Do you want a trip that combines nature and ethnic culture? A trip to Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient Town would take you to the world of Avatar and allow you to get close to the traditions of Chinese ethnic groups (Miao and Tujia) as well as unveiling the secrets of traditional Chinese wooden houses built on stilts along the river.
Here we provide tips on how to explore the well-known landscapes as well as off-the-beaten-path gems to help you to plan an unforgettable China experience.
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- 1. What to See
- 2. How Long to Spend (Itinerary Suggestions)
- 3. Best Time to Visit
- 4. How Much Does it Cost
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Zhangjiajie
We stayed in Zhangjiajie for 2 days and besides the colder weather we really enjoyed the outdoors and the beautiful mountains. I would highly recommend Wendy as a tour guide. She knows all of the locations very well and the best food we had was in Zhangjiajie. more
Mar 2025, Jessica h
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Excellent Experience
My wife and I with 2 other couples have just completed a 10-day tour of Ziangjiajie that was conducted by China Highlights. Needless to say we were very impressed by the spectacular geological features, the sceneries and such man-made attractions as the glass bridge. Even more impressive was the tour itself: everything was up to expectations and ran like clockwork from the moment we arrived at the airport to the point of departure. We are especially grateful to the guide, Wendy, who was excellent. She spoke good English, was knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. We would highly recommend her to anyone planning to visit this area. more
Mar 2025, ahmad c
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Unforgettable Zhangjiajie
I had an amazing time at Zhangjiajie and already started to miss this beautiful scenic. The nature, the mountains, the air, stunning views etc. No words or photos can do justice of this stunning place! Thank you very much to Eileen from ZJJ for sharing this beautiful memory with me. Definitely left a part of me in ZJJ (: more
Mar 2025, Joey L
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Top Highlights of Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang
1)Zhangjiajie
As an awesome area of sandstone landforms and karst caves, Zhangjiajie has many attractions and experiences worth visiting. The most famous of which are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianmen Mountain, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, and Baofeng Lake.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: The most popular attractions are Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie. Walk on Tianzi Mountain and enjoy the charming sea of clouds, mist, and unique sandstone pillars. Continue to Yuanjiajie. Explore the real-life "Hallelujah Mountains", the inspiration for the floating mountains in the movie Avatar. As the clouds and mist drift through the mountains, it seems more like the sandstone pillars are floating in the air.
Tianmen Mountain: Embark on a half-hour journey on the world's longest cable car through the forests. Experiencing the breathtaking ascent from the city to the top of Tianmen Mountain, you could have a bird's-eye view of the city and dense forests. Climb the 999 steps to Tianmen Cave and challenge yourself on the glass walkway jutting out from a sheer cliff as you feel the thrill of skywalking.
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge: The most popular attraction in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is the world's longest glass bridge, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, with an impressive length of 430 meters (1,410 feet). Try to walk on the glass bridge, feel the thrill of standing 300 meters (984 feet) above the ground, and look down at the deep canyon below the bridge through the glass. If time doesn't permit for the glass bridge in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, you should at least experience walking on the glass skywalk on Tianmen Mountain. Although it is smaller size, about 60 meters (197 feet) long and 1.6 meters (5 feet) wide, it still provides a breathtaking experience.
Baofeng Lake: Surrounded by karst mountains, Baofeng Lake is lush with trees. You could take a 30-minute boat ride on the lake and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of lake and mountain harmony. Even if you're traveling in summer (July and August), Baofeng Lake would give you a fresh and cool feeling. If you have already been to Guilin or plan to visit soon, we recommend you skip it because the limestone scenery is similar, but Guilin's is more amazing.
2)Fenghuang
Fenghuang Ancient Town: Fenghuang Ancient Town is home to the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups and is built along the Tuojiang River. Stroll through the stone-paved alleys and admire the stilted houses, ancient buildings, and cultural heritage as you discover the local culture. The night scenery of Fenghuang Ancient Town is brightly lit and beautiful. You could find a café or a pub by the river and experience the dreamy nightlife and quaint vibe of the old town.
Night View of Fenghuang Ancient TownOn the way from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang Ancient Town, there are two charming attractions you could visit: Red Stone Forest National Geopark and Furong Ancient Town.
Red Stone Forest National Geopark: You could explore "living fossils" in Red Stone Forest National Geopark and see all kinds of strange-shaped rocks.
Furong Ancient Town: Different from Fenghuang Ancient Town by the Tuojiang River, Furong Ancient Town is a millennia-old town built on a waterfall. There, you could see the 62-meter-high waterfall and rows of Tujia stilted houses, which are distributed in layers at the waterfall. If you are interested in ancient town culture in China, don't miss it.
