Wulingyuan Scenic Area - Core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie
A Wulingyuan Scenic Area (or called Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area) tour is somewhat traveling outside the earth land. Before coming to Wulingyuan, we held the view that mountains in the world are always fat and huge, and we could never take selfies with an entire mountain. However, things change when it comes to Wulingyuan. The mountains there are split into countless tall, narrow and straight pillars, and you can easily find their border. Some of the pillar tops only allow several small trees to stand. If you stand tall enough, you can even easily squeeze one of the pillars and these small trees into a picture!
When James Cameron was looking for inspiration for the alien landscape of “Pandora” depicted in Avatar, he couldn’t move his eyes from these marveling finger-like projections. Finally, he brought these columns into his movie, and thus the mountains of Wulingyuan got their name “Avatar Mountains”. Pandora is far but Wulingyuan is near! Why not give yourself a chance to bring the Avatar Mountains from the film to your eyes? Contact China Discovery to tailor-make a Wulingyuan Avatar Mountain trip now!
Latest Travel News: For security reasons, Oolong Village (乌龙寨) and Tianbo Mansion (天波府) in Yangjiajie are temporarily closed. There is no exact notification of the reopening date. Please stay updated with the latest news on our website. You can also contact us for the most recent information.
Highlights of Wulingyuan Scenic Area
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area is composed of four parts, including the firstly discovered and most famed Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the tranquil Suoxiyu Scenic Zone, the largest Tianzi Mountain Natural Reserve and the primeval Yangjiajie Scenic Area. The Wulingyuan - the Core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie shares one ticket and the ticket is valid for 4 days, covering famous scenic zones including Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Ten Miles Gallery, Golden Whip Stream, Huangshizhai, Yangjiajie. For more details of the highlights and transportation of each area, you could check the following articles.
Warm tip: Some people also think that Wulingyuan is just another name of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The reason for this misunderstanding is that the park was established in 1982 while the whole Wulingyuan Scenic Area got its name in 1984. Wulingyuan is a broader area with a larger total area and more diverse landscapes. To put it simply, while the Wulingyuan Scenic Area encompasses popular sites like the Yellow Dragon Cave and Baofeng Lake, admission to these specific sites is not covered by the ticket for the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, which is known as the core scenic area of Wulingyuan.
Which Area of Wulingyuan to Go
| Wulingyuan - Core Scenic Area | Landscape | Hiking Difficulty | Crowdedness | Cable Car/Elevator/Tram | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhangjiajie National Forest Park |  |
 |
/ | Yes | 1-3 Days |
| Yuanjiajie | |
|
Sometimes crowded | Elevator | Half day or A Day |
| Tianzi Mountain | |
|
Sometimes crowded | Cableway | Half day or A Day |
| Ten Miles Gallery |  |
 |
Less crowded | Sightseeing Tram | Half day or A Day |
| Golden Whip Stream | |
|
Sometimes crowded | On foot | Half day or A Day |
| Huangshizhai | |
|
Not crowded | Cableway | Half day |
| Yangjiajie | |
|
Not crowded | Cableway | Half day or A Day |
| Other Attractions in Wulingyuan Scenic Zone | Landscape | Hiking Difficulty | Crowdedness | Cable Car/Elevator/Tram | Time Needed |
| Yellow Dragon Cave | |
|
Not crowded | Boat & On foot | Half day |
| Baofeng Lake | |
|
Not crowded | Boat & On foot | Half day |
Important Wulingyuan Travel Information & Tips
Wulingyuan - The Core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie
Ticket Including: Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Ten Miles Gallery, Yangjiajie, Golden Whip Stream, Huangshizhai
Ticket Excluding: Yellow Dragon Cave, Baofeng Lake
The admission of Wulingyuan - the Core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie is charged CNY 227/pp (including CNY 3/pp insurance fee) during the peak season (March to November) and CNY 116/pp during the off-season (December to next February). Sightseeing bus CNY 60/person is included. Once you have a ticket, you can enter the tourist spot for unlimited times from either one of the five entrances during the 4 days after booking. The sightseeing bus fee is included. But you have to pay an extra fee for the cable cars, elevators and sightseeing tram. To make planning your trip to Wulingyuan easier, we have compiled some important and useful articles for you below:
What to Pack
To have a more pleasant hiking tour in Wulingyuan Scenic Area, you are required to wear comfortable water-proof antiskid shoes and pack some little things into your backpack, such as your valid passport, enough cash, tissues, and so on.
