Why Visit Tianmen Mountain?
Tianmen Mountain (天门山), the second national forest in Zhangjiajie, is the symbol and soul of Zhangjiajie. Someone entitle this mountain as the most beautiful flower garden in the sky and the fairlyland in the boundary of heaven. It is worth visiting for the miraculous and unique geographic landform and unparalleled natural landscape, as well as for its profound cultural connotations and famous colorful humanistic site.
It is listed as one of the "50 worthwhile visiting places for foreign travelers". In Tianmen Mountain, there are some featured activities for you to experience, like Tianmen Mountain cableway, Glass skywalk, Avenue toward Heaven, Tianmen Cave (Closest Earth Landmark to God), and Cliff-hanging walkway.
Main Scenic Areas of Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain consists of Tianmen Dongkai Scenic Area, Tianjie Foguo Scenic Area, Biye Yaotai Scenic Area and Mixian Qijing Scenic Area.
Tianmen Dongkai Scenic Area (天门洞开)
It is located in the middle and upper part of Tianmen Mountain with an elevation of 1300m. This scenic area includes Tianmen Cave (Heavenly Gate Cave), Ladder to the Heaven, Tianmen Mountain Cableway, Tongtian Avenue (Avenue toward Heaven), etc.
Mixian Qijing Scenic Area (觅仙奇境)
It is located in the west of Tianmen Mountain. This area is the birthplace of Reclusion Culture and Immortal Culture. The sights mainly include Seek Son Cave, Viewing Guigu Cave, Cliff-Hanging Walkway, Glass Skywalk, Lingxiao Platform, etc.
Biye Yaotai Scenic Area (碧野瑶台)
This area has a complete primitive forest. There are more than 20 spots including Divine Spring, Overlook Heavenly Gate, Cherry Bay, etc.
Tianjie Foguo Scenic Area (天界佛国)
This scenic area is the center of Buddhist culture, located in the south of Tianmen Mountain. The most typical sight is Tianmen Mountain Temple.
![Tianmen Mountain](assets/images/customer-photos/2020/keena-z-tianmenshan-1024.jpg)
Experience You Won’t Miss
Experience the Longest Cableway in the World
From: Tianmen Cableway Lower Station;
To: Tianmen Cableway Upper Station
(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 landscape. Overlooking from the cableway, you can see the 99 turns toward the heaven.
![Tianmen Mountain](/assets/images/customer-photos/2020/allan-ze-tianmenshan-512.jpg)
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. It is the wonder of highway in world. The road has a length of 10.77km and its elevation rising from 200meters to 1300 meters. Traveling through Tongtian Avenue by sightseeing bus, travelers can reach directly Tianmen Cave within 25 minutes.
Please Note: the ride is full of sharp turns along the vertical cliffs. For those who easily have carsickness, please take some carsick medicine or choose not to go by bus. And you can view it from the cableway instead.
Experience the Cliff-Hanging Walkway
The Cliff-Hanging Walkway is about 1600m, with an altitude of 1400m. It starts from Yihong Pass to Little Tianmen Gate. This cliff-hanging walkway is very thrilling. It seems that you are walking by the cliff and in the air. The breathtaking Glass Skywalk is part of the Cliff-Hanging Walkway, about 60 meters long. There is a glass platform for travelers shooting amazing photos. If you like, you can stand on the glass platform to appreciate the breathtaking scenery. At the end of the Cliff-Hanging Walkway, travelers can walk through the 160-meter Hanging Bridge.
Breathtaking Glass Walk
The glass skywalk is 60 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, with the highest elevation of 1430m. It is part of Cliff-hanging walking, and is the highest section. Travelers should put on shoe cover to pass through the glass skywalk. The walk is challenging, giving a thrilling feeling like walking in the sky. An unforgettable lifetime experience, isn’t it?
Please note: It will not be so thrilling during foggy days. And it will be closed during the rainy, icy and snowy days. You are advised to check the weather forecast before going to Tianmen Mountain if you want to get the best experience of the glass walkway. For the detailed info, you can also feel free to contact our experienced travel consultants to meet your needs and requirements.
Travel through Tianmen Cave
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.
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.
▶ 4 Days Zhangjiajie Tour to Yuanjiajie & Tianmen Mountain National Park
![Tianmen Mountain](/assets/images/customer-photos/2020/Allan-huangshan-800-2.jpg)
![Tianmen Mountain](/assets/images/customer-photos/2019/ronit-gl-tianmenshan-1024.jpg)
![Tianmen Mountain](/assets/images/customer-photos/2023/tianmen-mountain-manolis-tx-1024.jpg)
Recommended Visiting Route
Route One (less walk, energy and time saving)
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 Cliff-Hanging Walkway and Glass Skywalk, visit Tianmen Temple; Take Tianmen Mountain Peak Forest Sightseeing Cable Car from Cherry Bay to Yunmeng Xianding; reach upper escalator Tianmen Mountain to get down Tianmen Cave and visit the door to heaven; get down from Tianmen Cave to the parking lot and take sightseeing bus to experience 99 turns via Tongtian Avenue. (Note: If you don’t want to go 99 turns on bus, travelers can go up from Tianmen Cave by escalator and take cableway to get down.)
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 Cliff-Hanging Walkway 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 escalator to Tianmen Cave; visit Tianmen Cave and walk 999 steps to Tianmen Cave parking lot to take sightseeing bus to get down Tianmen Mountain by wandering through Tongtian Avenue with 99 turns. (Note: If you don’t want to go 99 turns on bus, travelers can go up from Tianmen Cave by escalator and take cableway to get down.)
