Zhangjiajie City sits in the northwest corner of Hunan Province, surrounded by steep karst peaks and deep forest valleys. It became world–famous in 1992 when Tianmen Mountain National Park was established and again in 2010 when the dramatic mountains of nearby Wulingyuan inspired the floating peaks in the Avatar film. Today the city is a lively base for travellers who come to explore the Tianmen Mountain Cableway, the 999 Steps and the winding road known as Heaven-Linking Avenue.
❓ What Makes Zhangjiajie City So Special?
Zhangjiajie City is the gateway to Tianmen Mountain, one of the most spectacular day trips in China. The entire experience feels otherworldly — towering cliffs, glass walkways, cliff-hugging paths and a cable car that floats above the city before climbing into the mist. It is dramatic, accessible and unforgettable. Add friendly locals, easy Didi access, simple ticketing and great food options and you have an experience that is surprisingly traveller friendly.
Table of Contents
- What Makes Zhangjiajie City So Special
- Our Experience Visiting Tianmen Mountain
- Getting Around Zhangjiajie City
- How to Visit Tianmen Mountain Package B Guide
- Step by Step Your Tianmen Mountain Journey
- Food Options at Tianmen Mountain
- Where to Stay in Zhangjiajie City
- How Many Nights Do You Need
- Our Tohu Traveller Tips
- Other Things to Do in Zhangjiajie City
- Five Fun Facts About Zhangjiajie City
👣 Our Experience Visiting Tianmen Mountain
Landing in Zhangjiajie felt like flying through a maze of rock walls. Our host greeted us at the airport and before long we were settling into a small hotel just outside of town — a great location. The city centre felt overwhelming but staying near the cableway side made everything easy. We quickly learned that Chinese cities are vast. What looks like a 20-minute walk on the map can take hours. Thankfully Didi is cheap, fast and reliable.
With clear weather in November — a blessing, because Tianmen Mountain is often foggy — we set off early at 8am. The crowds were low, the air was crisp and the adventure was unforgettable.
🚠 Getting Around Zhangjiajie City
Transport is simple thanks to Didi, which works almost identically to Grab or Uber.
Didi
- Zhangjiajie City → Tianmen Mountain Entrance: approx 18 yuan
- Tianmen Mountain Entrance Ticket: 278 yuan (Package B)
Walking
The footpaths are pretty clear, unlike some cities where you’re forced to walk on the road. It’s actually a really beautiful town to stroll around. We walked across the bridge into the city centre and it was buzzing with activity. We eventually settled on a restaurant and, as there was very limited English, we relied on the pictures — turned out to be a great choice. There is a lot to see, with some very cool food courts. We loved walking past all the vendors selling their goodies, each with a barcode so you can pay easily with WeChat or Alipay.
Tohu Tip: Always set your pickup point at a landmark (hotel door, station entrance). GPS sometimes jumps in the mountains.
🏔️ How to Visit Tianmen Mountain (Package B Guide)
Package B is the most common choice because the main cable car was under construction during our visit (and may continue depending on upgrades Nov 2025). It is still the best route for scenery, variety and ease. If you chose Package C you will be able to take the cable car from the top of the mountain to the bottom once it has its upgrades completed but you will miss out on the bus ride down the mountain.
🔹 Highlights of Package B
- Ride a short cableway to the base of the 999 Steps
- Climb the iconic staircase or take the escalators
- Ride seven long escalators to the top of the mountain
- Walk the full loop track around the summit
- Visit glass walkways (5 yuan pp)
- Descend by shuttle bus down the famous winding road
- Ride the final cable car into downtown Zhangjiajie
🧭 Step-by-Step: Your Tianmen Mountain Journey
- Exchange Your Ticket
- Head to the Ticket Exchange Centre. Passport required. It’s located on the left toward the stairs.
- Scenic Walk to the Cableway
- A gentle inclined pathway leads you past the Tianmen Fox Show and directly toward the cableway station. It’s an easy walk with clear signage and from here you’ll board the cable car where you will be transported to the beginning of another scenic walkway.
- Walk to the Tianmen Cave Square
- After you exit the cableway, you’ll arrive at a wide pathway with your first breathtaking photo opportunities (weather permitting). This is where you’ll find the base of the 999 Steps.
- Climb (or Escalate) the 999 Steps
- Steps are even and surprisingly manageable
- Plenty of rest stops and great photo spots
- Escalators are available for those with mobility challenges
- Enjoy the View at the Top
- Every huff and puff was worth it as we reached the huge stone arches, dramatic cliffs and some of the best photo opportunities on the entire mountain.
