Nestled in Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie is like stepping into another world—a place where towering sandstone peaks rise from lush forests and the landscape feels almost otherworldly. If those floating mountains from Avatar come to mind, you’re not far off—they were actually inspired by this very region. Whether you’re up for the thrill of walking on the world’s longest and highest glass bridge or just want to soak in the breathtaking beauty of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, this spot has something for everyone. Let’s dive into what makes Zhangjiajie such a must-visit destination in China.
Getting There
We traveled to Zhangjiajie from Guangzhou, our first stop in China (for a more detailed post about our experience in Guangzhou, click here).
To reach Zhangjiajie from Guangzhou, you have a couple of options. You can take a train, which takes around 6 hours and costs approximately $70 for a second-class ticket. If you’re looking for a faster option, China Southern Airlines operates direct flights three times a week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays). These flights take less than 2 hours, with ticket prices starting at around $90.
However, in my opinion, if you have to choose between planes and trains in China, trains are the clear winner. The service on domestic flights tends to be quite basic, while high-speed trains offer a far superior experience. Plus, you can even have food delivered right to your seat!
From Zhangjiajie West (Xi) train station, you can take a taxi to the city center for around 20 yuan.
Where to Stay
For our first night, we opted to stay in the city itself and chose Zhangjiajie Wangyi Inn, conveniently located just a 7-minute drive from Tianmen Mountain. The staff was incredibly friendly, the rooms were spacious, and there’s a night market nearby. What more could you ask for?
For the next three days, we stayed at the PureSpace Hotel, located near Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Let me tell you—this was one of the best hotel experiences I’ve ever had! The views of the National Park from the hotel are absolutely breathtaking, and the room itself was stylish and impeccably clean. But what truly set this stay apart was the hospitality of the owners. The owner graciously drove us to the entrance of the national park and even purchased our entry tickets for us.
Keep in mind that entry tickets can only be bought online through WeChat. If you’re having trouble with it, don’t hesitate to ask someone for help.
The hotel is situated in Longweiba village, just a 15-minute walk from the Zimugang ticket station, which is located at the Southeast gate of the National Park. Unlike the main gate, this is the smallest ticket station, so you won’t have to deal with long queues—no hour-long waits to get into the park!
What to See in Zhangjiajie?
Zhangjiajie is home to two must-see attractions: Tianmen Mountain and the renowned UNESCO-listed Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. If you have extra time, consider visiting Furong City, which is only a 1.5-hour drive away. However, we decided to focus most of our time on hiking and exploring Zhangjiajie itself.
Here’s our itinerary for exploring Zhangjiajie:
Day 1: Tianmen Mountain
We chose to stay in Zhangjiajie city for the first day because of its close proximity to Tianmen Mountain. Our hotel was just a 7-minute drive or a 35-minute walk from the lower cableway station. Our host was kind enough to purchase our entry tickets the day before, which I highly recommend doing online in advance, as ticket availability is limited.
Here’s a valuable tip we received from our host: instead of joining the early morning rush, try booking your ticket for around 11 am. We did just that, and by 11:30, we were already on our way without the long lines you often see on social media!
One more important reminder: don’t forget your passport! As a foreign tourist, you’ll need to present it for entry to almost every major sightseeing spot.
There are two types of admission tickets for Tianmen Mountain: Line A and Line B, both priced at 278 yuan. However, keep in mind that there’s an additional fee if you choose to use the escalators inside the caves.
Line A Itinerary: Lower Station of the Large Cableway → Cable car to Upper Station of the Large Cableway on the mountaintop → Tunnel Escalator to Tianmen Cave → Tunnel Escalator to Front Square of Tianmen Cave → Upper Station of Tianmen Cave Express Cableway → Cable Car to Lower Station of Tianmen Cave Express Cableway or Shuttle Bus to Lower Station of Large Cableway in downtown.
Line B Itinerary: Entrance Gate → Shuttle bus to Lower Station of Tianmen Cave Express Cableway → Cable car to Upper Station of Tianmen Cave Express Cableway → Lower Section of Tunnel Escalator to Tianmen Cave → Upper Section of Tunnel Escalator to Mountaintop → Upper Station of Large Cableway → Cable car to Lower Station of Large Cableway in downtown.
