From US$220 per person (2 sharing) · Private guide and vehicle · All park tickets included · No shopping stops
Short answer: A private 1-day tour of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park costs from US$220 per person with two travellers, and a 2-day tour with one night in a 4-star Wulingyuan hotel from US$370. Both prices include a private car and driver, an English-speaking licensed guide, the park ticket, the eco-buses, the Bailong Elevator, the Tianzi Mountain cableway and the Ten-Mile Gallery train. Lunch is not included. The 1-day route covers Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie and Tianzi Mountain without doubling back; the second day adds Golden Whip Stream and Huangshizhai at a slower pace. Groups of 4 or 6 pay less per person; the tables below show every figure. If you prefer a Mandarin-speaking driver-guide, that option is listed too.
Prices checked 24 October 2026: fixed in Chinese yuan at the park’s current ticket prices and our 2026 guide and vehicle rates; US dollar figures converted at the Bank of China rate on that day and rounded.
Why we built this route
Most first-time visitors have one or two days for the park, and the park is big: the ticket covers about 264 square kilometres in four areas, linked by an eco-bus network. The common mistake is to walk in at the main gate and climb, which uses the morning on a staircase and leaves the best viewpoints for tired legs. Our 1-day route goes up by the Bailong Elevator, walks the ridge from Yuanjiajie through Yangjiajie to Tianzi Mountain, and comes down by cableway, with the Ten-Mile Gallery train at the end. Nothing is walked twice. The 2-day route keeps that day intact and gives the valley floor, Golden Whip Stream, and the Huangshizhai plateau their own day.
Quick facts
| Item | 1-day tour | 2-day tour |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | About 9 to 10 hours | 2 days, 1 night |
| Best for | Travellers with one day for the park, from Zhangjiajie city or Wulingyuan | Travellers who want the whole park without rushing; families; older travellers |
| Main sights | Yuanjiajie (Hallelujah Mountain, First Bridge Under Heaven), Yangjiajie Natural Great Wall, Tianzi Mountain, Ten-Mile Gallery | Day 1 as left; Day 2 Golden Whip Stream and Huangshizhai |
| Travel style | Private car and driver, licensed English-speaking guide, your group only | As left, plus one night in a 4-star Wulingyuan hotel with breakfast |
| Price from | US$220 per person (2 sharing) | US$370 per person (2 sharing) |
| Pickup | Zhangjiajie city hotels 08:00, Wulingyuan hotels 08:30 | Same |
Who this tour is best for
- Travellers arriving by train or plane with one or two full days before moving on.
- Couples, families and older travellers who want a private car and a guide rather than a coach schedule.
- Anyone who has read about the “Avatar mountains” and wants to see them from the viewpoints, not from a queue.
- Guests already in Zhangjiajie who booked their own hotel and only need the park done well.
If you also want Tianmen Mountain, our 3-day Zhangjiajie private tour covers both.
The 1-day route
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 08:00 | Pickup at your Zhangjiajie city hotel (08:30 from Wulingyuan) |
| 09:00 | Enter the park at the Wulingyuan or Zimugang gate; eco-bus to the Bailong Elevator |
| 09:30 | Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie: Hallelujah Mountain (the Avatar pillar), the First Bridge Under Heaven, Mihun Platform |
| 12:00 | Simple lunch on the mountain (own account; your guide takes you to a place that works) |
| 13:00 | Eco-bus to Yangjiajie and the Natural Great Wall path, the quietest ridge in the park |
| 14:30 | Tianzi Mountain: Helong Park and the Xihai stone forest |
| 15:30 | Tianzi Mountain cableway down, then the Ten-Mile Gallery train, return |
| 17:00 | Leave the park; back at a city hotel by about 18:00 |
Walking on this route is about 5 km, on paths and stairs between viewpoints. The elevator and the cableway do the climbing.
The 2-day route
Day 1 is the route above. You stay the night in a 4-star hotel in Wulingyuan, a few minutes from the park gate; the Charming Xiangxi show is nearby if you want an evening out.
Day 2 starts at 08:30 with Golden Whip Stream, about 6.5 km of flat path along the water between the pillars, about two and a half hours at an easy pace. After lunch the Huangshizhai cableway takes you up to the plateau for the loop of viewpoints, about an hour and a half, then down by cableway. You are out of the park by 15:30 and back at a city hotel, or at Zhangjiajie West railway station, in time for an evening train.
