Zhangjiajie National Park is one of the most iconic and visited destinations in China, known for its breathtaking sandstone pillars, lush greenery, and otherworldly views that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar. During our travels, we couldn’t pass up the chance to visit this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We set aside three days for hiking in the park, which proved to be the perfect amount of time for us to explore its main attractions. In this post, we’ll provide essential information and a breakdown of our itinerary to help you plan your visit.
And don’t forget to check out our video at the end of this article for a closer look at the stunning landscapes we experienced!
How to get from Zhangjiajie to Zhangjiajie National Park by bus
To begin your adventure in Zhangjiajie National Park, you’ll need to enter through one of its two main gates:
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (South Gate)
- Known for its proximity to the famous Five Fingers Mountains, this is one of the most popular entry points.
- Wulingyuan Scenic Area Entrance (West Gate)
- Located in the town of Wulingyuan, offering easy access to other iconic areas like Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie and Bailong Elevator.
How to Get to the South Gate from Zhangjiajie City
- Start at Zhangjiajie Bus Station
- The bus station is conveniently located near the train station and a McDonald’s, making it easy to find.
- Look for minibuses heading to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (南门 – South Gate).
2. Ticket Price – A one-way ticket costs just 12 RMB. Tickets are purchased directly on the minibus, so have cash ready.
3. Bus Location and Signs – You’ll find the minibuses parked on the left side of the station. Look for signs in Chinese characters for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (张家界国家森林公园). To help you identify the right bus, we’ve included a photo below showing what the bus looks like and the sign you should look for.
4. Travel Time – The journey to the South Gate takes approximately 40 minutes.
How to Get to Wulingyuan (West Gate) from Zhangjiajie City
- Start at Zhangjiajie Bus Station – The buses to Wulingyuan depart from the same bus station located near the train station and McDonald’s in Zhangjiajie City.
2. Ticket Price and Purchase – A one-way ticket costs 13 RMB and must be purchased at the ticket office inside the station.
3. Frequency and Departure – Buses to Wulingyuan run every 15 minutes, so you won’t have to wait long. After purchasing our ticket, we got on the bus and left almost immediately!
4. Travel Time – The journey to Wulingyuan takes about 50 minutes and is very straightforward.
5. Last Bus Timing – If you’re planning to return to Zhangjiajie City on the same day, note that the last bus back from Wulingyuan departs at 9:00 PM.
Zhangjiajie National Park Admission fee
One ticket to Zhangjiajie National park costs 225 RMB / person and it is valid for 4 days. In the price of the ticket are also included shuttle buses which go around the park. They will take also your fingerprints at the entrance gate to insure that you would not sell the ticket to anyone.
Quick breakdown of our itinerary
DAY 1 – Yangjianjie Scenic area
If you want to visit Yangjianjie Scenic area that is best known for Five Fingers mountains, you have to go by bus to the South Gate (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park). Then you can take cable car or climb an infinitive number of stairs to its top which took us about 2 hours (we are starting to be properly trained).
Along the way we met a lot of cute little monkeys (from babies to alpha males), who normally live in the park. At the top we enjoyed many views of the massive sandstone rocks that really reminded us Avatar movie! This part is not so much visited by tourists, but there are still several tours with Chinese tourists, as you can go there also by cable car. However, the views far away from the cable car station were empty and became an oasis of peace for us.
DAY 2 – Yuanjiajie Scenic area
The next day we took a bus to the city Wulingyuan. Wulingyuan is a typical tourist destination. There are several hotels, souvenir shops or you can buy there a tour through the park, etc. This area is best known for its Avatar Halleluah mountain.
We wanted to go through a glass elevator called Bailong elevator to shorten the journey, but we changed our minds after asking for another RMB 65 per person at the gate (we also read that it is not worthy because elevator is too fast and overcrowded). So we decided to walk and we climb an endless number of stairs agian to the top. We haven’t met many tourists on the way but the hike was worthy with fabulous views on the surrounding mountains and forest landscape. This part of the park is definitely the best. We recommend you to wait until 3 – 5 pm, when the mountains have the most beautiful coloring and the number of tourists falls at the same time.
DAY 3 – Tianzi mountain area
The last part to explore is the Tianzi mountain area. Tianzi Mountain is 1262 meters high and it is the highest complex of mountains in the area, offering a stunning view from the other mountain peaks. To get there, we arrived in the city Wulingyuan again, climbed an endless number of steps and then took the shuttle bus to the desired station. The map of the park is relatively poorly drawn, so we recommend to study some map on the Internet before you visit park. We for example got one at the hotel.
On the third day we have so many pictures of different mountains and valleys that it is time to leave the national park: D It is a magical area and every part of it is unique! If you want to visit this park low cost, you will have to walk a lot. But the walk is definitely worthy and you will meet and see things you wouldn’t even see from the cable car.
Tips for visit Zhangjiajie National Park
1. Don’t feed monkeys or do not show food in front of them
As we made our way down from the mountain after a long hike, we decided it was the perfect time for a quick snack. Anet had packed some juicy pears, and we were looking forward to them to recharge for the rest of the day. But just as she pulled out the pear bag, the monkeys appeared—as if by magic! One particularly bold monkey jumped straight at Anet, its eyes locked on the bag of pears.
Caught by surprise, Anet wisely chose not to fight back. Feeling the monkey’s grip on the bag, she decided to let it gorather than risk a tug-of-war. The monkey triumphantly grabbed the bag and disappeared into the trees, leaving us shocked and hungry. Tomas, who had been dreaming of those pears, was understandably disappointed (and still hungry!).
2. Food and drink inside the park
While there are several restaurants and snack bars scattered throughout the park, they tend to be more expensivecompared to food outside the park. To keep costs down, we decided to bring our own food each day.
Our tip: Bring lightweight, easy-to-carry snacks like fruit, sandwiches, or energy bars. And as we learned from our monkey encounter, make sure to eat in safe, monkey-free zones! 🐒
3. How to get on top of the mountain
There are two main ways to reach the mountain’s peak, depending on your budget and preference:
- Low-Cost Option: Hike to the Top
- This is the budget-friendly way to reach the summit, and the hike offers incredible viewpoints along the way.
- It’s a bit of a workout, with plenty of stairs, but the experience of climbing through the natural beauty of the park is worth the effort.
- Convenient Option: Take the Cable Car
- If you prefer to save time or avoid the strenuous hike, the cable car is a faster, easier option but you have to pay for the ride.
- However, be prepared for long queues, especially during weekends or the high season. The cable cars can get quite crowded.
Where to stay in Zhangjiajie
Budget Friendly Option:
Butterfly Flowers Inn – offers rooms with air conditioning and a private bathroom in Zhangjiajie. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and free WiFi.
Mid-Range Option:
Edinburgh Hostel – popular accommodation, particularly among backpackers and budget-conscious travelers who want a mix of comfort and affordability.
Luxury Options:
Lee’s Boutique Resort – Nestled in Wulingyuan, surrounded by stunning mountain views and serene nature.
Jim
How long is the hike to the top instead of taking the cablecar?
AT
It took us around 2 hours but it really depends on your speed! There was plenty of stairs 🙂