5-Day Tour in Nanchang | Classic Combination of Tengwang Pavilion and Lushan Mountain・Suitable for All Groups
Nanchang, a heroic city nurtured by the Gan River, boasts the "setting sun and lone wild goose flying together" at Tengwang Pavilion, the misty clouds of Lushan Mountain, and the red memories at the August 1st Uprising Memorial Hall. Listen to the bell tolls with elders under the Shengjin Tower, accompany children to watch migratory birds at Poyang Lake—here, every day offers a magnificent symphony of history and nature.
🗓️ Itinerary Overview
D1: Arrive in Nanchang → Tengwang Pavilion → August 1st Uprising Memorial Hall → Shengjin Tower
D2: Lushan Mountain (including Poyangkou + Wulao Peak + Ruqin Lake)
D3: Lushan Mountain (Sandiequan Waterfall + Huajing + Meilu Villa) → Return to Nanchang
D4: Poyang Lake National Wetland Park → Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel
D5: Jiangxi Provincial Museum → Qiushui Square → Departure
🏯 Day 1: Nostalgia in the Pavilion · Tracing Heroes
📍 Tengwang Pavilion (5A, Admission 50 RMB)
Highlights: The foremost of the "Three Great Towers of Jiangnan," famous for Wang Bo’s "Preface to Tengwang Pavilion." Climb the pavilion to enjoy views of the Gan River. Daily live performances of "Tengwang Banquet Music" (10:30/15:30, included in ticket). Elders can listen to stories of the "Four Talents of the Early Tang," children can piece together poems on the "Poetry Interaction Wall" (free). The pavilion’s wood carvings and murals showcase the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-18:30, recommended 9:00-11:00
💰 Fees: Adults 50 RMB, free for seniors 60+, free for children under 1.4m
📸 Photo Spot: Front steps of Tengwang Pavilion (capture the flying eaves of the entire pavilion; wearing Hanfu makes photos stand out)
💡 Tips: Elevator available in the scenic area (10 RMB/person), suitable for elders; top viewing platform is windy, bring a light jacket.
📍 August 1st Uprising Memorial Hall (4A, Free, reservation required)
Highlights: A red landmark commemorating the Nanchang Uprising, featuring a live reenactment of the "First Shot Fired" and exhibits of uprising army uniforms. Elders can reminisce over old photos, children can join the "Little Guide" experience (weekends 10:00, free).
🕙 Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed Mondays), recommended 14:00-16:00
📍 Shengjin Tower (4A, Admission 25 RMB)
Highlights: A Tang Dynasty ancient tower, 50.86 meters tall, offering panoramic views of old Nanchang city from the top. The Shengjin Tower Food Street below is bustling. Elders can enjoy opera at the teahouse beside the tower (15 RMB/person), children can buy sugar paintings (10 RMB each). The tower is beautifully lit at night.
🕙 Best Time: 18:00-20:00
🍜 Recommended Eats: Shengjin Tower’s "Old Three Delicacies," must-try crab leg rice noodles (38 RMB/serving), white sugar cake (5 RMB/serving, soft and sweet), average 50 RMB per person.
🏨 Recommended Stay: "Nanchang Riverside Holiday Inn" near Tengwang Pavilion (family rooms available, 10-minute walk to Tengwang Pavilion), priced 400-600 RMB/night, with Gan River views from the window.
⛰️ Day 2: Lushan Mountain Scenery · Lake and Cloud Reflections
📍 Lushan Mountain (5A, Admission 160 RMB + Sightseeing Bus 90 RMB, valid for 3 days)
Highlights: "The most beautiful scenery under heaven in Kuanglu," including Poyangkou where Poyang Lake meets the Lushan sea of clouds, Wulao Peak shaped like five elders standing side by side, and Ruqin Lake named for its violin-like shape. Elders can take the sightseeing bus to each spot (less walking), children can feed swans at Ruqin Lake (10 RMB/bag of feed). The morning sea of clouds at Poyangkou is breathtaking.
🕙 Opening Hours: 6:00-20:00, recommended 8:00-17:00
📸 Photo Spot: Poyangkou Viewing Platform (capture clouds flowing over peaks, with people standing by the railing)
💡 Tips: Large temperature difference on the mountain, bring a windbreaker; sightseeing bus is a must as attractions are scattered; elders should avoid climbing Wulao Peak (steep steps).
