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Postcards From Mimi

Travel Differently: Food, History, Culture

26th December 2023

Visiting Zhangjiajie: A Detailed Travel Guide

Zhangjiajie is famous for its spectacular and unique mountain scenery. The towering rock pillar formations of Zhangjiajie really are a sight to behold. They might look a little familiar, because Zhangjiajie was the inspiration for Avatar’s floating Hallelujah Mountains. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

The place is HUGE, covering an area of 264.6 square kilometres (102.2 square miles). There are over 3,000 of the distinctive quartz-sandstone columns in Zhangjiajie. With so much to see, planning can feel quite confusing and overwhelming. I’ve put together a detailed guide for visiting Zhangjiajie, including practical tips and my suggested 3-day itinerary for Zhangjiajie.

I found trying to match up the English and Chinese names of places to be an additional source of confusion, particularly as the translations weren’t always consistent. So I’ve also included a glossary at the end of this post with key locations in both English and Chinese for reference.

Here’s everything you need to know before visiting Zhangjiajie.

Table of Contents

Zhangjiajie Essential Info

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is part of the larger Wulingyuan Scenic Area, which also includes several other national parks. Zhangjiajie and Wulingyuan are often used interchangeably to refer to the national park area. So for ease, I’ll be referring to the whole area as Zhangjiajie National Park.

• Entry to the park is valid for 4 consecutive days
• Ticket cost: ¥227 (discounted entry ¥147 Dec-Feb)
• Opening times: 07:00-18:00 daily (07:30-17:30 Dec-Feb)
• You need your passport to purchase the ticket. Facial recognition is used for entry into the park (older articles mention fingerprint-scanning, but that method seems to have been retired).
• There are free shuttle buses provided to transport you around the park. However the elevator and cable car tickets are sold separately inside the park.
• Zhangjiajie National Park is located in Wulingyuan town, which is 30km (8.6 miles) from Zhangjiajie city.
• Tianmen Mountain, commonly included in the Zhangjiajie itinerary, is a separate entity outside of the national park. It is located in Zhangjiajie city.
• Wulingyuan entrance (east gate) – located in Wulingyuan town, the main entrance that the vast majority of visitors use
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entrance (south gate) – the Golden Whip Stream hike ends here. Direct buses go between here and Zhangjiajie city; there are also local buses going to Wulingyuan town

What to Expect in Zhangjiajie

The natural scenery in Zhangjiajie is breathtaking, there’s no denying that. But experiencing nature at a tourist hotspot in China may be a bit different to what you’re used to. You won’t get a peaceful experience feeling at one with nature, at least not all of the time.

Firstly, there will always be crowds whatever time of year you go, although of course much less in the off season. Even when visiting in December, I ran into quite a few tour groups. They’re rowdy and chaotic, but they usually move on fairly quickly and are easy to overtake. The bottlenecks where it is most crowded are at the elevator and cable car entrances.

You’ll often see lots of landmarks with impressive-sounding names signposted along scenic routes. But these quite often turn out to be something rather ordinary and not noteworthy.

Most of the ‘hikes’ in the park are paved pathways and stairs, which may not be the kind of hike you’re expecting. The park is huge and there are shuttle buses to take you between locations. The hard work of climbing the mountains is removed with the elevator and cable cars. There are restaurants, food stalls and toilets dotted around the national park, even on the mountaintops. All of this may make the experience feel a bit ‘fake’. It’s a different way of doing things that allows for the literally millions of visitors that come every year.

Having said all of that, the mountains of Zhangjiajie really are stunning and it’s definitely worth the trip to see them with your own eyes.

Tips for Visiting Zhangjiajie

• The temperature in the mountains will be cooler than on ground level, so wear extra layers to keep warm.
• Wear good walking shoes. Most of the paths are paved stone or concrete with some wooden walkways, but they can get slippery when wet or icy.
• There are plenty of toilets (the squat variety) throughout the park, which are fairly well-maintained. But, as with most places in China, you should bring your own toilet paper and soap/hand sanitiser.
• You will encounter monkeys (macaques) in some parts of the park (Yuanjiajie, Golden Whip Stream). They look cute, but are aggressive and fearless when it comes to stealing food. Keep any food stowed safely away inside your bag.
• There are plenty of food stalls inside the park, so you won’t go hungry. The prices will be a bit more expensive (although still cheap) and fairly mediocre quality. Payment is using QR code (WeChat/AliPay) or cash. Check out my full guide on how to pay in China .
• Check the weather forecast and plan your itinerary accordingly. If the visibility is likely to be poor all day, then head to the ground-level areas such as Golden Whip Stream, Baofeng Lake and Yellow Dragon Cave. It’s not worth going to Tianmen Mountain with poor visibility.
• If it’s foggy when you reach a viewpoint, wait at least 15 minutes and it may well clear up or improve.
• Keep track of closing time to make sure you don’t miss the last shuttle bus back. One of the bus drivers assured me that there’s an emergency number to call if you get stranded and they’ll come to pick you up, but I wouldn’t count on it…

Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie

The best time to visit Zhangjiajie is in shoulder season, which is March to April (spring) and September to mid-November (autumn). It gets warm and humid in the summer (June-August), but nothing extreme. The main reason to avoid visiting in high season is the sheer numbers of visitors. Zhangjiajie is extremely popular with domestic tourists, and has over 80 million visitors every year.

There are three week-long periods of national holidays in China when you should avoid visiting Zhangjiajie or anywhere in China. These are: the first week of May (Labour Day ‘Golden Week’), the first week of October (National Day ‘Golden Week’), and the week around Chinese New Year (January or February depending on the year). Crowds will be even bigger than usual and prices will also be inflated.

Zhangjiajie is also beautiful in winter (I visited in December), and the park is much emptier. The trade-off is that the weather may be bad, and it will certainly be cold. In summer if it’s foggy, the fog often clears fairly quickly. However in winter, foggy weather usually doesn’t clear all day.

The otherworldly ‘sea of clouds’ appearance with ‘floating’ columns happens just after it rains. You’re more likely to see this phenomenon in the late spring and summer, when there is heavier rainfall. You won’t really see it in winter, but you might see snowy mountain peaks instead.

How to Get to Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in the city of the same name. Zhangjiajie is a small city in Hunan Province in south central China, with a population of 1.5 million. Yes, that counts as a small city in China.

Zhangjiajie’s tourism infrastructure has become more developed in recent years, especially since the release of Avatar, but it’s still a little tricky to get to.

Flying to Zhangjiaije

Zhangjiajie has its own airport, which is about 4km (2.5 miles) outside of the main city. There are direct domestic flights to Zhangjiajie from several major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Flights to Zhangjiajie usually arrive in the evening.

There’s an airport bus service which goes to the city. Didi (Chinese Uber) also works in Zhangjiajie.

Getting the Train to Zhangjiajie

Check out my comprehensive guide to train travel in China .

Getting the train is a much cheaper option compared to flying. Unfortunately, it’s also slower, as Zhangjiajie does not have a high-speed rail network. The best way to get to Zhangjiajie by train is via Changsha.

Changsha is the capital of Hunan province, and well-connected to the rest of China by high-speed train. It’s around 2 hours by train from Changsha to Zhangjiajie .

Note that Zhangjiajie has two train stations: Zhangjiajie station and Zhangjiajie West station. They are 9km (5.6 miles) apart. Most trains from Changsha arrive at Zhangjiajie West station.

On my trip, I took the bullet train from Xi’an to Changsha (5.5 hours). I stayed overnight in Changsha and took an early morning train to Zhangjiajie the next day. There’s not much to do in Changsha other than going for a stroll on the Orange Isle, an island park with a giant statue of a young Chairman Mao.

I recommend using Trip.com to book your train tickets and hotels in China. The website (and mobile app) is in English and easy to navigate. Tickets are issued electronically and linked to your passport number. It’s also easy to amend and cancel bookings. Check train ticket prices for Zhangjiajie .

Where to Stay in Zhangjiajie

Check out my detailed guide on how to book hotels in China .

There are two areas of interest here: Zhangjiajie city and Wulingyuan town.

The majority of the sights are located in Wulingyuan, a town about 30km (18.6 miles) north of Zhangjiajie city. The exception is Tianmen Mountain, which is located in Zhangjiajie city.

I recommend basing yourself in Wulingyuan town for most of your trip, and staying in Zhangjiajie city for the final night. That way you can see Tianmen Mountain on the last day (weather allowing) and be closer to the train station/airport for departure.

