Cheap flights to Zhangjiajie
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Quick summary
Country
China
Continent
Asia
Airport
DYG
Currency
Chinese yuan (renminbi)
Time zone
UTC+8
Deals already spotted to Zhangjiajie
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A forest of pillars
Wulingyuan and the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
In north-western Hunan, the Wulingyuan scenic area holds more than 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks, many over 200 m tall. They formed in the Devonian, 400 to 350 million years ago, through uplift and water erosion. Wulingyuan, which includes the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. It counts about 40 caves and over 560 sights across four national parks.
The Avatar mountain
In January 2010 local officials held a ceremony renaming the Southern Sky Column, in the Yuanjiajie area, Avatar Hallelujah Mountain. The city later played down the claimed link with the film, but the name stuck.
Nature and wildlife
A subtropical forest in the fog
The Wulingyuan site covers about 26,400 hectares inscribed by UNESCO. It takes in three nature reserves and more than 500 tree species, including the dawn redwood, believed extinct until it was rediscovered in 1948. Giant salamanders, rhesus monkeys and many birds live here too.
Fog and monkeys
The park is often shrouded in fog, which adds mystery but can hide the views. The monkeys are used to visitors and have been known to snatch plastic bags in search of food, so keep snacks well packed away.
Tianmen Mountain
Heaven's Gate, at 1,518 meters
Tianmen Mountain rises south of the city, a little apart from the national forest park. An 11 km road with 99 bends leads to Heaven's Gate, a natural arch 131.5 m high: by tradition it was a cave whose back collapsed in 263, which gave the mountain its name. At the top are a Buddhist temple, cliffside paths and glass-floored walkways.
Getting up
The cableway starts near the center and the railway station, a few minutes on foot; it needs its own ticket, separate from the park's. Queues can exceed an hour at peak times and far more on public holidays, so arrive early.
Record-scale thrills
Six dizzying experiences
| Site | The experience |
|---|---|
| Tianmen Mountain cableway | 7,455 m long with a 1,279 m ascent and 98 cars, running since 2005 and starting from the city center |
| Tongtian Avenue | 11 km and 99 bends up to Heaven's Gate |
| Heaven's Gate | A natural arch 131.5 m high, reached by 999 steps known as the Stairway to Heaven |
| Coiling Dragon Cliff skywalk | A glass walkway on the cliff face, open since August 2016 |
| Grand Canyon glass bridge | 430 m long, about 300 m above the void, opened on 20 August 2016 |
| Bailong Elevator | 326 m tall; recognized in 2015 as the world's tallest outdoor elevator |
On foot
Seeing the pillars from above
The park on foot
Walking is the best way to see the sandstone pillars. Huangshizhai, the highest point of the area at 1,050 m, can be reached by cable car or by more than 3,800 steps; a gentle path then follows the Golden Whip Stream, and the Bailong Elevator lifts you back to the plateau near Yuanjiajie and the First Bridge Under Heaven. The entry ticket is valid for four consecutive days, and eco-shuttles link the main trailheads.
Food
Tujia flavors: sanxiaguo, cured meats and berry tea
Zhangjiajie belongs to the western Hunan culinary style, where preserved meats and pickled vegetables are common and the taste is sour, spicy and salty, shaped by the region's ethnic minorities, the Tujia among them.
Sanxiaguo
The local signature dish is sanxiaguo, literally three-into-the-pot: a spicy meat stew served bubbling, usually shared between two or three people.
Other tastes
Smoked and cured pork, pickled vegetables and berry tea (meicha), a specialty of Yongding District. Noodle and dumpling shops are the cheap, quick option.
In the park
Food inside the scenic areas is limited and pricey: bring water and snacks, and save proper meals for town.
Extend your trip
Fenghuang, Furong and Changsha
Fenghuang
This very well-preserved ancient town has Ming and Qing-style buildings beside the Tuo River. The high-speed train from Zhangjiajie West takes about 50 to 65 minutes. In the evening the lanes and riverbanks fill with street-food vendors, lanterns and neon bars: the night life Zhangjiajie itself lacks.
Furong
A historic village in Hunan's Tujia region, renamed after the film Hibiscus Town; check access before you go (to be verified).
Changsha
The provincial capital, linked by the G5513 expressway and by high-speed rail: about 2 hours from the downtown station, sometimes 3 hours depending on the station. It lies roughly 250 to 270 km away as the crow flies (to be verified).
History
From Dayong to Zhangjiajie
The city was formerly called Dayong, with a recorded history going back to 221 BC. It took the name Zhangjiajie in 1994, after the national forest park and a village within it.
