Mengdong River Scenic Area

Chinese name: 猛洞河风景名胜区
Location: Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (western part of Hunan province)
Opening time: 08:30-18:00
Best season to visit Zhangjiajie Mengdong River: summer
Recommended time for a visit: one day

Introduction to Zhangjiajie Mengdong River Scenic Area
Mengdong River Scenic Area is a natural park that integrates mountains, rivers, trees, insects and birds. The entire scenic area is surrounded by the Wuling Mountains. Mengdong River, which is more than 100 kilometers long, flows through the scenic area. The most famous activity in the scenic area is the Mengdong River Rafting.

Rafting on the Mengdong River is a special tourist activity, boarding the boat from the Ancient Tusi Town in Yongshun County and rafting down, the whole journey is more than 50 kilometers. Visitors can not only enjoy the scenery of the canyons on both sides of the strait, but also enjoy the stimulus of shock and adventure.

Main Attractions in Mengdong River Scenic Area
Qifeng Lake
Located near Mengdonghe Railway Station, Qifeng Lake is about 15 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide, with an area of about 23 square kilometers. Qifeng Lake was formed by the construction of the Fengtan Hydropower Station in the 1970s. Surrounded by high mountains and lush greeneries, the water in the lake is as clear as a mirror. The shoreline of the lake is twisty and changeable, forming many small islands facing the water. The stilted Tujia buildings are built according to the water, and they are in harmony with the little fish sails, forming a beautiful and elegant natural landscape painting.

Wang Village
About 50 kilometers away from Yongshun County, Wang Village (or Wangcun) is actually an ancient town with a history of more than 2,000 years. According to records, it was named because it was the administrative center of the Tusi (leader of a minority tribe in ancient time) and the political, economic, and cultural center of the western Hunan province at that time. Wangcun still well preserves the style of the ancient town for thousands of years. There are streets built of flagstones in the town, and ancient brick walls outside the town. On the east side of the town is a magnificent waterfall about 60 meters high and 40 meters wide. Wangcun has become a hub of tourism in western Hunan province due to its superior geographical location and the unique scenery. Visitors traveling from south to north are all here to take a boat to go sightseeing on the Mengdong River.

Bu’ermen
Located on the bank of Mengdong River, Bu’ermen is a stone forest park with an area of about 4 square kilometers. There are natural stone gates, Fairy Cave, Avalokitesvara Temple, hot springs and other attractions in the park.

Ancient Tusi Town
Located in Macha Township nowadays, 12 kilometers southeast of Yongshun County, the Ancient Tusi Town was built by the 10th Tusi chieftain of Yongshun in 1135, until it was abandoned, it has a history of nearly 600 years and is one of the famous cultural landscapes of Yongshun. The streets in Ancient Tusi Town are paved with delicate cobblestones and have various patterns. In the town, there are different caves for Tusi chieftain to protect against heat and cold. There are also ancient buildings such as Avalokitesvara Pavilion, Patriarch Hall, Guandi Temple and tombs of chieftains in ancient dynasties, making the Ancient Tusi Town a key cultural relics protection unit in Hunan province.

Precautions for Mengdong River Rafting in the scenic area
1) Rafting is a self-help adventure tourism activity with certain risks. These people are not recommended for rafting: those who are not brave enough; those who are too weak; after drinking alcohol; patients with mental illness, epilepsy, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, dementia, osteoporosis or other disease; pregnant women; people with disabilities; children under 1.2 meters; people over 60 years old; children above 1.2 meters but below 8 years old without an adult guardian.

2) Please pay attention to safety when participating in rafting activities. Prepare essential items for going out, such as umbrella, mineral water, and commonly used medicines.

3) Bring spare clothes: the clothes will inevitably get wet during rafting, you are suggested to bring a set of dry clothes to replace after landing. Do not wear leather shoes, slippers, plastic sandals to participate in rafting; travel shoes can be worn.

4) Pay attention to cold and sun protection. Bring only drinking water on the raft, and do not bring items such as mobile phone, ID card and cash.