I actually did it the other way round, and stayed the first night in Zhangjiajie city. But I found it to be more hassle and it provided less flexibility for visiting Tianmen Mountain.

Wulingyuan Town

Wulingyuan town is quite small, and most of the hotels are clustered near the entrance to Zhangjiajie National Park.

It takes about 30 minutes by taxi, or 40 minutes by bus to get from Zhangjiajie city to Wulingyuan town. There are regular buses from Zhangjiajie bus station (next to Zhangjiajie train station), which cost ¥12. It’s then about a 15-minute walk from Wulingyuan bus station to the entrance of the national park.

If you’re arriving at the airport or Zhangjiajie West train station, it’s easier and quicker to get a taxi directly to your hotel in Wulingyuan town. A Didi taxi will be cheaper than a regular taxi, but requires you to have a Chinese SIM card.

Zhangjiajie City

The main thing to see in Zhangjiajie city is Tianmen Mountain. The entrance to the cablecar is also close to Zhangjiajie train and bus stations (10-15 minute walk). I recommend staying in this area to minimise transit time.

I recommend Trip.com for booking hotels in China. It has a better selection and cheaper prices than other websites, including Booking.com, which is my usual go-to. As a general rule of thumb, you should choose hotels with ratings above 4.5/5. Check hotel prices for Zhangjiajie .

What to See in Zhangjiajie

As I said before, Zhangjiajie is HUGE. There’s a reason why the entrance ticket is valid for 4 days. You most likely won’t be able to see it all, which is a difficult fact to accept, but will make your planning much easier. Here’s a detailed explanation of all the places you can see in Zhangjiajie, including practical information on how to get there and the best routes to take.

The following places are part of the national park and included in the 4-day entrance ticket:

• Yuanjiajie (the ‘Avatar mountains’)

Tianzi Mountain

• Ten Mile Gallery / Three Sisters Peaks

Golden Whip Stream / Huangshi Village

I found most maps of Zhangjiajie park to be really confusing. The more you look at them the less they makes sense. Essentially, there is an upper and lower section of the park. The upper section is the mountaintops, comprising Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie and Tianzi Mountain. These three areas are connected by shuttle bus. The lower section comprises the base of the three aforementioned mountain areas, plus Ten Mile Gallery and Golden Whip Stream. The lower sections are connected by shuttle bus. There is no shuttle bus between the upper and lower sections. To get up/down, you can either hike or take a form of vertical transport: elevator at Yuanjiajie, cable cars at Yangjiajie and Tianzi Mountain.

These places are in the wider scenic area, but have separate entry tickets:

• Tianmen Mountain (located in Zhangjiajie city)

Baofeng Lake

Yellow dragon cave, zhangjiajie glass bridge & grand canyon.

This is the main attraction of Zhangjiajie National Park and probably the view you came for. Yuanjiajie is home to the ‘Avatar mountains’ of Zhangjiajie.

The stone ‘pillar forests’ here really are spectacular. The most famous one is the Southern Sky Pillar , standing at 1,080 metres (3,543 ft) tall. It’s narrow at the base and appears to be floating (more so when it’s misty). There’s also a natural stone bridge formed by weathering (No. 1 Bridge Under Heaven 天下第一桥) , which links the main section to a separate stone ‘island’.

Bailong Sky Elevator is an outdoor glass lift which takes you to the top of the mountain. Bailong (百龙) means 100 dragons, a fitting name for the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. The Bailong Elevator is 326m (1,070 ft) high, and the ride takes under 2 minutes. The view when you emerge into the open really is a ‘wow’ moment. The queues can be long (several hours in summer), so you should aim to get there at opening time if you want to ride the elevator. It costs ¥65 one way.

Another way to get to Yuanjiajie is via shuttle bus from Yangjiajie or Tianzi Mountain. You do the walking route in reverse and ride the Bailong Elevator down. The queues are much shorter for the way down, although going down is probably less impressive. This might be advisable in summer.

Not to be confused with Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie is an area that was opened to visitors more recently. It has similar views to Yuanjiajie, but you see the ‘Avatar mountains’ from the reverse side. There are proper hiking trails in this area, and it’s less crowded.

Yuanjiajie has a cable car which takes you to the upper paths. It costs ¥76 one way. You can also hike up to the top of Yangjiajie or take the shuttle bus from Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain.

I didn’t make it to Yangjiajie on my trip due to weather constraints, but it would definitely be top of my list for (hopefully) a return visit.

Tianzi Mountain is the highest peak within the national park. Needless to say, the views here are stunning. It’s a good place to spot the ‘sea of clouds’ as you are so high up.

Tianzi means son of heaven, which is another name for the emperor. It was named after a local peasant who led a revolt during the Ming Dynasty and proclaimed himself the son of heaven. Not to be confused with Tianmen Mountain (the one with the sky door).

Tianzi Mountain has a cable car to take you up and down the mountain. It costs ¥72 one way. You can also get to the upper pathways of Tianzi Mountain by shuttle bus from Yuanjiajie and Yangjiajie.

If you have time (and energy), instead of getting the cable car, you should hike down Tianzi Mountain to the Three Sisters Peak and Ten Mile Gallery.

Ten Mile Gallery / Three Sisters Peak

Ten Mile Gallery and Three Sisters Peak are at the base of Tianzi Mountain. The Three Sisters are a formation of three rock peaks side by side. If you’re hiking down from Tianzi Mountain, you’ll encounter the Three Sisters Peak first, then Ten Mile Gallery.

Ten Mile Gallery is a walk through a lush valley where you can see over 200 different-shaped natural rock sculptures. Despite the name, it’s actually only 5.8km (3.6 miles) long. There’s the option of a sightseeing tram which takes you along the same route. It costs ¥36 one way, but is probably not worth it unless you’re tired or short on time.

Golden Whip Stream is a very pleasant valley hike alongside a stream. You’ll see the famous rock pillars from a ground-level perspective here. It’s quite a peaceful hike, especially as you get further along the path.

You’ll encounter plenty of monkeys at the start of this hike.

You’ll need to get a shuttle bus from the main entrance (east entrance) to the start of the route. The path is 7.5km (4.7 miles), and fairly flat. It ends at the park’s south gate (the other gate).

If you have time, it’s worth heading to Huangshi Village once you reach the end of the Golden Whip Stream route. Huangshi Village is not actually a village, but a mountaintop trail with scenic views. The trail at the top is a loop, and Huangshi Village is not connected to the other upper paths of the park. You can hike or take the cable car (¥70 one way). The easiest way is to take the cable car up and hike down.

To exit the park, you can leave at the nearby south gate, which is half an hour drive from Wulingyuan town. There are local buses from here that go to Wulingyuan town for ¥10.

Alternatively you can hike back along the Golden Whip Stream trail and get the shuttle bus to the main entrance, although this is rather convoluted.

Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain is famous for its ‘heavenly door’, the natural limestone arch which looks like a huge doorway in the mountain. ‘Tianmen’ means heaven’s door.

Tianmen Mountain isn’t actually part of the national park, and is located further away in Zhangjiajie city. But the uniqueness of the mountain makes it a must-see stop on any Zhangjiajie trip. Tianmen Mountain’s cable car is one of the longest in the world at 7,455m (24,459 ft) in length. The entire cable car journey takes half an hour!

Entry to Tianmen Mountain is quite expensive at ¥278, which includes a return cable car journey. The glass skywalks cost ¥5. There are a few routes for getting up and down Tianmen Mountain, which can get confusing. There are two areas to see. The first is the top of Tianmen Mountain, which is a loop route that includes the famous glass viewing platforms and ‘cliff edge’ walkways, as well as Tianmen Mountain Temple. The second area is the Tianmen Cave, aka Heaven’s Door, which includes the Stairway to Heaven, a 999-step staircase leading to Heaven’s Door.

The best route (Route A) is to take the cable car to the top of the mountain to do the mountaintop route first. Then take the escalator down to the Heaven’s Door area. Walk the 999 steps to knock on Heaven’s Door or cheat and take the escalator up (it costs ¥30). Get down the mountain by express cable car (larger capacity carriages, so shorter queues).

The cable car is very popular, and queues are quite long in the summer, so you should arrive as early as possible. An alternative way to get up the mountain is to take the bus, which drives the ‘99 bends’ road (not for those prone to motion sickness). The bus stops near the base of the Stairway to Heaven. Once you get up to Heaven’s Door, you can take an escalator up to the top of the mountain, and then the cable car down to ground level.

If it’s a foggy day, I advise against going, as you’ll end up disappointed. I had thick fog on my visit to Tianmen Mountain and I could barely make out the hole in the mountain, even when standing right next to it!

