Yuanjiajie & Tianzi Mountain tour: Private guide, 9 hours

Ride a record-breaking elevator through 48 peaks, then walk where few tourists go

A full-day private tour of Zhangjiajie's three signature sites: Yuanjiajie Avatar Mountain (home to the Sky Pillar from the Avatar film), Tianzi Mountain with its thousand peaks, and Lao Wu Chang, a quiet Tujia village nestled on the mountainside. The tour includes hotel pickup, a private guide speaking English, and access to the Bailong Elevator: the world's highest outdoor sightseeing elevator at 326 meters, rising 88 seconds at 5 meters per second. Entrance tickets are booked in advance and paid separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain

• Enter Zhangjiajie park
• Take bus to Bailong Elevator
• Ride Bailong Elevator to mountain top
• Take Sky Elevator to Yuanjiajie Avatar Mountain
• Walk around Misa platform and see Sky Pillar
• Visit Heaven Bridge and Enchanting Platform
• Take sightseeing bus to Lao Wu Chang village
• Walk platforms and enjoy rice field views
• Visit Tianzi Mountain and view peaks
• See Helong Park and bronze statue
• Take cable car down from Tianzi Mountain

The experience

The day starts at the Bailong Elevator, a glass structure that holds three world records: highest outdoor mountain elevator, fastest sightseeing elevator, and capacity for 64 people at once. In 88 seconds you rise 326 meters while recording the 48 peaks below, arranged like generals in a line. At the top, you reach Yuanjiajie Avatar Mountain and walk the big Misa platform for about an hour, passing the Sky Pillar (the 350-meter floating mountain that inspired the Avatar film), and the Heaven Bridge, the highest natural bridge in the world. The Enchanting Platform offers a close view of peaks in different distances and shapes. The operator notes 30 seconds here and you'll forget to leave.

From there, a sightseeing bus takes you to Lao Wu Chang, a local village where Tujia minority people live and farm rice fields on the mountainside. This is the hidden spot: very few tourists come here. You walk between platforms facing the Sky Elevator with the 48 Generals peaks between you and it, arranged like a garden in the air. The village sits so close you can talk to the peaks. It's a quiet, beautiful place where you see how people live in this fairyland.

Tianzi Mountain, also called the kingdom of peaks, has more than 1000 peaks and many viewing platforms. The peaks are peculiar and beautiful, with trees arranged like enlarged bonsai: the style of classical Chinese painting. The Imperial Writing Brush, the official picture of Zhangjiajie park and the first image on its stamps, is here. You can also visit the bronze statue and cemetery of Helong, one of the ten marshals of the PLA, whose hometown sits at the foot of this mountain. The cable car down from Tianzi Mountain offers views the whole way.

What’s included

• Private guide speaking English.
• private car for the full day.
• hotel pickup.
• bottled water.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.
• advance booking of entrance tickets (paid separately at 429 CNY per adult, 293 CNY per child or senior).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (6 to 17 years) · Infant (1 to 5 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Zhangjiajie Kangtai

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see all three major sites (Avatar Mountain, Tianzi Mountain and the hidden Rice Field Village) in a single day with a private guide who can explain what you're seeing. The private car and guide let you move at your own pace through each stop, and the early access to book tickets in advance means less waiting at the gates.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 17 years); Infant (1 to 5 years): free.

What is the Sky Pillar and why is it famous?

The Sky Pillar is the 350-meter floating mountain at Yuanjiajie that inspired the Avatar film. It's the biggest floating mountain in the park, wider at the top and narrower at the base, and the most famous spot on the tour.

How long does it take to ride the Bailong Elevator?

The Bailong Elevator takes 88 seconds to rise 326 meters. It travels at 5 meters per second and is the world's fastest glass sightseeing elevator, holding up to 64 people at once.

Is Lao Wu Chang village crowded with tourists?

No. Lao Wu Chang is a hidden spot where very few tourists come. It's a real village where Tujia minority people live and farm rice fields on the mountain, and the tour includes time to walk the platforms and see the 48 Generals peaks from different angles.

What can I see at Tianzi Mountain?

Tianzi Mountain has more than 1000 peaks arranged like enlarged bonsai and classical Chinese paintings. The Imperial Writing Brush, the official picture of Zhangjiajie park, is here, along with the bronze statue and cemetery of Helong, a PLA marshal whose hometown is at the mountain's base.

Does the tour include meals?

Meals are not included in the tour. You'll need to arrange lunch separately or bring your own food. The tour does include bottled water and a private guide and car for the full 9 hours.

Are entrance tickets included in the tour price?

Entrance tickets are booked in advance and paid separately. Adult tickets are 429 CNY per person. Children and seniors pay 293 CNY. A VIP pass to skip lines for buses, the Bailong Elevator and Tianzi cable car can be added if you want.