Zhangjiajie 3-Day Tour: Glass Bridge & Avatar Mountains

Three days, three mountains, one private guide who handles the logistics

A 3-day private guided tour of Zhangjiajie takes you through the region's most recognizable landmarks: the Glass Bridge spanning 430 meters above the Grand Canyon, the sandstone peaks of Yuanjiajie (the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain), and Tianmen Mountain with its clifftop plank road. Your guide and private vehicle pick you up from your hotel, arrange all entrance tickets in advance, and move you between sites on a fixed itinerary so the three days hold together without you building them.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Golden Whip Brook and Glass Bridge

• Meet guide and driver at hotel
• Walk along Golden Whip Brook
• Cross Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
• Experience activities in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

Day 2 — Bailong Elevator and Avatar Mountain

• Ride Bailong Elevator to mountain top
• Hike Yuanjiajie scenic area
• Take shuttle bus to Tianzi Mountain
• Ride cable car and enjoy Tianzi Mountain views

Day 3 — Tianmen Mountain and Cablecar

• Take cablecar up Tianmen Mountain
• Walk on mountain plank road
• Visit Tianmen Cave and Glass Skywalk
• Travel on 99 Bends Bus Road
• Drop off at Zhangjiajie Airport

The Experience

The tour opens with a morning pickup from your Wulingyuan hotel and a drive to Golden Whip Brook, a 7.5-kilometer valley walk on a paved path that takes 2 to 3 hours. The brook runs through fresh air and lush vegetation, and you may encounter wild monkeys along the water. From there you move to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, where you cross the Glass Bridge—a 430-meter span suspended 300 meters above the canyon floor—and then descend into the canyon itself using five different methods: VR, zip line, sliding road, boating and other routes. The Grand Canyon holds smaller attractions like Bandit Cave, One Line Sky, and Butterfly Spring Waterfall, and you'll spend roughly two hours exploring the valley floor.

Day two centers on the Avatar mountains. The Bailong Elevator, the world's highest and fastest sightseeing lift, carries you 326 meters to the top in 1.5 minutes. From there you hike among the stone columns at Yuanjiajie, where the South Sky Pillar—a 150-meter peak—inspired the Hallelujah Mountain in the Avatar films. You'll also cross the First Bridge of the World, a natural stone platform only 5 meters long that links two peaks. After this hike, a shuttle bus takes you 35 minutes to Tianzi Mountain, where you ride a cable car upward and take in views of the mist-covered peaks and natural platforms scattered across the summit.

The final day is spent on Tianmen Mountain, reached by the longest cable car in the region. You walk a plank road built into the cliff face and visit Tianmen Cave, the landmark known for a world-class stuntman's wing-suit flight through it. The Glass Skywalk and the 99 Bends Bus Road are the other main stops before your guide drops you at Zhangjiajie Airport. All entrance fees (978 RMB per person) are reserved and paid to your guide after you meet, so you move through each site without queuing at ticket windows.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Chinese.
• private vehicle transport between all sites.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• bottled water throughout the tour.
• travel insurance.
• cable car and elevator rides at Bailong, Tianzi Mountain and Tianmen Mountain.
• access to all five descent methods in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (VR, zip line, sliding road, boating and others).

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Tour-Zhangjiajie

Is this one for you?Book this if you're arriving before noon and want a guide who stays with your group across all three days—you'll move together through each site rather than splitting up or navigating independently.

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Top questions

What is the Glass Bridge like to walk across?

The Glass Bridge spans 430 meters and sits 300 meters above the Grand Canyon floor, giving the sensation of floating above the dramatic cliffs and forests below. It is the world's longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge, and walking it tests your nerve while offering panoramic views found nowhere else.

How much walking is involved over the three days?

Day one includes a 2- to 3-hour walk along Golden Whip Brook on a paved path, plus roughly two hours exploring Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Day two involves hiking among the stone columns at Yuanjiajie and crossing the First Bridge of the World, then riding a cable car at Tianzi Mountain. Day three is a walk on the clifftop plank road at Tianmen Mountain. Most movement between sites is by private vehicle, cable car or elevator.

Are all the entrance fees included in the price?

Entrance fees are not included in the tour price but are reserved in advance by your guide. You pay the total (978 RMB or 137 USD per person) to your guide after you meet on day one, so you do not queue at ticket windows.

What happens if I arrive late at Zhangjiajie Airport?

Arrange your arrival before noon on day one if you need pickup from Zhangjiajie Airport or Railway Station. Your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel in the morning to begin the tour.

What is Tianmen Cave and why is it famous?

Tianmen Cave is a natural opening in Tianmen Mountain, known in Chinese as a door to heaven. It is famous for being flown through by a world-class stuntman in a wing suit, and it is one of the main attractions you visit on day three.

Do I need to book a hotel, or is accommodation included?

Hotel accommodation is not included in the tour. You book your own hotel in Wulingyuan close to the East Gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park; the operator suggests Pullman, Neodalle, Hilton Garden Inn Wulingyuan, Yoba Boutique Hotel or SecGarden Boutique Hotel. Your guide picks you up from your hotel each morning.