Baofeng Lake is an alpine lake nestled in the mountains of Zhangjiajie. The lake is actually artificial and was created by a dam built in the 1970s. Baofeng Lake is located just south of Wulingyuan town.

Baofeng Lake has a separate entrance ticket, which costs ¥114 and includes a 30-minute ferry ride on the lake. There’s also a small waterfall in the area which was the filming location for Shuilian Cave (aka the Monkey King’s home) in the classic TV show Journey to the West.

Visiting Baofeng Lake is a relaxed way to spend an afternoon, especially if it’s too foggy to go to the mountains. The ferry does come with a tour guide who provides a running commentary in Chinese, which may ruin the serenity of the lake for some. Zhangjiajie has a large population of Tujia people, an ethnic minority group, and you will hear a Tujia folk song performance during the ferry ride.

You can get there by public bus (number 2) for ¥2, which takes 20 minutes. The bus to Baofeng Lake seemed to be quite infrequent when I was there, once every 45 minutes or so, but the frequency might be better outside of low season. We ended up taking the number 1 bus (which was much more frequent) to the edge of town and then walking for half an hour. There are also taxis waiting in the area near the bus stop. Didi (Chinese Uber) also works in Wulingyuan town.

The Yellow Dragon Cave, sometimes translated as Huanglong Cave, is a natural karst (limestone) cave. It’s an impressive size, stretching to 15 km (9.3 mi) in length. You can walk around inside the cave and admire the huge stalagmites, which are lit up by multi-coloured lights. There are a lot of stone steps, which can be a little slippery in places (the stalagmites/stalactites are still forming, so there’s dripping water!). There’s also a sizeable lake inside the cave – a boat ride is included in the ticket price. I recommend walking around inside the caves first and taking the boat to the exit. Most visitors, especially tour groups, do the boat ride first, so you’ll escape the crowds.

Yellow Dragon Cave has a separate entrance ticket, which costs ¥96. Yellow Dragon Cave is located around 10km west from the national park entrance. You can get there by public bus (number 1), which takes half an hour and costs ¥2. The bus departs from the main road near the park’s main entrance (east entrance), and is the same stop as the bus to Baofeng Lake. You could also take a taxi or Didi (Chinese Uber).

Overall, the cave is impressive but missable on your Zhangjiajie itinerary if you don’t have time. It’s good to visit on a bad weather day in Zhangjiajie, as you’re sheltered from the elements inside the cave.

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is an attraction that opened in 2016. The bridge is 430m (1,410 ft) in length, making it the second-longest glass bridge in the world. Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is suspended a dizzying 300m (984 ft) from the ground. The transparent floor of the bridge allows for exhilarating and/or terrifying views of the canyon below. The bridge is made out of triple-layered toughened glass and is pretty sturdy, although there is a 600-person limit on the bridge at one time. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is a separate area with hiking trails and waterfalls.

Tickets cost ¥219 for the bridge and canyon together. You can also buy separate canyon-only or bridge-only tickets. Tickets need to be booked in advance online. There is a bus from Wulingyuan town to the glass bridge area, which takes 40 minutes and costs ¥10.

3-Day Zhangjiajie Itinerary

Here is my recommended 3-day Zhangjiajie itinerary. There are also options to add an extra day. The days can be switched around if needed according to the weather – prioritise clear weather days for Yuanjiajie (day 2) and Tianmen Mountain (day 3).

Day 1 – Golden Whip Stream

Assuming you arrived in Zhangjiajie city by train in the morning, head to Wulingyuan town (taxi or bus) and drop your luggage off at your hotel.

Walk to the park entrance (Wulingyuan entrance), where you will buy your ticket. Make sure you bring your passport! Take a shuttle bus to Golden Whip Stream (around 20 minutes). Not many crowds here, so there’s no need to worry about getting here early.

This is a relaxed and pleasant hike in a valley, following the stream. You’ll see ground-level views of the famous sandstone pillars and lots of wild monkeys. The hike takes takes around 2-3 hours and finishes at the south entrance (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entrance).

Optional: if weather and time permit, head up to Huangshi Village (which is actually a mountain). You’ll need to take a shuttle bus from the end of the Golden Whip Stream trail to Huangshi Village. Take the cable car up (¥70) for some scenic views and more monkeys, then hike back down.

Exit the national park at the south entrance and either take the local bus (¥10) or a taxi back to Wulingyuan town.

Day 2 – Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain

Get up early to reach the park entrance at opening time to beat the queue for the Bailong Sky Elevator.

Yuanjiajie Take the shuttle bus to Bailong Sky Elevator. Take the elevator up to the top of Yuanjiajie (¥65). Walk few hundred metres, and another shuttle bus will take you to the Yuanjiajie viewing platforms. Wander along the walkways and admire the stunning views, including the ‘Avatar mountains’. Notable views are the Sky Pillar and the No. 1 Bridge Under Heaven.

Tianzi Mountain Take the shuttle bus to Tianzi Mountain. You’ll be on the upper part of the mountain, where the view is pretty spectacular. From here you can hike down. Stop at Tianzi Pavilion for the sweeping panoramic views.

If you’re short on time or want to skip the hike, take the cable car down to the bottom of the mountain (¥72).

Optional: at the base of the mountain, you’ll encounter the Three Sisters Peak. Walk from here along the Ten Mile Gallery to admire the ‘walkway’ of natural stone sculptures.

Take the shuttle bus back to the main entrance of the park.

Day 3 – Tianmen Mountain

Transfer to Zhangjiajie city in the early morning. Drop your luggage at your hotel in Zhangjiajie city and head to the Tianmen Mountain cable car entrance.

The queue may be quite long, but the cable car up really does offer unparalleled birds-eye views of the mountain, including of the 99 Bends Road.

Walk along the upper paths of the mountain. You can take the east or west path – it’s a loop, so it doesn’t matter hugely which one you take. Note that the glass skywalks are one-way, but there are sections on both the east and west routes. There are routes to bypass the skywalk and cliff walks if you’re feeling squeamish.

Take the escalator down to the foot of the Stairway to Heaven. You can walk up the 999 steps to Heaven’s Door or take the escalator. You’ll have to get back down again, so an easy option is to take the escalator up and walk the steps down.

Take the cable car back down.

(Optional Extra) Day 4

If you have an extra day I recommend hiking the Yangjiajie trails if the weather is good, keeping Tianmen Mountain as the final day.

If the weather is bad, spend the morning at Yellow Dragon Cave and the afternoon at Baofeng Lake.

Tours to Zhangjiajie

Planning and navigating Zhangjiajie can be complicated, especially if you don’t speak Chinese (although plenty of non-Chinese speakers successfully make it there every year, so don’t be deterred). If you want to take the hassle out of trip planning, you could consider booking a tour.

Viator generally has a good selection of quality tours, and I’ve used it in the past on trips where I wanted to take a bit more of a relaxed approach. This 3-day private tour below has a similar itinerary to what I’ve suggested.

Zhangjiajie Bilingual Glossary

• Bailong Sky Elevator // 百龙天梯 (bǎi lóng tiān tī) – outdoor elevator going to the top of Yuanjiajie aka ‘Avatar mountains’
• Baofeng Lake // 宝峰湖 (bǎo fēng hú) – a lake in the scenic area
• Glass Bridge // 大峡谷玻璃桥 (dà xìá gǔ bō li qiáo)
• Huangshi Village // 黄石寨 huáng shí zhāi – mountain area connected to Golden Whip Stream
• Ten Mile Gallery // 十里画廊 (shí lǐ huà láng) – a hike with interesting natural rock formations at the base of Tianzi Mountain
• Three Sisters Peak // 三姐妹 (sān jiě mèi) – a rock formation at the base of Tianzi Mountain
• Tianmen Mountain // 天门山 (tiān mén shān) – mountain with ‘Heaven’s Gate’ in Zhangjiajie city (NOT the same as TianZI Mountain)
• Tianzi Mountain // 天子山 (tiān zǐ shān) – mountain in the national park (NOT the same as TianMEN Mountain)
• Wulingyuan // 武陵源 (wǔ líng yúan) – the town where the national park is located
• Yellow Dragon Cave // 黄龙洞 (huáng lóng dòng) – a large karst cave
• Yangjiajie // 杨家界 (yáng jiā jiè) – area with hiking trails in the national park (NOT the same as YUANjiajie)
• Yuanjiajie // 袁家界 (yuán jiā jiè) – where the ‘Avatar mountains’ are located (NOT the same as YANGjiajie)
• Zhangjiajie // 张家界 (zhāng jiā jiè) – the name of the national park and also the main city (lit. means Zhang family homeland)

Check out these other guides to help you plan your trip to China: Booking Hotels in China Getting Around in China Paying in China Essential Apps for China Getting a SIM Card for China

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Zhangjiajie, China - Your Complete Travel Guide

Zhangjiajie is a city, region, and national park located in Central China, approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Hong Kong (a 6.5-hour train ride away).

