4 Days Zhangjiajie Highlights Tour with Fantastic Hiking Experience
Best Hiking Trails at Moderate Pace to Explore the Stunning Highlights
Best Hiking Trails at Moderate Pace to Explore the Stunning Highlights
If you don’t go to Zhangjiajie you will have no idea how extraordinary this place is going to be! Zhangjiajie has a concentration of quartzite-sandstone formations found nowhere else in the world. Some 243 peaks and more than 3000 pinnacles and spires dominate the scenery in this UNESCO-protected National Forest Park and influenced the creation of the floating mountains of AVATAR.
To be able to experience this real-life world of pillars and mountains with forest and rivers crawling in their cracks, the best way is hiking. This 4-day tour is specially designed for travelers who want to do further hiking in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Tianmen Mountain. You’ll take the best hiking trails to see the most highlighting attractions all the way. Besides, different angles are designed - from the bottom of the valley to the top of the forest park, from the longest cableway to the the tallest full-exposure outdoor elevator...How fantastic it is!
Hiking Note: The hiking intensity of this tour is moderate which can suit for most hikers, nature/mountain lovers. Furthermore, well advanced facilities are available in the whole scenic area, and you can adjust your routes, traveling way, hiking time based on your physical condition at that time.
Alternative Plan: This hiking tour focuses on Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Huangshi Village and Golden Whip Stream). If you show interest in hiking along Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge experience, you can have a detailed look at our DAY 2's plan B. Feel free to tell us your likes and requirements, our experienced travel experts are here ready to customize the tour for you.
Day 1 Zhangjiajie Arrival
Pick-up in Zhangjiajie & Transfer to Wulingyuan Town for Accommodation
Welcome to Zhangjiajie! Upon your arrival, our local tour guide will meet you with a sign on which says your name at the arrival hall in the airport or train station. Then our guide and driver will transfer you directly to your hotel in Wulingyuan downtown in Zhangjiajie by our comfortable private car (non-smoking), and the guide will help you check in. The rest of today is on your own to explore this fabulous city in China.
Arrival Ideas: Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport 6 kilometers from city downtown serves flights between major domestic cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Qingdao, etc. and some international cities like Bangkok, Osaka, etc. Besides, you can also take a normal train to Zhangjiajie Railway Station from many destinations, like Changsha (4.5-5.5 hours), Yichang (4.5-5 hours), Tongren (about 7 hours), Wuhan (10 hours), Xian (15 hours), Shanghai (20 hours), Beijing (23 hours), and so on.
Zhangjiajie City View
Day 2 Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (B, L)
Huangshi Village (4 hours’ hiking) - Golden Whip Stream (2.5 hours’ hiking)
After breakfast, you will be met by our guide and driver and then driven to start your exciting hiking tour in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. First, hike about 2 hours up to Huangshi Village and pass through some noted spots, like Arhats Welcome Guests, Southern Sky Column, and then reach the top of the village to appreciate the wide forest park. The village site has an altitude of 1080 meters, which is praised for its similar charm of pillar forest of Colorado in the USA. Enjoying the flat the wide visual environment, it is so far the largest natural viewing deck for visitors for a perfect admiration of its various rising stones and hills. Enjoy your fresh walk to visit the top famous sights including Star Picking Stand, Five Finger Peak, and so on, and find those looking like a book box, bridge piers, nestling couple, etc. from a distance. (Note: There are two hiking routes on the top of Huangshi Village, one is the small circle covering the essences which needs 1 hour’s hiking; and the second is the large circle including more sights taking 2 hours’ for hiking. You can choose either on your own based on your physical condition at that time.)
Later, take the cable car to get down. Then, change your angle to explore the famous Golden Whip Stream deep in the valley. This totally 7.5 kilometers long brook is one of the most beautiful places in the whole forest park area. Take an inspiring roam along the whispering pristine water on the paved path to immerse into tranquil wonderland with fresh air, colorful blooming flowers in different seasons, lush vegetation, etc. and be prepared to encounter with some wild monkeys. The whole hiking experience along Golden Whip Stream is about 2.5 hours.
