Two days in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

This two-day plan shows you both sides of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: the clifftop panoramas of Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie on day one, followed by the shady valley walk along Golden Whip Stream on day two. Staying in Wulingyuan keeps your travel smooth and lets you finish near your hotel each afternoon.

Two days with different views

Spend your first day on the high cliff trails above the sandstone pillars, then spend your second day walking beneath them along the river valley. Plan two full days inside the park, arriving in Wulingyuan town the evening before. Keep separate days for Tianmen Mountain or the Grand Canyon glass bridge.

These walking estimates include viewpoints, shuttle stops, and hotel approaches, totaling 13–17 km over two days. The second day has fewer stairs but involves a steady, continuous walk. Add Huangshizhai’s summit paths to the two-day walking estimate if you choose that visit.

Stay in Wulingyuan and reserve both entries

Base yourself in Wulingyuan town near the East Gate (吴家峪门票站). A two-night stay covers the night before day one and the night between your visits. Both days finish near town, so you do not need to pack up and change hotels.

Pick a hotel close to the East Gate and Wulingyuan bus station. On day two, you will board the local coach at the bus station to reach the South Gate. Leave your luggage at your hotel during the day.

The park admission and internal shuttle ticket costs CNY 236 (≈ USD 35 ) per adult and lasts four consecutive days starting on your selected first date. Use this single ticket on both days. Reserve the East Gate for day one and the South Gate (森林公园门票站) for day two, picking an arrival time slot for each. Second-day entry requires this advance gate reservation. Bring the original US passport used for the booking; the entrance check links you to the ticket.

Day one: Tianzi Mountain to Yuanjiajie

Plan for an 08:00–16:00 window to cover trails, shuttles, lunch, and mountain rides without rushing.

Ride up to Tianzi Mountain

From the East Gate, board the internal park shuttle included in your ticket to 天子山索道下站 (lower Tianzi cable-car station). Buy an uphill cable-car ticket for CNY 72 (≈ USD 11 ) per adult. At the upper station, take the connecting shuttle to 贺龙公园 (Helong Park).

Tianzi Mountain (天子山) is inside this national forest park. Tianmen Mountain is a completely separate mountain located near downtown Zhangjiajie.

Tianzi viewpoints and lunch

Spend about 1½–2 hours exploring the clifftop paths around 御笔峰 (Imperial Brush Peak), 仙女散花 (Fairies Scattering Flowers), and Helong Park. These lookouts offer sweeping views over narrow stone towers. The cable car saves the long climb from the valley, though the viewpoints still have occasional steps.

Eat lunch before taking the shuttle across to Yuanjiajie. McDonald's at Helong Park (麦当劳天子山餐厅) at 天子山顶贺龙公园 offers quick indoor seating with an average spend of CNY 36 (≈ USD 5.4 ) per person. Allow about 45 minutes to eat and rest.

Yuanjiajie's pillars and natural bridge

Head back to the Helong Park parking area and take the upper park bus to 杨家界停车场 (Yangjiajie parking). Transfer there to the bus for 天下第一桥停车场 (Tianxia Diyi Qiao parking) in Yuanjiajie. Allow about one hour for the two bus rides and queue times.

Start at 天下第一桥 (First Bridge Under Heaven), a natural rock span connecting two sheer cliffs. Follow the cliffside path past 哈利路亚山 / 乾坤柱 (Avatar Hallelujah Mountain) and 迷魂台 (Enchanting Terrace). Allow two hours in Yuanjiajie (袁家界) to take in the viewpoints looking straight down into deep gorges.

End your walk at the Mihuntai bus stop. Board the connecting park shuttle to the upper Bailong Elevator station at 百龙天梯上站.

Descend by Bailong and return to town

Ride the glass Bailong Elevator down the cliff face for CNY 65 (≈ USD 9.7 ) per adult. At the lower station, board the internal park bus to 吴家峪门票站 / 东门 (East Gate). Exit the gate and walk back to your hotel in Wulingyuan.

To see Yuanjiajie's Avatar pillars first, reverse day one: East Gate, Bailong Elevator up, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie parking (杨家界停车场), Helong Park, then Tianzi cable car down and the park bus back to the East Gate. Use the upper park buses between the mountain areas. Buy Bailong uphill and Tianzi downhill tickets for this version, and eat at Helong Park when you reach Tianzi.

