Zhangjiajie is a famous city in Hunan, China that boasts lots of tourist attractions. It mainly features quartz sandstone peak forests, diversified plant and animal resources, adventurous programs, and delicious food. When planning a trip to Zhangjiajie, you may wonder where to start. Here we list the 10 best things to do in Zhangjiajie for your reference.
1. Visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is the first national forest park in China, and visiting there is one of the top things to do in Zhangjiajie. Located in Wulingyuan scenic area, this forest park covers an area of 130 square kilometers, and it consists of several essential sites, including Yangjiajie, Yuanjiajie, Huangshi Village, Suoxi Valley, and more. Currently, it attracts more and more visitors from home and abroad with its unique landforms, peaks of different shapes, and dense forests.
- Location:Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:7:30 – 18:00
- TimeNeeded: About 2 days
- Ticket:CNY 248 (including sightseeing bus, valid for 4 days)
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
2. Embark on the Hallelujah Mountain in Yuanjiajie
One of the top things to do in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is to explore the Hallelujah Mountains. You must be curious about the suspension mountain in the fiction film Avatar, and the prototype of it is the Hallelujah Mountains in Yuanjiajie, formerly named Southern Sky Column.
The mountains are 150 meters high with an altitude of 1,074 on average, presenting peculiar shapes. Visiting there, you will see the stone pillars rising into the clouds from the deep valley, which is magnificent and superb.
- Location:Yuanjiajie, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:07:30 – 18:00
- Time Needed:1 hour
- Ticket:Covered in the ticket of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park with CNY 248
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Hallelujah Mountain
2. Explore the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
One of the fun things to do in Zhangjiajie is to walk across the glass bridge. As the longest and highest glass bridge in the world, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is a man-made wonder that spans the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, presenting an awe-inspiring view. Besides, it is a great spot for bungee jumping. If you want to try bungee jumping on your tours of Zhangjiajie, never miss this place.
- Location:South of Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in Zhangguansi Town, Cili County, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:8:00 – 16:30
- Time Needed:2 hours
- Ticket:CNY 178 per person (including entrance fees for Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge and Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon)
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
- 3 Days Private Zhangjiajie Adventure Tour with Glass Bridge
- 5 Days Private Zhangjiajie Highlight Tour
4. Take a Thrilling Cable–way Tour in Tianmen Mountain
Touring Tianmen Mountain is also among the top things to do in Zhangjiajie. It is a comprehensive tourist attraction that offers great views of peaks, stones, forests, and rivers. Besides, what makes it a popular tourist attraction is its cableway, which is the longest of its kind in the world.
Starting from the City Garden of Zhangjiajie, the cableway takes you to the Tianmen mountaintop where the primeval hanging garden is situated. The whole journey takes 28 minutes, and you can enjoy the beautiful views along the way.
- Location:Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:7:30 – 16:00
- Time Needed:28 minutes for the cableway, 4 hours for Tianmen Mountain
- Ticket:CNY 278
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Tianmen Mountain
5. Hike the Picturesque Golden Whip Stream
Golden Whip Stream is a must-visit attraction on your Zhangjiajie tours and hiking there is one of the best things to do in Zhangjiajie. As a gallery of natural landscapes, Golden Whip Stream extends 7.5 kilometers with picturesque views, which makes it a paradise for hikers. Hike through the serene mountains and valleys, you can listen to the birds chanting and enjoy the beautiful scenery alongside the stream.
- Location:At the southern part of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, near Zhonghu Town, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:7:00 – 18:00
- Time Needed:3 hours
- Ticket:Covered in the ticket of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park with CNY 248
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Golden Whip Stream
6. Immense Yourself in the Wonders of Tianzi Mountain
Visiting Tianzi Mountain is also among the list of top things to do in Zhangjiajie. As a significant part of Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Tianzi Mountain offers a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy the enchanting clouds, moonlight night, twilight scenes, and snow in winter, which are the four wonders of this area.
Tianzi Mountain shows different views at different times. It looks like a resplendent and magnificent oil painting contrasted by the twilight at sunset and resembles a wash painting under moonlight. Along with peak forests surrounded by clouds and mists, this mountain is like a fairyland on Earth.
- Location:Northwest of Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:8:00 – 18:00
- Time Needed:3 hours
- Ticket:Covered in the ticket of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park with CNY 248
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Tianzi Mountain
7. Marvel at Yellow Dragon Cave
Exploring Yellow Dragon Cave is also on the list of things to do in Zhangjiajie. Regarded as a wonder of the world karst caves, Yellow Dragon Cave in Zhangjiajie is one of the most beautiful karst caves and it is a must-visit attraction on your trip to Zhangjiajie.
This miraculous underground cave greets visitors with a large-scale karst cave with various stalactites of different sizes and shapes. With the neon lights cast on the stone columns, this enchanting cave shows a fancy charm that attracts visitors a lot.
- Location:Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:8:00 – 17:30
- Time Needed:2-3 hours
- Ticket:CNY 121 per person
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Yellow Dragon Cave
- 5 Days Shanghai – Zhangjiajie Classic Tour
- 6 Days Zhangjiajie Fenghuang Tour for Nature & Culture Wonders
8. Take a Boat Ride on Baofeng Lake
Taking a boat ride on Baofeng Lake is one of the interesting things to do in Zhangjiajie. Baofeng Lake in Zhangjiajie is a world geopark famous for its sky-piercing mountains, beautiful lakes, and magnificent waterfalls. Besides, it must be a wonderful experience for you to take a boat ride to explore the beautiful lake.
- Location:Suoxiyu Town, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:7:00 – 18:00 in peak season from April to October, 7:30 – 17:00 in slack season from November to March
- Time Needed:2 hours
- Ticket:CNY 110 (including sightseeing bus and boat riding)
Recommended Zhangjiajie Tours including Baofeng Lake
9. Discover Tujia Folk Customs Park
It is among the things to do in Zhangjiajie City to experience the Tujia culture. Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Customs Park was built in the Ming dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is one of the birthplaces of the Tujia ethnic group and has kept certain cultural relics of Tujia minorities.
Other than this, this park mainly features ancient stilted Diaojiaolou and Zoumalou architecture, among which the Jiuchongtian Diaojiaolou is the most magnificent one with 12 stories of 48 meters high. Take a visit there, you’ll get a hint of the Tujia culture and customs.
- Location:Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City
- Opening Hours:8:30 – 17:00
- Time Needed:2 hours
- Ticket:CNY 10 per person
10. Taste Delicious Local Cuisine
Tasting local cuisine is also one of the top things to do in Zhangjiajie. Except for its stunning scenery, Zhangjiajie treats visitors with a wide range of delicious food. Zhangjiajie Mixed Pot, Tujia Minority Preserved Pork Dish, Stewed Chicken and Duck, and Loach Stewed with Tofu are the popular specialties of Zhangjiajie, and never miss them on your travel to Zhangjiajie.
Where to eat
Hourong Street, Nanmenkou Street, and Jiefang Road are the best places for you to taste the local delicacies and snacks. Those streets are packed with food stands and restaurants, and they become vibrant in the evening.
The above-mentioned are the top 10 things to do in Zhangjiajie. With these, you can enjoy the natural landscapes, the Tujia customs, and delicious food in Zhangjiajie. By the way, we can customize Zhangjiajie tours for you if you are planning to visit there.
