How to Visit Zhangjiajie: A Simple 3 Day Itinerary
Discover how to visit Zhangjiajie, China with this simple 3-day Zhangjiajie itinerary covering Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie (Avatar Floating Mountain), Ladder to Heaven, and Tianmen Mountain, with ticket, transport, and stay tips.
Table of Contents
Planning for a 3-day trip to Zhangjiajie was the most difficult planning in my travel experience. Not because Zhangjiajie is hard to visit, but because as a foreign traveler, I felt a bit “blind.” There’s no Google, and many useful pages don’t have a clear English version. I even tried to find the official website of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and couldn’t find one that felt straightforward and reliable.
After many researches and preparations, I finally managed to have a successful 3-day trip covering some of the best nature in China with Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain. If you’re planning the same trip, here is the exact itinerary and the simple system I used to make everything smooth.
what you need to Know before Visiting Zhangjiajie
Apps you must have
- Trip.com: This was my lifesaver. You can book entrance tickets, cableways, Bailong Elevator, and even tours with an English interface and clear descriptions. I found it much easier than lining up at the gate, especially when you don’t speak Chinese.
- Amap (Gaode Map) (on App Store or Google Play Store): Surprisingly accurate, even inside the national park. It helped me understand where I was, what stop to go to next, and how far things were. All the addresses pinned in this post need to be opened with the Amap app.
- Translation app (Baidu Translate or similar): People are kind, but English is very limited. A translation app saves time and avoids confusion.
Where to stay
- Wulingyuan (best base for the Forest Park): Wulingyuan is a great place to stay because it is right next to the East Gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
- Zhangjiajie City (best for Tianmen Mountain): Zhangjiajie City has a cableway station in the center that goes directly to Tianmen Mountain, another national park in Zhangjiajie.
During my trip to Zhangjiajie, which was a part of my 21-day China trip, I stayed the whole 3 nights in Wulingyuan because the Forest Park is much bigger than Tianmen Mountain. On Day 3, I simply took a bus to Zhangjiajie City for Tianmen Mountain.
Another good option I would like to suggest is staying 2-3 nights in Wulingyuan and 1 night in Zhangjiajie City. So you’ll have time to explore Zhangjiajie city, especially the majestic 72 Wonder Tower.
Recommended Hotel in Wulingyuan:
- Zhangjiajie Ziyan Ningxiang Chinese Inn: just a few steps to the East gate, Chinese traditional style
- Eryatou Inn (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park): very near to the East gate, modern style
- JI Hotel (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Wulingyuan Biaozhimen): right at the East Gate, new, modern style
Transportation
- Taxi is the easiest option: You can order taxis using Amap (Gaode Map), and pay with Alipay or WeChat (Weixin). Taxi prices in China felt affordable to me, and if you travel in a group of 3 or more people, it becomes very cost-effective.
- Shuttle buses also exist: There are shuttle buses connecting Zhangjiajie City, Zhangjiajie West Train Station (Zhangjiajiexi), the airport, and Wulingyuan. You can find the location of the bus stations on Amap. Buy ticket directly at the bus stations.
- Important tip: Prepare your destination name in Chinese characters to show the driver or ask the bus staff. It makes everything faster and less stressful.
Understand Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is not one small park. It is a massive scenic area with multiple zones, each with different viewpoints and routes.
Scenic areas inside the park
The main areas include:
- Yuanjiajie: the area of Avatar floating mountains (so-called Heaven & Earth Column)
- Tianzi Mountain: huge panoramas and classic viewpoints
- Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi), a beautiful valley walk
- Huangshizhai, viewpoints with a cableway option
- Yangjiajie, a more rugged and quieter section
- Ten-mile Gallery and the monkey area, often treated as an easy optional stop
If you only have limited time, the two must-see areas in my opinion are Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie, especially for the Avatar-style landscapes.
Entrance Tickets & Transportation tickets inside the park
When I visited, there was only a 4-day ticket or pass for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. That means even if you only plan to visit for 1 day, you still buy the 4-day pass. The good news is that this pass includes the shuttle buses inside the park, which is how you travel between areas.
Inside the park, the shuttle system is the real transportation backbone:
- Mountain-down bus line. There are several lines from each gate of the park (East Gate, South Gate, South-East Gate, North Gate and West Gate). For example, at East Gate (Wulinyuan), there are line A to Tianzi Mountain and line B to Bailong Elevator.
- Mountain-top bus line: connect the park on the top of mountains.
Together, they connect most major scenic areas, so you do not need to hike everything.
The 4 big Cableways/Elevator in the Park: Besides the shuttle buses, there are 4 major lifts and cableways you can use:
- Tianzishan Cableway (to Tianzi Mountain)
- Bailong Elevator (You can start hiking or taking shuttle bus to Yuanjiajie from here)
- Yangjiajie Cableway (A quieter part of the forest, highly recommended if you have more time in Zhangjiajie)
- Huangshizhai Cableway (the classic viewpoint of the park)
These usually require separate tickets, but you may also find combo packages (park pass plus cableway/elevator) depending on what you choose. I booked mine on Trip.com, which made planning much easier.
Tip: ticket rules can change, so it is always worth checking the current options in Trip.com before your visit.
Services inside the park
One thing I did not expect is that the park is very service-friendly. Many restaurants and food stalls are available inside the park. There are even services where people can carry you uphill, and there are also hiking support robots you can rent at the East Gate.
So you do not need to carry heavy food. I only brought some snacks and water.
Important: what is not inside the Forest Park
Some famous places are nearby, but they are separate attractions with separate tickets:
Do not mix them into your Forest Park days unless you are very sure about timing.
