Tianmen Mountain - Take the Longest Cable Car to the Miraculous Tianmen Cave

(Cableway is also available for getting down from upper to lower station.)

Tianmen Mountain Cableway is the longest one-way recycling passenger cableway in the world, with a total length of 7455 meters and a height gap of 1279 meters.

This longest cableway car takes travelers from the atmosphere of Zhangjiajie city downtown directly to the primitive park in the air. During the about 40 minutes’ journey of the cableway, the landscape changes a lot, making travelers experience a miraculous feeling of flying angels in the sky as well as of being blended into a long grand painting of the landscape. Overlooking from the cableway, you can see the 99 turns toward heaven.

Tianmen Cave is the natural water-eroded cave, with the highest elevation in the world. It runs south-northward with a height of 131.5 meters, a width of 57 meters and a depth of 60 meters. Tianmen Cave rises above the ground and closes to the sky with a lofty and towering posture. It is much like a door to the heaven. In 1999, the masters of international stunt flying piloted the planes to fly through Tianmen Cave.

Please Note: the ride is full of sharp turns along the vertical cliffs. For those prone to motion sickness, please take medication or avoid bus travel. And you can view it from the cableway instead.

Travelers should walk 999 steep and narrow steps to climb the “Ladder to the Heaven” and reach Tianmen Cave and enjoy fantastic scenery from above.

Please Note: the Tongtian Avenue and Tianmen Cave may close during the frozen days in the winter time. For the detailed news, please contact our professional travel consultants beforehand for more weather and transportation information.

Experience the Guigu Cliffside Path

The Guigu Cliffside Path (鬼谷栈道), located on the western summit of Tianmen Mountain, forms the principal trail on the peak's western side. Spanning 1,600 meters in length and averaging an elevation of 1,400 meters, it derives its name from its position above Guigu Cave. This path is dramatically perched atop a cliff, appearing as if it's a knife-carved ledge on the mountain. It offers a visually stunning experience, with undulating terrain underfoot and a fathomless chasm below. Visitors can indulge in the exhilaration of walking on such a lofty path and simultaneously enjoy panoramic views of the exquisitely crafted karst plateau landscape.

Breathtaking Glass Skywalk

The glass skywalk, stretching 60 meters in length and 1.6 meters in width, reaches a peak elevation of 1430 meters. It's a segment of the cliff-hugging walkway, situated at the loftiest point. To traverse the skywalk, sometimes, visitors are required to wear shoe covers. The experience is daring, offering the exhilaration of a sky-bound stroll. It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, isn't it?

Please Note: The thrill can be diminished on foggy days. Moreover, the skywalk may closed during heavy rain, ice, and snow to ensure safety. To optimize your glass skywalk experience at Tianmen Mountain, it's recommended to check the weather forecast in advance. For more information, don't hesitate to reach out to our seasoned travel advisors, who are ready to assist you with your specific needs and desires.

3 Days Classic Zhangjiajie Natural Wonders Tour (National Park + Tianmen Mountain)

Itinerary: Zhangjiajie
Highlights: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie Avatar Mountain, Tianzi Mountain, Tianmen Mountain, Tianmen Cave

Avenue toward Heaven with 99 Turns

Tongtian Avenue, also called Avenue toward Heaven, has 99 sharp turns of about 180° symbolizing that Heaven has nine palaces. In a word, it is the wonder of the highway. The road has a length of 10.77km, and its elevation rises from 200 meters to 1300 meters. Traveling through Tongtian Avenue by sightseeing bus, travelers can reach Tianmen Cave directly within 25 minutes.

Please Note: the ride is full of sharp turns along the vertical cliffs. For those prone to motion sickness, please take medication or avoid bus travel. And you can view it from the cableway instead.

Tickets of Tianmen Mountain: CNY 278/pp, including sightseeing ticket, Tianmen Mountain Cableway Ticket (single run), Tianmen Cave Express Cableway Ticket (single run) and sightseeing bus (Mountain Gate - Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway), excluding the Tianmen Mountain Peak Forest Sightseeing Cable Car, the lower part of the escalator Tianmen Cave, three sections of glass-bottom cliffside path, VIP Quick Pass. The ticket is valid for one day.

