Zhangjiajie Forest Park & Yellow Dragon Cave Private Tour

Ride two cable systems through Avatar mountains, then walk an underground river cave for two hours

A private day tour of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Yellow Dragon Cave with hotel pickup, private guide and driver, cable car and elevator tickets included. The tour runs eight hours from your Wulingyuan or Zhangjiajie hotel, moving through Tianzi mountain, the Avatar-filmed Yuanjiajie area, and a two-hour walk through the cave with a 10-minute boat ride on an underground river. The guide speaks English or Chinese; lunch is separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Zhangjiajie National Park and Cave

• Breakfast at hotel
• Meet driver and guide at hotel lobby
• Transfer to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
• Take Tianzi Mountain cable car
• Explore Tianzi Mountain for 30 minutes
• Visit Yuanjiajie area for 30 minutes
• Ride Bailong Elevator down the hill
• Take shuttle bus to parking lot
• Lunch in Wulingyuan area
• Visit Yellow Dragon Cave
• Boat ride on underground river
• Walk through cave with ups and downs

The Experience

Your driver meets you at the hotel lobby at 8:30am and drives to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, part of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site listed in 1992. The park is known for its sandstone peak forest — thousands of tall, slim pillars rising from the valley floor. You'll use the Tianzi mountain cable car to reach the summit in about 20 minutes, then spend 30 minutes at the top. Tianzi means "Heavenly Prince," and the area carries the history of a Ming Dynasty battle 500 years ago; the peaks themselves are the real draw, offering what the operator calls the most spectacular view of the sandstone forest in the park.

From Tianzi you transfer to Yuanjiajie, the area filmed for Avatar, where the pillars are larger than elsewhere in the park. This is the most famous section, and it can get crowded in high season. A World Highest Sightseeing Elevator (326 meters) saves time by taking you down the hillside instead of walking; you then take a shuttle bus to the car park and continue to Bailong Elevator, which descends further before you head to lunch in the Wulingyuan area. Lunch is on your own.

After lunch you move to Yellow Dragon Cave. You'll spend two hours inside, which includes a 10-minute boat ride through an underground river; the rest is walking, often uphill and downhill. The operator notes this cave is not recommended for seniors or travelers with poor cardiovascular health because of the uneven terrain and climbing. Your private guide leads you through both the park and the cave, and your air-conditioned vehicle waits between stops.

What’s included

• Private car and private guide.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• Tianzi mountain cable car ticket.
• World Highest Sightseeing Elevator ticket at Yuanjiajie.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from your Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan hotel.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by happychinatours

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you need door-to-door pickup from your hotel and a guide who moves you through all three sites on one fixed itinerary, rather than navigating between them yourself.

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Top questions

What's the Yuanjiajie area like, and why is it called the Avatar mountains?

Yuanjiajie is the filming location for the movie Avatar and features hundreds of tall sandstone pillars, with the largest called Hallelujah Mountain. The pillars here are bigger than in other parts of the park, and the landscape looks otherworldly — which is why it was chosen for the film. It's the most famous highlighted area in Zhangjiajie, though it does get crowded during peak tourism season.

How much walking and climbing is involved in Yellow Dragon Cave?

Yellow Dragon Cave requires two hours total, with a 10-minute boat ride on an underground river and the rest spent walking. The paths go up and down throughout the cave, so you'll be climbing stairs and uneven terrain. The operator does not recommend it for seniors or anyone with cardiovascular concerns because of the physical demands.

What cable cars and elevators are included in this tour?

The tour includes the Tianzi mountain cable car (about 20 minutes up) and the World Highest Sightseeing Elevator at Yuanjiajie (326 meters down the hillside). Both tickets are included in the price, so you don't arrange or pay for them separately.

Can I choose pickup from either Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan hotel?

Yes — you choose at checkout whether you want pickup from your Zhangjiajie hotel or your Wulingyuan hotel. Your driver meets you at the hotel lobby at 8:30am and returns you at the end of the day.

What language does the guide speak?

The private guide speaks English or Chinese — you choose the language when you book.

Is lunch included, and what time do you eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. After the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park section, you'll have lunch at a restaurant in the Wulingyuan area before heading to Yellow Dragon Cave; you choose and pay for your own meal.