📍 Lushan Guling Street (Free)
Highlights: The "Mountain City in the Clouds" at Lushan’s summit, featuring a century-old post office and cinema (screening "Lushan Love"). Elders can sunbathe in the central park, children can buy Lushan mist tea dolls (30 RMB each). Suitable for dinner and night strolls.
🌊 Day 3: Waterfalls and Waves · Villa Serenity
📍 Sandiequan Waterfall (included in Lushan ticket, cable car one-way 80 RMB)
Highlights: "Lushan’s top wonder," a three-tier waterfall with a 155-meter drop, roaring like thunder. Cable car down to the viewing platform is suitable for elders; walking involves 1,300 steep steps. Children can catch spring water under the waterfall, elders can watch rainbows from the rest pavilion (common on sunny days).
🕙 Recommended Visit Time: 9:00-11:30
📍 Huajing + Meilu Villa (included in Lushan ticket)
Highlights: Huajing is named after Bai Juyi’s "Peach Blossoms at Dalin Temple," with peach blossoms blooming in spring; Meilu Villa was the former residence of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling, with interiors preserved. Elders can admire century-old pine trees in the villa garden, children can row boats on Ruqin Lake (40 RMB/hour).
🕙 Recommended Visit Time: 14:00-16:00
💡 Tips: Return to Nanchang by tourist bus (38 RMB/person, 1.5 hours), convenient and worry-free.
🦢 Day 4: Birdwatching at Poyang Lake · Ferris Wheel Sunset Chase
📍 Poyang Lake National Wetland Park (4A, Admission 65 RMB + Boat Ticket 50 RMB)
Highlights: China’s largest freshwater lake, hosting hundreds of thousands of migratory birds (cranes, swans, etc.) in winter (Nov-Mar). Boat tours allow close birdwatching. Elders can use binoculars at the birdwatching platform, children can play interactive games at the Wetland Science Museum (free). Summer lotus ponds are stunning.
🕙 Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30, recommended 9:00-14:00
📸 Photo Spot: Swan Lake (capture flocks of migratory birds in flight with a telephoto lens)
💡 Tips: Wear neutral colors for birdwatching; bring snacks as there are few restaurants in the park.
📍 Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel (Admission 50 RMB)
Highlights: 160 meters tall, one of Asia’s tallest Ferris wheels, a full rotation takes 30 minutes, offering night views of both sides of the Gan River. Elders can choose enclosed cabins (stable), children can count bridge arches inside cabins, best to ride at dusk to watch the sunset.
🕙 Opening Hours: 9:00-22:00, recommended 18:00-19:00
💡 Tips: Not recommended for those afraid of heights; queues on holidays, arrive 1 hour early.
🏛️ Day 5: Cultural Museum and Plaza Waterfall Viewing
📍 Jiangxi Provincial Museum (4A, Free, reservation required)
Highlights: Houses replicas of the "Shang Dynasty Four-Goat Square Zun" and "Haihunhou Gold Artifacts." Children can try "archaeological excavation" (20 RMB/session), elders can view the "Red Jiangxi" exhibition (Jinggangshan revolutionary relics).
🕙 Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed Mondays), recommended 9:00-11:30
📍 Qiushui Square (Free)
Highlights: Asia’s largest musical fountain group, main fountain jets up to 128 meters, accompanied by light shows (19:30/20:30, half an hour earlier in winter). Elders watch the fountain from the steps, children chase water mist in the square, with panoramic night views of the Gan River.
🕙 Recommended Visit Time: 19:00-21:00
🍜 Recommended Eats: Qiushui Square’s "Clay Pot Soup Shop," must-try meat pie soup (8 RMB/serving), fried noodles (12 RMB/serving), average 25 RMB per person, authentic Nanchang flavor.
✨ Nanchang Survival Guide
1️⃣ Transportation: Metro lines 1 and 2 cover Tengwang Pavilion and Qiushui Square (2-5 RMB); take high-speed train to Lushan (Nanchang → Jiujiang, 25 minutes, then transfer to bus to Lushan); Poyang Lake is best reached by chartered car (200 RMB round trip, suitable for elders and children).
2️⃣ Clothing: Wear light jackets in spring and autumn (windy on Lushan), short sleeves plus sun protection in summer (Poyang Lake, Ferris wheel are outdoors), down jackets in winter (snow on Lushan), choose non-slip shoes (many steps on Lushan).
3️⃣ Taboos: No loud talking or eating inside memorial halls; do not touch exhibits inside Tengwang Pavilion; do not scare migratory birds during birdwatching.
