4-Day Zhangjiajie Tour: Avatar Mountains & Tianmen Mountain

The Bailong elevator carries you up to Yuanjiajie in moments.

A 4-day guided tour of Zhangjiajie in Southern China, based at a 5-star hotel, with two days in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and one day at Tianmen Mountain. The tour includes all park entry, airport or train station pickup, professional English-speaking guide, and transport between sites. You ride the Bailong elevator to the Avatar-inspired peaks of Yuanjiajie, walk the 7.5-kilometer Golden Whip Stream, visit the limestone chambers of Yellow Dragon Cave, and take Asia's longest cable car across Tianmen Mountain to its cliff-edge glass walkway.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and city exploration

• Arrive at Zhangjiajie airport or station
• Meet tour guide with name sign
• Transfer to hotel in Zhangjiajie City
• Check in at 5-star hotel
• Free time to explore city

Day 2: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park tour

• Breakfast at hotel
• Take Bailong elevator to Yuanjiajie
• Enjoy views of Avatar Mountains
• Take sightseeing bus to Tianzi Mountain
• View peaks and scenic area
• Return to hotel
• Optional evening shows available

Day 3: Huangshi Village and Golden Whip Stream

• Breakfast at hotel
• Take cable car to Huangshi Village
• Explore Huangshi Village
• Walk along Golden Whip Stream
• Visit tea garden and pick tea
• Learn tea making and culture
• Return to hotel

Day 4: Yellow Dragon Cave and Tianmen Mountain

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Yellow Dragon Cave
• Drive to Tianmen Mountain National Park
• Ride longest cableway in Asia
• Walk Cliff-Hanging Walkway and Glass Sky Walk
• Visit Tianmen Cave
• Transfer to airport or railway station

The experience

The tour opens with airport or train station pickup and a transfer to your hotel in Zhangjiajie City, leaving the rest of day one free to settle in. Day two focuses on the northern peaks: the Bailong elevator takes you straight up to Yuanjiajie, where the sandstone mountains that inspired Avatar's floating islands rise in a near-level platform, then a sightseeing bus carries you to Tianzi Mountain Peak Forest for views across the whole scenic area. Your guide handles the logistics. Optional evening shows (Fairy Fox or Zhangjiajie Charming Western Hunan) are available if you want them.

Day three splits between two parts of the National Forest Park. You cable car up to Huangshi Village at 1080 meters (there's a saying that skipping it means you haven't truly visited Zhangjiajie), then walk the Golden Whip Stream, a 7.5-kilometer route through steep cliffs and serene valleys. If the full walk doesn't suit you, the itinerary includes a tea-picking activity in the afternoon instead: you harvest tea leaves yourself, watch the processing at a local factory, taste the finished tea, and learn the ceremony from staff there. Lunch is included both days.

Day four moves to Tianmen Mountain National Park, 30 kilometers away. You start underground at Yellow Dragon Cave, a UNESCO-recognized limestone cavern with 100,000 square meters of space, two underground rivers, four waterfalls and 13 chambers. Then the cable car takes over: at 7,200 meters, it's the longest in Asia, and from it you photograph the Avenue toward Heaven, a road with 99 hairpin turns carved into the mountainside. On top, you walk the Cliff-Hanging Walkway and the Glass Sky Walk before descending through Tianmen Cave, a natural tunnel through the mountain. Your guide and driver then escort you to the airport or railway station.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide throughout the 4 days.
• accommodation at the 5-star Neodalle Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan hotel for all three nights.
• airport or train station pickup and drop-off.
• all transport between sites including the Bailong elevator, sightseeing bus, and cable cars.
• entry tickets to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Huangshi Village, Golden Whip Stream, Yellow Dragon Cave, and Tianmen Mountain National Park.
• breakfast, lunch on days two through four.
• accident insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (16 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by China Toruk Tour

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary and the history of each site without translation delays. The 4-day length gives you two full days in the National Forest Park instead of rushing through in one, which means you can walk the Golden Whip Stream or spend an afternoon picking tea and learning the ceremony without feeling pressed.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What is the Bailong elevator and why does it matter on day two?

The Bailong elevator is a high-speed lift that carries you 326 meters up the cliff face to Yuanjiajie in under two minutes, giving you direct access to the Avatar-inspired peaks without a long climb. It's the fastest way to reach the mountain platform where the views open across the whole scenic area.

Can I skip the full Golden Whip Stream walk on day three?

Yes. The itinerary offers an alternative: walk part of the Golden Whip Stream, then spend the afternoon in a tea garden picking tea leaves, watching how Chinese tea is made at the factory, tasting it, and learning the tea ceremony from local staff. Lunch is included either way.

What is Yellow Dragon Cave and how much time do you spend there?

Yellow Dragon Cave is a limestone cavern praised by UNESCO experts as the most beautiful cave in the world. It spans 100,000 square meters with two underground rivers, four waterfalls, 13 chambers and thousands of stalagmites and stalactites. You explore it on the morning of day four before heading to Tianmen Mountain.

How long is the cable car ride at Tianmen Mountain?

The cable car at Tianmen Mountain is 7,200 meters long, making it the longest in Asia. From it you photograph the Avenue toward Heaven, a mountain road with 99 hairpin turns, then walk the cliff-edge Glass Sky Walk and Cliff-Hanging Walkway on top.

What's included in the price and what costs extra?

Included: all park entry tickets, accommodation at the 5-star Neodalle Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan hotel, airport or train station pickup and drop-off, all transport between sites, meals noted in the itinerary (breakfast, lunch on days two, three and four), professional English-speaking guide, and accident insurance. Optional evening shows on day two and tips to guides and drivers are not included.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to and from the airport or train station?

No. Pickup and drop-off at Zhangjiajie airport or train station are included in the tour price. Your guide will be holding a sign with your name when you arrive.