Are you impressed by the Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar ? The real ones are in Zhangjiajie. There are 243 peaks and more than 3,000 pinnacles and spires in the national park. Scenes in Avatar come to mind when the peaks are caught in the right light or when the early morning mountain mist rolls in around them.

In 1982, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park became China's first national forest park.

Why People Love to Visit Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is not suited to everyone's taste, just as not everyone enjoys watching the movie Avatar. But for those who love nature , wish to seek adventure , and want to escape from the daily hustle and bustle, Zhangjiajie is a must for your travel itinerary.

• Get up close and personal with the mountains from Avatar. Don't just be impressed by videos and pictures. Travel to see the real ones - they are only a day's journey from you.
• Escape from your busy routine to see the most beautiful scenery and rejuvenate your mind and body.
• Enjoy the adventure of hiking in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in dense forests and by stunning waterfalls and limpid streams.

Top Things to Do in Zhangjiajie

It would be a shame to travel halfway around the world to Zhangjiajie but then miss any of the highlights. Reviews are not always helpful for you to find the best things to do as people rate by personal expectations and preferences. We have given you the recommendations below according to the majority of our customers' feedback as well as our own 20+ years of traveling.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park : If we were asked to recommend just one attraction, it would be this. All of the mountains and peaks parodied in the movie Avatar are concentrated in this national park.

Tianmen Mountain or Heaven's Gate Mountain : The 999 steps to Heaven's Door, the 70-degree inclines above deep valleys on the longest cable car ride... your mind may be flooded with imaginings reading about these, let alone the spectacular valley views and thrilling cliff path skywalks.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge : If you love adventure, you won't want to miss a hiking trip in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. There is a glass bridge over the canyon and you'll love this if you crave fun and exciting experiences.

Check out our 4-Day Essence of Zhangjiajie Tour .

Nearby Fenghuang Ancient Town and Furong Ancient Town can be great options if you are interested in Chinese ancient towns. Read 7-Day Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Ancient Town Tour .

Best Times to Visit - Spring and Fall

Zhangjiajie can be visited all year round but your experiences may vary according to the seasons.

Weather conditions : The period from September to October is often considered the best time to visit because of the comfortable weather with bright sunny days. However, it is also a very crowded season . If you don't want to waste time queueing for hours, let our experienced local travel experts help you. Would you rather waste 2 hours in queues or spend an extra 2 hours at the attractions? The choice is yours.

Spring is a good time because of the vigorous forests and seas of clouds. It is more relaxing during this season, with fewer people around. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle, this may be the best season for you.

Winter is cold but that also means you can enjoy the rare snowy mountain scenery and better hotel rates. If you want to benefit from having less expense, this season is the best choice although please note it may be freezing in the mountains.

See detailed information on Zhangjiajie Weather .

Recommended Tours:

• 6 Days Zhangjiajie Tour from Shanghai
• 9 Days Minority Discovery in Zhangjiajie and Guizhou
• 6 Day Essence of Guangzhou and Zhangjiajie Tour

How to Get to Zhangjiajie by Air/Train

Zhangjiajie is a small city surrounded by mountains, with a small airport and a high-speed railway.

The best way to get to Zhangjiajie is to take a plane directly from Beijing (2.5 hours), Xi'an (1.5 hours), Shanghai (2 hours), or Chengdu (1.5 hours), or to take a high-speed train from Changsha (2.5 hours), Guilin (7.5 hours), Guangzhou (6 hours), or Hong Kong (6.5 hours).

It's hard and exhausting to figure the transportation all out. When booking, you will find it even harder so let the people who are good at this help you, like China Highlights. We will save you a lot of time and, most importantly, we know the best options. Let us help you create your Zhangjiajie trip .

See more detailed information about How to Get to and around Zhangjiajie .

The Best Places to Stay

There are international hotel chains in Zhangjiajie, such as Pullman Zhangjiajie, but the hotels are generally of a lower quality compared with hotels of the same star rating in major Chinese tourist cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guilin. Except for 5-star hotels, the hotels generally don't provide a Western breakfast and spoken English is limited.

Most of the hotels in Zhangjiajie are concentrated in two areas: downtown Zhangjiajie and a small town adjacent to the national park, called Wulingyuan.

We suggest our customers stay close to the national forest park most of the time because it is convenient for sightseeing in the park and some of the best hotels in the region are there. For those who arrive late or depart early, we suggest you stay in Zhangjiajie city center as it is close to the airport and train station.

See more useful tips about where to stay .

Zhangjiajie Food and Cuisine

The local cuisine in Zhangjiajie is spicy and has strong flavors. Don't worry if you can't eat spicy food because there will be Western food choices available at your hotel. We still recommend that you be adventurous and try it - learn about the place through your stomach.

Food options inside the national park are very limited but our guide will find the best ones for you. You can find a few Western restaurants, such as McDonald's and KFC, inside the park.

There are no vegetarian restaurants in the city but we can also arrange that and any other special requirements by talking with the chefs.

Zhangjiajie, Jiuzhaigou, Huangshan, or Guilin?

A lot of travelers consider the differences between Zhangjiajie, Jiuzhaigou, Huangshan, and Guilin, and try to figure out which is the best to visit. Our recommendations are as follows:

• Guilin's good for first-time visitors, or for comfort or those tight on time. Read more about Guilin Or Zhangjiajie, Which is the Best to Visit?
• The Yellow Mountains are good for classical mountain views, and preferable for hiking. Read more on Zhangjiajie or Huangshan, which one is the best to visit for you?
• Jiuzhaigou is best for those with more than a week's time to appreciate the alpine mountain and lake views. Continue to read details on: To Travel Zhangjiajie or Jiuzhaigou ?
• Zhangjiajie's great for steep peak and gorge views and adventures, but not so great for comfort.

Accessibility : Zhangjiajie, Guilin and Huangshan are easier to access than Jiuzhaigou.

Travel comfort : Guilin's best, Huangshan's second, Jiuzhaigou's third, and Zhangjiajie's fourth for quality of accommodation, facilities, and infrastructure.

• Zhangjiajie features "gravity-defying" mesas. The huge forest park pillars seem to float in seas of clouds.
• Jiuzhaigou has colorful Alpine lakes, snowy peaks, and waterfalls in deep glacial valleys.
• Huangshan is known for its seas of clouds, peculiar-shaped rocks and pines, sunrises/sunsets, and ancient villages nearby.
• Guilin features celebrated water (the Li River and tributaries) and karst landscapes (bizarrely-shaped limestone hills).

Recommended Zhangjiajie Extended Tours:

• Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Guilin/Yangshuo – Shanghai
• Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Yangtze River – Shanghai

Travel to Zhangjiajie with China Highlights

A trip to Zhangjiajie should be relaxing and enjoyable but the reality may not always seem like this. How does it feel to queue in a large crowd for over 2 hours? Your guide will help you to get where you want to go and to navigate around the crowds.

See our most popular customizable Zhangjiajie itineraries :

• 4 Days Zhangjiajie Tour - the most popular Zhangjiajie tour itinerary
• 7-Day Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Tour - Visit the Highlights in Zhangjiajie and experience the minority cultures of Fenghuang
• Zhangjiajie Tours: more tour options that can be tailored to your interests

Or we can create a trip especially for you from your interests and requirements. Or you can read more tips on how to plan your Zhangjiajie tour

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Zhangjiajie Itinerary | The complete guide for 3 days in Zhangjiajie

One of the most mystical places we have ever been to, and our second favourite place in China after The Great Wall near Beijing, Zhangjiajie National Park and the Wulingyuan Scenic Area has to be right at the top of your must-visit places on a trip to China. Even though the place rose to fame as the inspiration for James Cameron in his blockbuster hit Avatar , this China landmark is still not on many tourists and travellers’ radar. Although over the next few years, we expect that to change, so make sure you visit it as soon as possible. You won’t regret it. To help you along – especially since most of the information out there is pretty confusing – we’ve put together this epic 3 days in Zhangjiajie guide for this UNESCO World Heritage site; our ultimate Zhangjiajie itinerary.

What is the Zhangjiajie National Forest?

