Plane
Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG) is the main aerial gateway. There are airport buses directly to the city center, with a fare of 5 Yuan.
Taking a taxi from the airport to the city center takes approximately 15-20 minutes.
张家界Zhangjiajie240-hour Transit Visa Exemption"Avatar" Filming Location
Zhangjiajie City, formerly known as "Dayong City", is located in the northwest of Hunan Province. The city's fame does not stem from a long history or urban prosperity, but from its unparalleled natural scenery. The quartz sandstone peak forest landform here is magnificent and has become famous worldwide as the filming location for the "floating mountains" in the movie "Avatar", earning it the reputation of being a "real-life Pandora".
Zhangjiajie is situated in the heart of the Wuling Mountains. Its unique landform was formed over hundreds of millions of years through erosion by water and gravitational collapse. Within its borders, mountains are vast, strange peaks stand tall, and streams crisscross. It has a subtropical mountain monsoon humid climate, with clouds and mist perpetually lingering, adding an infinite sense of mystery to the towering stone peaks, making them appear truly suspended between heaven and earth.
The core charm of Zhangjiajie is entirely concentrated in the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, which is listed as a World Natural Heritage site. It is known for its "three thousand strange peaks and eight hundred beautiful waters." Yuanjiajie within the scenic area is the real-life prototype of "Hallelujah Mountain"; Tianzi Mountain, with its sea of clouds and stone waves, showcases a primitive and wild beauty. In Tianmen Mountain, another major core scenic area, visitors can challenge the glass skywalk and pass through the naturally formed "Tianmen Cave", experiencing the extraordinary craftsmanship and breathtaking grandeur of nature.
Besides its awe-inspiring natural landscapes, Zhangjiajie is also home to ethnic minorities such as the Tujia, Bai, and Miao. The rich ethnic customs are an important part of its cultural landscape. Visitors can enjoy traditional ethnic songs and dances, taste local delicacies featuring cured meat and pickled vegetables, and experience unique folk customs, adding rich cultural colors to this fairy-tale journey.
Zhangjiajie's modernization has entirely revolved around tourism. To allow visitors to better appreciate this unparalleled beauty, a series of astonishing modern engineering feats have been constructed here, such as the "World's First Elevator" - Bailong Elevator, and the world's longest mountain passenger cableway - Tianmen Mountain Cableway. These projects themselves have become part of the scenery, demonstrating the combination of human wisdom and natural wonders.
Zhangjiajie Attractions
What is there to do in Zhangjiajie China?
National AAAAA level
武陵源风景名胜区
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area
Immerse yourself in the prototype of "Hallelujah Mountain" in "Avatar" and enjoy the out-of-print landscape painting composed of quartz sandstone peaks and forests.
Tickets: 225 yuan (pass, valid for 4 days)
Suitable season: spring and autumn
Recommended duration: 2-3 days
National AAAAA level
天门山国家森林公园
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park
Take the world's longest alpine passenger cableway, challenge the cliff glass plank road, and pass through the magical Tianmen Cave.
Tickets: 278 yuan (high season) / 245 yuan (low season)
Suitable season: spring and autumn
Recommended duration: Half a day to a day
National AAAA level
张家界大峡谷
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
Stroll on the world's tallest and longest glass bridge and experience the thrill of volleying and the magnificence of the canyon.
Tickets: 219 yuan (Grand Canyon + glass bridge), advance reservation required
Suitable season: Summer and autumn
Recommended duration: 3-4 hours
National AAAAA level
黄龙洞
Yellow Dragon Cave
Explore the "Wonders of the World's Caves", take a boat through the underground river, and enjoy the stalactite wonders formed over hundreds of millions of years.
Tickets: 96 yuan
Suitable season: Year round
Recommended duration: 2-3 hours
National AAAA level
宝峰湖
Baofeng Lake
Take a boat on the high mountain flat lake, listen to the folk songs of Tujia brothers and sisters, and feel the tranquility and romance between mountains and rivers.
Tickets: 96 yuan
Suitable season: Summer and autumn
Recommended duration: 2-3 hours
溪布街
Xibu Street
Visit the compound tourism commercial pedestrian street integrating Xiangxi folk customs, special snacks and handicrafts.
Tickets: gratis
Suitable season: Year round
Recommended duration: 1-2 hours
魅力湘西大剧院
Charming Xiangxi Theatre
Enjoy an audio-visual feast that combines the folk customs of western Hunan with modern sound and light technology, and feel the mysterious culture such as driving corpses and crying marriage.
Tickets: From 228 yuan, depending on the seating area
Suitable season: Year round
Recommended duration: 1.5 hours
Best time to visit Zhangjiajie
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The best time to visit Zhangjiajie is during spring, from April to June, and autumn, from September to November.
