A Super Comprehensive Zhangjiajie Travel Guide After 8 Visits

Zhangjiajie 2-Day Travel Guide I. Recommended Attractions (📍) 📍Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park Description: A 5A-rated scenic spot. Must-see attractions include Tianmen Cave, the Glass Skywalk, and the 99-Bend Tongtian Avenue. Cost: Tickets from ￥278 (including cable car), shoe covers for the Glass Skywalk ￥5 (cash). Highlights: Take Asia's longest cable car (7455 meters) for a bird's-eye view of the sea of clouds, and challenge the suspended Glass Skywalk. 📍Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Description: A 5A-rated scenic spot, the filming location for the movie *Avatar*, home to Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Golden Whip Stream, and other attractions. Cost: Tickets from ￥227 (valid for 4 days), Bailong Elevator one-way ￥65. Highlights: Hike along the Golden Whip Stream and observe the monkeys, take the Bailong Elevator for a 1 minute 28 second ride directly to Yuanjiajie. 📍Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Description: A 4A-rated scenic spot, challenge your limits on the 100-meter-high Glass Bridge (Cloud Skywalk). Cost: Tickets from ￥53, shoe covers for the Glass Bridge ￥5. Highlights: Canyon waterfalls, thousand-year-old vines, and a breathtaking view of the colorful valley floor from the Glass Bridge. 📍Huanglong Cave Description: A spectacular karst cave, featuring the "Dragon King's Palace" and the insured "Dinghai God Needle" stalactite. Cost: Tickets around ￥100 (including boat tour). Highlights: Constant temperature of 16°C inside the cave, boat trip through the Xiangshui River, and stunning stalactite formations. II. Recommended Food (🥘) 🥘Sanxia Guo (Three-Ingredient Hot Pot) Recommended Restaurants: Fu Zhengyi Sanxia Guo, Ye Hua Xiang Specialty Dishes. Average Price: ￥40-50, featuring combinations like fatty intestines + bacon + crispy bones. The dry pot version is especially delicious with rice. 🥘Tu-Style Braised Pork Recommended Restaurants: Various restaurants. Average Price: ￥18, featuring melt-in-your-mouth pork belly steamed with fermented black beans or preserved mustard greens. 🥘Zhangjiajie Cold Noodles Recommended Restaurants: Zhangjiajie Zhunaoke Cold Noodles. Average Price: ￥10, featuring special sauce + spicy chili oil + peanuts, and chewy noodles. 🥘Dagupi (Drumhide) Recommended Restaurants: Beizhan Dagupi. Average Price: ￥40, featuring beef short ribs + chili peppers + green onions, offering a combination of soft and crispy textures. III. Accommodation Guide Downtown Area (near the Tianmen Mountain Cable Car) Recommendations: Zhangjiajie Impression Xiangxi Theme Inn, JI Hotel. Advantages: 100 meters from the Tianmen Mountain Cable Car Station, suitable for day trips, cost-effective (around ￥150/night). Wulingyuan District (next to the National Forest Park) Recommendations: Wulingyuan Huanshaju Boutique Inn, Zishan Manju. Advantages: 10-minute walk to the park's main entrance, Tujia-style design with grey tiles and lattice windows. Tianzi Mountain Town (inside the National Forest Park) Recommendations: Xiangxi Story Boutique Inn. Advantages: Enjoy the tranquility of the mountains, ideal for watching the sunrise. Take the free shuttle bus from the top of the National Forest Park to the Tianzi Mountain ticket station. IV. Transportation Guide (🚗) External Transportation Airplane: Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport. Airport bus to downtown is about ￥15, taxi about ￥30-50. Train: Zhangjiajie Railway Station (old station, close to downtown), Zhangjiajie West Railway Station (high-speed rail station, 15 km from downtown). Long-distance Bus: Several bus stations with direct routes to surrounding cities. Scenic bus tickets are about ￥12-20. Internal Transportation Free Shuttle Bus: Free within the National Forest Park, with direct access to Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, and other attractions. Cable Cars/Elevators: Bailong Elevator (one-way ￥65), Tianzi Mountain Cable Car (one-way ￥72), Yangjiajie Cable Car (one-way ￥76). Glass Bridge: Tickets for the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge must be purchased separately (￥138) to experience the "Cloud Skywalk". V. 2-Day Itinerary Day 1: Tianmen Mountain Challenge Tour Morning: 📍Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park (take the cable car up, visit Tianmen Cave and the Glass Skywalk). Lunch: 🥘Gong Popo Tu Kitchen (Tianmen Mountain Cable Car branch), average ￥51, recommended dishes include Tujia bacon and Sanxia Guo. Afternoon: 📍Tianmen Mountain Tongtian Avenue (drive or take the scenic bus to experience the 99 bends). Evening: Stay overnight in the downtown area, recommended inns near the Tianmen Mountain Cable Car. Day 2: National Forest Park Fantasy Tour Morning: 📍Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (enter through the main entrance, take the free shuttle bus to Yuanjiajie, and see the "Hallelujah Mountains" from *Avatar*). Lunch: 🥘Impression Laozaotai Sanxia Guo (Tianmen Mountain Cable Car branch), average ￥50, a Hunan restaurant recommended by central media. Afternoon: 📍Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area (Imperial Brush Peak, Fairy Offering Flowers), walk to Ten-Mile Gallery (take the mini-train or walk). Evening: Stay overnight in Wulingyuan District, recommended accommodation is Huanshaju Boutique Inn. VI. Important Notes Ticket Reservations: Reservations for Tianmen Mountain and the National Forest Park are required 1 day in advance, and 3 days in advance during peak season. Weather: April–October is the best time to travel. Bring rain gear and a windbreaker (the temperature at the mountaintop is 5°C lower than in the city). Safety: Shoe covers are required on the Glass Skywalk. Do not enter undeveloped areas without permission. Food Recommendations: Be cautious of "low-price group meals" in the scenic area. We recommend restaurants frequented by locals. This guide combines Zhangjiajie's core attractions, local cuisine, and convenient accommodation options to help you efficiently plan your 2-day trip! 🎉