How Long to Spend: Itinerary Suggestions
The most popular duration for a visit to Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang is 5 days. 3 nights in Zhangjiajie and 1 night in Fenghuang provide enough time for you to enjoy the main highlights.
One more night is needed if you extend the trip to Furong Ancient Town. A classic itinerary is suggested below. Feel free to contact us and tell us your preferred duration and interests for this trip. Our travel consultants would customize and arrange the optimum journey to match your schedule.
Day 1: Zhangjiajie Arrival
Arrive in Zhangjiajie and be driven to your hotel. You may want to get some extra rest to be ready for the next day's exploration and mountain walking.
Most hotels in Zhangjiajie are concentrated in two areas: Wulingyuan and downtown Zhangjiajie. We suggest you stay in Wulingyuan both nights because it is closer to most of Zhangjiajie's scenic spots and so you won't need to change hotels with your luggage.
Day 2: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain
You could begin your exciting trip with a visit to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Ascend Tianzi Mountain by the cable car and enjoy a bird's-eye view of spiky sandstone peaks. After a simple lunch on the mountain, take the shuttle bus heading to Yuanjiajie to visit Avatar Hallelujah Mountain. To save your energy, you could take the Bailong Elevator for an extra fee back to the foot of the mountain.
Tips:
- Although a shuttle bus is available for most of the journey, paved steps in the park cover the many attractions and routes, and you would need to ascend and descend these steps during the tour.
- The ticket to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is for a 4-day visit. Usually, we recommend just one day for the most popular highlights (Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie). If time permits, you could spend more days in the park to enjoy the other peaks.
Day 3: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon with the Glass Bridge and Baofeng Lake
In the morning, you would head to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon first. Walking along the glass bridge would bring you a thrilling experience. Then, visit Baofeng Lake and enjoy a leisurely wooden boat ride.
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge and Tianmen Mountain are hard to book, so we recommend that you don't arrange them for the same day.
Day 4: Tianmen Mountain and Transfer to Fenghuang
You would have a private transfer to downtown Zhangjiajie where you would take the world's longest cable car up to the top of Tianmen Mountain. Visit the mountaintop scenic area, walk along the glass walkway, and then arrive at Tianmen Cave.
After visiting Tianmen Mountain, you would visit Red Stone Forest National Geopark on the way to Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Maybe you already know that there is a high-speed train to Fenghuang Ancient Town, which takes about 1 hour. But adding in the time you need to go to Zhangjiajie West Railway Station and then from Fenghuang Ancient Town station (Fenghuang Gucheng Railway Station) to the hotel — it would take you about 2 hours and you would miss Red Stone Forest National Geopark, and so the road trip is recommended.
We recommend a private transfer service visiting Red Stone Forest National Geopark on the way. Fenghuang and Zhangjiajie are only 230 kilometers (143 miles) apart and it takes about 3½ hours. Our experienced guides from Zhangjiajie could tell you about the Red Stone Forest National Geopark and the culture of Xiangxi on the way.
If you choose to visit Furong Ancient Town, which needs one more day, you would transfer to Furong Ancient Town and stay for one night after visiting Tianmen Mountain.
Day 5: Transfer to Zhangjiajie and Departure
You would return to Zhangjiajie after a night in Fenghuang for your departure flight at Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport. You could take this chance to experience a bullet train ride in China if you haven't tried this before.
Best Times to Visit Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang
Generally speaking, Zhangjiajie could be visited all year round. However, clear weather is essential for you to admire the mountain peaks and take beautiful photos. The best time we suggest for more clear days and comfortable weather is from September to mid-November. The average high temperatures are from 18 to 28°C (64–82°F).
The best time to enjoy snow scenes is from late December to February. Average temperatures range from 3 to 10°C (37–50°F), but there is less rain and much less crowding. It snows or rains for about 10 days per month, but it is not usually heavy.
Zhangjiajie has more than 200 days of rain or fog. From March, the rain gradually increases and decreases up to the end of the rainy season in August. Rainfall peaks between May and July. It rains about half the days of the month then.
The worst times to visit are from July to August during the school holidays. The average highs in July and August are from 29 to 33°C (84–91°F). In addition, July and August is the summer vacation in China. You may encounter a large number of families or student groups, which could extend your queuing time from the usual 30 minutes to 3 hours. If you are flexible, we recommend avoiding these public holidays in China:
- The Spring Festival (a week in late January to late February)
- Labor Day (May 1–5)
- Chinese summer school vacations (July and August)
- National Day (October 1–7)
Costs for a Trip
The cost of traveling in Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang is about 170–200 USD per person per day based on a private tour for two to five people. It includes a private car with a driver, a private local English-speaking guide, attraction entrance tickets, and 4-star hotels.
A larger group usually means better deals. You could invite your friends or another family to take the trip together and share the reduced cost of a guide and vehicle and a well-planned itinerary as well as share memories of the trip.