Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Itinerary for Must See Sights

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’s towering quartzite pillars, mist-wrapped forests, and surreal landscapes aren’t just the real-life “Avatar Mountains” that inspired James Cameron’s sci-fi epic, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site! We were in awe of these majestic natural towers, pictures don’t do them justice.

This 5A-level tourist attraction in China welcomes 30 million visitors a year and offers jaw-dropping natural landscapes that contrast to bustling cities like Beijing or Shanghai. But to experience its magic fully, planning is key. We share in this article our recommended itinerary for first time visitors to Zhangjiajie.

When is the Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

We visited Zhangjiajie in mid-April and the weather was already turning hot and sunny then. Our guide told us that the best time to visit Zhangjiajie is in October to November, making sure to avoid China’s peak periods.

This article is Part 2 of 3 parts where we explore Zhangjiajie and nearby towns in Hunan. Check out Part 1 about Zhangjiajie’s Tianmen Mountain and 72 Wonder Tower.

Where to Stay at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Definitely stay near Dong Men 东门 (East Gate). We enjoyed our stay at Neodalle Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan and it is next to another nice hotel - Pullman Zhangjiajie. Rooms with breakfast for 2 are available for less than USD80 per night during low season. Remember to book your rooms early to get the best rates!

This whole area comes alive at night, with nearby Xibu Street 溪布老街 packed with visitors. There are 2 highly acclaimed shows you can catch in the evening - Charming Xiangxi Show 魅力湘西大剧院 (located right next to Neodalle and Pullman), and Zhangjiajie Eternal Love 張家界千古情 (located near Xibu Street). Both are highly-rated and immensely popular night shows.

We bought some local snacks from 韩小A湖南特产 at Wuling Street 武陵路 and everyone back home raved about their 葛根薄脆 (Original Flavour). 韩小A湖南特产 has a few outlets in Hunan, and all their snacks can be sampled before you purchase.

What Tickets to Buy for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

For the best way to experience Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, buy Add-On A for unlimited rides over 4 days. However, since we were only planning to visit each area once over 2 days, we went with Add-On B. The Add-On options highlighted in orange cannot be bought via Trip.com, but can be bought at the counter when you are there.

The 3 cableways are Tianzi Mountain (Tianzishan 天子山), Yellow Stone Village (Huangshizhai 黄石赛), and Yangjiajie 杨家界. Bailong Elevator 百龙天梯 connects Yuanjiajie 袁家界 to Golden Whip Stream 金鞭溪.

Select tickets for the East Gate Entrance 东门. The tickets are valid for 4 days, and does not include other attraction rides in the park (eg. Ten Mile Gallery 十里画廊 Train).

2 Days at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park 5A

Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, commonly known as Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park 张家界国家森林公园 is China’s first national park and was one of the first 5A Tourist Attraction in China. There are many places of interest in this 4,810 hectares park - connected by eco-buses, cableways, elevators and walking trails. There are 5 entrances into the park:

• Dong Men 东门 (East Gate) - The area around this gate is the most developed and accessible. We recommend exploring from the East Gate starting from Tian Zi Mountain 天子山 Cableway.

• Zhong Men 中门 (Central Gate) - Near Bailong Elevator 百龙天梯 to Yuanjiajie 袁家界 (“Avatar Mountains”).

• Nan Men 南门 (South Gate) - Near Golden Whip Stream 金鞭溪 and Yellow Stone Village 黄石赛.

• Xi Men 西门 (West Gate) - Near Yangjiajie 杨家界. Far from downtown, not recommended.

• Bei Men 北门 (North Gate) - The furthest gate from downtown. Not recommended.

Day 1 - Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Recommended Route for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

This route will take a full day for you to explore and soak in various main sights of the National Park. There are food options in the park, including McD at Helong Park and Avatar Restaurant. You can also buy some food at the East Gate eateries before you enter the park.

Day 2 - Explore Grand Canyon and Yellow Dragon Cave

Day 2 is split into 2 segments - Morning and Afternoon. In the morning, Didi over to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge 张家界大峡谷.

In the afternoon, choose between Yellow Dragon Cave 黄龙洞 or going back to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park to check out Yellow Stone Village 黄石赛 or Yangjiajie 杨家界.

Both Grand Canyon Glass Bridge and Yellow Dragon Cave are 4A level tourist attractions, and both offer varied experiences compared to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

We recommend going to Yellow Dragon Cave 黄龙洞 to escape the afternoon heat and skip the crowds and queues of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. If you prefer to continue exploring Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, consider entering from the South Gate Entrance to be closer to Yellow Stone Village or Yangjiajie, and definitely buy Add-On A for unlimited rides.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon 张家界大峡谷 4A

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon has a 430m glass bridge that spans across 2 cliffs. At 300m above ground, walking across the bridge offers a breathtaking view over the Grand Canyon. It was the longest glass bridge when it opened in 2016, and is designed to carry 800 visitors each time, so there are a limited number of tickets per day for crowd management.

Thrill seekers can take part in any of the following 7 activities. Tickets allow you to choose up to 5 activities to enjoy, and we starred ⭐ the recommended ones:

1. MR(Mixed Reality)
2. Sky Zip-Line ⭐
3. Treasure hunt Elevator
4. Sculpture Elevator
5. Wuwangpo Slide ⭐
6. Yixiantian Slide ⭐
7. Rainbow Lake Cruise ⭐

You need to meet height/weight requirements to partake in some of these activities. Check these requirements when you book the tickets online. Expect to spend 3-4 hours exploring and doing the activities. If you are only doing the glass bridge, an hour or so will be sufficient.

Yellow Dragon Cave 黄龙洞 4A

We did not manage to visit this 4A attraction and would have done so in hindsight. Touted as the “most beautiful tourist cave in China”, you can expect to see many karst caves with underground waterfalls and rivers. It would take 2 hours to tour the Yellow Dragon Cave.

Tickets include Entrance, Boat Ride, and guided tour (in Chinese). If you have visited Yellow Dragon Cave, do let us know how it went!

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