We opted for Line A and decided to walk from our hotel to the lower cableway station, enjoying the charm of the city along the way.
After about a 30-minute wait in line, we embarked on the world’s longest cable car ride, which takes roughly 30 minutes to reach the summit of Tianmen Mountain. The journey itself offers breathtaking views that make the wait worthwhile.
Once you arrive at the summit, you can grab a snack and begin your walk on either the west or east route. Both routes form loops, so the choice is yours. However, since most visitors tend to head west, I’d recommend taking the east route for a quieter, more peaceful experience.
Now it’s time to enjoy all the attractions that Tianmen Mountain has to offer. The most famous, of course, is the Glass Skywalk. There are actually several glass skywalks, and you can experience them all. Located at an altitude of 1,400 meters, the views from these bridges are nothing short of incredible.
While the skywalks are impressive, my personal favorite was the cliff-hanging walkway. Stretching 1.6 kilometers along the narrow edge of the cliff, it’s both thrilling and breathtaking—don’t you think?
After taking in the views from the mountain top, you can embark on a long ride down a series of seven escalators leading to Tianmen Cave, also known as Heaven’s Gate. This natural arch is truly awe-inspiring. Once you’ve admired it, you can either use the lower escalators or challenge yourself by descending the 999 steps of Heaven’s Stairway.
From the Tianmen Cave parking lot, you’ll have a fantastic view of the Avenue Toward Heaven, famous for its 99 sharp turns.
To head back, you can either take a shuttle bus or ride the cable car back down to the lower cableway station.
Tips for Visiting Tianmen Mountain:
- Book Your Tickets in Advance: Ensure you have your tickets ahead of time to avoid any last-minute hassles.
- Avoid National Holidays: Try not to visit during national holidays, as the park can get extremely crowded.
- Schedule Your Visit for Around 11 am: This timing helps you avoid the early morning rush and gives you more time to enjoy the mountain.
- Skip the Mountain-Top Restaurants: The restaurants on the mountain are often overpriced. You’ll find much better and more affordable dining options in Zhangjiajie city. Here is our suggestion for where to eat delicious cold noodles in Zhangjiajie city: Qiang Geliangmian
Day 2: Exploring Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Tianzi Mountain)
On your second day, venture into the UNESCO World Heritage site, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, renowned for its breathtaking pillar-like stone formations that inspired the movie Avatar. The park is vast, covering an impressive 479.15 km², so it’s impossible to explore everything in just one day. Fortunately, the admission ticket grants you unlimited access for four days, allowing you to take your time. The ticket costs 227 yuan during the peak season, which runs from March to November.
For those looking to enhance their experience, you can opt for a combined ticket that includes unlimited access to several key attractions: the Bailong Elevator, Yangjiajie Cable Car, Huangshizhai (Yellowstone Village) Cable Car, and Tianzi Mountain Cable Car. This combined ticket is priced at 523 yuan per person.
Navigating Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Shuttle buses operate throughout Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, providing convenient and free transportation between key sites. These buses run frequently, but it’s important to board from the correct bus stop, especially at stations like the lower station of the Bailong Elevator, where multiple buses head to different destinations.
The park has five entrances, with the most popular being the east entrance in Wulingyuan town and the south entrance near Zhangjiajie town. Wulingyuan town is particularly charming, with many restaurants and cafes, making it a popular choice for visitors to stay. However, these entrances can get quite crowded, and long queues are not uncommon—something you might have seen on social media.
To avoid the crowds, we chose to stay near the Zi Mu Gang Ticket Station (Southeast Gate), the least frequented entrance, located in Longwei Ba Village. This village, nestled on a hillside, boasts numerous beautiful inns that offer stunning views of the national park’s iconic pillars—even without stepping into the park. Here’s the view from our hotel room:
Staying in Longwei Ba Village turned out to be a great decision, even though there were limited activities in the village itself. Our focus was on exploring Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and avoiding the long queues made it all worthwhile. We never had to wait in line, not even for a minute. The village is about a 45-minute drive from Zhangjiajie city (around 100 yuan with DiDi) and 20 minutes from Wulingyuan town (40 yuan with DiDi). Choosing your accommodation wisely based on your priorities can save you a lot of time and hassle.