Plan B: Some travelers would like to enjoy a hiking at Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge experience and you can go as following:
After breakfast, be ready for today’s exciting hiking adventure. You will be driven for to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon for about 40 minutes to catch all the heart-stopping and refreshing feelings. Now, its your bold moment to take the challenge and walk on the transparent Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge to feel like walking on the clouds, which is the world longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge so far in the whole universe, with total length of 430 meters and height of 400 meters above the deep valley. After the thrilling moment, take the elevators and enjoy the Nuokeli Slideway to the valley bottom for a cooling down and please your both eyes with the fascinating natural sceneries of the lush forest, emerald lake, various vegetation, etc. at the popular Rainbow Square, Momo Cave, the Holy Spring Lake, etc. The whole hiking experience along the canyon is about 2.5 hours.
In this afternoon, you’ll go on for a hiking tour in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Take a cable car up to Huangshi Village and explore the famous sighs from this largest viewing deck to fully appreciate this incredible forest park. Get down by cable car. Later, transfer to your hotel.
Day 3 Yuanjiajie - Tianzi Mountain - Ten-mile Gallery (B, L)
Bailong Elevator - Yuanjiajie (1-2 hours’ hiking) - Tianzi Mountain (1.5 hours’ hiking) - Ten-mile Gallery (2.5 hours’ hiking)
After breakfast, visit Wulingyuan Scenic Area to get more highlights. First take a sightseeing bus to experience Bailong Elevator, the fastest elevator and also the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. Enjoy the 1.5 minutes to be shot from the valley bottom up to the pillar peak. And then, hike amongst the multiple erupting stone columns at Yuanjiajie Scenic Area and open the mysterious “Pandora World”. During the exciting hike, get a good preparation to have an enviable look at the South Sky Pillar of around 150 meters high, the authentic prototype inspiring the “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain”; enjoy the best scenery at Enchanting Platform with tens and hundreds of beautiful stone peaks similar to a lot of nutritious bamboo shoots towering from the ground; also, closely watch the peculiar First Bridge of the World that is naturally made with an only 5-meter long stone platform linking the two peaks together to form the rare world wonder. (Note: The whole hiking time in Yuanjiajie is about 1-2 hours.)
Then, take the sightseeing bus to visit Tianzi Mountain. Walk to He Long Park there, which is the best viewing deck to admire very closely the incredible and magnificent view of odd stone peaks standing one after another. Most appealing pictures of the four wonders of Tianzi Mountain are photographed there, including the mists and clouds, moonlight, rays of sunshine and winter snow. Also, walk further to Imperial Writing Brush Peaks and Tianzi Pavilion nearby to enjoy the marvelous view and terrific sightseeing of the Xihai Peak Forest from another angle of view. After that, hike down from Tianzi Pavilion to Ten-mile Gallery for about 2 hours. Enjoy a little hiking along Ten-mile Gallery for the most highlighting spots on the way, like Monkey Slope, Three Sister Peaks, An Old Man Gathering Herbs and so on.
After the tour, be driven to Zhangjiajie downtown area for accommodation. Have a good sleep tonight.
Day 4 Tianmen Mountain & Zhangjiajie Departure (B, L)
Tianmen Cable Car - Tianmen Temple - Glass Skywalk - Ghost Valley Plank Road - Tianmen Cave - Avenue toward Heaven - Flight / Train off Zhangjiajie
After breakfast, your guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to embark on an exhilarating journey to Tianmen Mountain, a must-see attraction in Zhangjiajie, renowned for its record-breaking single-track circular alpine cableway and the awe-inspiring natural phenomenon, Tianmen Cave.
You'll begin by taking the Tianmen Mountain Cableway, which ascends from downtown Zhangjiajie to the top of the mountain, over 1,400 meters above sea level. This approximately 7,455-meter-long cableway is currently the longest of its kind globally, offering a breathtaking view of the meandering Tongtian Avenue (Avenue toward Heaven) as seen from the transparent carriage.
The first part of your journey will be along the West Line Visiting Route (Looking for a Wonderland), which leads you through the mountain’s peak area. En route, you’ll be surrounded by natural marvels and thrilling experiences. The Guigu Cliffside Path awaits your adventurous spirit. At the end of the West Line, you’ll find the Tianmen Mountain Temple, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty and is situated atop the mountain.
After visiting the temple, you have the option to continue exploring the East Line (Jasper Terrace in The Green Field), hiking towards Yuhu Peak, and passing through South Overlooking Tianmen Cave, Immortal Source, Yu Hu Peak and Happy Grove, etc. Alternatively, you can take a refreshing forest sightseeing cable car (requires an extra fee of 25/pp for a single run) up to the Yunmeng Fairy Summit, the best vantage point on Tianmen Mountain, then walk down to the Turbulent Water at Tianmen (Upper Station of Transmountain Escalator).
