Zhangjiajie Avatar Tour: Bailong Elevator & Yuanjiajie

Skip the lines and explore Zhangjiajie’s soaring sandstone pillars with ease and time to pause

A private day tour of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park with a personal English or Spanish-speaking guide, private vehicle, hotel pickup, and all park tickets arranged in advance. You ascend Yuanjiajie via the Bailong Elevator, the world's tallest outdoor elevator, to see the quartz-sandstone peaks that inspired Avatar's floating mountains, then continue to Tianzi Mountain for 360-degree views of the entire forest of peaks. Your guide adjusts the route for weather, crowds and your walking pace throughout the eight-hour day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

• Hotel pickup by private vehicle
• Assist with park entry procedures
• Board eco-bus to Bailong Elevator station
• Ascend Yuanjiajie via Bailong Elevator
• Walk suspended platforms at Yuanjiajie
• Visit Hallelujah Mountain and First Bridge
• Hike Tianzi Mountain viewing trail
• Enjoy panoramic views from Tianzi Observation Deck

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your downtown hotel and a private vehicle ride to the park entrance, where your guide handles the entry procedures so you move straight through. From there, an eco-bus takes you to the Bailong Elevator station: a 326-meter outdoor lift carved into the cliff face that rises through the air with a 360-degree view of the surrounding peaks and cliffs. The ascent itself is the experience: you're suspended above the landscape, watching the sandstone pillars drop away beneath you as you climb to Yuanjiajie.

At Yuanjiajie, you walk the suspended viewing platforms to reach Hallelujah Mountain: the real-life formation that inspired the floating islands in Avatar. Your guide explains the geology of the quartz-sandstone peaks and shares the local legends tied to them. You also visit the First Bridge Under Heaven, a naturally formed stone arch spanning the gap between two peaks. The platforms and trails here are built for viewing, so the day is about standing still and taking in the scale of what's in front of you rather than pushing yourself physically.

The afternoon moves to Tianzi Mountain, where you walk the viewing trail past the Imperial Writing Peaks (dozens of stone pillars rising like brushes pointing skyward), and the Fairy Scattering Flowers formation. From the Tianzi Mountain Observation Deck, you get a 360-degree panorama of the entire park's forest of peaks layered across the horizon. Your guide adjusts the order of stops and the pace based on weather and how the crowds are moving through the park, so the day stays comfortable and the light works for photos.

What’s included

• Private vehicle with driver.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private English-speaking or Spanish-speaking guide.
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entrance ticket.
• Bailong Elevator ticket.
• Tianzi Mountain cable car ticket.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private tour with an English-speaking guide11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00Includes pickup

Private tour with a Spanish-speaking guide11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00Includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

AgesAdult (4 to 88 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by BetterChinaTrip

Is this one for you?Book the English guide if you want detailed explanations of the geology and local legends as you move through the park. Choose the Spanish guide if that's your preferred language for the day. Either way, the private vehicle and guide mean you skip the ticket windows, shuttle transfers and one-way park routes that solo travelers navigate alone.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Bailong Elevator and how does it work?

The Bailong Elevator is a 326-meter outdoor lift built into the cliff face at Yuanjiajie that rises through the air with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. It's hailed as the world's tallest outdoor elevator and carries you to the summit of Yuanjiajie Mountain, where the viewing platforms begin.

Is Hallelujah Mountain really the place that inspired Avatar's floating islands?

Yes, Hallelujah Mountain is the real-life formation that inspired the floating mountains in Avatar. You visit it on the suspended viewing platforms of Yuanjiajie and see the quartz-sandstone peaks that the filmmakers used as reference for the movie's landscape.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You stroll along the suspended viewing platforms at Yuanjiajie and walk the viewing trail at Tianzi Mountain, with time for photos and rest at observation decks. The tour is built around viewing rather than long-distance hiking, and your guide adjusts the pace to match your comfort level throughout the day.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes private vehicle transport, hotel pickup and drop-off, your private English or Spanish-speaking guide, entrance to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Bailong Elevator ticket, and the Tianzi Mountain cable car ticket. Meals, drinks and tips are not included.

How long is the full tour, and what time does it start?

The tour runs for eight hours total, including hotel pickup and drop-off. Your guide will coordinate the exact start time with you based on your hotel location and preference.