Four-Day Tour from Zhengzhou to Lushan and Jingdezhen

Suggestion upfront: It’s really worth spending money on the Lushan cable car. I took the cable car up for ¥74 and the scenic bus down for ¥10. The mountain road bus ride takes nearly an hour, while the cable car is about 10 minutes. The bus down made me dizzy, and I vomited twice at the foot of the mountain! If your budget allows, definitely take the cable car! Transportation ¥668: Zhengzhou ➡️ Jiujiang (22:50-06:17) Second-class sleeper ¥228 Jiujiang ➡️ Jingdezhen North (18:50-20:18) ¥51 Jingdezhen North ➡️ Zhengzhou East (13:56-19:52) ¥389 Accommodation: Night 1: Lushan (Lushan Runi Suoyuan Folk Custom), ¥236. Pros: great location, very clean environment, and the hostess is especially friendly. Very close to the cable car station; after getting off the cable car, we went straight to the hotel to drop off our luggage. We arrived early, and the hostess kindly made space for us to wash up and do makeup. The scenic area is divided into East Line, West Line, and Middle Line, all starting at the cable car station, just a short walk from the hotel. Day 1: After arriving in the morning, we went straight to the East Line, took a bus to Sandiequan Waterfall. It’s not very difficult to climb, but there are over a thousand steps to walk back. The waterfall is okay, not very big, and you can see it’s made up of three layers stacked together. After climbing, my legs were very sore. We took some photos but didn’t climb Wulao Peak. On the way back, be sure to get off at Lulin Lake, the most beautiful spot! It’s stunning beyond words, and we caught the sunset perfectly. Day 2: Packed up and left luggage at the hotel front desk, then headed to the West Line. Visited Huajing, Xianren Cave, and Datianchi. The route is straightforward and easy, and with enough time, you can leisurely stroll and take photos. Just plan your time well to get to the high-speed rail station. Nights 2 and 3: Sanzhai Hotel (Taoyangli Yuyao Factory Branch) ¥176. Originally booked the hotel next door for the second night, but the bed was broken, so the front desk guy switched us here. The hotel environment is great, with a camping vibe, but the soundproofing is poor and the rooms are a bit cramped. Jingdezhen is small, so we stayed here the third night as well to avoid moving luggage back and forth. Day 3: China Ceramics Museum. No ID or advance reservation needed, just walk right in! The building is tall with many exhibits, but it was very crowded. I wasn’t very interested, so I just wandered around briefly and left. In the afternoon, passed by the Sculpture Porcelain Factory, a huge ceramics market with many varieties that dazzled me, but I only bought two small items. Most were cups and tea sets. Day 4: Rented a Wuling Mini Fruit car for ¥93 a day. Visited Yaoli Ancient Town, Hanxi Village (very beautiful with large tea plantations), and Dongbu Village (only a brief visit due to time, but the scenery along the way was stunning). After the tour, returned the car at the high-speed rail station and smoothly took the train back. Not recommended to visit Sanbao Village; it’s commercialized and lacks character. Food: Lushan: A Nanchang mixed noodles place on Guling Street tastes pretty good. Avoid Laobing Restaurant!! Jingdezhen: Xunwei Xiangye, Jiangxi Stir-fry, and Tuweiju—all taste good and are recommended. There is already rime frost on the mountain now, and I want to go again!!!