Next, you’ll take the Transmountain Escalator from the peak down to Tianmen Cave to witness the colossal natural opening in the mountain. This cave, formed by natural compression and collapse, measures 131.5 meters in height, 57 meters in width, and 60 meters in depth, making it an extraordinary geological wonder. Afterwards, you’ll walk down the extremely steep 999 steps (Stairway to Heaven), with an incline of up to 45°. Finally, you will take the Tianmen Mountain Express Cableway down to the mountain gate parking lot, then transfer to a shuttle bus back to the Tianmen Mountain Tourist Center, where your tour guide and driver will be waiting for you.
Following your exhilarating day, you’ll be escorted to Zhangjiajie’s airport or train station for your next adventure or journey home, marking the end of our services. Safe travels and fond memories!
Tianmen Mountain Travel Tips: 1. At Tianmen Mountain, there are three glass skywalks: one to the east and two to the west. It costs CNY 5-10/pp to walk on them. 2. If you have trouble moving around or want to save energy, you can take the escalator down to Tianmen Cave square. It costs an extra 32 per person per ride. 3. The tour of Tianmen Mountain offers great flexibility in operation. The guide arranges the specific order of sightseeing according to the flow of visitors in the scenic area on the day. If you have specific places you're keen on exploring, please share this with your guide.
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Hi Wonder,
Thanks for your email. We are back home now after our three weeks tour to S. Korea and China, in which the Yangtze River cruise was a key part of the trip.
I have to tell you we enjoyed the cruise very much. Everything was as what we expected. And thanks for your help for not only booking the cruise for us but also answered all the questions we had...which helped us a lot in preparations.
The Century Oasis was a very nice river cruise ship and the people are professional. The room was very nice and food was very good. We were arranged with other English speaking people as a small group for local excursions which is a great experience. Overall, I would highly recommend this cruise.
We are planning more sightseeing trips to China such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Xinjiang, etc. We hope your company can help us for the arrangements in the future.
As 2024 is quickly drawing to close, we wish you all the best for the new year.
Yours sincerely,
Andy
Dear Mr Leo Li,
Good evening to you.
Thank you for planning my trip to Yunnan on 16-26/5/2024.
Although the trip started with an unwanted incident on the day of our arrival but overall it was a good trip especially in Dali and Lijiang. Both the tour guides, Sally and Rodney were attentive with good service and are knowledgeable.
I would say that the Kunming tour guide, Jenny was not at fault for not meeting us at the airport because she was given the wrong information that our flight was rescheduled to arrive at night instead of afternoon. She showed us the WeChat message. She is a friendly tour guide.
For your information, our visit to Shangri-la was average only. We missed out going up to turn the big wheel. Only realised it when we went back to the hotel. Anyway, it’s in the past.
Overall, the trip is wonderful with our bucket list ticked!
I am thinking of another trip to China also in May next year and would like to have your suggestion. Are you still with China Discovery?
Regards,
Ms Chai
Hi Shirley,
Thanks for all the good arrangement. Special thanks to Jessica for taking good care of us. She made a very memorable Huang Shan trip for us. The accommodation and transport arrangements were flawless. Looking forward to have my next visit with you all.
Thong
Dear Rita,
Tqvm again for all your support & your professionalism and great friendship. Below are our team appreciative & constructive feedback for your attention.
Keep in touch and god bless you always.
Thanks and regards,
Chew
Hi Phoebe!
Our tour was fantastic! Jane was a wonderful guide and the views were amazing.
Thank you so much helping organize the tour, and for the little gifts too!
It was great weather! We got to see so much!
Esther
excellent assistance, helpfulness and courtesy. My contact 'was Shirley, prepared friendly and punctual. Highly recommended...
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Zhangjiajie City View
Golden Whip Stream-202405-Mazurek's Group from Poland
Huangshi Village Taken by Our Client Keena from USA in September 2020
Yannick's Group from Belgium - Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Keena from USA - Golden Whip Stream
Luliia from Russia - Wild Monkeys of Golden Whip Stream
Tianzi Mountain Imperial Writing Brush Peaks
Yuanjiajie Ecstasy Terrace
Zhangjiajie Ten-mile Gallery
Tianmen Cave, Tianmen Mountain-202110-Tutty's Group from Germany
Tianmen Mountain Guigu Cliffside Path
Guigu Cliffside Path, Tianmen Mountain-202403-Lenise's Group from Brasil
The big draw of Zhangjiajie and the main place to appreciate the spectacular quartz sandstone peaks and AVATAR mountains is Wulingyuan Scenic Area. This scenic area include four parts: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Huangshi Village and Golden Whip Stream), Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Yangjiajie. Travelers usually spend about two days exploring this vast area - one day to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and the other day to Yuanjiajie & Tianzi Mountain.
