bubble film. zitain
- time reservation: From the urban area to the airport / railway station, it is necessary to reserve a 1-hour drive, and traffic jams are easy to be blocked in the peak season; there are luggage storage offices at the high-speed rail station and the airport, which can be stored first and then visited the city. zitain
- After-sales connection: If the purchased selenium products need to be mailed, they can be shipped directly by the merchant; the homestay or hotel can provide wake-up service to avoid the loss of the car. zitain
7. Ending: the landscape is the paper, and then go to Enshi
When you embark on the fragrance of selenium tea and the splendor of Xilan Cappu, you may think of the clear water of Pingshan, the morning fog in the canyon, and the singing of Tujia Yaomei and the pride of throwing a bowl of wine. This secret realm of 30° north latitude not only has the magic of nature, but also has the warmth and sincerity of fireworks. As the Tujia proverb says: ‘The mountains don’t turn the water, and people don’t walk in love.’ Enshi’s mountain gate will always be open for you.
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