In 2024, the admission fee of CNY 278 per person includes access to three designated routes (A, B, and C) within the scenic area. Check details at Ultimate Guide to Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Tickets 2024 >>

3. Tianmen Mountain Inner Transportation & Additional Fee May Occur

Tianmen Cave Escalator

Fee: CNY 32/pp for the lower escalator, parallel to the 999 stairway

It consists of the upper escalator and lower escalator. The upper escalator runs between Tianmen Cave and Biye Yaotai scenic area. The lower escalator runs between the Parking Lot of Tianmen Cave and Tianmen Cave. Taking the lower escalator, travelers can save energy to climb the 999 steps which makes the visit easier.

Tianmen Mountain Peak Forest Sightseeing Cable Car

Fee: CNY 25/pp per way
It starts from the main peak of Tianmen Mountain – Yu Meng Xian Peak, to Cherry Bay near Tianmen Mountain Temple. With a length of 800m, it takes 10 minutes one way. Taking sightseeing cable car, you can not only overlook the primitive forest scenery, but also save energy and time to make your trip easier.

Glassbottom Cliffside Path Service Fee

Currently, 3 sections of the glass bottom cliffside require a service fee of CNY 5-10/pp for each. (Note: Updated on 24 July 2024)

VIP Quick Pass (for cable car)

There can be long queues when visiting the Tianmen Mountain ropeway during peak tourist season. If you're short on time and want to avoid waiting in line, you can upgrade to the VIP Scenic Spot General VIP Ticket for an extra CNY 100/pp, or to the Ctrip VIP Ticket for CNY 150/pp.

★★★ Our Top Recommended Zhangjiajie Tour including Tianmen Mountain ★★★

5 Days Zhangjiajie Ultimate Tour with Glass Bridge & Tianmen Mountain

Itinerary: Zhangjiajie
Highlights: Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, Yuanjiajie Avatar Mountains, Tianzi Mountain, Yellow Dragon Cave

Take the 7455-meter cableway to get up Tianmen Mountain; Arrive at Tianmen Mountain cable station (Upper) and choose west route to travel through Mixian Qijing Scenic Area and experience Guigu Cliffside Path and Glass Skywalk, visit Tianmen Temple; Take Tianmen Mountain Peak Forest Sightseeing Cable Car (extra fee of CNY 25/run) from Cherry Bay to Yunmeng Xianding; reach Upper Station of Transmountain Escalator to get down Tianmen Cave and visit the Stairway to Heaven; get down from Tianmen Cave to the parking lot and take a Tianmen Cave Express Cableway to overlook the 99 turns of Tongtian Avenue. After get off the cableway, walk to the Mountain Gate of Tianmen Mountain, and take a sightseeing bus there to return to the tourist center of Tianmen Mountain (where your Tianmen Mountain Adventure Starts)

4 Days Zhangjiajie Exciting Adventure with Glass Bridge and Tianmen Mountain

Itinerary: Zhangjiajie
Highlights: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie Avatar Mountain, Tianmen Mountain, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Yellow Dragon Cave

Route Two (in-depth hiking route)

Take the 7455-meter cableway to get up Tianmen Mountain; arrive at the upper cable station and choose the west route to visit Mixian Qijing Scenic Area and experience Guigu Cliffside Path and Glass Skywalk; visit Tianjie Foguo Scenic Area to Tianmen Temple; hike on the east route to travel through the primitive forest in Biye Yaotai Scenic Area and visit many sights along the way; get down from Upper Station of Transmountain Escalator to Tianmen Cave; visit Tianmen Cave and walk 999 steps to The Square in front of the Tianmen Cave. After sightseeing, walk to take the Tianmen Cave Express Cableway down the mountain to the Mountain Gate. Take a sightseeing bus there to return to the tourist center of Tianmen Mountain.

Tianmen Mountain is only 8 kilometers from the downtown area. It usually takes about only 5 minutes by local taxi or private car to get to Tianmen Mountain Cableway Lower Station to take the cable car up to Tianmen Mountain. You can take the bus, taxi, private car etc., from the airport, train station, and other tourist attractions in Zhangjiajie to get to the lower station. It transfers travelers to the Upper Station of Tianmen Mountain Cableway or Mountain Gate (to take the Tianmen Cave Express Cableway to explore Tianmen Cave first).

