Zhangjiajie, in the mountains of northwest Hunan province in central China, is the gateway to one of the strangest landscapes on Earth: more than 3,000 quartz-sandstone pillars and peaks, many over 200 m (660 ft) tall, rising sheer from forested valleys and often wreathed in mist. This is the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose peaks inspired the floating mountains of the film Avatar. Inside it, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China’s first national forest park, opened in 1982, joins Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie and the Suoxi Valley, linked by footpaths, eco-buses, cable cars and the Bailong Elevator, which climbs a cliff face in glass cabins. A single entrance ticket, valid for four consecutive days, covers the whole core area. Next to the city center, Tianmen Mountain is reached by one of the longest passenger cable cars in the world and crowned by Tianmen Cave, a natural arch in the cliff, and glass skywalks. Add the glass bridge over the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, limestone caves, the spicy, smoky cooking of the Tujia people and day trips to the old towns of western Hunan. Zhangjiajie Hehua airport is a port for the 240-hour visa-free transit. The best seasons are April to May and September to early November.
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Zhangjiajie at a glance
- Best for: sandstone pillar landscapes, hiking, cable cars, glass skywalks and bridges, caves, Tujia culture and photography in the mist.
- How long: 3–4 days: 2–3 in Wulingyuan, 1 at Tianmen Mountain, plus the Grand Canyon glass bridge if you have time.
- Best time: April to May and September to early November; summer is hot, humid and crowded; winter is quiet, foggy and sometimes icy.
- Getting there: by air to Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYG), or by high-speed train to Zhangjiajie West from Changsha, Chongqing and beyond.
- Getting around: by bus, taxi or DiDi between the city and Wulingyuan; inside the park, by free eco-buses, on foot and by cable car or elevator.
- Good to know: the Wulingyuan ticket is 165 yuan and valid four days in a row; book with your passport, and budget extra for the elevator and cable cars.
- Before you go: visa-free entry, the 240-hour transit, the arrival card, payments and general safety are in our China travel guide.
Zhangjiajie’s areas and where to stay
The name Zhangjiajie covers both the prefecture-level city of about 1.5 million people and the famous park. Zhangjiajie city (Yongding district) sits on the Li River in a valley at the foot of Tianmen Mountain; the Wulingyuan scenic area is about 35 km (22 miles) to the north, 45–60 minutes by road.
Wulingyuan town
Wulingyuan town, around the Suoxi Valley entrance and the Wulingyuan gate, is the most popular base for the park, with hundreds of hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, Tujia-style buildings and evening shows. From here, buses and the Bailong Elevator lead up to Yuanjiajie, and Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake are close by.
Zhangjiajie village (Forest Park gate)
Around the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park gate on the southern edge of the park, the small settlement of Zhangjiajie village has simpler hotels and is the closest base for the Golden Whip Stream walk and the Huangshi Village cable car.
Inside the park
A few hotels and inns on the Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie plateaus let you stay up top for sunrise and sunset among the peaks, without queuing to ride up each morning. Facilities are simple and booking ahead is essential.
Zhangjiajie city
The city has the airport, the high-speed station, Tianmen Mountain’s cable car base and the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and nightlife along the riverfront. It is convenient for Tianmen and onward travel, but means a daily commute to Wulingyuan.
Where to stay in Zhangjiajie
- Wulingyuan town: the best all-round base for the park.
- Zhangjiajie village: for the Forest Park gate and Golden Whip Stream.
- Tianzi Mountain or Yuanjiajie: simple inns for sunrise among the pillars.
- Zhangjiajie city: for Tianmen Mountain, trains and flights.
Rooms fill and prices rise during the May Day and National Day holidays and in July and August.
Wulingyuan: tickets and how the park works
The Wulingyuan core scenic area covers several linked areas on a high plateau and in the valleys below. Under the Hunan government’s price list, the entrance ticket is 165 yuan per person, the same all year, valid for four consecutive days, and it does not include the paid transport, such as the Bailong Elevator and the cable cars. Children under 14 and people aged 65 and over enter free, and students and people aged 60–64 pay half price, with valid ID. Tickets are sold under your real name: book in advance online or through official channels with your passport, and use the same passport at the gates for each later entry. Free eco-buses run between the main areas inside the park. There are four main entrances: the Forest Park gate, the Wulingyuan gate, the Tianzi Mountain gate and the Yangjiajie gate. Daily visitor numbers are capped, and holiday queues for buses and the elevator can be long; start early.