In spring, Zhangjiajie comes alive, with wildflowers blooming and clouds and mist lingering in the scenic area like a fairyland. The mild climate is perfect for hiking and photography.
In autumn, the weather is clear, visibility is high, and the forests are ablaze with color, making it an excellent time to admire panoramic views of the peak forests and experience the vibrant mountain scenery.
These two seasons offer pleasant weather and the most representative scenery, allowing visitors to fully enjoy Zhangjiajie's unique natural landforms and outdoor activities.
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Zhangjiajie History & Culture
China's First National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was established, becoming China's first national forest park and pioneering a new model for nature conservation and tourism development in China.
World Natural Heritage
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List due to its unique quartz sandstone peak forest landform.
Inspiration for "Avatar"
The "Hallelujah Mountains" in the movie "Avatar" were inspired by Zhangjiajie's "Southern Sky Column" (later renamed "Hallelujah Mountain"), greatly increasing its international recognition.
Zhangjiajie World Heritage Sites
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Zhangjiajie
1992-12Enter
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area
Possessing a world-rare quartz sandstone peak forest and canyon landform, it is composed of four parts: Zhangjiajie, Suoxiyu, Tianzi Mountain, and Yangjiajie. The area contains over 3,000 stone peaks of various shapes, and it is among China's first batch of World Natural Heritage sites.
Zhangjiajie Intangible Cultural Heritage
Explore Zhangjiajie's rich intangible cultural heritage and learn about traditional crafts and cultural essence
Tujia Brocade Weaving Technique
2006-05Included
Known as "Xilankapu" in Tujia language, it is an ancient hand-weaving technique. Using red, blue, black, and other colored threads as warp, and various colored silk or cotton threads as weft, it is woven using the 'broken warp and weft' method, resulting in exquisite patterns rich in ethnic characteristics.
Sangzhi Folk Songs
2006-05Included
Sangzhi County is an ocean of folk songs. Its folk songs are diverse in types, broad in content, and beautiful in melody, characterized by their high-pitched, resonant, and melodious qualities, serving as important carriers of the culture of ethnic minorities such as the Tujia and Bai.
Zhangjiajie Transportation Guide
Transportation you must know when visiting Zhangjiajie
High-speed Rail/Train
Major train stations include the high-speed rail station Zhangjiajie West Station and the regular train station Zhangjiajie Station.
Both stations are covered by bus routes, allowing for convenient transfers to the city center and Wulingyuan Scenic Area.
Bus
Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station is the main road passenger transport hub, with special tourist lines departing to Wulingyuan Landmark Gate, with a fare of approximately 13 Yuan, and a journey time of about 40 minutes.
Most bus routes within the urban area have fares of 1-2 Yuan.
Taxi
The starting fare for taxis in Zhangjiajie is 7 Yuan (within 2 kilometers). After 2 kilometers, the additional fare is 1.8 Yuan/kilometer.
Using ride-hailing platforms like "Didi Chuxing" is also very convenient.
Zhangjiajie Foods
What to eat in Zhangjiajie, you need to know
三下锅Sān xià guō
Three-Pot Stew
Zhangjiajie's most representative local dish, originally a traditional festival dish of the Tujia ethnic group; various ingredients like cured meat, pig stomach, fatty intestines, walnut meat, etc., are stewed in one pot, offering a spicy, savory, and rich flavor.
Main ingredients：Cured meat, pig stomach, fatty intestines, walnut meat, radish, potatoes, etc.
土家糍粑Tǔjiā cíbā
Tujia Glutinous Rice Cake
A traditional Tujia snack, soft, glutinous, and sweet; it is an essential food for locals to entertain guests during festivals.
Main ingredients：Steamed glutinous rice pounded into a paste, can be grilled or fried, often served with white sugar or honey.
石耳炖鸡Shí'ěr dùn jī
Rock Ear Chicken Soup
A nutritious and nourishing soup; rock ear is a precious fungus that grows on cliffs, crispy and tender, and when stewed with chicken, the soup is extremely delicious.
Main ingredients：Local free-range chicken, rock ear, red dates, ginger slices.
土家腊味Tǔjiā làwèi
Tujia Preserved Meats
Traditional cured meats made by the Tujia people, with a unique flavor; smoked cured meat, sausages, cured fish, etc., can be preserved for a long time and are common delicacies on local tables.
Main ingredients：Pork, pig intestines, fish, etc., cured with salt, peppercorns, and other seasonings, then air-dried or smoked.
合渣Hé zhā
Tofu Residue
Known as the "Tujia people's hotpot", it is nutritious, light, and delicious; it is a very popular home-cooked dish among the Tujia people.
Main ingredients：Soybeans soaked in water, then ground into a paste with a stone mill, without filtering the residue, directly cooked with chopped green vegetables.