What to See in the Park?
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a breathtaking destination that simply can’t be captured in photos—you have to see it to believe it. The park offers numerous stunning hikes that allow you to fully immerse yourself in its natural beauty. If hiking isn’t your thing, the park’s well-developed infrastructure, including cable cars and lifts, makes it easy to experience the incredible views. Just keep in mind that the areas accessible by cable cars are often crowded with local tourists.
We opted for hiking and started with Tianzi Mountain on our first day.
Important: Don’t forget your passport for the first day’s entry into the national park. For the remaining days, you can enter with a face scan (China really is ahead of the curve), but it’s always a good idea to carry your passport just in case.
Starting from the Zi Mu Gang Ticket Station, we hopped on a shuttle bus to our first stop, Water Winding Four Gates. From there, we transferred to another shuttle bus that took us to the Ten-Mile Gallery stop.
At the Ten-Mile Gallery, you’ll find both a tram line and a walking trail running alongside it. The tram ride costs 28 yuan, but you can also opt for a leisurely 6 km walk. The walk is quite easy, with a mostly flat and straightforward trail, making it a pleasant experience without any uphill climbs.
At the end of the Ten-Mile Gallery, you’ll arrive at Three Sisters Peak. From there, you can either take a cable car to the top of Tianzi Mountain or challenge yourself with a hike up numerous stairs. Though the climb is exhausting, the views from the summit are absolutely breathtaking. Despite AllTrails labeling this hike as very popular, we encountered very few people, allowing us to enjoy the stunning scenery in peace.
After about three hours of strenuous hiking, we finally reached Tianzi Pavilion at the mountain’s summit.
The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, so take some time to relax, grab a coffee, or enjoy a bite to eat. Keep in mind that prices can be a bit higher at the top, given its popularity. If you’re looking for more budget-friendly options, there are plenty of food stalls at lower levels that offer more affordable choices.
For the way back, we decided to take a cable car, as the ride offers stunning views of Hallelujah Mountain and a bird’s-eye view of the Tianzi Mountain area.
From the lower Tianzi Mountain cableway station, we took a shuttle bus back to the Bailong Elevator lower station, where we decided to take the lift to enjoy the Hallelujah Mountain view one more time. However, this was the most disappointing attraction we experienced in Zhangjiajie National Park. The area was overcrowded with tourists, and it was difficult to secure a spot in front of the glass wall. Even if you managed to find a good spot, it was almost impossible to enjoy the ride as people kept pushing from every direction.
Next on our agenda was dinner in Wulingyuan town, so we hopped on a shuttle bus heading to the Wulingyuan ticket station. The square in front of the Wulingyuan station is quite charming, with plenty of restaurants to choose from and even a Starbucks if you’re in the mood for a coffee.
We picked a restaurant at random, and the food, cooked right in front of us on a stove, was amazing! We were so hungry that we didn’t even take any photos, but if you find yourself in Wulingyuan, I highly recommend checking out this spot: Impression Lao Stove Sanxiaguo.
Day 3: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
On our third day, we decided to explore the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. While the glass bridge is the most famous attraction, there’s so much more to experience, including boat cruises, hiking, ziplining, a slideway, and even bungee jumping.
To get there, we took a shuttle bus from the Zi Mu Gang ticket station to the Wulingyuan ticket station and then grabbed a DiDi to the Grand Canyon entrance. The ride from the Wulingyuan ticket station to the Grand Canyon takes about 20 minutes and costs around 40 yuan.
There are different ticket options available:
- Line A Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Ticket: Admission to the Grand Canyon for 53 yuan.
- Line B Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge Ticket: Admission to both the Grand Canyon and the Glass Bridge for 178 yuan.