Top things to see in Zhangjiajie
Yuanjiajie and Avatar Hallelujah Mountain
On the plateau above the Suoxi Valley, Yuanjiajie is the park’s most famous area. A loop path of viewpoints leads to the First Bridge Under Heaven, a natural stone bridge over a deep chasm, and to the Qiankun Column, the solitary pillar renamed Avatar Hallelujah Mountain after the film. It is busy from mid-morning; go early or late.
The Bailong Elevator
The Bailong (Hundred Dragons) Elevator climbs about 326 m (1,070 ft) up a cliff face from the Suoxi Valley to Yuanjiajie, part of it in an open shaft with glass cabins and views over the pillars, in about a minute. It is paid separately, about 65 yuan one way. Queues can be long on holidays; walking routes up and down take several hours.
Tianzi Mountain
The northern plateau of Tianzi (Son of Heaven) Mountain has some of the widest views over the pillar forest, at viewpoints such as the Imperial Writing Brush peaks and Fairy Scattering Flowers. A cable car links it with the valley near Wulingyuan town, and eco-buses run to Yuanjiajie.
Golden Whip Stream
From the Forest Park gate, the Golden Whip Stream path follows a clear stream for about 7.5 km (4.7 miles) through a gorge between towering pillars, flat and shaded, with macaques in the trees. It takes 2–3 hours one way. Don’t feed the monkeys and keep food out of sight.
Huangshi Village and Yangjiajie
The Huangshi Village plateau, reached by cable car or a steep stairway from the Forest Park gate, has a viewing loop over the “Five Fingers” peaks and some of the best sunset views. Quieter Yangjiajie, in the northwest, has a cable car, ridge paths and the narrow One Step to Heaven trail.
Ten-Mile Gallery
In the valley below Tianzi Mountain, the Ten-Mile Gallery is a flat walk or ride on a small sightseeing train past pillars named for their shapes, such as the Old Man Gathering Herbs.
More classic sights
- Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Cave: a large limestone cave near Wulingyuan town with lit formations and an underground river boat ride; separate ticket.
- Baofeng Lake: a reservoir lake among the peaks, with boat rides; separate ticket.
- Suoxi Valley and Ten-Mile Gallery: the valley floor between the plateaus.
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge: see day trips.
- Tujia folk customs park: wooden buildings, crafts and shows of the Tujia people in Zhangjiajie city.
Other things to do in Zhangjiajie
Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen (Heaven’s Gate) Mountain rises directly above Zhangjiajie city. A cable car of about 7.5 km (4.7 miles), one of the longest passenger cable cars in the world, climbs from the station in the city center over villages and ridges to the summit, about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level. Up top, cliff paths with sections of glass skywalk wrap around the summit walls, and a chairlift and a temple add more views. Below the summit, the Tianmen Cave arch, a hole through the mountain about 130 m (430 ft) high, is reached by 999 steps or by escalators inside the mountain; the Tongtian Avenue road with its 99 bends climbs to the cave. Under Hunan’s government-set price, the basic Tianmen Mountain entrance is 72 yuan (from August 2025), with half price and free entry for the same groups as Wulingyuan; the cable car, shuttle buses and escalators are sold separately or as a combined ticket, and the full route usually costs about 260–280 yuan. Choose your route (up by cable car or bus, down by the other) when booking, with your passport. Allow a full day, and expect fog to hide the views at times. See our hiking guide.
Food and drink
Zhangjiajie’s cooking is that of the Tujia people and western Hunan: hot, sour and smoky. Try the three-pot dish (sanxiaguo), a bubbling tabletop pot of pork, tripe and other meats with chili; smoked pork (larou) cured over wood fires; sour fish and pickled vegetables; wild rock ear fungus; and Tujia baba, sticky rice cakes. Hunan dishes such as chopped-chili fish head and stir-fried pork with peppers are everywhere. Ask for “bu la” or “wei la” if you want less heat. Local moss tea (meicha) is a mild herbal tea.
Day trips from Zhangjiajie
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge: a glass-bottomed footbridge high over a canyon in Cili county, about 1 hour from Wulingyuan, combined with a canyon walk, waterfalls and a boat ride.
- Furong Town: a Tujia old town built around a waterfall on the You River, about 1.5–2 hours southwest.
- Fenghuang: the riverside old town of stilt houses and city walls in western Hunan, about 3–4 hours by road or quicker by high-speed train; best overnight.
- Jiutian Cave: a large cave system in Sangzhi county, about 1.5 hours north.
- Changsha: Hunan’s capital, with the Hunan Museum and its Mawangdui treasures, about 3 hours by high-speed train.
