Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Guide: Tickets, Routes and the Avatar Mountains

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is the China that looks invented. Thousands of sandstone pillars rise out of the mist, so strange that they became the model for the floating Hallelujah Mountains in the film Avatar. The park sits in Hunan province, in the Wulingyuan scenic area, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

The park is big, the ticket system has more options than most visitors expect, and the queues at the lifts can eat half a day if you arrive late. This guide gives the ticket prices, the gates, the transport, and a two-day route that works. Prices change between seasons and sources disagree on the exact yuan, so treat the figures as the range to budget, and check the official booking page before you go.

Figure 1: Cable cars climb through the forest to the high viewpoints in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The cover photo shows the lift line and a pillar behind it.

Getting there

Fly into Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, which takes direct flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xian. The airport is about 10 km from the city, and a taxi to Wulingyuan takes 30 to 50 minutes. By high-speed train, Zhangjiajie West station takes trains from Changsha in about 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes.

From Zhangjiajie city, buses run to the park from the central bus station. The bus to the South Gate costs about 12 yuan and takes about 40 minutes, running every 30 minutes from about 07:00 to 17:00. The bus to Wulingyuan costs about 13 yuan and takes about 50 minutes. A taxi from the city to Wulingyuan costs about 80 to 120 yuan.

Tickets and opening hours

The park ticket is a 4-day pass with multiple entries. Published prices for the peak season, March to November, run from about 225 to 236 yuan, with a lower winter price of about 115 yuan. Sources disagree on the exact figure, and the price on the booking page is the one that counts. Tickets are sold by date and entry time, and you must enter in your slot. Book 1 to 2 weeks ahead, and aim for the 07:00 to 08:00 entry window, which is the difference between a calm start and a two-hour queue.

The park usually opens at 07:00 and closes at 17:00, with last entry at 17:00. Gates and cable cars can close earlier. The Bailong Elevator costs about 65 to 72 yuan one way and takes about 90 seconds to the top. The Tianzi Mountain cable car costs about 72 yuan one way. Free shuttle buses link the gates, lifts, and trailheads inside the park, but they fill fast. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for each transfer.

Which gate to use

• East Gate, Wulingyuan: the main entrance, with the most hotels and restaurants nearby. Routes split into A and B. Route B goes to the Bailong Elevator.
• South Gate, Forest Park ticket station: the best entrance for the Golden Whip Stream valley walk and Huangshizhai. Bus from the city costs about 12 yuan.
• West Gate and Tianzi Mountain gate: quieter entrances that suit a second day or a Tianzi Mountain start.

What to see

• Yuanjiajie: the Avatar mountains. One pillar here was renamed Avatar Hallelujah Mountain after the film, and it is the most photographed viewpoint in the park. The First Bridge Under Heaven is nearby.
• Tianzi Mountain: the best sunrise and cloud-sea views, reached by cable car.
• Golden Whip Stream: a flat 7.5 km walk along a canyon stream, the easiest walk in the park.
• Huangshizhai: a viewpoint area reached from the South Gate, with wide views over the pillar forest.
• Yangjiajie: the quieter scenic area, with fewer people than Yuanjiajie.
• Bailong Elevator: a glass lift bolted to a cliff face, 326 m tall, and the fastest way up to Yuanjiajie.

The Glass Bridge is not inside the national forest park. It spans the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in Cili county, about 40 to 60 minutes by road from the East Gate, and it needs a separate ticket booked in advance.

A two-day route, with the costs added up

Day one: enter at the East Gate before 07:30, take the Route B buses, ride the Bailong Elevator up, walk Yuanjiajie and the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, then cross to Tianzi Mountain for the viewpoints and ride the cable car down. Day two: enter at the South Gate, walk the Golden Whip Stream valley, then climb Huangshizhai.

Budget for two days: a 4-day park ticket at about 225 to 236 yuan, the Bailong Elevator at about 65 to 72 yuan one way, and the Tianzi Mountain cable car at about 72 yuan one way. That puts the park costs at about 360 to 380 yuan per person, before food, hotels, and the bus fares from the city. Buy the rides you need, not the unlimited bundle, unless you plan three days of lifts.

Figure 2: The pillar forest at Yuanjiajie, where the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain stands.

Best time to visit

April to October is the main season, with green forest and the best chance of mist between the pillars. The mist is part of the view, not a problem. Winter is quiet and cheap, with the off-peak ticket, but the tops can be cold and some lifts run shorter hours. Avoid Chinese public holidays if you can. The park is at its most crowded then, and the lift queues are longest.

Practical tips

• Bring your passport: entry uses real-name tickets, and your passport is needed at the gate.
• Start early: arrive before the gates open. The first two hours are the quietest part of the day.
• Wear walking shoes: the paths are stone and the steps are steep. The valley walks are flat, the viewpoints are not.
• Carry cash and a charged phone: buses, snacks, and small shops inside the park may not take foreign cards.
• Check the weather: rain makes the stone steps slippery, and fog can close the cable cars for short spells.

Sources: Trip.com Zhangjiajie guide for the 236 yuan 4-day ticket, 07:00 to 17:00 hours, and the 65 yuan Bailong fare; China Local Help for the 12 and 13 yuan bus fares and the 228 yuan peak ticket; Zhangjiajie National Park guide for the 225 yuan peak and 115 yuan off-peak ticket and the 326 m Bailong Elevator; Ruqin Travel for the 40-minute bus from the city and the 7:00 to 18:00 hours. Prices differ between sources. Check the official booking page before you travel.

Frequently asked questions