Ok, the first thing that’s pretty important to understand is that when people talk about Zhangjiajie, they are generally referring to the absolutely stunning national park, but what’s really important to know is that there are two cities – Zhangjiajie and Wulingyuan, that are located either side of the Wulinguan Scenic Area , in which sits the Zhangjiajie National Park (one of 4 main areas). The cities are about 45 minutes to an hour (traffic dependant) apart, and based on your Zhangjiajie itinerary, it’s key to choose the right location to base yourselves. We’ll delve a little deeper into that when we talk about accommodation…!

So what exactly is the Zhangjiajie National Forest? 

This is actually the first area that was discovered in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, with Tianzi Mountain , Yuanjiajie (the most famous section with the Avatar Hallelujah Mountains) and Yangjiajie making up the other 3 areas of the park. However, with it being the first discovered area, it’s the name that has really stuck and is far better known than the Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

The whole park however offers breath-taking scenery, gravity-defying sandstone pillars and some of the best hiking that we have ever had the luck to explore.

Located in the northwest of the Hunan Province, the scenic and historic interest area spans across 400 square kilometres.

How long do I need in Zhangjiajie?

Although it depends on your general hiking ability and fitness levels, we believe that you need to give yourself at least 3 days to explore all the key sights and viewpoints in Zhangjiajie and Tianmen. Although this article outlines what is a bit of a whistle-stop Zhangjiajie itinerary, with pretty intense (but very achievable) routes for those 3 days, you could easily extend your stay in the area and do our suggested itinerary over a 5 day period if you wanted to do it in a more relaxed way.

And if you are even faster travellers than us, and can only dedicate one day to this incredible area, we would recommend that you take our day 1 itinerary – you’ll see the most famous sights.

What is the perfect Zhangjiajie itinerary?

• Day 1 | The Bailong Elevator, Avatar Mountains, Yangjiajie and Tianzi Mountain
• Day 2 | Golden Whip Stream & Huangshi Village
• Day 3 | Tianmen Mountain

How to get to Zhangjiajie National Park and Wulingyuan Scenic Area

So if you’re doing a much larger China itinerary, you’ll most likely be doing the more common loop from Beijing (check out our Beijing itinerary here ), Xi’an (we also have a Xi’an city guide ) and Chengdu – from here, we would recommend that you take a train to Changsha, stay the night in Changsha and then get the train to Zhangjiajie.

There are very much two different classes of train travel in China: the super modern, fast, clean efficient bullet trains that make major intercity journeys an absolute pleasure and in my opinion better than a flight. And then there are the more local intercity trains, which are waiting to be updated and if you’ve travelled in Asia, much more something you’ll be accustomed to facing. For the train from Changsha to Zhangjiajie you’re looking at the latter.

Booking trains in China is actually a relatively simple process. Unless you have a Chinese mobile, ID and understand Mandarin, you’ll need to use a third party supplier. We booked ours through China Highlights , which was a great service, they add a small mark up to the ticket prices, but it’s very easy to use. They also have a great app China Train Booking .

Helpful tip: You can pick up all your train tickets for travel at any mainline station in China. Just make sure you have the booking reference and your passport with you!

You can also take a bus directly from Fenghuang (the Ancient city of Phoenix), another popular stop on the tourist trail in China. The bus was very comfortable and took about 4 hours. We’d recommend that if you’re travelling in the busier summer holiday time (July and August) or around any major China holidays to book in advance. The best option seems to be China Bus Guide . However, although we did this journey in reverse (from Wulingyan bus station to Fenghuang) we were able to buy tickets at the bus station the day before we travelled.

If you’d like more advice on a full China itinerary, make sure you get in touch with us here , or leave a comment below and we’ll come back to you!

The obvious other alternative is to look into flights. Which, although more expensive than the train or bus options, is definitely faster and more convenient. Check out the latest prices on Skyscanner .

Travel Insurance for China

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Check out the latest travel insurance prices with Safety Wing here.

Where to stay in Zhangjiajie?

As we mentioned a little earlier in the article, it really is important to make sure that you base yourself in the right area. Zhangjiajie is actually a city (as most things are in China, surprisingly larger than we expected, with 1.5 million inhabitants). It is the location for the cable car to take you to Tianmenshan (Tianmen Mountain), which we suggest as part of day 3 of our Zhangjiajie itinerary, however, for days 1 & 2, you definitely will want to stay in Wulingyuan. Most of the accommodation options here are walkable to the main entrance of the Zhangjiajie National Park and it has much more of a feel of a small town, which is really nice.

As the drive from Zhangjiajie city to the park entrance is 45 minutes, we’d really recommend you stay in Wulingyuan, particularly if you are keen to get there early and beat the crowds to the best spots. The easiest way to get to Wulingyaun from Zhangjiajie is to take the bus from the main bus station, handily also located right next to the main train station.

Budget : Backpackers will like the Wuling Yuantu Youth Hostel – it’s right next to the Wulingyuan ticket office so very handy! It has free wifi and really lovely rooms, so worth a look in!

Mid-range: We stayed at the Maosao Family Hotel and really liked it. It was a quick walk to the main entrance to the park, had lovely rooms with wooden features and soft white sheets – we particularly thought the family rooms had great value.

Luxury : There are quite a few good high-end hotels in Wulingyuan but we’d probably pick the Pullman , also since it has one of the best restaurants with Western food!

Buying your tickets for Zhangjiajie National Park, Wulingyan Scenic Area and Tianmen Mountain

For tickets to Zhangjiajie National Park and the Wulingyuan Scenic Area:

You can buy your tickets at any of the main gates into the park. The best bet is to get to the main gate in Wulingyuan as early as you can, the ticket office opens at 7.00 am. It’s always worth carrying your passport with you at all times in China – at most of the major tourist attractions you will need it, and here is no different. Your tickets (credit card style passes) are linked to your ID, and on your first time through the turnstiles they link your fingerprint to your pass!

If you’re a student, it’s worth taking the relevant ID with you as you’ll also be entitled to some pretty good discounts.

Tickets cost: 248 RMB (35 USD / 27 GBP) – this is a 4 day pass that covers your entry, access to all 4 areas of the park and buses within the park. Note that there are additional costs for the Bailong Elevator (72 RMB / 10.25 USD / 7.80 GBP) and Cable Cars (79 RMB / 11.25 USD / 8.60 GBP).

Insider Tip: Join the local tour guides, jump the fence and you’ll get your tickets before anyone else. We did it and it meant we were on the first buses!

For tickets to Tianmen Mountain :

Chat to your accommodation and ask them to book your tickets in advance! They’ll need a photo of your passport which they send on to the ticket office to book your tickets, you will then collect the physical tickets. The ticket office is located at the base of the cable car, and there is a designated counter for pre-ordered tickets. There are morning or afternoon tickets available and you’ll definitely want to get yourself into one of the morning slots – the earlier you can get up Tianmen Mountain the better, as it can get quite busy by the afternoon.

There is a cable car that runs up to the top of Tianmen Mountain, and you’ll either be allotted a journey up on the cable car and down on the bus. Or vice versa. We would actually recommend asking for the bus up – it’s a relatively hairy drive up the mountain, with 99 hairpin turns in total, and although pretty exhilarating, it would be twice that on the descent.

Tickets for Tianmen Mountain cost: 261 RMB (37.25 USD / 28.40 GBP) and the ticket office opens from 7.00 am (note the park only opens from 8.00 am).

If you don’t feel so comfortable doing this itinerary without a tour guide, have a look at the various guided options with Get Your Guide .

Day 1 in Zhangjiajie

Ready to go and explore one of the most beautiful places in the world? Let’s kick off on the first day of your ultimate 3 day Zhangjiajie itinerary!

Bailong Elevator

So, get yourself up super early, get hold of your passes, and once in the main station, there are heaps of buses that ferry people around to all sections of the park. Point out that you want to go to the Bailong Elevator (also known as the Hundred Dragon Elevator) in the Yainjiajie section of the park and they’ll let you know which bus number to get on – it’s a relatively straight forward process, but with so many people and buses can appear quite confusing at first.

We managed to get onto the first bus of the day, and it was totally worth it! Once you arrive at the Bailong Elevator (the end of this bus line), you will need to purchase a ticket at the Bailong Elevator counters. There is an additional cost for the riding the elevator, but in our opinion it is totally worth it. The ticket price for this is: 72 RMB / 10.25 USD / 7.85 GBP.

Try and squeeze into the front of the elevator against the glass walls, face outwards and prepare yourself for the best lift ride of your life.

