Zhangjiajie Tour: Bailong Skyway & Avatar Site Highlights

Ride the Bailong Skyway through 48 stone peaks, then walk the plateau where Avatar was filmed

A full-day guided tour of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in northwest Hunan, led in English with park entry, eco-shuttle transport and access to the Bailong Skyway elevator, Yuanjiajie plateau, Tianzi Mountain and Ten Miles Gallery canyon. The tour includes the cable car descent from Tianzi Mountain and a sightseeing train through the canyon, so the day's main walking and climbing are optional rather than mandatory.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

• Enter Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
• Take eco-shuttle to Bailong Skyway
• Ride Bailong Sky Lift and view peaks
• Visit Yuanjiajie plateau and Avatar site
• Explore Tianzi Mountain and local snacks
• Hike down or take cable car
• Walk or take train through Ten Miles Gallery
• Return to the city

The Experience

The Bailong Skyway is the centerpiece: a double-deck open sightseeing elevator that climbs through the Wulingyuan World Natural Heritage Area while you photograph the General Formation of 48 independent stone peaks rising around you. The elevator is known as the Oriental Eiffel Tower and ranks among the world's 11 most creative elevators. You ascend inside a fully exposed cabin, which means the mountain views start the moment the doors close. The 65-yuan fee per person is included in the tour price and non-refundable.

From there, the guide takes you to Yuanjiajie, a plateau that served as the filming location for Avatar. The Back Garden and Mysterious Hill Platform are the main stops, and South Heavenly Pillar—the rock formation that inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountain in the film—stands here. Tianzi Mountain comes next, famous for natural landscapes and local snacks. You can hike down on foot or take an optional cable car descent at 72 yuan per person; the tour includes the cable car, so the choice is yours. The final stop is Ten Miles Gallery, a 5-kilometer canyon walk that is strenuous on foot. A sightseeing train runs through it instead: 38 yuan one way or 76 yuan for the round trip, and the tour provides access to both options so you decide based on how your legs feel by that point.

An English-speaking guide leads the whole day, and hotel pickup is included. The eco-shuttle vehicle handles the transport between stops inside the park. Children from age 4 are welcome. The tour ends when you return to the city.

What’s included

• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entry pass.
• eco-shuttle transport between all stops.
• Bailong Skyway elevator ride through the 48 stone peaks of the General Formation.
• access to Yuanjiajie plateau, the Avatar filming site, including the Back Garden and Mysterious Hill Platform.
• Tianzi Mountain with cable car descent included.
• sightseeing train through Ten Miles Gallery canyon.
• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• hotel pickup.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by 湖南新康辉国际旅行社有限责任公司定制分公司

Is this one for you?A full day in the park means you see all four major stops—the Bailong Skyway, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Ten Miles Gallery—without backtracking, but it also leaves no time for a separate city tour or a long lunch break. Book this if the park itself is your day and you want the guide to handle the route and timing.

Top questions

What is the Bailong Skyway and why is it famous?

The Bailong Skyway is a double-deck open sightseeing elevator in the Wulingyuan World Natural Heritage Area, known as the Oriental Eiffel Tower. It ranks among the world's 11 most creative elevators and lets you ascend through views of 48 independent stone peaks that make up the General Formation.

Is Yuanjiajie really the Avatar filming location?

Yes. Yuanjiajie is the plateau where Avatar was filmed. South Heavenly Pillar, a rock formation on the plateau, inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountain in the film. The tour includes the Back Garden and Mysterious Hill Platform, the main sites within Yuanjiajie.

Do I have to hike down from Tianzi Mountain or can I take the cable car?

You can choose. The tour includes the cable car descent at no extra cost, so hiking down is optional. If you prefer to walk, that option is available too.

Is the Ten Miles Gallery walk mandatory?

No. The full 5-kilometer round walk through Ten Miles Gallery is strenuous, so a sightseeing train runs through the canyon instead at 38 yuan one way or 76 yuan round trip. The tour gives you access to both, so you decide based on your energy level that day.

What is included in the tour price and what costs extra?

The tour includes Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entry, the eco-shuttle transport, the Bailong Skyway elevator (65 yuan per person), access to Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain, the cable car descent from Tianzi Mountain, and the sightseeing train through Ten Miles Gallery. The only optional paid items are the cable car descent if you choose to hike instead (72 yuan saved) and the train if you hike the canyon (38–76 yuan saved).

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

The tour runs for a full day. Hotel pickup is included, so the guide will arrange the start time based on your location. The entire experience from pickup to return to the city takes one day.