Location & Transportation
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park is located in south of Zhangjiajie, 8 kilometers from downtown area. It usually needs about only 5 minutes by local taxi or private car to get to Tianmen Cableway Lower Station to take the cable car up to Tianmen Mountain, and it is also the place to take sightseeing bus up to the mountain scenic area. You can take bus, taxi, private car etc. from airport, train station, and other tourist attractions in Zhangjaijie to get to the lower station. It transfers travelers between Tianmen Cableway Middle Station/Lower Station and Tianmen Cave.
From Zhangjiajie Airport:
About 5km’s driving distance; it costs about 10 minutes and about 30 Yuan.
From Zhangjiajie Railway Station:
About 1km’s driving distance; it costs about 5 minutes and about 10 Yuan. It takes around 15 minutes by walking.
From Other Attractions in Zhangjiajie
- About 23.2km from Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, needs about 40 minutes by car;
- About 38km from Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, needs about 1.5 hours by car;
- About 31km from Yellow Dragon Cave, needs about 1 hour by car;
- About 25km from Baofeng Lake, needs about 50 minutes by car.
Transfer to Tianmen Mountain
If you want to get rid of the hustle of public transportation and troublesome navigation, you are recommended to travel with China Discovery and book a private tour package which covers sightseeing, dining, transfer, guide service, etc. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain with safety, speed and convenience by licensed private car from China Discovery, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on sightseeing.
Useful Travel Tips
1. Best Time to Visit & Weather
In different seasons, Tianmen Mountain has different scenery. In spring, it is still a little bit cold. When taking cableway to pass through the farm fields and get up Tianmen Mountain, you can see many flowers in blossom. It has heavy fog in this season, and Tianmen Cave is very mysterious with fog at this time. In summer, Tianmen Mountain is very cool and becomes a good place to escape the heat. In autumn, the weather and temperature is moderate and the scenery is fantastic. Some trees turn yellow and red, giving the mountain more colorful scenery. In winter, Tianmen Mountain is cold and sometimes it snows. Tianmen Mountain becomes the icy world. To avoid the coldness, it is recommended to visit during April to October. Know more about Zhangjiajie Weather & Best Time to Visit >>
Travel Tip: For safety reasons, the Ghost-Valley Plank Road and Tianmen Cave may be closed in winter if there are heavy snows, freezing weather or regular maintenance. And the sightseeing bus along Avenue toward Heaven may also stop the operation. If you go with us, your travel consultant and tour guide will adjust your itinerary accordingly.
2. Admission Fee
Tickets of Tianmen Mountain: 278 Yuan, including sightseeing ticket, double cableway ticket and sightseeing bus, excluding the Tianmen Mountain Peak Forest Sightseeing Cable Car and the lower part of escalator Tianmen Cave. The ticket is valid for one day.
3. Transportation in Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Cave Escalator
Fee: 32 Yuan for the lower escalator
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: 25 Yuan 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, three sections of the glass bottom cliffside require a service fee of CNY 5/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.
4. What to Pack
- Be sure to bring comfortable sneakers because you may need to do some hiking along the paths and trails in Tianmen Mountain.
- Take some commonly used medicines for emergencies.
- Take an umbrella or raincoat for the weather may change during one day.
- Wear a pair of sunglasses to prevent the ultraviolet ray.
Check for more details at What to Pack for a Zhangjiajie Tour.
5. Evening Show
Time: 20:15-21:50 every evening during March to December of the year (If it rains, you will be given a raincoat for free. In cold days of winter, you can rent warm cotton-padded clothes.)
Place: Tianmenshan Canyon Theater
Tianmen Fox Fairy is the real-scene musical drama with the Tianmen Mountain and its deep valleys as the stage background. The show tells a romantic love story about a fox fairy and an ordinary woodman making a living by chopping woods. Combining the local music, the indigenous life style and ancient love story, with the marvelous valley as background, this show will add more fun to your Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain trip.
How to Plan a Zhangjiajie Tour
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!
Keep Reading
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Yuanjiajie
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
- Yellow Dragon Cave
- Baofeng Lake
- Huanshizhai
- Fenghuang Ancient Town
- Furong Ancient Town
- Things to Do in Zhangjiajie
- Featured Activities in Zhangjiajie
- Where to Stay in Zhangjiajie
- Hotels in Zhangjiajie City
- Hotels in Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan
- Zhangjiajie Weather & Seasons
- Zhangjiajie Maps
- Zhangjiajie FAQs & Tips
- More Zhangjiajie Travel Guide
- Avatar Mountains Exploration
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours
Top 3 Zhangjiajie tours chosen by most customers to explore Zhangjiajie in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.
Customize a TripQuestions & Discussions
Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.
Warm greetings from China Discovery. The route one with less walk recommended on our website takes about half day. If traveling in the peak season, it may take about half to one hour to queue up for the cableway up to the mountain, so it may take longer time.
Yes, Tianmen Mountain will stop selling tickets after 16:30 in peak season and 16:00 in off season. For travelers who are visiting the mountain, they can get out before 18:00.
The Tianmen Fox Fairy takes place in Tianmenshan Canyon Theater, at the foot of Tianmen Mountain in the north side. That to say, the show and the forest park visiting are separate. You can enjoy it at 20:30.
Wish you a wonderful trip in Tianmen Mountain!
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