Tip: If you don’t get to the Bailong Elevator early, you can expect to queue for some time – we heard reports of people waiting a couple of hours to take the lift! So it’s really worth making the extra effort to be one of the first…

Avatar Mountains & Yuanjiajie

At the top of the Bailong Elevator, there is only one path that leads away, so you really can’t go wrong. Follow this path for about 400m where you’ll come to another bus station, where buses are waiting to take you along to the viewing platforms of the Southern Sky Column, the inspiration for the Avatar Mountains .

Along this walkway you’ll also encounter the First Bridge Under Heaven and the Lost Souls Platform. Each spot is amazing, and if you’re some of the first there in the morning, you get to experience this all without the crowds.

The walk should take you around 60 – 90 minutes depending on your speed and how much time you take to explore.

The next stop for the day is into the most recently discovered section of the park, Yangjiajie. There is a bus that will take you from the end of your walk in Yuanjiajie to Yangjiejie.

At the bus station, head out towards the Tianbo Mansion viewpoint. It’s about a 90 minute or so round trip, and you need to return here to move on to the next stop of the day. The walk to the viewpoint is really unique in that you’ll pass through the ancient Wulong Village, where you can still see the local traditional way of life.

Heading on past the village, you then come to a very narrow naturally formed crevice, where the mountain has split, it’s a decent hike up plenty of steps, but there are a number of places to stop and have a rest on the way.

At the end of the path there is the opportunity to climb (on some relatively rickety looking metal stairs), up to the top of one of the sandstone pillars, which offers beautiful views of the Natural Great Wall.

Tianzi Mountains

After returning to the Yangjiajie bus station, get on a bus for the journey to the Tianzi Mountains, this is the last section to explore for today. This for us provided two of the most ‘wow’ moments of the day. Firstly, and the bad wow, there’s actually a McDonalds at the summit of Tianzi Mountain!

But then for the amazing wow: Head past the McD’s and look for the Warrior Taming Horse lookout. This has to be, for us anyway, the best viewpoint on the mountain.

Keep exploring the tracks at the top, as there are stunning viewpoints everywhere, and once you’ve had your fill of idyllic scenery, we’d suggest that you walk all the way down. You can of course take the cable car back down, which is probably slightly easier on the knees. But, much to our surprise, the walk down was virtually deserted and we passed hardly anyone, except some poor souls who thought it would be a good idea to walk up Tianzi Mountain. No matter your fitness level, don’t attempt that!

There are a few café’s to stop at and get refreshments along the way, but the walk down really does provide different levels and perspectives of the sandstone pillars to appreciate. And you get to pass through the stunning Southern Heavenly Gate. You can’t go wrong if you keep following the signs towards the Ten Mile Natural Gallery.

Once at the base, you’ll see a tram that you can take along this approx. 2 mile journey (not actually 10 miles as the name suggests), or just walk down. Here there are buses that can take you back to the Wulingyuan park entrance.

Note: If you wanted to extend your itinerary, you could quite easily separate Tianzi Mountain into its own hike!

Day 2 in Zhangjiajie

The golden whip stream.

So today it’s not quite as important to be first to the Park entrance, as you don’t need to rush to beat the queues at the Bailong Elevator. However, follow exactly the same initial journey as the first day and get the bus towards the lift – you’ll be wanting to get off the bus at the stop beforehand, called the Golden Whip Stream. Make sure you mention this to your driver (or point it out on the map) and they’ll stop for you at the right spot. And it is still definitely trying to get to the start as early as you can!

The first part of today’s hiking is really gentle, as the Golden Whip stream takes you along the river that flows in the valley. The most rewarding part of this is that you get the complete alternative to yesterday’s views, looking up to the looming sandstone pillars.

The Golden Whip Stream should take an hour or so to complete. You’ll also likely to bump into a few monkeys, but worth noting that it’s good to steer clear of them, we saw them on someone’s back opening their bag, looking for food.

Huangshi Village

When you reach the end of the Golden Whip Stream – the interestingly named Oxygen Square – we’d suggest that you hike up to Huangshi Village. This is definitely the toughest section of our suggested itinerary as it is a pretty long climb up. And in general nothing but stairs… about 5,000 of them and a good 90 minutes of continuous stair climbing.

If you’re not keen on the hike up, you can also take a bus from Oxygen Square to the Huangshi Village cable car. You’ll pay extra for this ticket.

At the summit, we’d recommend that you take a walk around the entire mountain top, it’s meant to take around 3 hours in total, but in reality you can definitely do it a bit quicker. And it’s definitely worth the extra effort to walk all the way around – at the far side you see the Avatar Hallelujah Mountains from the reverse side.

After finishing the loop, head back down the stairs to Oxygen Square. It’s much quicker on the way down and only takes about an hour.

Once you’re back down, you can either head back along the Golden Whip Stream (if you have the energy) to catch the free bus back to the Wulingyuan entrance. Or alternatively you can exit the park here at the Forest Park Station exit, where you will find buses heading back to Wulingyuan bus station.

Note: you have to pay for this bus back to Wulingyuan but it’s not expensive at 20 RMB (2.85 USD / 2.20 GBP).

Day 3 in Zhangjiajie

Tianmen mountain.

If you are staying in Wulingyuan, make sure that you allow yourself enough time to get to the Cable Car Station in Zhangjiajie city, the buses depart for Zhangjiajie from Wulingyuan bus station and depart every 20-30 minutes from around 7.00am. If you point out to the bus driver that you want to get off at the Cable Car, the bus drivers are usually super helpful and will let you know when to get off, but it’ll be quite obvious as you’ll see the cable car.

99 Turns Bus Ride

Once you’ve got hold of your tickets from the cable car station, if you are heading up on the buses first (don’t worry if not, the information is just in reverse and you’ll like do the mountain first before walking the Stairway to Heaven), head out to the rear of the building and you’ll see a load of buses waiting to ferry people up. This is actually the first bus ride of two you take to get up Tianmen. But don’t worry – it’s really easy. The first bus take around 10 – 15 minutes to the start of the National Forest Park, from here you then walk up the steps and check in with your tickets, joining another queue (not very long) to take you on another bus up which drives you to the summit.

We’re a little confused as to why you need to transfer buses but that’s the process!

Photo credit: Eamon Hayes

The journey up Tianmen Mountain is a pretty wild ride. If you get motion sick, it’s worth having a tablet beforehand as you’re in for 99 hairpin turns to make it to the top. Apart from slightly hair-raising, it offers absolutely stunning views of the surrounding area.

Stairway to Heaven

After arriving at the bus station, you immediately see why this place is so important. Directly translated as ‘Gateway to Heaven’, in front of you lies a super impressive stairway, leading up to Tianmen Cave.

In total there are 999 steps, and although it’s daunting, you actually do the climb in next to no time! There are also plenty of areas that you can stop and have a seat on the way up! If you aren’t keen on attempting the climb, you can also take the escalator up instead that sits hidden to the right of the stairs.

At the summit of the Stairway to Heaven, you’re actually still quite a way from the top of Tianmen Mountain, but luckily there are escalators (7 of them from memory) that will take you all the way.

Walking the Mountain

Now at the top of the elevators, you now have a choice to either head out right or left, (to the East or West walkways) if, like us, you want to walk around the whole of the mountain. It is really worth doing this, as although it’ll take around 4 hours, the walk is not so strenuous.

If you head out to the East walkways first, they seemed to be less crowded than the West side, this may of course been due to our timings. Along the walk, you’ll encounter some seriously impressive walkways that jut out from the side of the mountain, and there are a couple of glass walkways that are really worth doing (even if you’re not great with heights). The first you’ll come to is the East Glass walkway, and although not as impressive as the West one, still very much worth doing. You pay an extra 5 RMB (0.70 USD / 0.55 GBP) but in reality this is the cost for the shoe covers to keep the glass clean.

If you are taking the Cable Car up, it would make more sense to head to the West walkways first, so you’re not doubling back on yourself.

After you arrive back near the start of your mountain top walk, you’ll reach the cable car – which is a great experience by itself. Once the longest cable car in the world, you have a 30 minute relaxing return journey all the way back to the original cable car station in Zhangjiajie.

If you have more energy than us, you could also squeeze another activity into day 3 of the itinerary! If so, check out our recommendations below of bonus activities to add. Although, to be honest, we were exhausted by the end of this!

We obviously did loads of hiking (up to 20km each day and much of that up and down), however, you definitely can use more buses and cable cars than we did which will be a little easier on the legs. If you are planning on doing loads of hiking, it’s definitely worth getting a leg massage in Wulingyuan – it really eases the aches and loosens the muscles for the next day’s adventure!

