Overview
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is the real-world inspiration for Avatar’s Hallelujah Mountains — more than 3,000 quartz-sandstone pillars rising straight up. Tianmen Mountain’s 999-step stairway and glass walkway, and the Grand Canyon glass bridge, add the thrills. Located in northwest Hunan, it was China’s first national forest park and is a World Heritage Site for its unique quartz-sandstone landscape.
Good for: scenery lovers, photographers, thrill-seekers, families.
Getting there & around
Getting to Zhangjiajie
| Mode |
From |
Time |
Cost |
| Rail |
Changsha South → Zhangjiajie West |
~2.5 h |
≈¥120 |
| Rail |
Guangzhou South → Zhangjiajie West |
~4 h |
≈¥350 (via Changsha) |
| Rail |
Beijing West → Zhangjiajie West |
~6.5 h |
≈¥550 |
| Air |
Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou → Hehua Airport |
2–3 h |
¥400–1200 |
| Air |
International (Seoul/Bangkok etc.) |
— |
route-dependent |
Getting around
| Mode |
Route |
Cost |
Time |
| Taxi |
City → Wulingyuan gate |
¥80–100 |
~40 min |
| Bus |
City bus station → Wulingyuan |
¥12 |
~50 min |
| Taxi |
City → Tianmen cable-car station |
¥10–15 |
~10 min |
| Park shuttle |
Between sights inside the park |
In ticket |
Scheduled |
Where to stay
Wulingyuan (recommended)
| Hotel |
Grade |
Price |
Location |
Good for |
| Pullman Zhangjiajie |
Luxury |
¥600–1200 |
5 min walk to the gate |
Quality resort; hot springs |
| Nabaili Resort |
Upscale |
¥400–800 |
Beside Wulingyuan district |
Families; kids’ play area |
| Qinghe Jinjiang |
Upscale |
¥400–700 |
Wulingyuan core |
Business / resort |
| Xibu Street guesthouses |
Budget |
¥150–300 |
Xibu Street area |
Young travellers / backpackers |
| Gate-area inns |
Budget |
¥100–250 |
5–10 min from the gate |
Tight budgets |
Zhangjiajie city
| Hotel |
Grade |
Price |
Location |
| Sunshine Hotel |
Upscale |
¥400–800 |
City centre |
| Chain hotels near Tianmen |
Budget |
¥150–300 |
Near the cable-car station |
| Dacheng Shanshui |
Upscale |
¥350–600 |
City, near airport |
Eat
| Dish |
Where |
Price |
Notes |
| Sanxiaguo (Tujia specialty) |
Hu Shifu (main shop), Baofeng Rd |
¥60–80 pp |
Cured pork + tripe + intestine, a must |
| Sanxiaguo |
Fuzhengyi (Xibu St) |
¥50–70 pp |
Chain, consistent |
| Rock-ear chicken soup |
Xiangxi Impression, Jundi Rd |
¥80–100 pp |
Local rock fungus, nourishing |
| Tujia cured pork |
Tujia snack shops |
¥30–50 / portion |
Smoky, stir-fried with garlic sprouts |
| Hot-and-sour fish |
Dayong Fucheng food street |
¥40–60 pp |
Xiangxi sour-spicy style |
| Kudzu starch |
Street stalls |
¥5–10 / bowl |
Cooling and sweet |
| Chilli stir-fried pork |
Local Hunan restaurants |
¥30–45 pp |
The Hunan home dish |
Night markets
| Market |
Location |
Speciality |
Per person |
| Xibu Street night market |
Wulingyuan |
BBQ, crayfish, Tujia snacks |
¥40–80 |
| Dayong Fucheng food street |
City |
Hunan dishes, BBQ |
¥30–60 |
| Nanzhuangping night market |
City |
Locals’ favourite, good value |
¥25–50 |
See & do
| Sight |
Ticket |
Hours |
Time |
Notes |
| Zhangjiajie National Forest Park |
¥225 (valid 4 days) |