Nearby destinations
- Changsha264 km
Getting there and getting around
By air
Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG), about 5 km (3 miles) from the city center, has flights from major Chinese cities and some international routes in Asia. It is a designated port for the 240-hour visa-free transit, with all of Hunan province as the permitted area; Changsha Huanghua is the other Hunan port. Taxis reach the city in about 15 minutes and Wulingyuan in about an hour.
By train
Zhangjiajie West station, in the city, is on high-speed lines to Changsha South (about 3 hours), Changde, Chongqing and Guizhou, with connections to Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. Book on the 12306 website or app with your passport. The older Zhangjiajie station has conventional trains.
City to Wulingyuan
Buses run frequently from the bus station beside Zhangjiajie West station to Wulingyuan and to the Forest Park gate in about 45–60 minutes. Taxis and DiDi take about 40 minutes.
Inside the park
Free eco-buses, included with the entrance, link the gates and the main areas; the elevator and cable cars cost extra. Paths are well made but involve many steps.
When to go and how long to stay
Zhangjiajie has a humid subtropical climate. Spring (April–May) is green and fresh, with frequent rain and mist that can make the pillars look magical or hide them completely. Summer (June–August) is hot and humid in the valleys, with thunderstorms and peak crowds, though the plateaus are cooler. Autumn (September to early November) is the best season, with clearer skies and fall colors in late October and November. Winter (December–February) is cold, damp and quiet; snow on the pillars is beautiful, but paths can ice over and close. The table uses the 1991–2020 climate normals of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), as submitted to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), for Changde, the nearest station in the series, about 115 km (71 miles) east in the lowlands: average daily highs and lows, total precipitation, and days with at least 1 mm of rain. Zhangjiajie’s valleys are similar, while the plateaus, at 1,000–1,300 m (3,300–4,300 ft), are several degrees cooler.
| Month | Average high / low | Rain (days with 1 mm or more) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9 °C (47 °F) / 3 °C (37 °F) | 67 mm (2.6 in), 8 days | Cold and damp; ice possible on paths |
| February | 12 °C (53 °F) / 5 °C (41 °F) | 77 mm (3.0 in), 8 days | Cold; Chinese New Year crowds |
| March | 16 °C (60 °F) / 9 °C (47 °F) | 109 mm (4.3 in), 11 days | Cool; mist and rain |
| April | 22 °C (72 °F) / 15 °C (58 °F) | 172 mm (6.8 in), 12 days | Mild and green; mist on the peaks |
| May | 27 °C (81 °F) / 19 °C (67 °F) | 182 mm (7.2 in), 11 days | Warm; rainy; May Day crowds |
| June | 30 °C (86 °F) / 23 °C (74 °F) | 206 mm (8.1 in), 11 days | Hot and humid; heavy showers |
| July | 33 °C (92 °F) / 26 °C (79 °F) | 190 mm (7.5 in), 10 days | Hot; summer crowds |
| August | 32 °C (90 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F) | 113 mm (4.4 in), 7 days | Hot; storms; busy |
| September | 29 °C (83 °F) / 21 °C (70 °F) | 65 mm (2.5 in), 5 days | Warm and drier; very good |
| October | 23 °C (73 °F) / 16 °C (60 °F) | 82 mm (3.2 in), 7 days | Mild; clear days; Golden Week crowds |
| November | 18 °C (64 °F) / 10 °C (50 °F) | 70 mm (2.8 in), 6 days | Cool; fall colors; quieter |
| December | 11 °C (53 °F) / 5 °C (41 °F) | 37 mm (1.4 in), 6 days | Cold; quiet; snow possible on top |
Expect about 1,370 mm (54 in) of rain a year at Changde, mostly from April to August; Zhangjiajie’s mountains are usually wetter and mistier.
Three days in Zhangjiajie
Day one, enter at the Forest Park gate, walk Golden Whip Stream and take the eco-bus up to Yuanjiajie and Avatar Hallelujah Mountain; descend by the Bailong Elevator. Day two, Tianzi Mountain, the Ten-Mile Gallery and Yangjiajie. Day three, Tianmen Mountain by cable car, the glass skywalks and Tianmen Cave.
Four to five days
Add the Grand Canyon glass bridge, Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake, and a night in Fenghuang; continue to Chongqing or Guilin.
