Zhangjiajie Travel Guide

General Information of Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is a city located in the northwestern part of Hunan province in China. It is famous for its unique natural scenery, including the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is home to over 3,000 sandstone pillars and peaks, some of which rise over 200 meters (656 feet) tall, and is known for its breathtaking views, including the stunning "Avatar Hallelujah Mountains" which inspired the scenery in the film Avatar. Additionally, the city has several other attractions such as the Tianmen Mountain and the glass bridge which is one of the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridges.  

Best time to visit Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie boasts a subtropical mountain prototype monsoon humid climate, with adequate heat and light, abundant rainfall, long frost-free period, short cold period, four distinct seasons. The best times to visit Zhangjiajie are April-June and September-November, as these months offer comfortable weather, stunning scenery, and relatively fewer people.

Must-See Tourist Attractions in Zhangjiajie

1. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park:

The natural scenery of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is amazed by its peaks, secluded by its valleys and beautiful by its forests, hence the reputation of “Three thousand towering and magnificent peaks, eight hundred clear and beautiful waters”, and was added in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The main scenic spots include Golden Whip Brook, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie and so on.

2. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon & Glass Bridge

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is known as the "Zhangjiajie Landscapes Museum" and gathers mountains, water, cave, lake in one. The plank road around the Canyon stretches for several miles, waterfall, could be found everywhere, especially the misty streams all the year round, making it a heaven here.

The Glass Bridge over the Great Canyon is the world's longest and highest glass-bottom bridge. Standing on the Glass Bridge make you feel like floating in the air, meanwhile, you can have a superb panoramic view of the Grand Canyon with 400 meters below your feet.

3. Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain is named after its natural wonder Tianmen Cave. Tianmen Mountain Cableway is the world's longest, and starts in the City Garden Cableway Station, and ends on the summit. It hangs like a rainbow but seem more like a dragon in the clouds. This one-way cableway runs about 28 minutes, along the way you’ll enjoy the wonderful scenery from urban, idyllic, steep peaks and to deep gullies, which show you a marvelous picture, hence the reputation of "The First Aerial Mobile Viewing Corridor”.

Tianmen Mountain Glass Sky Walk is a courage challenge in Zhangjiajie. The glass path is built on the cliffs with transparent glasses. Walking on the Glass Sky Walk, you will experience the thrill of viewing the great deep valley under your feet and enjoy the pleasure of walking in the sky.

4. Baofeng Lake

Baofeng Lake is in the heartland of Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Baofeng Lake is surrounded by mountains with many waterfalls pouring down.

5. Yellow Dragon Cave

Yellow Dragon Cave is a massive underground karst cave in Wulingyuan Scenic Area, boasting large scale and rich kinds of stalactites, stalagmites, stone columns, stone flowers. It enjoys the honor of "Karst Cave Wonder of the World", "All-round Champion of the Karst Cave in the World" as well as "The Most Beautiful Tourist Karst Cave in China".

Zhangjiajie Local Cuisine and Snacks

The local cuisine of Zhangjiajie combines the rich Tujia Nationality characteristics with the essence of Hunan cuisine, featuring salty and spicy. The most representative dish is the Tujia Three Pot, Tujia Bacon, Blood Tofu and Stewed Chicken with Agaric. Besides, you should have a try the local snacks like Pueraria powder, kiwi-fruit juice, Tujia fried rice, pickled radish, Pueraria crisp, jade dew tea and so on.

Special Local product in Zhangjiajie

There are 7 special local products you should not miss when visiting Zhangjiajie:

1. The Jade Dew Tea from Tianzi Mountain

2. Eucommia Tea

3. Pueraria products including Pueraria crisp and Pueraria powder

4. Tujia Bacon goods

5. Agaric from sandstone cliff of Wulingyuan Scenic Spot

6. Wild mushroom

7. Dried kiwifruit

Transport  to Zhangjiajie:

Zhangjiajie as the worldwide famous tourist city, its breathtaking landscape attracts travelers from home and abroad coming for it. Although Zhangjiajie City sits in the mountainous region in southern China, it can be conveniently to reach by air, by train as well as by bus.

By Air:

Nowadays Zhangjiajie Lotus International Airport has opened the flights to and from more than 50 cities of China mainland, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Xi 'an, Changsha, Qingdao, Shenyang, Zhengzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xuzhou, Tianjin, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Harbin, Hangzhou, Shantou and so on. Besides, there are also flights connecting Zhangjiajie to Hong Kong and Macau. What’s more, International passenger charter flights have been opened from Zhangjiajie to Seoul, South Korea, Busan, Fukuoka, Osaka and other cities in Japan. All these flights make Zhangjiajie travel so easy.

By Train:

In the past few years, Zhangjiajie railway line is not so developed, only T, Z, K trains connecting Zhangjiajie to Chongqing, Guizhou, and some cities of Hunan.

A big change came by the end of 2019, bullet trains were operated between Zhangjiajie and Changsha, the capital city，and a crossroad of our East to West, North to Southwest train line. Thus, a comfortable journey to Zhangjiajie has come true. Now C trains from Changsha Railway Station to Zhangjiajie West Station, shortens the journey between 2.4 hours and 3.4 hours.