- Line C Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge and Activities: Admission to the Grand Canyon, the Glass Bridge, and up to five activities such as sliding, ziplining, and cruising for 298 yuan.
- Line D Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Glass Bridge, Activities, and Via Ferrata/Rock Climbing: Includes everything in Line C plus via Ferrata or rock climbing for 400 yuan.
You can easily spend the entire day exploring the Grand Canyon, but we opted for a half-day visit so we could get some work done in the evening. We chose the third package, which suited our schedule.
When you arrive at the main gate, there’s a free shuttle bus that will take you directly to the glass bridge.
After snapping some photos on the bridge, we made our way to the Canyon entrance. The first thing you’ll encounter is the Sky Ladder Plank Road, a narrow path often called the ‘Grand Canyon door.’ After walking down the Sky Ladder, you can take a slide to reach the lower level of the Canyon walkway. While taking photos or videos during the slide isn’t allowed, the experience was a lot of fun!
Once you reach the lower level of the Canyon, you can stroll alongside a stunning turquoise lake or opt for a relaxing boat cruise. The walk is easy and incredibly scenic, taking you through caves, beneath hanging stones, and past waterfalls.
When the walking trail ends, you will need to take a boat back to the visitor center where you started.
While there are lunch options at the visitor center, we chose to head back to Wulingyuan town for a bite to eat and to explore a bit more. Though small, the town is incredibly picturesque.
After spending some time at Starbucks and catching up on some work, we hopped on another shuttle bus from the Wulingyuan ticket station back to the Zi Mu Gang ticket station (Having a ticket with unlimited access to the park is certainly a great idea!)
Day 4: Discovering the Eastern Part of Zhangjiajie National Park – Golden Whip Stream and Huangshi Village
On our fourth day, we decided to venture into the eastern part of Zhangjiajie National Park, focusing on the Golden Whip Stream and Huangshi Village.
To reach the start of the trail, take a shuttle bus to the Water Winding Four Gate. From there, you can begin your walk along the scenic Golden Whip Stream trail.
This walk allows you to enjoy the stone pillars up close. The path is quite pleasant, staying cool even on hot days, and the scenery is outstanding.
The trail continues until you reach Oxygen Square near the Forest Park Station.
From Oxygen Square, you can take a cable car to Huangshi Village. Although hiking to the village is an option, it takes about two hours, so we decided to use the cable car to go up and then hike down, remembering the never-ending steps from day one.
Once at the top, you can enjoy the views and stroll around for about half an hour.
Next, we hiked down to Oxygen Square. The path is filled with monkeys and fewer people, making it a delightful experience. At the base of Huangshi Village, you’ll find plenty of food stalls offering tasty snacks and ice cream.
From Oxygen Square, we decided to take the same path back. The hike was super easy and beautiful, and we enjoyed it so much that we came back to walk it again the next morning before leaving Zhangjiajie. We had a half-day before our flight, so it was a perfect way to say goodbye to this amazing place.
Key Tips and Insights
- Avoid National Holidays and Visit on Weekdays: The park will be very crowded during national holidays and weekends, so it’s best to plan your visit for weekdays to enjoy a less crowded experience.
- All Gates are Functional: Despite what you may find online, all entrances to the national park are operational. Opt for less popular gates to avoid crowds and enjoy a more serene experience.
- Buy Combo Tickets: If you plan to use cable cars and lifts, purchase a combo ticket instead of paying for each attraction separately to save money.
- Start Early: The park opens at 7:00 AM. Arriving early will allow you to enjoy the park with fewer people around. Choose accommodations close to the gates to be among the first to enter.
- Ask for Directions: Don’t hesitate to ask for directions to the right buses, as the routes can be unclear.
- Respect Wildlife: Enjoy the park without disturbing the animals. Unfortunately, some visitors feed or scare the monkeys by encroaching on their territory.
And that’s it for our adventures in Zhangjiajie! We had an unforgettable time in this small city in Hunan Province, China. We were fortunate to visit the park with fewer foreign tourists, but this destination is becoming increasingly popular—and rightfully so. So hurry up and visit this truly magnificent place, especially if you’re planning a trip to China.
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