From Zhangjiajie Airport:

About 5km driving distance; it costs about 10 minutes and about 30 Yuan.

From Zhangjiajie Railway Station:

About 1km driving distance; it costs about 5 minutes and about 10 Yuan. It takes around 15 minutes by walking.

As a premier showcase of China's natural beauty, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park 张家界国家森林公园 features a distinctive quartz sandstone landscape, famously referred to as the "Avatar mountains." Since 1992, it has been honored as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, and since 2001, it has been designated a World Geopark. The park, which was also the first of its kind in China, includes a variety of stunning sites such as Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Huangshi Village, Golden Whip Stream, and the Ten-mile Gallery.

• Location: Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province (湖南省张家界市武陵源区)
• Tickets: (Mar-Oct) Standard CNY 227/pp, valid for 4 days. Sightseeing bus (CNY 60/pp) and insurance (CNY 3/pp) are included.
• Recommended Visiting Time: 1-2 Days

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon 张家界大峡谷, a stunning natural gem set amidst the Wuling Mountains. This magnificent attraction is renowned for its profound chasms, glistening streams, lush vegetation, and majestic waterfalls. Guests have the option to tread on the renowned glass bridge for a thrilling experience that feels like walking on air or meander along the winding trails to explore the canyon's hidden and peaceful charms. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is an essential destination for both thrill-seekers and those who cherish the serenity of the natural world.

• Location: Sanguansi Township, Cili County, Zhangjiajie City (张家界市慈利县三官寺乡)
• Tickets: CNY 178/pp (only for your reference, updated on 26 September 2024)
• Tickets: 1-3 hours

The Yellow Dragon Cave 黄龙洞, alternatively known as Huanglong Cave, is a subterranean marvel that has earned praise from UNESCO experts as one of the globe's most scenic caves. It extends over a sizable area of 100,000 square meters, with a total length of 7.6 kilometers and soaring heights of up to 140 meters. The cave harbors two mysterious underground rivers, four tumbling waterfalls, 13 unique grottoes, and an impressive collection of 10,000 stalagmites and stalactites, making it an extensive network of limestone caves. Within its depths, the Magic Needle and the Dragon King's Chair are particularly famous formations that capture the interest of visitors.

• Location: Hekou Village, Suoxiyu Town, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City (张家界市武陵源区索溪峪镇河口村)
• Tickets: CNY 178/pp (only for your reference, updated on 26 September 2024)
• Tickets: 2 hours

Zhangjiajie is an incredible place with absolutely beautiful landscape under heaven. Travelers usually spend 3 to 5 days in and around Zhangjiajie. There is no doubt that Wulingyuan National Forest Park is the highlight of all the stunning attractions which needs to spend 2 days inside. If you have one more day, you should add Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge Experience or Tianmen Mountain into the trip. Some travelers choose to visit Yellow Dragon Cave or Baofeng Lake for one day. If you prefer Zhangjiajie day tours, you can always find a tour.

If you want to enjoy the antique beauty of ancient town, Fenghuang Ancient Town is the best choice for one to two days' escape. And, you can also consider of Fanjingshan Mountain to see the mushroom stone and odd mountains.

Most travelers would add Zhangjiajie into their longer China trip and you can go with Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Yangtze River Cruise, Guilin, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing and more. To customize your China tour with Zhangjiajie, just feel free to tell us your likes and demands, and we are here ready to help you at any time! Tailor make your China tour with China Discovery now!

Travel Zhangjiajie with China Discovery

To help you enjoy a worry-free trip to Zhangjiajie and the whole China, we suggest you travel with China Discovery. Our experienced travel expert will help you arrange the accommodation, transportation and everything well to let you spend all your effort and time on the sightseeing. If you have any other ideas or questions about your Zhangjiajie tour, please feel free to contact us. We will help you plan your enjoyable trip with sincerity and professionalism!

We have helped many global travelers enjoy their memorable trips to Zhangjiajie for the past few years. Among them Mr. Elie & his wife from Belgium enjoyed 5 days in Zhangjiajie during their 69 days China trip customized with us and shared us their travel story. Travel with China Discovery to create your wonderful Zhangjiajie trip memories! Our best Zhangjiajie tours include classic trip to Zhangjiajie National Park, Glass Bridge, Tianmen Mountain and China tours with Zhangjiajie, Guilin, etc.