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ZHANGJIAJIE · HUNAN, CHINA

Plan your Zhangjiajie trip

Less guessing. More exploring. Avatar mountains, Heaven’s Gate and the Glass Bridge are three different places. Pick your days, compare tickets and find the right starting point.

Build my itinerary ↗Map & entrancesTicketsWhere to stay
Sandstone pillars in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the pinnacles behind the floating mountains in Avatar
Photo: xiquinhosilva / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
First time in Zhangjiajie?

Which place are you actually looking for?

These famous sights are in different areas. Choose the one you recognize before booking anything.

Want to see more than one? Build a 2–4 day itinerary ↓

Your trip, mapped in seconds

Build your Zhangjiajie itinerary

Choose 2, 3 or 4 full sightseeing days. We’ll suggest which area to visit each day and where to sleep. Arrival and departure days are not included.

01 Choose your days02 Review your route03 Check bookings

Tip: Three full days is a practical starting point for a first visit.

Your day-by-day route updates instantly. Each stop includes a suggested overnight base, key reminders and a link to its entrance.

3 full days · Standard · Tianmen Mountain extra

  1. Day 1 · Forest park viewpoints

    Sleep
    Wulingyuan
    Main sights
    Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain
    Visit time
    Reserve a full day; no verified combined duration.
    Remember
    Book lifts separately where needed; walking remains.

    Read guideMap & Chinese name

  2. Day 2 · Golden Whip Stream

    Sleep
    Zhangjiajie city, after visiting
    Main sights
    Valley walk; optional park area only if time permits
    Visit time
    Stream walk: 1–3 hours (source below); allow longer for the full trail and stops.
    Remember
    Arrange the evening base transfer.

    Read guideMap & Chinese name

  3. Day 3 · Tianmen Mountain

    Sleep
    Zhangjiajie city, or arrange departure
    Main sights
    Tianmen Cave and summit, via Route C
    Visit time
    3–5 hours for sightseeing (source below); allow extra for queues and transfers.
    Remember
    The long city cableway is closed; follow your booked entry slot.

    Read guideMap & Chinese name

Before you book

Your trip checklist

Check the exact ticket product and entry details for your selected route. This is a planning checklist, not a live booking service.

  • Forest Park: passport, entry date and optional elevator/cableway
  • Tianmen Mountain: Route C and the booked time slot
  • Hotels: Wulingyuan first, then Zhangjiajie city
Compare ticket inclusions →

Timing references reviewed 28 October 2026: Golden Whip Stream: 1–3 hours; Tianmen: 3–5 hours; Grand Canyon: half a day. Tour operators’ visit suggestions, not guaranteed elapsed times or current opening hours. Family and weather variants change the route; no reliable numeric queue estimate is available.

Read routes, overnight bases and alternatives →

Find your base before your route

Three areas and arrival points — not to scaleForest park · South gateEast gate · WulingyuanGrand CanyonZhangjiajie West stationHehua airportCity · railway stationTianmen Mountain gate~40 min*

Original schematic by Zhangjiajie GoGoGo. Not a road map; lines show connections, not exact routes or distances. Select a point for Chinese names and navigation options. City accommodation and the city cableway station are in the city cluster.

*Wulingyuan–Grand Canyon: about 40 minutes by road, according to China Discovery’s transfer guide, reviewed 28 October 2026. Excludes waiting and traffic; request a current estimate for other connections.

Three areas. Three separate tickets.

Rock formations below the Bailong elevator in the Yuanjiajie scenic area
Photo: Rocio Gil / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wulingyuan · plan 2 days

National Forest Park

The sandstone pillars, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Golden Whip Stream. Stay near your chosen park entrance.

Read the guide →
Tianmen Cave seen from the valley side
Photo: Raki_Man / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
Near the city · allow a day

Tianmen Mountain

Heaven’s Gate and cliff walks. A separate ticket; currently Route C via the cave express cableway.

Read the guide →
Visitors crossing the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
Photo: Codas / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cili County · half to full day

Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge

A separate scenic area northeast of Wulingyuan. Add it with four days, or choose it instead of Tianmen.

Read the guide →

Before you book

DecisionA practical starting point
How long?Three full days for the forest park plus one extra attraction; four to include all three areas.
Where to sleep?Wulingyuan for the forest park; the city for Tianmen Mountain.
Which entrance?Match your hotel and route to the East or South entrance.
How much?Separate admission, lifts and booking fees before comparing prices.
Which month?Compare weather and holiday crowds.

Quick answers

Is Zhangjiajie the same as Wulingyuan?

Zhangjiajie is the wider city destination. Wulingyuan is the scenic district and a common base for the forest park. Tianmen Mountain is near the city, outside the forest park.

Is Tianzi Mountain the same as Tianmen Mountain?

No. Tianzi Mountain is part of the Wulingyuan park visit; Tianmen Mountain needs a separate ticket and transfer.

Can I travel independently?

Yes. Keep your hotel and destination names in Chinese, reserve admission for your date and save the route offline before leaving your hotel.

Sources & review notes

Editorial review: 28 October 2026. Operational claims below are dated, not a live status feed.