Read next: Here is our perfect 2 weeks in China itinerary and travel guide!

When is the best time of year to visit Zhangjiajie?

Zhangjiajie weather follows much of the northern hemisphere, in that it has the classic four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Winters can get down to freezing, but would offer stunning views, and is the quietest time of year. Summer can get pretty hot (over 30 degrees). And between May and August are the wettest months! But in a place that experiences over 200 days of rain or misty clouds, make sure that you take waterproof clothing regardless of when you go.

The best time of year – think less humid, warm but not hot and less chance of rain – are April and October. We were there in September and had wonderful weather, although quite humid on two days with the final day quite misty. The Chinese holiday months of July and August are also the busiest, so likely that accommodation costs will be higher, and the parks fuller.

Top tip: Don’t forget that the temperatures can be quite a bit colder on the mountain tops, so be prepared!

Bonus Activities to add to your Zhangjiajie itinerary

Yellow Dragon Cave

Just a short bus ride from Wulingyuan (20 minutes) is this enormous karst cave network, covering 100, 000 square metres. The Yellow Dragon Cave (or ‘Huanglongdong’ in Chinese) is a massive cave complex featuring a reservoir, underground waterfalls, pools and two underground rivers. Yes, China really does it bigger and better!

Some of the world’s largest stalactites and stalagmites form inside the cave, and it’s a really interesting journey to see them, and all the attractions which are illuminated in bright colours. That said, it can feel a little touristy – the many hued lights and many other visitors mean this is quite a commercial experience.

As to the journey itself, you’ll do parts of it by foot and the others through a 800m long boat cruise on the Xiangshui River. All of it is guided, and takes about 90 minutes.

At time of writing, it cost 100 RMB (14.30 USD / 11 GBP) for the ticket, and only 1 RMB for the bus which is Bus No 1 from Wulingyuan Bus Station.

Photo Courtesy of Bill Hertha / Flickr

Baofeng Lake

As most of your time in Zhangjiajie and the Wulingyuan Scenic Area is about mountains and glass walkways, its worth doing something more water-based, like Baofeng Lake. This lake is 72 metres deep and about 2.5 km long, flanked by beautiful steep peaks. The water is incredibly clear and reflects the surrounding area, making this a beautiful, peaceful place to visit.

While you’re there, you can also do a scenic boat ride where you’ll take in the mountains to the tune of local singers performing Tuljia songs. You can also get off the boat and explore the fountains and a waterfall, via a short hike.

It costs about 96 CNY (14.70 USD / 11 GBP) and you get there via Bus No 1 from the Wulingyuan Bus Station.

Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge

Last but definitely not least is the Grand Canyon and the Glass Bridge. These are technically two separate ‘attractions’ in that you can pay for them separately, or a combo ticket – more on that below.

The absolutely beautiful canyon is perfect for walking and hiking – you take wooden trails over a 3-4 hour hike, starting with the mind-blowing Strip of Sky, a long gap between two mountain cliffs where only one person fits at a time. You’ll walk a 700 meter long trail down to the bottom, before traversing through the canyon where you can also try your hand at the Sky Ladder Plank Road and the Southern Red Flag Canal, a beautiful canal that powers the nearby villages.

But it is the glass bridge that really attracts most visitors. The bridge (which shouldn’t be confused with the glass walkways on Tianmen mountain), is the world’s longest and highest glass bridge. Called ‘Yuntiandu’ it means ‘a way of clouds to the sky’ since it seems almost suspended in the air. The entire thing is transparent glass, giving you a heart racing view down to the bottom of the canyon.

It costs 118 RMB (16.80 USD / 13 GBP) for just the Grand Canyon, CNY 138 (20 USD / 15 GBP) for just the Glass Bridge and CNY 219 (31.30 USD / 24 GBP) for the combo ticket, at time of writing. From Wulingyuan bus station you take the bus to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon which takes 20 minutes.

Zhangjiajie Travel Tips – What to pack for your Zhangjiajie Itinerary

You’ll definitely want to make sure you’ve got a decent day bag to take with you. We love our Osprey day bag and find it perfect for everything we need to carry on a day trip. But what are the essentials to include?

• Water bottle. Throughout China, the tap water isn’t drinkable. Do yourself a favour and get a LifeStraw – it’ll save you money in the long run and it’s good for the planet.
• Camera. The most important thing in our opinion. The landscapes are truly out of this world.
• Waterproof jacket or poncho. It can be cloudy and rainy up on the mountain, more likely than not. So make sure that you’ve got something that keeps you dry.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses. On the other hand, it can be surprisingly hot up there. We were really lucky that we had two sunny hot days.
• Snacks . You’ll want to take some good snacks for the walks, there are limited options on the mountains away from the main cable car stations.
• Great hiking shoes! If you’re like us and you want to explore, make sure you’re wearing a comfy pair of shoes, we walked on average of 20km each day, and a lot of that is steps. You can of course do less of the hiking, but it’s the best way to get away from the crowds. We love our Salomon XA Pro 3D .
• Tissues or toilet paper . You never know if there’s going to be any toilet paper on that bathroom break!

What apps should I use in Zhangjiajie?

We’ve actually created a super handy guide to all the apps that you need for travelling in China – check that out here . That said, here are some of the crucial ones:

Most importantly, make sure that you get a good VPN – it’s the most important app to have on your phone, otherwise you won’t be able to use most of the day to day programs that you are used to using. Think no Google, no Facebook, no WhatsApp, no Instagram etc… you get the picture.

We’d strongly recommend that you pick ExpressVPN . We used both that and its biggest competitor NordVPN , and found that on speeds and access, ExpressVPN just comes out slightly ahead – but both are great products!

And download the VPN and other apps before you go. Play Store won’t be available in China (without a VPN).

The other key apps that we’d recommend that you download:

• Taxi service. Uber (and our Southeast Asia favourite, Grab), don’t work in China. However, China does have their own equivalent which is pretty much the same –  DIDI Chuxing .
• Maps. So for hiking routes, we love Maps.Me , as a lot of the routes are on here, when they don’t appear on Google Maps. You can also download regional and very detailed offline maps which means that even if you have no internet, you are always able to find your way around. It works on GPS positioning, which doesn’t require 3G connectivity. Quite useful in the mountains of Zhangjiajie!
• Translation. The most tricky thing about travelling in China is definitely the language barrier. Unlike the rest of South East Asia, English is pretty much not spoken outside the major cities. So it’s worth having Google Translate in your pocket. They also have a handy offline version for Chinese so you don’t need the internet to work it either.

What camera equipment and other gear do we use?

We’re living proof that you don’t need the most expensive gear to travel the world and take good photos. Here are some of our must have items that make it into the packing list for all our travels.

• Main Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ1000
• Drone: DJI Mavic Air – Fly More Combo
• GoPro: Hero 7 Black
• GoPro Dive Case: Go Pro Housing
• GoPro Case: Smatree GoPro Carry Case – Small
• Packing Cubes: Eagle Creek Packing case
• Backpack: Osprey Farpoint 70
• Powerbank: Anker Powercore
• Phone: Xiaomi Mi 9
• Hard drive: Transcend Slim Storejet 2TB
• Laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad 720s
• Headphones: Bose Quiet Comfort 35
• Wifi Hotspot: GlocalMe G4

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Thank you for suggestions, but honestly interesting that express came up a better, I’ve used them in the past and I had some trouble, of course, their support helped me out from time to time, but even then its a bit more expensive. Switched out to NordVPN eventually when they released the Christmas deal. Anyways, I’m going to travel through there, and I’m really excited about it.

Absolute pleasure! And definitely do let us know if you need any other advice! Enjoy it and we’d love to hear back from you, if you have any recommendations to add after you’ve visited Zhangjiajie.

In terms of the VPN, it’s a real toss up between the two services. I was actually all for NordVPN before China, but it just pipped it on performance there (most of the time).

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Zhangjiajie Travel Guide

• Zhangjiajie Tours
• Trips & Activities

If you want to travel in Zhangjiajie, and planning a Zhangjiajie trip, this detailed Zhangjiajie travel guide page will definitely tell you how to plan a Zhangjiajie tour, and to learn the key information about how to travel in Zhangjiajie.

Why to Visit Zhangjiajie?

Be excited to visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park where is famous for the unique Avatar style mountains, nowhere else on our planet!

When to Visit Zhangjiajie?

Actually it's always a great time to travel Zhangjiajie in a year because it is a yearround destination to visit. Traveling Zhangjiajie in different seasons, you will have uniquely different yet beautiful experiences.