Getting to Zhangjiajie
Airport, stations and roads to the park
Zhangjiajie Hehua
The international airport, about 5 km from downtown and about 30 km from Wulingyuan. It mainly serves Chinese cities, with a few international links such as South Korea.
Approximate distances and times based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage; timetables and fares change, so check before you travel. We do not quote fares.
| Route | Approximate time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| DYG to downtown, taxi or bus 4 | a short ride, about 5 km | Insist on the meter; touts work the car park. Bus 4 loops between the airport, the center and the station |
| Downtown to the Wulingyuan gate, tourist bus | about 40 to 60 min | Tourist lines A (national forest park gate) and B (Wulingyuan gate) leave from the bus station |
| Zhangjiajie West station to downtown, bus or taxi | bus about 50 min, taxi about 18 min | The high-speed station is about 5 km out; direct shuttles reach Wulingyuan in about 1 h |
| Changsha to Zhangjiajie, train or bus | train about 2 to 3 h, bus about 5 h | The train from Changsha's downtown station is the fastest |
Getting around
Tickets, shuttles and budget in Zhangjiajie
The Wulingyuan ticket, which includes the national forest park, is valid for several days and is checked against a passport or ID. The park's shuttle buses are included; the cable cars and the Bailong Elevator cost extra. Tianmen Mountain and the Grand Canyon, with its glass bridge, each have their own ticket. In town, buses and taxis are enough.
Cost level
The cost level is moderate by Chinese standards: entry tickets and lifts weigh the most, while local food stays affordable. We do not quote amounts.
Entry and caution
Depending on your nationality you may enter visa-free for a short stay or in transit for up to 240 hours under conditions (an onward ticket to a third country), or apply for a visa: check the current rules on the official Chinese websites; Hehua airport is listed among the entry points for the 240-hour scheme (to be verified). Mobile payment dominates in China, so carry some cash and check that your card is accepted. Zhangjiajie is a safe tourist destination; steps can be slippery in winter.
When to go
When to visit Zhangjiajie?
Spring and autumn
The best seasons: mild temperatures and clearer views, with more crowds during holidays.
Summer
Hot and very humid, with rain mostly from May to August: up to about 39 degrees C in town, but 5 to 10 degrees C cooler in the mountains.
Winter
Cool, sometimes cold, with occasional snow that beautifies the landscape but makes paths slippery.
Fog
It can wrap the pillars in any season: leave a few spare days to wait for a clear spell.
By length of stay
How long to stay in Zhangjiajie?
The essentials
One day in the national forest park with Yuanjiajie and Bailong, another at Tianmen Mountain.
With the extras
Add the Grand Canyon glass bridge, Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake; the park ticket covers four days.
With Hunan
A side trip to Fenghuang and a return via Changsha.
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In pictures
Zhangjiajie in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Zhangjiajie
Which airport serves Zhangjiajie?
Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG), about 5 km from downtown and about 30 km from Wulingyuan. Zhangjiajie West station is on the high-speed network.
How do I get from the airport to Wulingyuan?
By taxi, or via the downtown bus station, from where tourist buses reach the park gates in roughly 40 to 60 minutes. Insist on the meter at the airport car park.
When is the best time to visit Zhangjiajie?
Spring and autumn. Summer is hot and humid, with rain from May to August, and fog can hide the views in any season.
Are the Avatar mountains really in Zhangjiajie?
The pillars of Wulingyuan are the ones associated with the film. In 2010 local officials renamed one of them Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, though the city later played down the link and director James Cameron has pointed to Huangshan as an inspiration.
What is there to do besides the national forest park?
Ride the Tianmen Mountain cableway to Heaven's Gate, climb its 999 steps, walk the glass skywalk, cross the Grand Canyon glass bridge and take the Bailong Elevator.
How many days should I spend in Zhangjiajie?
Two days for the essentials (the national forest park and Tianmen Mountain), three to four with the Grand Canyon and Huanglong Cave, more with Fenghuang.
Is Zhangjiajie expensive?
The cost level is moderate by Chinese standards: entry tickets and lifts weigh the most, while local food stays affordable.
How do I get around Zhangjiajie?
By tourist bus to the park gates, by shuttle inside the park (included in the ticket) and by taxi in town; cable cars and the Bailong Elevator cost extra.
What local dish should I try?
Sanxiaguo, a spicy meat stew that is the emblem of Tujia cooking, along with the smoked pork and pickled vegetables of western Hunan.
How much does a flight to Zhangjiajie usually cost?
It mostly depends on your departure city, the season and how far ahead you book. The "deals" section above shows real examples of prices already detected by SniperAir for this destination.
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