Tall sandstone pillars rising above a misty valley in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Hunan

Hunan is known for fiery food, the quartzite pillars of Wulingyuan near Zhangjiajie, and Lake Dongting, with a capital city and mountain roads in between.

Find a room in Hunan Which neighborhood?Plan a trip to Hunan

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Hunan is an inland province in Central China, on the middle reaches of the Yangtze. Its name means south of the lake, a reference to Dongting Lake in the north. Changsha, the capital and largest city, sits on the Xiang River and is an important commercial and transport centre, with fast trains to many Chinese cities. Mountains and hills cover more than 80% of the province, so most roads follow river valleys, lakeshores and mountain passes. Hunanese food is built on chili peppers, garlic and shallots, with a dry, spicy taste that locals eat often.

A trip can split between Changsha, with Yuelu Academy and the Mawangdui Han Tombs, and the west, where Wulingyuan near Zhangjiajie has thousands of quartzite pillars, caves and waterfalls. Fenghuang old town, in western Hunan, is on UNESCO's Tentative List. Summers are very hot and humid and winters are cool and damp, so spring and autumn are the easier seasons to travel.

Hunan in five

Pick two anchors, not fourChangsha gives you food, museums and the rail hub; Zhangjiajie gives you the pillars. Fenghuang and the rest of the province need extra days.Changsha
Plan the park in its own guideWulingyuan has several gates and a booking rule for first-time visitors, so it needs more than a line in a province plan. The Zhangjiajie guide covers gates, days and weather.Zhangjiajie
Add Fenghuang only with extra daysFenghuang is an old river town in western Hunan, a long way from both Changsha and Zhangjiajie. Include it only if you have five or more days for the province.
Start in Changsha for the rail connectionsChangsha is the province's high-speed rail hub, with onward trains to Zhangjiajie. Book the leg on 12306 with your passport.
Come in from Wuhan or GuiyangWuhan lies north of Hunan and Guiyang to the southwest, both on rail routes into the province. Match the arrival city to the rest of your route.Wuhan

Neighborhoods

Changsha

Price band: $$

Read about Changsha

Things to do in Hunan

See all attractions in Hunan

Ornate archway entrance to a village on a sunny day

Sight · HunanWest Gate

Sight · HunanQianyang Old Town

Sight · HunanFormer Residence of Mao Zedong

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to HunanPut the places you like in Hunan on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Changsha Huanghua (CSX); Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYG) for the mountains
Getting there: High-speed rail from Guangzhou and Beijing to Changsha, then onward
Getting around: Rail between cities; local buses and park shuttles at Wulingyuan
Best base: Changsha for food and rail; Wulingyuan town for the park
Time needed: 5 days for Changsha and Zhangjiajie; 7 with Fenghuang

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Days with storms

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy12 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh10°Low3°Cold, misty
FebruaryRain14 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh11°Low4°Cold, damp
MarchRain18 rainy daysHigh17°Low9°Mild, misty
AprilRain18 rainy daysHigh22°Low14°Spring, green
MayRain17 rainy daysHigh26°Low17°Warm, rain
JuneRain19 rainy daysHigh29°Low21°Hot, rain
JulyRain15 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh32°Low24°Hot, humid
AugustRain14 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh33°Low24°Hot, humid
SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh29°Low20°Clearer
OctoberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh22°Low14°Clear, mild
NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low10°Cool, dry
DecemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh12°Low4°Cold, damp

Average daily high and low in Zhangjiajie, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Hunan

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 17°
Humidity: 75%
Wind: 4 km/h
Chance of rain: 98%

Changsha

04:40 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+8

Today19°15°98%Tuesday: Rain. High 19°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 98%.
Wed18°15°100%Wednesday: Rain. High 18°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 100%.
Thu20°14°67%Thursday: Rain. High 20°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 67%.
Fri18°16°65%Friday: Rain. High 18°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 65%.
Sat20°16°88%Saturday: Rain. High 20°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 88%.
Sun16°14°100%Sunday: Rain. High 16°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 100%.
Mon16°12°49%Monday: Drizzle. High 16°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 49%.

Updated 01:27 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.661 CNY

Amount

Converted to

CNY · Chinese Yuan

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Wulingyuanfrom Zhangjiajie cityUNESCO-listed sandstone pillars and ravines, a full-day park visit.Read the guide
Tianmen Mountainfrom Zhangjiajie cityA mountain with a long cable car and a cliffside walk, depending on weather.Read the guide
Fenghuanglong rail or road legAn old river town in western Hunan, best as a separate overnight.

Before you go to Hunan

Hunan multi-day toursChangsha, Zhangjiajie and rail transfersCompare tours

Hotels in ChangshaRail-linked bases for food and museumsCheck availability

eSIM for HunanMaps and rail apps across the provinceRead the guide

Insurance for HunanRail delays and mountain weatherRead the guide

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Rules for Hunan, checked

Check whether your nationality needs a visa or qualifies for visa-free entry on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa pages before you book flights.Source
Carry your passport at all times.
Check the General Administration of Customs site for the rules on cash and restricted goods before you arrive.
Drug offences carry heavy penalties in China, including long prison terms. Never carry a bag or parcel for someone else.

Plan around Hunan

All of China

Visa-free entry, payments, trains and cities

Read the guide Changsha

Hunan's food city and rail hub

Read the guide Zhangjiajie

Wulingyuan pillars: gates, days, booking

Read the guide Wuhan

Yangtze river city to the north

Read the guide Guiyang

Guizhou karst to the southwest

Read the guide Guangzhou

Cantonese food, south by rail

Read the guide China visa-free entry

The 30-day list and the 240-hour transit

Read the guide

Hunan FAQ

What is Hunan best known for?

Spicy Xiang cuisine in Changsha, the sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan near Zhangjiajie, which UNESCO inscribed in 1992, and old river towns such as Fenghuang.

How many days do you need in Hunan?

Five days for Changsha plus two in Zhangjiajie. Add two more for Fenghuang. Trying to fit all three in a long weekend means long rail legs and little time in the park.

Should I base in Changsha or Zhangjiajie?

Both, in order: Changsha first for food and rail connections, then Zhangjiajie for the park. Skip Changsha only if you are flying straight into Zhangjiajie and have no interest in the city.

What is the best time to visit Hunan?

April, May, September and October for the mountains and river towns. Summer is hot, humid and wet, and winter is cold, damp and often misty, so keep weather days spare.

Can I combine Hunan with Wuhan or Guizhou?

Yes. Wuhan sits north and Guiyang to the southwest, both reachable by rail. Treat each as a separate leg, and book trains on 12306 with your passport.