Generally, April to October is the best time. April to June is the rainy season with extensive fog, adding an enchanting atmosphere to the scenery. From September to October the autumn foliage becomes colorful.

Best Time To Travel Zhangjiajie in Spring

If you want to travel Zhangjiajie in Spring, it's perfect to visit Zhangjiajie from Mid-march to Mid-April. The weather during this period is good, not too cold nor too hot; and the most important is that you don't need to worry about the crowded people, there are few people travel in Zhangjiajie at that time.

Best Time To Travel Zhangjiajie in Summer

If you want to travel Zhangjiajie in Summer, it's perfect to visit Zhangjiajie in June. The temperature is around 35 degrees, but it's not very hot in the park, and you can do a rafting tour in Zhangjiajie. Not recommend to travel in July and August, it's summer holiday for students, a little crowded.

Best Time To Travel Zhangjiajie in Autumn

If you want to travel Zhangjiajie in Autumn, it's perfect to get a tour to Zhangjiajie in September or October to Mid-November. It's an amazing golden world at that time in Zhangjiajie. One thing to note that October 1st–7th is the week of National Day, try to avoid those days.

Best Time To Travel Zhangjiajie in Winter

If you want to travel Zhangjiajie in Winter, it's perfect to visit Zhangjiajie in December to January. The temperature is around -2 to 10 degrees, a little cold in deep winter, but it's also a good time to explore the beautiful snowy Pandora world in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

How to Get to Zhangjiajie?

Go to zhangjiajie by flight.

Zhangjiajie is connected by flight with some major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. You can also get to Zhangjiajie by train (5 hours) or flight (1 hour) from Changsha City, the capital city of Hunan Province, which can be conveniently used as a transfer place.

Go to Zhangjiajie By Train

You can get to Zhangjiajie by train (6 hours) or flight (1 hour) from Changsha City, the capital city of Hunan Province, which can be conveniently used as a transfer place. Direct trains to Zhangjiajie are also available from Yichang (5 hours), Guangzhou (13 hours), Shenzhen (18 hours), and Liuzhou (12 hours).

Go to Zhangjiajie from Hong Kong

There is no direct transportation between Hong Kong and Zhangjiajie. You can first go to Shenzhen and take the direct flight to Zhangjiajie (2 hours), or take the high-speed rail to Changsha (3 hours), then transfer train or bus to Zhangjiajie (5 hours). Another way is to go to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and take the direct flight to Zhangjiajie (2 hours).

What To Do in Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie national forest park.

Being one of the tree parts of Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is the first national park of China which was approved by the State Council in 1982. Located in the northwest of Wulingyuan District.

• Opening Hours: 08:00 am - 18:00 pm
• Price: 248 Yuan/Person
• Yellow Stone Village Cable Car: 65 Yuan/Person(Single Way)
• Yangjiajie Cable Car: 76 Yuan/Person(Single Way)
• Tianzi Mountain Cable Car: 76 Yuan/Person(Single Way)
• Bailong Elevator: 72 Yuan/Person(Single Way)
• Ten-mile Gallery Mini Train: 38 Yuan/Person(Single Way)

Related Day Tours of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Day Tour Zhangjiajie Avatar Mountain & Glass Bridge Day Tour

Tianmen Mountain of Zhangjiajie

Tianmen Mountain, is approved to be National Forest Park in 1992, has an elevation of 1518.6 meters. It is only 8 kilometers far from the downtown and is one of the most representative natural sceneries of Zhangjiajie.

• Opening Hours: 08:00 am - 16:30 pm
• Price: 258 Yuan/Person
• Mini Cable Car: 40 Yuan/Person
• Glass Plank Road: 10 Yuan/Person

Related Day Tours of Tianmen Mountain: Tianmen Mountain of Zhangjiajie Day Tour

The Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge of Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with the Glass Bridge is new discovery outside Zhangjiajie National Park, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon situated in Sanguansi, Cili county Zhangjiajie city, 10 km east to Wulingyuan world natural heritage site.

• Opening Hours: 07:00 am - 18:00 pm
• Price:  256 Yuan/Person(including the Glass Bridge)

Related Day Tours of the Canyon and Glass Bridge: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge Day Tour

Baofeng Lake of Zhangjiajie

The Baofeng Lake Scenic Area is part of the larger Wulingyuan Scenic Area, one of the world's natural heritages. It is situated at the back of Mount Baofeng, with an area of 274 hectares. The area comprises Baofeng Lake and Yingwo Stockaded Village. The natural beauty of the lake and the mountain complement the human culture and landscape.

• Opening Hours: 08:30 am - 17:00 pm
• Price: 96 Yuan/Person

Yellow Dragon Cave of Zhangjiajie

Yellow Dragon Cavern is a typical Karst cave, consisting of an area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, underground streams, and caverns. So far, the discovered cave area is about 15 kilometers long and 140 meters high, and covers 48 hectares. The Cavern can be divided into two parts. One is the dry cave and the other is the water cave. In the Yellow Dragon Cavern are caves inside caves, and one cave may lead to many others. Sometimes there are also underground caves. Stalactites, stalagmites, stone blossoms, stone curtains, stone branches, stone canals, stone pearls, and stone macrospores can be seen in various places in the cavern, constituting a fantastic yet natural scene.

• Opening Hours: 07:15 am - 17:00 pm
• Price:  100 Yuan/Person

Fenghuang Ancient Town

Fenghuang Ancient Town, also called Phoenix Ancient Town, is situated on the western boundary of Hunan Province in an area of outstanding natural beauty where mountains, water and blue skies prevail.

• Opening Hours: 24 Hours
• Price: Free

5 Days Tour Combined Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang

Tianmen Fox Fairy Show

It is the first natural set music, song and dance drama with high mountains and peaks as the background and a canyon as the stage in the world. The music, song and dance is performed at the canyon which runs from the front gate of the Tianmen Mountain Scenic Zone to the top of Tianmen Mountain.

• Opening Hours: 20:15 pm - 21:50 pm
• Normal Seat: 238 Yuan/Person
• VIP Seat: 580 Yuan/Person
• Super VIP Seat: 880 Yuan/Person

Charming Western Hunan Show

It is a large song and dance bonfire performance put on at the Charming West Hunan International Cultural Square in Zhangjiajie every evening. On the basis of maintaining the original customs and culture of West Hunan, the performance has upgraded the music of ethnic groups and perfectly combined the traditional ethnic arts and skills with the sound, light and electricity technologies for the modern stage.

• Opening Hours: 19:30 pm - 21:00 pm | 21:00 pm - 22:30 pm
• Normal Seat: 228 Yuan/Person
• VIP Seat: 268 Yuan/Person
• Super VIP Seat: 308 Yuan/Person

Mengdong River Rafting

Mengdong River is located 80 kilometers southeast of Zhangjiajie City, nestled among mountains, a remote canyon towering limestone cliffs, a beautiful river that’s ranked among the top ones in China. The whole floating distance of Mengdong River is 47 kilometers with the 17 kilometers most exciting upper stream drifting. It is reputed to be the world's No. 1 spot for whitewater rafting.

• Opening Hours: 08:00 am - 17:00 pm (1st May - 30th Sep)
• Price: 160 Yuan/Person

Mengdong River Rafting Day Tour

Transfer Services in Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie tour guide service, chinese tour guide.

300 Yuan/Day

Cantonese Tour Guide

Korean tour guide.

400 Yuan/Day

English Tour Guide

500 Yuan/Day

Russian Tour Guide

600 Yuan/Day

Zhangjiajie Hotel Accommodation

Leisure 5 star hotel.

500 - 900 Yuan/Room/Night

Deluxe 4 Star Hotel

400 - 600 Yuan/Room/Night

Economy 3 Star Hotel

200 - 300 Yuan/Room/Night

How Long to Stay in Zhangjiajie?

3 Days Zhangjiajie tour is an easy trip to explore Avatar Mountain and Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie. Also it's quite suitable for company group or business travel as a weekend tour: Friday arrival, Sunday departure.

4 Days Zhangjiajie tour is enough to explore the main attractions of Zhangjiajie.

5 Days Zhangjiajie tour is good to explore deeper in Zhangjiajie.

6 Days Zhangjiajie tour is perfect to explore all the attractions of Zhangjiajie, and also you can get extra activities like a rafting tour or experience the local traditional farming life.

7 Days  Zhangjiajie tour is nice to get a combine tour of Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient Town(about 4 hours driving from Zhangjiajie).