4️⃣ Accommodation: Stay in downtown Nanchang for the first two days, stay in Guling Town on Lushan (guesthouses 300-500 RMB/night, including breakfast and dinner), choose rooms with electric blankets for children (damp mountain climate), low floors for elders.
🛍️ Must-Buy Souvenirs
① Nanchang Clay Pot Soup Instant Pack (30 RMB/box, 4 cans, ready to heat and eat)
② Lushan Mist Tea (100-200 RMB/can, fragrant and sweet aftertaste, loved by elders)
③ Haihunhou Cultural Creations (gold leaf bookmarks 30 RMB each, bronze pattern fridge magnets 20 RMB each)
④ Poyang Lake Silverfish (40 RMB/bag, boneless, suitable for children)
Nanchang’s red is the blood of a heroic city; its green is the mist of Lushan and the migratory birds of Poyang. Whether reciting an ancient verse with your parents at Tengwang Pavilion, counting stars with your children on the Ferris wheel, or waiting for a fountain show with friends at Qiushui Square, here you will find moments that warm your heart. If you come to Nanchang, would you first climb Tengwang Pavilion to watch the sunset or go to Lushan to seek the sea of clouds?
The Ferris wheel is quite large and is located in a park. You don't need a ticket to enter the park, but you do need a ticket to ride the Ferris wheel. If you just want to take pictures, you can do so in the nearby MixC mall. There are fewer people on weekday evenings, so you can discuss with the staff to sit in a private room with your friends. The whole trip takes about 25 minutes.
There are no other problems except that there are too many people. The main problem is that the children want to ride, otherwise they will leave after checking in and taking photos. Remember to check the time when buying tickets. We went in the morning, but found out that the ride can only be started at 6 pm (on weekends, there are many people and it may start at 5 pm). It was sunny and hot.
My kids went on it and said it was a good experience. It was high, big, and exciting. We got to see the night view, but I'm not sure if it's better at night or during the day. We started lining up at 7:20 PM and got on at 8:14 PM. It was just too hot, and the line was long. The 50 yuan ticket felt a bit pricey and not worth the money.
The Ferris wheel costs 48 yuan per person. We went at around 4pm and didn't have to queue. If we went at around 5pm, we would have to queue. One round took about 40 minutes. We went on a weekday during the off-season. Two people could sit in one car. It seems that when there are many people, you need to buy a VIP ticket to sit in the same car with two people. The overall high-altitude view is good and very shocking.
Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel, 160 meters high, is a landmark building in Nanchang and a popular spot for tourists to take photos and check in. Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel is the tallest Ferris wheel in China. It was originally the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, and is now the third tallest Ferris wheel in the world after the High Roller in Las Vegas (167 meters) and the Flyer in Singapore (165 meters). Tickets are 50 yuan, children under 1.2 meters in height are free of charge, and children under 1.4 meters in height are half-price.
After traveling more than 1,600 kilometers, I arrived in Nanchang and checked in at the Nanchang Star. The "Nanchang Star" Ferris wheel, also known as the Nanchang Star, is the tallest Ferris wheel in China. It is located in the Ganjiang Citizen Park on the bank of the Ganjiang River in Hongjiaozhou, Honggutan District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province. It is 160 meters high, higher than the London Eye in London, England. It was originally the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. It is now the third tallest Ferris wheel in the world after the Las Vegas High Roller (167 meters) and the Singapore Flyer (165 meters). It is a landmark building in Nanchang.
Nanchang Ferris Wheel is a shining pearl on the bank of Ganjiang River. When the cabin rises slowly, the magnificent scenery of Nanchang City is in full view, and the river breeze brings a touch of comfort. During the day, you can overlook the bustling city; at night, the neon lights flicker, as if you are in a dreamy starry sky. It is not only an entertainment facility, but also a romantic check-in place for couples to date, carrying countless laughter and sweet memories, and witnessing the unique charm and vitality of Nanchang.
Riding the Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel, visitors can overlook the magnificent scenery on both sides of the Ganjiang River and enjoy the city scenery of Nanchang. Especially in the evening, riding the Ferris wheel can enjoy the sunset and night view at the same time, which is very romantic. Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel is the third tallest Ferris wheel in the world and the tallest Ferris wheel in China. It is located on the bank of the Ganjiang River in Honggutan District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, and is one of the landmark buildings in Nanchang City.