Zhangjiajie travel guide

Zhangjiajie, China

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Zhangjiajie

Introduction

Zhangjiajie is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hunan Province, China. It is made up of the district of Yongding, Wulingyuan and the counties of Cili and Sangzhi.

Within its boundaries lies the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, part of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

Before you go

Zhangjiajie sits in the hinterland of the Wuling mountains, on the upper reaches of the Lishui, and is one of mainland China's most important tourist cities. It is divided into Yongding District and Wulingyuan District as its two main urban areas, along with Cili and Sangzhi counties. Most visitors arrive first in Yongding District, then set out from there to explore the rest of the region. The city was known as Dayong until 1994, when it was renamed to connect it with Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, itself named after a small village within the city's borders.

The climate is a typical monsoon humid one of the middle subtropical mountains: four distinct seasons, plentiful rain, ample sunshine, a long frost-free period and only a short spell of severe cold. Conditions change quickly with the terrain, and droughts, floods, strong winds and hail are not unusual. Day-to-night temperature swings are large, and the core scenic areas run noticeably cooler than the urban area. Summer calls for sun protection and a light quilt at night, and if you stay on the mountain top you will want long-sleeved clothing after dark. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit.

Getting there

Zhangjiajie sits about 250 km northwest of Changsha, and most travellers arrive either by air or by rail. Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG) has direct flights to many domestic destinations as well as Taiwan and South Korea, though flights are relatively scarce. The airport is a port of entry for China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, so citizens of eligible countries holding an onward ticket to a third country or region can enter without a visa and stay up to 240 hours within the designated regions. Be careful with taxi drivers in the airport parking lot: they are often unwilling to use the meter, may claim your destination is very far, and may try to charge a "parking lot fee". Call your hotel or hostel to find out what the trip should cost and ask them to speak with the driver for you. Alternatively, take local public bus service number 4, a circular route that reaches the city and bus station; its two lines run in opposite directions via Nanzhuangping and Guanliping, serving the railway station, the pedestrian street, the bus station, the department store and the airport hotel.

By train, you can reach the older downtown Zhangjiajie Station from Changsha or Huaihua, each roughly 4 hours, or on an overnight service from Shenzhen West. Zhangjiajie West Station is the city's high-speed rail station and is not the same as the downtown station; it lies about 5 km outside the city centre. Frequent direct trains from downtown Changsha take about 2 hours, while trains routed via Changsha South take longer and cost more, making the downtown station the faster, cheaper origin. City bus 6 runs from the West Station to People's Square in the centre, and bus routes 4, 7, 16 and 17 also serve the station. A coach terminal at the station exit runs direct shuttles to the Wulingyuan scenic-area ticket gate and to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Intercity buses from Changsha take 5 hours and depart from the Changsha West bus terminal, next to the Wangchengpo subway stop, running approximately hourly.

Getting around

Zhangjiajie splits into two practical geographies: the built-up city centre in Yongding District, and the Wulingyuan Scenic Area — including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — out beyond it. Almost every transport decision follows from that split, so work out whether you are moving around the city or heading out to the park before you set off. The centre itself is compact enough that the pedestrian street and the surrounding commercial streets are best covered on foot, and the airport bus stops cluster around those same walkable landmarks. Beyond the centre the city spreads out over mountainous terrain, so treat walking as a way to cover a neighbourhood rather than to cross the city.

Local buses are the cheapest way around, with fares on the order of ¥1 on the routes serving the airport and city centre. The Airport Bus (service 4) doubles as a useful city circulator, linking the airport, the railway station, the bus station, the pedestrian street and the main commercial streets; it runs as a circular route in two directions, Line A via Nanzhuangping and Line B via Guanliping. Taxis are widely available and, when metered, inexpensive — the airport-to-city run is a reasonable benchmark. The main risk is drivers who decline to use the meter, especially those soliciting at the airport; insist on the meter, confirm expected fares with your hotel in advance, and treat invented surcharges with suspicion. There is no urban metro or tram network, so within the city you rely on buses, taxis and walking. For the park, minibuses leave from Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station at Guanliping, next to the old downtown railway station, which you can reach from Zhangjiajie West Station by bus 6 or taxi. Tourism Line A shuttles run from the Central Bus Station to the National Forest Park gate, and Tourism Line B to the Wulingyuan (Suoxiyu) gate, each taking about 40 minutes and running roughly every 10 minutes. The cheaper minibus option also leaves from the Central Bus Station: skip the ticket window, go through security, keep left and exit through Exit 1, then pay the driver directly. These are older vehicles used mainly by local commuters and they stop often, so allow roughly an hour and twenty minutes; the terminus is a short walk from the park entrance. Minibuses run in both directions about every 20–30 minutes. Carry small change in cash for bus fares, and when you have finished in the park, return to the spot where you were dropped off, where buses wait to take you back.