07:00–18:00 |
1–2 days |
Core area; shuttle included |
| Tianmen Mountain |
¥278 (incl. cable car) |
08:00–18:00 |
4–6 h |
Routes A/B/C |
| Grand Canyon + glass bridge |
¥138 (bridge) + ¥30 (canyon) |
08:00–17:00 |
2–3 h |
Bridge ticketed separately |
| Huanglong Cave |
¥100 |
08:00–17:30 |
1–2 h |
Karst cave |
Highlights
| Area |
Key sights |
How |
Rating |
| Forest Park – Yuanjiajie |
Hallelujah Mountain (Avatar), Mihun Terrace, Back Garden |
Bailong lift up (¥65 one way), walk |
★★★★★ |
| Forest Park – Tianzi Mountain |
Imperial Brush Peak, Fairy Scattering Flowers, Tianzi Pavilion |
Cable car up (¥72 one way), walk down |
★★★★★ |
| Forest Park – Golden Whip Stream |
7.5 km gorge walk |
Walk, ~2.5 h |
★★★★ |
| Forest Park – Ten-Mile Gallery |
Canyon scenery |
Mini-train ¥38 one way, or walk ~1 h |
★★★ |
| Tianmen – Heaven’s Gate |
999 steps, world’s highest natural arch |
Walk or escalator (¥32) |
★★★★★ |
| Tianmen – glass walkway |
60 m cliff-edge glass |
In ticket; shoe covers ¥5 |
★★★★ |
| Tianmen – Ghost Valley walkway |
1.6 km cliff walk |
Walk |
★★★★ |
| Grand Canyon glass bridge |
World’s highest/longest, 430 m |
Walk across, ~1 h |
★★★★ |
Routes
| Days |
Route |
| 1-day |
East gate → Bailong lift → Yuanjiajie → Tianzi → cable down → Ten-Mile Gallery → east gate |
| 2-day |
D1 Forest Park (east gate → Bailong → Yuanjiajie → Tianzi → Yangjiajie); D2 Tianmen (Route A: cable up → glass walkway → Heaven’s Gate → road down) |
| 3-day |
D1 Forest Park; D2 Tianmen; D3 Grand Canyon glass bridge + Huanglong Cave |
| Place |
Type |
Buy |
Price |
| Xibu Street shops |
Local produce |
Kudzu starch, rock ear, Tujia brocade |
¥20–80 |
| Wulingyuan speciality shops |
Tea |
Zhangjiajie berry tea, eucommia tea |
¥50–150 / box |
| Dayong Fucheng (city) |
Crafts |
Tujia embroidery, sand-stone paintings |
¥30–200 |
| In-park stalls |
Souvenirs |
Postcards, keyrings |
¥10–30 (pricey) |
| Junsheng sand-painting studio |
Art |
Sand-stone paintings (unique) |
¥300–2000 |
Practical tips
- Enter via the east gate (Wulingyuan gate): better transport, more hotels, more food. The south gate works but is less convenient.
- Order of highlights: Yuanjiajie (Hallelujah Mountain) → Tianzi → Golden Whip Stream → Ten-Mile Gallery — no backtracking.
- Choose Route A at Tianmen: cable up + road down is the classic. B is road up + cable down; C is road both ways (not recommended).
- Peak-season queues: Bailong lift and Tianmen cable car can take 2 h+ — arrive before 7:30.
- Bailong lift: ¥65 one way; walking up takes ~2 h, so buy the up leg and walk or cable down.
- Golden Whip Stream is 7.5 km (~2.5 h), flat and easy — but mind the monkeys (don’t carry plastic bags).
- Glass shoe covers: required on the glass walkway (¥5), not included in the ticket.
- Clothing: the mountains are 5–8°C cooler — bring a jacket even in summer; wear comfortable trainers.
- Rain/fog: visibility can drop and hide the peaks — check the forecast.
- Where to stay: Wulingyuan for the Forest Park, the city for Tianmen — ideally one night each.
- Student tickets: full-time students get half price with a student card.
