The Shennong Stream Tujia Tracker Culture Tourist Area is located in Badong County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province, and is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. With a total area of 300 square kilometers, the scenic area is known for its primitive and ancient natural scenery and its unique tracker culture. Shennong Stream is a perennial stream on the north bank of the Yangtze River, with a total length of 60 kilometers. Peaks rise on both banks, the gorges are deep and secluded, and the stream water is so clear that the bottom can be seen. It is hailed as a "landscape painting gallery."
History and Culture
Shennong Stream's tracker culture has a long history dating back thousands of years. In ancient times, when land transportation was underdeveloped, Shennong Stream was an important waterway connecting Bashu and Jingchu. Trackers used their flesh and blood to pull boats, forming a unique tracker culture and work chants. This primitive form of human-powered transportation continued until the 1990s, becoming the last living fossil of tracker culture in the Three Gorges region of the Yangtze River.
The Tracker Culture Exhibition Hall in the scenic area records in detail the life and labor scenes of the trackers and houses a large collection of precious tracker tools and historical photographs. The tracker work chants have been included in the national intangible cultural heritage list and serve as an important window for understanding the history of Yangtze River shipping.
Main Attractions
Tracker Culture Corridor
A 5-kilometer-long cultural experience area, along which there are tracker sculpture groups, ancient tracker path ruins, ancient plank roads, and other landscapes. Visitors can learn about tracker history here, enjoy tracker work chant performances, and experience the hardship of boat tracking.
Shennong Stream Rafting
The core experience project of the scenic area, with a total rafting route of 20 kilometers, offering two modes: wooden boat rafting and rubber dinghy rafting. Along the way, visitors can enjoy the gorge scenery of Mianzhu Gorge, Yingwu Gorge, Longchang Gorge, and others, and experience the primitive ecology of "monkeys calling unceasingly on both banks."
Tujia Customs Park
A theme park showcasing traditional Tujia culture, with distinctive buildings such as stilted houses and wind-and-rain bridges. Every day there are Tujia song and dance performances, wedding custom displays, and other folk activities, and visitors can participate in interactive experiences.
Mianzhu Gorge
One of the most beautiful gorges in Shennong Stream, with bamboo growing thickly on both banks, lush and green. The narrowest part of the gorge is less than 10 meters, and when looking up, one can see only a strip of sky, making the scenery extremely spectacular.
Yingwu Gorge
Named because a large number of wild parrots inhabit the gorge. The terrain here is steep and dangerous, and the vegetation is dense, making it an ideal place to observe rare animals and plants.
Tracker Work Chant Performance
A cultural performance held regularly every day, jointly performed by local veteran trackers and art groups. The rough and bold sounds of the work chants reproduce the scene of trackers working together in the past to overcome torrents.
Tour Route：
Recommended one-day tour route: Visitor Center → Take a boat tour of Shennong Stream → Tracker Culture Corridor → Tujia Customs Park → Tracker Work Chant Performance → Rafting Experience (optional). The entire tour takes about 5-6 hours.
Travel Tips：
Summer is the best season for visiting and is suitable for rafting.
It is recommended to wear comfortable, slip-resistant shoes, as some sections are relatively slippery.
Please wear a life jacket during rafting and pay attention to safety.
Allow 5-6 hours for the visit; for an in-depth experience, two days can be arranged.
Traditional Tujia clothing can be rented for photos as a souvenir.
Precautions：
Mountain weather changes frequently; please check the weather forecast in advance.
Respect the customs and habits of ethnic minorities.
Protect the scenic area's environment and do not litter.
Please keep valuables safe during rafting.
Follow the instructions of staff to ensure safety.
Transportation：
Self-driving: Depart from Enshi city, take the Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway to the Badong exit, then drive about 60 kilometers along Provincial Highway 209 to arrive.
Bus: Take a bus from Enshi Passenger Transport Station to Badong and get off at the scenic area.
Airplane: The nearest airport is Enshi Xujiaping Airport, about 120 kilometers from the scenic area.
Opening Hours：
The scenic area is open all year round. Daily opening hours are 8:00-17:00 (peak season, April 1-October 31) and 8:30-16:30 (off-season, November 1-March 31 of the following year). Ticket sales stop one hour before closing time for attractions within the scenic area.
Tickets：
Ticket: 180 yuan/person (including round-trip boat ride).