Day two: Golden Whip Stream from south to east

Reach the South Gate from Wulingyuan

Go to 武陵源汽车站, Wulingyuan bus station, and board the external bus for 森林公园门票站 / 南门. The route's published fare is CNY 8 (≈ USD 1.2 ) per person one way, from its June 2025 launch tariff. Allow 30–45 minutes for the road journey, plus time to board. This town-to-gate bus is separate from the internal park shuttles.

Enter through the South Gate with your second-day reservation and passport. Walk past 大氧吧广场 (Oxygen Square) toward 老磨湾 (Laomowan), where the riverside walking trail starts.

Walk the creek-side path

Follow the stone trail along 金鞭溪 (Golden Whip Stream) heading east toward 水绕四门 (Shuiraosimen). The full trail is 5.7 km. Allow 3–4 hours for a relaxed pace with photo stops and a picnic lunch. Walking the valley floor lets you look up at vertical stone spires from below.

Along the river, watch for landmarks like 金鞭岩 (Golden Whip Rock), 神鹰护鞭 (Eagle Protecting the Whip), 紫草潭 (Zicao Pool), and 千里相会 (Meeting from Afar). Stay on the main trail along the water. The staircase turnoff at 乱窜坡 (Luancuanpo) climbs steeply up to Yuanjiajie.

Carry a packed lunch from Wulingyuan for this day. Pause near 千里相会 around the middle of your walk, using a resting area beside the path. This lets you eat in the valley without adding another ascent to a mountain restaurant. Readers choosing vegetarian, vegan or halal food can select their own lunch in town before entering.

When buying food to take into the park, you can create a free dining card in Chinese to explain your dietary needs to the shop or restaurant.

Finish at Shuiraosimen and return through the East Gate

When you arrive at 水绕四门, follow the signs to the internal shuttle bus for 吴家峪门票站 / 东门. Take the bus through the valley exit to the East Gate, then return to your hotel. Aim to finish the main route in the early to middle afternoon.

Walking from South Gate to East Gate takes you straight through without having to double back. If you have a car, leave it in Wulingyuan in the morning and take the public bus to the South Gate so your vehicle is waiting near the East Gate when you finish.

Add Huangshizhai for another mountain view

If you want an extra summit view on day two and have 2–3 extra hours, visit Huangshizhai (黄石寨) before starting the stream walk.

From Oxygen Square near the South Gate, take the short park shuttle to the lower Huangshizhai cable-car station. Ride up, walk a loop of the summit rim trail, and ride back down. The cable car costs CNY 65 (≈ USD 9.7 ) per adult each way, or CNY 130 (≈ USD 19 ) round trip. Choose the shorter summit loop to leave enough energy and daylight for the full stream walk.

From the lower Huangshizhai cable-car station, take the park shuttle back to Oxygen Square and start walking toward Shuiraosimen.

On the summit, look for Five Finger Peak (五指峰), Liuqi Pavilion (六奇阁), Star-Picking Terrace (摘星台) and the Golden Turtle in the Mist (雾海金龟). A slow full circuit can take 2–3 hours on the summit alone, plus transit time and queues. The trail includes stairs and adds extra walking on top of the 5.7 km creek crossing.

What these two days cost

For the standard two-day route, budget CNY 373 (≈ USD 56 ) per adult for the 4-day park admission ticket, internal park shuttles, Tianzi cable car up, and Bailong Elevator down. Food, hotel stays, and the CNY 8 (≈ USD 1.2 ) public bus from Wulingyuan to South Gate are separate.

Adding the round-trip Huangshizhai cable car brings the ticket and mountain transport total to CNY 503 (≈ USD 75 ) per adult.

Practical tips

• Put your summit day (Tianzi and Yuanjiajie) on the day with clearer weather, and set your gate reservations to match.
• Wild macaques roam along Golden Whip Stream. Keep snacks zipped inside your backpack and eat at designated resting pavilions instead of walking with food in your hand.
• Pick up your stored bags from your Wulingyuan hotel before traveling to your next destination. Camping and overnight stays are not allowed inside the park's protected core zone.