What a trip to Zhangjiajie costs
Prices are approximate, for October 2026, converted at about 6.74 yuan to the US dollar.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Wulingyuan entrance, valid 4 days | 165 CNY (about US$24.50); free under 14 and 65+ |
| Bailong Elevator, one way | about 65 CNY (about US$9.60) |
| Tianzi Mountain or Yangjiajie cable car, one way | about 70–80 CNY (about US$10–12) |
| Tianmen Mountain entrance | 72 CNY (about US$10.70); about 260–280 CNY (about US$39–42) with cable car and transport |
| Grand Canyon entrance | 91 CNY (about US$13.50); glass bridge ticket extra |
| Huanglong Cave entrance | 60 CNY (about US$8.90), plus boat and transport |
| Three-pot dish dinner, per person | 50–100 CNY (about US$7.40–15) |
| Bus, city to Wulingyuan | about 15–20 CNY (about US$2.20–3) |
| Mid-range hotel double, per night | 250–600 CNY (about US$37–89) |
Practical tips for Zhangjiajie
- Use all four days: the Wulingyuan ticket lets you return on four consecutive days, so plan two or three park days in a row.
- Book with your passport: park, elevator, cable car and Tianmen tickets are all real-name.
- Start early: lines for the eco-buses, elevator and cable cars grow from mid-morning.
- Check the forecast: mist can hide the peaks; keep a flexible day for clearer weather.
- Wear good shoes: paths have thousands of steps and are slippery when wet.
- Pack snacks: food up top is limited and expensive, and monkeys snatch what they can see.
Safety
Zhangjiajie is safe for visitors. The main concerns are mountain weather and terrain: steep stone steps, slippery paths after rain, sudden fog and, in winter, ice, when some paths, cable cars or the Tianmen glass skywalks may close; heavy rain in spring and summer can cause rockfalls and floods. Stay on marked paths and behind railings at cliff edges. On the plateaus, temperatures are several degrees cooler than in town. Crowds are heavy during Golden Week (1–7 October), the May Day holiday and the summer school holidays, with long lines for buses, the elevator and cable cars; follow staff instructions and keep children close in crowds. Macaques along Golden Whip Stream can grab bags and food. Buy tickets only through official channels, and agree what is included before joining a local tour. Carry your passport for tickets and checks. In an emergency, call 110 for police, 120 for an ambulance and 119 for fire.
What to pack for Zhangjiajie
Comfortable walking or hiking shoes with good grip, a light rain jacket or umbrella, layers for the cooler plateaus, a hat and sunscreen in summer, warm clothes for winter, a small daypack with water and snacks, and a power bank for photos. China uses 220 V, with flat two-pin, round two-pin and angled three-pin sockets. See our hiking shoes, rain jackets and travel adapters guides.
Zhangjiajie travel FAQ
How much is the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park ticket?
The Wulingyuan core scenic area ticket, which covers the National Forest Park, Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie and Yangjiajie, is 165 yuan, valid for four consecutive days; the Bailong Elevator and cable cars cost extra.
How long is the Wulingyuan ticket valid?
Four consecutive days from first entry. Use the same passport each time you enter.
Where is the Avatar mountain?
Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, the Qiankun Column, is in the Yuanjiajie area of Wulingyuan, reached by eco-bus or the Bailong Elevator.
How much is the Bailong Elevator?
About 65 yuan one way, paid separately from the park entrance.
Is Tianmen Mountain in the same park?
No. Tianmen Mountain is a separate scenic area next to Zhangjiajie city, with its own ticket; its government-set entrance price is 72 yuan, with the cable car and transport extra.
Should I stay in Zhangjiajie city or Wulingyuan?
Wulingyuan for the main park, the city for Tianmen Mountain, trains and flights. Many visitors split their stay.
How many days do I need in Zhangjiajie?
Three to four days: two or three for Wulingyuan and one for Tianmen Mountain.
What is the best time to visit Zhangjiajie?
April to May and September to early November. Avoid Golden Week and the May Day holiday if you can.
How do I get from Changsha to Zhangjiajie?
By high-speed train from Changsha South to Zhangjiajie West in about 3 hours, or by air.
Can I use the 240-hour visa-free transit in Zhangjiajie?
Yes. Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport is a designated port, and all of Hunan province is in the permitted area.
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. The Wulingyuan core scenic area ticket price, four-day validity, exclusion of transport, and the Tianmen Mountain, Grand Canyon and Huanglong Cave entrance prices: the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission’s 2025 list of government-priced scenic areas and its August 2025 notice on Tianmen Mountain prices, including the free and half-price groups; visa-free transit and Zhangjiajie Hehua airport as a designated port: the National Immigration Administration; train booking with a passport: China Railway’s official 12306 site; climate normals: the China Meteorological Administration via the World Meteorological Organization’s 1991–2020 normals (Changde station, the nearest in the series); the exchange rate: the CFETS central parity rate. Elevator and cable car prices, booking channels, gates, path lengths, heights, travel times, population and typical prices are general references or estimates, flagged for checking; the Zhangjiajie government and park sites could not be read from here. Prices and rules change, so check locally before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our China travel guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)