To travel further with amazing and thrilling experience, many travelers would like to spend one more day to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with Glass Bridge; and if you want to travel in a relaxing way, you can only go and challenge Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge over the Grand Canyon, and take an enjoyable visit to Baofeng Lake with boat experience passing through the incredible peaks or explore Yellow Dragon Cave underground.
Besides the Wulingyuan exploration, many travelers choose to spend one day in Zhangjiajie downtown area for a visit to Tianmen Mountain. To sum up, Zhangjiajie is a great destination well worth your time for 3 to 5 days visiting. You can combine some of them based on your likes, or tell us your needs to us and our travel consultants are glad to help you design your Zhangjiajie trip.
It is suitable to visit Zhangjiajie at any time in a year. The best traveling seasons are Spring and Autumn with best comfortable weather. In Spring during March to May, all flowers there are blooming among the most verdant green mountain range, and the fresh air with singing of birds help to create your great traveling mood. In Autumn from October to November, foliage at Zhangjiajie turn into yellow and orange to dye the scenic are very beautiful, which is great for nice photography. In Summer, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has lower temperature to be a good summer resort to go, and it is good to walk along the streams and dense forest, however, since there a frequent rains usually during summer, you are suggested to prepare raincoats. Furthermore in winter, it is a good time to avoid crowds, besides, many places including the national forest park are covered by snow to change the attraction into a pure beautiful lady, which is awesome for a photography tour.
Convenient flights and trains are available in Zhangjiajie City. Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, with 10 minutes’ driving distance to the downtown, has good air connection with 42 domestic cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Qingdao, etc. and international cities including Bangkok, Osaka, etc. Besides, Zhangjiajie Railway Station is also frequently used for reaching the city, which is rightly at the city downtown. It serves trains from Changsha (4.5-5.5 hours), Yichang (4.5-5 hours), Tongren (about 7 hours), Wuhan (10 hours), Xian (15 hours), Shanghai (20 hours), Beijing (23 hours), etc.
Zhangjiajie offers various luxury hotels and budget hostels and boutique accommodation for your stay during the trip.
● Stay in Wulingyuan Town: For your several days discovering Wulingyuan Scenic Area including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, etc., we suggest you arrange the hotel at Wulingyuan Town, which needs only 10 minutes to Wujiayu Ticket Station and 20 minutes to Forest Park Ticket Station by car.
● Stay in Zhangjiajie Downtown Area: For your arrival day especially by a late flight/train or if you plan to visit Tianmen Mountain, it is suggested to stay in Zhangjiajie City downtown.
For spring and autumn, light sweaters, long shirts and long pants are suggested. Temperature in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is about 5-10°C lower than that in the city area, and the temperatures varies a lot from day to night. In summer, shirts and shorts are enough, besides, it is advised to prepare light coats for lower temperature in early morning and at night. In winter, it is a little cold in Zhangjiajie, and down jackets, sweaters, warm pants and socks, scarves, gloves, etc. are better to keep warm. Remember to wear comfortable shoes or sneakers, because you will have a lot of steps to walk around those natural scenic spots. Since it often rains in Zhangjiajie, you are highly suggested to bring your raincoats or umbrellas. Besides, bring sunblock, sunglasses and hat to protect your skin and eyes.
Reputed as the Most Beautiful Tiny Town in China, Fenghuang Ancient Town has more than 400 years’ history situated in the southwest of Zhangjiajie, about 200 km away. It is a good idea to spend one day transferring to this old town to have a taste of Xiangxi culture.
Besides, Mount Fanjing is about 330 kilometers away from Zhangjiajie. You can extend for one or two days to visit this fantastic nature reserve with bizarre rock formations and dominating summit of stones all-above-the-clouds.
If you have other destinations to combine into your Zhangjiajie tour, just feel free to tell us your ideas and likes, and our professional travel consultants are here glad to customize the tour for you.
Zhangjiajie / Fenghuang / Zhangjiajie
“Very good experience”
“WONDERFUL 25 DAYS IN CHINA - PRIVATE TOUR”
“Awesome China tour from northeast to southwest”
2,050+ Reviews