Best Time to Visit
Wulingyuan is suitable to visit all year round. However, the best time is spring and autumn. Summer is also good season to go as long as you take a break to avoid the summer heat of midday sun. Heavily rainy days are not really suggested, as it is not a wise choice to walk under the trees when rains heavily.
Where to Stay
To have a good rest after the tiring hiking in the day, you are suggested to stay near Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Wulingyuan District Central area near the east gate of Wulingyuan Scenic Area is the best choice. Also, you could find multiple comfortable and budget hotels and hostels near other ticket stations.
Wulingyuan Hiking
There are countless hiking trails and routes inside the huge Wulingyuan Scenic Area. The most classic and popular routes are in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Yuanjiajie. The hiking in Tianzi Mountain takes more time. And the Yangjiajie hiking is the most wild and difficult.
How to Get to Wulingyuan
Wulingyuan - The Core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie is settled in the Wulingyuan District of Zhangjiajie City. There are altogether 5 ticket stations (entrances) to enter the scenic area, including Forest Park Ticket Station (森林公园门票站), Wujiayu Ticket Station (吴家峪门票站), Zimugang Ticket Station (梓木岗门票站), Yangjiajie Ticket Station (杨家界门票站) and Tianzi Mountain Ticket Station (天子山门票站). You could enter from either one of the five entrances, while the most used entrances are Forest Park Ticket Station and Wujiayu Ticket Station. And usually driving from Zhangjiajie downtown to the closest southwest entrance (Forest Park Ticket Station) takes about 1 hour!
To get to the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, you can choose to ask for a taxi, which needs about CNY 100- 150. Besides, you can go to Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station (张家界中心汽车站) to catch a coach. The coaches need about CNY 10-20 and most of the coaches would stop at Forest Park Ticket Station.
Warm tip: tell the taxi driver which entrance you are going to when you get on the taxi, and usually you are suggested to start your Wulingyuan tour from Forest Park Ticket Station (森林公园门票站) or Wujiayu Ticket Station (吴家裕门票站). If you still feel confused and worried about your tour, please feel free to contact us for help. We can provide a convenient private car tour for you.
How to Travel around Wulingyuan
Taking sightseeing buses and hiking are major ways to travel around inside Wulingyuan - the Core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie. However, to make everyone enjoy the otherworldly scenery of Wulingyuan with ease and convenience, the scenic spot also offers a sightseeing tram, cable cars and elevators for extra payment.
The free sightseeing buses can take you to most of the tourist attractions or the foot of some mountains inside the scenic area. There are many bus lines, and you are suggested to make a confirmation whether it is going to your destination or not when you get on.
| Cable Car / Elevator | Fees (CNY/person) | Duration | Opening Hours |
| Ten Miles Gallery Sightseeing Tram | CNY 38 for one-way | That depends | 07:00-18:00 |
| Bailong Elevator | CNY 65 for one-way up or down | 2 minutes | 07:00-18:00 |
| Huangshi Village Cable Car | CNY 65 for a single way | 6 minutes | 07:00-18:00 |
| Tianzi Mountain Cable Car | CNY 72 for one-way up or down | 10 minutes | 07:00-17:00 |
| Yangjiajie Cable Car | CNY 76 for one-way up or down | 5.2 minutes | 7:30-17:00 |
| Kong Zhong Tian Yuan Sightseeing Car | CNY 64/round | 15-20 minutes | 07:00-17:00 |
Notes: 1) the above info like opening hours, fee and duration may be slightly changed according to real-time situation. 2) The cable cars may be suspended in severe weather such as rainstorm, lightning, etc.
Useful Wulingyuan Scenic Area Maps
To help you know the location, transportation and attractions of Wulingyuan Scenic Area clearly, we offer some useful maps at below. You could also get more map info at Wulingyuan Map and Zhangjiajie Map.
Most Popular Wulingyuan Tours 2024/2025
Wulingyuan is a huge area that has many treasures waiting for your explore. However, it may be a little bit hard for first-timers to make perfect tours in this massive system, because it has so many entrances, trails and pillars. Find the best area to stay to travel Wulingyuan more conveniently is also challenging. Don’t worry, travel with China Discovery, and then all your problems will be solved. We will help you customize your Wulingyuan tour according to your plan, time, interests and demands. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us and tell us your needs, and we will customize a memorable tour for you!
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