- Take the 7 Escalators to the Summit
- These escalators seem to go on forever, carrying you higher and higher until you reach the food court and the entrances to the summit trails. It gets surprisingly chilly here in November, so layer up.
- Choose Your Route Around the Mountain
- Left → busier with views that look out and away from the city. If you’re aiming for the main glass bridge this direction keeps the flow of your walk without the need to double back. The views are spectacular.
- Right → quieter with similar scenery but more focused on views over Zhangjiajie City. You will see plenty of these city views during your descent so we didn’t feel the need to prioritise this track. The glass bridge on this side also had dirt underneath so that clear “floating” feeling wasn’t quite there.
- Middle → If I was to do it again I would turn left first, head to the glass bridge around to the temple, then catch the cable car down through the middle section. Although the other side was still beautiful the experience felt repetitive, especially with the constant city views you naturally get later in the day. Turning left first gives you a cleaner, more natural flow to the walk.
- Optional Extra Cable Car
- A mid-mountain cable car (approx. 25 yuan pp) operates from Tianmen Temple. This goes through the middle of the mountain top.
- Return to the Food Court
- A good place to rest, refuel, and soak in the mountain atmosphere. We packed our own snacks which kept us going all day, then enjoyed a proper meal once we were back in the city.
- Descend via Escalators, Bus & Cable Car (B Package)
- 7 escalators to the top of the 999 Steps
- 5 escalators to the bottom (bypassing the steps – You can walk down them if you want to)
- The shuttle bus zips down the famous winding road but it was nowhere near as queasy as we expected. The drivers are incredibly skilled — fast, confident and we never felt unsafe for a moment.
- Final cable car into downtown Zhangjiajie – This is such a beautiful way to end the day and the views are amazing.
🍜 Food Options at Tianmen Mountain
The summit has a large food court with noodles, rice dishes, snacks and international chains. We were surprised to see Burger King, which was packed, but plenty of local options were available. And there are plenty of food stalls all the way around the mountain. You certainly will not go hungry.
📍 Where to Stay in Zhangjiajie City
When choosing accommodation, I always worry about ending up miles from the places we want to visit, especially in a city I don’t know. Thankfully we chose well. It was only a 10-minute walk into town, but if I was to return I’d stay closer to the cable car station rather than in the city centre. It’s quieter, easier, perfect for early starts and the whole street is lined with great food options and vendors selling fresh fruit.
Look for:
- Small hotels
- Guesthouses
- Boutique stays
All close to transport, food and convenience stores. Preferably with Breakfast, Air con/heater, airport pick up, laundry service if any.
🕒 How Many Nights Do You Need?
1–2 nights is perfect depending on your arrival time.
You may also want to consider seeing a local show — the Fox Fairy show is the most popular.
🧡 Our Tohu Traveller Tips
- Visit early (8am) to avoid crowds. We noticed that as we were coming off the mountain around 2pm the amount of tour groups entering was insane. So the earlier the better. That way you dont have to rush either.
- Dress warm in November. There was still ice on many of the tracks that didnt get sun.
- Escalators make the climb accessible
- Maps don’t show how massive the city area is — use Didi
- Bring cash for small attractions like glass bridges although We Chat and Alipay is accepted.
- Expect 6–7 hours for the full experience
- Keep your ticket handy for multiple checkpoints
Other things to do in Zhangjiajie City that may interest you.
- 72 Wonders Tower
- A futuristic viewing tower with immersive light displays, panoramic city views and interactive experiences that showcase the landscapes and legends of Zhangjiajie. If you enter before 4.30pm its 20yuan, after that its 88yuan.
- Tianmen Fox Fairy Show
- A breathtaking outdoor performance held beneath Tianmen Mountain, combining music, dance, mythology and dramatic staging. It’s one of China’s most famous “real-scene” shows. Tickets start from 238 yuan.
- Tujia Folk Customs Park
- A relaxed cultural park showcasing traditional wooden homes, architecture, dance, crafts and the heritage of the Tujia ethnic minority. A great way to understand the region’s cultural roots.
- Dayong Town (Old Town Zhangjiajie)
- A charming old quarter with lantern-lit streets, bridges, local snacks and relaxed river walks — perfect for an easy wander after a big day on the mountain.
⭐ 5 Fun Facts About Zhangjiajie City
- Zhangjiajie is home to one of the longest cable cars in the world.
- The famous 999 Steps represent ascending to heaven in local folklore.
- Tianmen Mountain means “Heaven’s Gate Mountain.”
- The winding road down the mountain has 99 sharp bends.
- Zhangjiajie was one of China’s first UNESCO Global Geoparks.
🔗 More China Travel Guides
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🌍 Travel Planning Resources
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“Between the peaks and the silence you find a new version of yourself.”