Detailed 3-Day Zhangjiajie Itinerary
This is my short 3-day itinerary for Zhangjiajie. Because I didn’t have much time, I focused my first 2 days on the true highlights: Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie (the Avatar Floating Mountain area), and Ladder to Heaven inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, with entrance ticket, and tickets for Tianzishan Cableway and Bailong Elevator. Then, I spent my last day at Tianmen Mountain near Zhangjiajie City.
Day 1 — Tianzishan Cableway and Tianzi Mountain
- Morning: arrive in Wulingyuan and check in.
- Afternoon: enter Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and activate your 4-day card (the minimum ticket option). Then take Tianzishan Cableway up to Tianzi Mountain for the big panoramic views. Use the shuttle bus to reach Helong Park, walk around, take photos, and enjoy the scenery.
- End of day: go down by cableway/shuttle, then dinner and rest in Wulingyuan.
Total walking & hiking distance: 7-10km
Day 2 — Full day in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Yuanjiajie hike)
- Morning: enter the park early, take the shuttle bus to Bailong Elevator Downward Station. From here, you can hike or take shuttle bus to Golden Whip Stream (Jinbianxi) first, then come back to Bailong Elevator Downward Station , buy the ticket, and ride the lift to the top.
- Midday: have lunch in the area (there are many food options inside the park).
- Afternoon: hike or take shuttle bus to the area of Heaven and Earth Column (the Avatar Floating Mountain area). Then, hike to Ladder to Heaven if you have time and good health, because you will hike up and down around 90 floors – 270m. After that, continue by a mix of hiking, cableway, and shuttle bus by your choice to Zhangjiajie West Gate (you can also choose South Gate or South East Gate depending on your plan).
Total walking & hiking distance: around 15-20km
Important note about the exit: from West Gate, there is no direct shuttle bus back to the East Gate area in Wulingyuan. I booked a cab back to Wulingyuan (about 62 km and around 1 hour). If you want the simpler option, from Ladder to Heaven you can hike back to Bailong Elevator, take the lift down, then return to Wulingyuan by shuttle bus.
Day 3 — Tianmen Mountain day (Zhangjiajie City)
- Morning: take a bus or taxi to Zhangjiajie City, go to the cableway station in the city center, and ride the cable car up to Tianmen Mountain. Then, you’ll reach Tianmen Cave by walking the 999 steps or taking a lift, depending on your combo ticket (A/B/C) on Trip.com. I bought route C, so I had to walk the 999 steps from the end of the cableway to Tianmen Cave. After that, take the 7-section escalator through the mountain to reach the mountaintop area.
- Afternoon: if you still have time, you can visit Baofeng Lake (buy online ticket here), but it is human-made and not very impressive to me. A better option is to stay in Zhangjiajie City and visit 72 Wonder Tower at night. I found it very impressive and a great way to end the trip.
Important note: buy your Tianmen Mountain combo ticket early, because the better options (like Combo A or B) usually sell out quickly.
If you want to extend beyond 3 days
If you have a 4th day, you would slow down and add either Huangshizhai for more viewpoints and an easy cableway ride, or Yangjiajie for a quieter and more rugged section of the park.
If you love thrill attractions, you can also add Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and the Glass Bridge, but remember it is not inside the National Forest Park and needs a separate ticket.
Practical tips that will save you time (and stress)
- Start early, especially on Day 2. Queues build quickly at major transport points like cableways and the Bailong Elevator, and waiting can easily eat up your best photo time. An early start also makes the park feel calmer and more enjoyable.
- Budget for the “big transport.” Your park entry ticket usually covers the eco-shuttle buses inside the park, but cableways and the Bailong Elevator are extra. If you plan these costs in advance with Trip.com, you won’t feel surprised every time you reach a new gate or station.
- Plan your exit gate before you start hiking. West Gate can catch you off guard because there may be no direct shuttle back to the East Gate area in Wulingyuan. Decide early whether you will loop back to Bailong Elevator and return by shuttle, or exit at West Gate and take a taxi back.
- Pack for comfort, not fashion. Zhangjiajie is a walking-heavy trip, so grippy shoes matter more than anything. I also recommend water, a few small snacks, and a light rain layer because mountain weather can change fast.
- Save Chinese names and screenshots on your phone. It sounds small, but it makes a big difference when you’re tired. Having the Chinese names of your hotel, gates, cableways, and key spots helps you ask the right bus driver, find the correct line, and confirm your exit point quickly.
Other China Travel Guide
Useful Apps to Make Traveling in China Easier
Traveling in China is much smoother once you have the right apps installed. For Chongqing in particular, these were the tools I relied on the most:
- Amap (Gaode Map) (on App Store or Google Play Store): One of the most accurate map apps in China, with an English interface option. It works better than Google Maps, especially for public transport, walking routes, and real-time navigation. All the addresses pinned in this post need to be opened with the Amap app.
- Alipay: An essential digital wallet for paying almost everything in China — taxis, restaurants, convenience stores, and attraction tickets. You can link an international credit card, which makes payments very easy.
- WeChat: More than just a messaging app, WeChat is also widely used for payments and sometimes required for tickets or local communication. Having it installed is extremely helpful, even if you only use basic features.
- Baidu Translate: A lifesaver for communication. English is not widely spoken, so this app helps with text, voice, and even image translation when reading menus or signs.
- Trip.com: Very foreigner-friendly and available in English. You can book hotels, tours, attraction tickets, national parks, museums, and even trains all in one place.
- Railway 12306: The official app for buying train tickets in China. It’s the most reliable option for high-speed trains, though the interface is mostly in Chinese and requires a bit of setup. Buying train ticket on Railway 12306 is a better option than on trip.com: cheaper and easier to exchange to another trip.
Having these apps ready before arriving in China will save you time, stress, and confusion.
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