Where to stay

Accommodation in Zhangjiajie clusters around two main areas. Many options sit within walking distance of the train and bus station, which makes them handy if you are arriving or leaving by public transport. Outside the Forest Park Ticket Station you will find plenty of hotels and shops, and the area is very lively; some travellers choose to base themselves here, though it is not as convenient as staying inside the park itself.

Food & drink

Food inside the park itself is limited and expensive, so plan to carry your own food and water with you during a day of scenery. Save your proper meals for the city, where you can eat well after a scenic tour.

For something to drink, Zhangjiajie berry tea is a specialty of Yongding District. Maoyan meicha is one option, available to buy in-store or by online delivery.

What to see and do

Zhangjiajie is the entry point for trips to two stunning nearby sites: Tianmen Mountain and Wulingyuan Scenic Area. The Wulingyuan core scenic area, which includes Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, uses a single combined ticket valid for four consecutive days with multiple entries, and entry is by real-name registration (facial recognition, or ID card / passport). In-park eco shuttle buses are included, while the cable cars and the Bailong Elevator are charged separately. Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, with its glass bridge, and Tianmen Mountain are separate scenic areas, each with its own ticket. Within Wulingyuan, the main scenic spots are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve and the Yangjiajie Scenic Area, and the natural scenery is magical with mountain peaks - more than 3,000 strange peaks with vivid images and magnificent momentum.

If you want to explore more fully, a route through the park takes in several named sights:

There are also less prominent natural attractions in the area, including Maoyanhejiutiandong, a scenic spot that starts from Jiutian Cave in Sangzhi County in the west, passes through the thousand-year-old town of Kuzhu Village, to the Kuzhu River Grand Canyon and the Maoyan River drifting known as Baili Gallery, and ends at the Jade Emperor Grottoes in the south.

In the Zhangjiajie urban area you can visit Puguang Chan Temple, an old Chan Buddhist temple dating from the 15th century, and the Zhangjiajie Museum. Tujiafengqingyuan is a large comprehensive tourism service enterprise integrating cultural and natural landscapes, with tourism, cultural performances, rare exhibitions, accommodation, catering, entertainment and shopping. For shopping and snacks, head to People's Square Commercial Pedestrian Street, a well-known snack street with many specialties and local snacks and the People's Cinema nearby, or Tianzi Street Ethnic Tourism Mall, a shopping plaza selling specialty products with many stores where you can compare before buying, plus supermarkets, movie theaters and restaurants inside.

Three days in Zhangjiajie

Day one: Base yourself in Yongding District, the city's central quarter, and use it to get your bearings. Zhangjiajie spreads across Yongding, Wulingyuan, Cili and Sangzhi, so decide early whether you want city convenience or a base closer to the scenery. If you arrive by air, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG) sits close to the city, with links to Taiwan and South Korea among its routes. By rail, Zhangjiajie Station and Zhangjiajie West Station both serve the area, with frequent connections to Changsha South, Huaihua and Shenzhen West. Settle in, eat well, and rest — the mountains reward an early start.

Day two: Give the whole day to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the core of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The sandstone pillars, ravines and forest are the reason most travellers come, and the scale means you should pick a direction rather than try to cover everything. Conditions change quickly, so carry layers and rain protection whatever the season. Summer is warm and humid; spring is milder and greener. Stay overnight in Wulingyuan District so you are back at the gates without a long transfer.

Day three: Use your last day for the wider Wulingyuan Scenic Area and the landscapes around it, then return to the city for your onward travel. If you are leaving by air, head back towards Yongding District and Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport; if by rail, Zhangjiajie Station or Zhangjiajie West Station will get you to Changsha South, Huaihua or Shenzhen West. Alternatively, plan a slower route out via Nanzhuangping or Guanliping if you are continuing deeper into Hunan Province. However you finish, leave time for the drive between the scenic area and the city.

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