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I envy such grand filial devotion. Shanghai’s iconic Yuyuan Garden was built by Ming official Pan Yundang for his parents between 1559 and 1577. The garden covers 121,405 m² (about 1.3 million sq ft) — roughly the combined size of Jamsil’s Lotte World Tower and Lotte World Mall — and would cost trillions of KRW (approximately hundreds of millions to a few billion USD) to replicate today.
Lotte Tour runs upscale trips designed to make parents proud to tell everyone, “Thanks to my kids, I took the trip of a lifetime.” Each week they promote luxury packages featuring premium cruises, business-class flights, five-star hotels, and meals at Michelin-level restaurants. [Editor’s note]
[MyDaily = Reporter Lee Ji-hye] With China temporarily allowing visa-free travel, visiting has become a lot easier. As spring arrives, interest is rising in Zhangjiajie package tours — still one of the season’s hottest picks.
Many agencies offer similar Zhangjiajie packages at wildly different prices, so choosing one can be confusing. Lotte Tour sets its products at a premium level for both service and execution, making them especially appealing to people planning a tribute trip for their parents.
After you pick an agency, you need to choose your arrival city. Options include Changsha, Wuhan, or a direct flight into Zhangjiajie. Changsha has the most flights and is the most popular choice. Direct flights to Zhangjiajie are the most convenient but tend to be pricier. Wuhan adds a historical dimension, letting travelers explore sites tied to the Three Kingdoms era.
Routing through Wuhan lets you combine Zhangjiajie’s dramatic natural scenery with the charms of an historic Chinese city that many nature-focused itineraries skip. It’s a smart way to experience both the region’s landscapes and Wuhan’s rich history in one trip.
Lotte Tour stands out in the details. The package includes round-trip Korean Air flights with in-flight meals and mileage accrual. Accommodations are with Wyndham- and Hilton-affiliated hotels throughout the itinerary. Meals are all special-course menus, and local transfers use limo-style buses with 2+1 seating. They strictly enforce a no-tipping, no-optional-extras policy.
The package includes a fast-track VIP pass for the Tianzi Mountain cable car so guests skip long lines. Tours run with a minimum of six people and can operate as a private group for parties of ten or more. Lotte Tour was the first in the industry to provide wireless receivers for guests, and they include one fruit basket per room.
Let’s take a closer look at the hotels.
In Zhangjiajie, guests stay at the Wyndham-brand, five-star, T-shaped Howard Johnson Neo Dali, located in the heart of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. The hotel has 719 rooms and offers a café, restaurants, a bar, an indoor pool, and a fitness center, with easy access to Tianzi Mountain and Tianmen Mountain.
In Wuhan, guests stay at the Hampton by Hilton Wuhan Tianhe Airport East. It’s adjacent to Wuhan Airport and the city metro for excellent access, and it features modern interiors and a high level of service.
Dining is a major focus. Lotte Tour operates a restaurant transparency policy, publishing restaurant names in advance and guaranteeing quality. Local dining venues include Jin Feng He, Happy Shangsu, the Howard Johnson Neo Dali hotel restaurant, and the Holiday Inn Chinese restaurant. For Korean cuisine, they serve meals at Yuram Restaurant on the second floor of the five-star Blue Bay Hotel — where you can dine with views of Tianmen Mountain — plus a 320-seat premium Korean restaurant in the heart of Wulingyuan and the Golden Palace.
Lotte Tour pays careful attention to sightseeing logistics. Zhangjiajie, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site since 1992, is famous for its breathtaking scenery. On Tianzi Mountain — the landscape that inspired the film Avatar — visitors can efficiently reach peaks and viewpoints like Appeal Peak and Yuanjiajie using cable cars, shuttle buses, and the Bailong Elevator.
At Tianmen Mountain, often called Zhangjiajie’s soul, travelers ride the world’s longest cable car at 7.45 km (about 4.63 miles). From the top they can explore the natural Tianmen Cave, the 131.5 m (about 431 ft) natural shaft, the glass Skywalk, and the dizzying Guigu Trail. The itinerary also includes Yuanjiajie, the Grand Canyon and its glass bridge, Huanglong Cave, and Baofeng Lake.
The nighttime Tian Go show is a standout. In a 3,000-seat venue, about 300 performers combine state-of-the-art special effects and scenes that unleash 3,000 tons of water for a truly spectacular production. Lotte Tour customers enjoy VIP seating for the show.
A Lotte Tour spokesperson said, “Our Zhangjiajie package elevates China travel by including Korean Air flights, world-brand hotels, and special-course dining throughout. Adding Wuhan’s Three Kingdoms history makes this an ideal choice for both first-time visitors and travelers who want a fully realized experience.”
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