Prices by group size
Fixed prices per person, two people sharing a hotel room on the 2-day tour. The car and the guide are charged by the day, so a bigger group pays less per person.
| Group size | 1 day, English-speaking guide | 2 days, English-speaking guide | Vehicle and rooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travellers | US$220 | US$370 | SUV; one twin room on the 2-day tour |
| 4 travellers | US$165 | US$255 | 7-seat minivan; two rooms |
| 6 travellers | US$150 | US$225 | 9-seat minivan; three rooms |
Mandarin-speaking driver-guide option
For guests who speak Mandarin, a driver-guide who drives and guides in Mandarin, and stays with you inside the park, costs less than a separate English-speaking guide. Everything else in the tour is the same.
| Group size | 1 day | 2 days |
|---|---|---|
| 2 travellers | US$155 | US$240 |
| 4 travellers | US$130 | US$185 |
| 6 travellers | US$125 | US$180 |
Children under 14 enter the National Forest Park free; we take the ticket out of their price and show it on the confirmation. Larger groups and other hotel levels are quoted on request.
What is included
- Itinerary confirmation before you arrive and local support during the tour
- Private vehicle and driver for the tour days, with pickup and return at your hotel in Zhangjiajie city or Wulingyuan
- Licensed English-speaking local guide (or a Mandarin-speaking driver-guide on that option)
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park entry ticket, valid 4 days, with the park eco-buses
- Bailong Elevator up, Tianzi Mountain cableway down, Ten-Mile Gallery train return; on the 2-day tour also the Huangshizhai cableway
- On the 2-day tour, one night in a 4-star Wulingyuan hotel with breakfast
- Travel accident insurance for the tour dates, underwritten by PICC, with accidental death or disability cover of up to CNY 1,000,000 per person (reduced for guests aged 70 and over; subject to the policy terms)
- Route changes for weather, crowds and your walking pace where practical
- No compulsory shopping stops
What is not included
- Lunches and dinners
- Personal expenses, gratuities, and optional add-ons such as the Charming Xiangxi show
- Tianmen Mountain, which is a separate day; see the 3-day tour
- Transfers to or from the airport and railway stations beyond the hotel pickup described above, unless added to your confirmation
- Flights, visa, and comprehensive travel insurance for illness, cancellation and baggage
How booking works
- Send your dates, the number of travellers, and where you are staying, Zhangjiajie city or Wulingyuan. We reply within 2 hours (8:00–20:00 Beijing time) with your day plan and the price for your group; the written confirmation follows once the hotel and park time slots are booked.
- A 20% deposit holds the date; the balance is paid in person in China after you sign your tour contract. Payment is by card link or Alipay.
- Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure.
- The price on the confirmation is the final price. Nothing is added on the day unless you choose an extra, such as Huanglong Cave on a foggy day.
Frequently asked questions
Is one day enough for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park?
One day covers the core: Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie and Tianzi Mountain, which is where the famous views are. It does not fit Golden Whip Stream or Huangshizhai. If you want both the ridge and the valley, take the 2-day tour.
Is there an extra charge for pickup in Zhangjiajie city?
No. Hotel pickup and return in Zhangjiajie city or Wulingyuan are in the price. The drive from the city to the park gate takes about 40 minutes.
Are the park tickets included?
Yes. The park ticket, the eco-buses, the Bailong Elevator, the Tianzi Mountain cableway and the Ten-Mile Gallery train are all in the price. Lunches, dinners and optional extras are not.
How is the price worked out for 4 or 6 people?
The guide and the car are charged by the day, so the per-person price falls as the group grows. The tables above show the figures for 2, 4 and 6 travellers; for other numbers we quote on request.
What happens if it rains?
The mountains often look better after rain, with cloud sitting in the valleys, so the tour goes ahead. If thick fog closes a cableway, your guide switches to the valley paths, which your park ticket already covers; if you would rather go to Huanglong Cave instead, its ticket (CNY 121 per person) is the one extra, added to your confirmation.
Can older travellers manage the 1-day route?
Yes, for most. Going up and coming down are by elevator and cableway; the walking is about 5 km on paths and stairs between viewpoints. Guests over 80, or anyone who wants a slower pace, do better on the 2-day tour, or see our Zhangjiajie tour for seniors.
Can we add Tianmen Mountain?
Yes. Tianmen Mountain is a separate day on the city side; our 3-day Zhangjiajie private tour includes it, or we add a day to this tour and quote it.
Request a custom version of this tour
Tell us your dates, who is coming and where you are staying, and we will send your day plan and the price within 2 hours (8:00–20:00 Beijing time).