5 Days Fanjingshan Zhangjiajie Incredible Mountain Tour
Spectacular Landform, Peaks, Forest Parks in Wuling Mountain Ranges
Spectacular Landform, Peaks, Forest Parks in Wuling Mountain Ranges
Why should visitors put Fanjingshan and Zhangjiajie in one trip?
The unbelievable Fanjingshan in Guizhou Province and the incredible Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province are not far away, about 220 kilometers in between with about 5 hours’ transfer. Both Mount Fanjing and Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area were inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage Sites for superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty, amazing and precious plants and animals and especially Fanjingshan is an outstanding example representing major stages of Earth’s history.
Fanjingshan and Zhangjiajie both belong to Wuling mountain ranges with different geologic structures and formations. Fanjingshan is the main and highest peak in the Wuling Mountain range with three erecting peaks standing peculiarly and majestically on the mountain area - Red Golden Summit, Old Golden Summit and Phoenix Golden Summit. While, there are more than 3000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks settled in Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area and many over 200 meters in height, along with many ravines and gorges with attractive streams, pools, lakes, rivers and waterfalls.
More beyond your imagination is Fanjingshan is one of the Five Sacred Buddhist Mountains in China and the Bodhimanda of the Maitreya Buddha with profound Buddhist history over 1300 years. However, Zhangjiajie is exciting outdoor paradise with thrilling experience, like challenge yourselves to walk through Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, immerse into the real world of Avatar...
Alternative Plan: Since Zhangjiajie has relatively convenient transportation than Fanjingshan, part of travelers may visit Zhangjiajie first and then head to Fanjingshan. If you are interested in this plan, you can take our 7 Days Zhangjiajie Fenghuang Fanjingshan Tour. Feel free to to select.
Day 1 Fanjingshan Arrival
Pick up in Tongren - Transfer to Fanjingshan
Welcome to Tongren! Upon your arrival, your local guide and driver will meet you at the arrival hall in the airport / train station. And then escort you directly to your hotel around Fanjingshan (about 1.5 hours) and help you check in. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the surrounding part of the sacred beautiful mountain. Have a nice sleep to prepare for the hiking exploration of Mount Fanjing on the next day!
Arrival Ideas: Visitors heading for Tongren can take a flight from domestic cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Kunming, Xiamen, etc. Besides, you can get to Tongren South Railway Station by bullet trains from Guiyang (1.5-2hrs), Kaili (1hr), Huaihua (1-2hrs), Chongqing (6.5hrs), Changsha (2-2.5hrs), Chengdu (5hrs), Guangzhou (5hrs), etc. or to Tongren Railway Station by overnight trains from Chengdu (11-11.5hrs), Guangzhou (14.3hrs), Changsha (13hrs), etc. Please feel free to contact us for the arrival info from your destination to Tongren.
Fantastic Aerial View of Fanjingshan
Day 2 Fanjingshan (B, L)
Fanjingshan Sightseeing Bus - Cable Car - Mushroom Stone - Old Golden Summit - Red Clouds Golden Summit - Chengen Temple - Transfer back to Tongren
Good morning! After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel. Then, you will be driven not far to the entrance of Fanjingshan to discover this world well-known fantastic holy mountain along the popular south route for about 7 hours.
Fanjingshan National Nature Preserve was listed as the UNESCO World Natural Heritage in 2018 with the peculiar conspicuous mountains formation in sea of karst retained from the remote era 65-2 million years ago and praised as the No.5 Buddhist Mountain in China for being the place of enlightenment of Buddha Maitreya.
Enter the mountain and take a sightseeing bus for about 20 minutes to Yu’ao Station and continue to take the cable car there to catch a bird’s eye view of the dense emerald forest of Mount Fanjing during another 20 minutes in the air. Now, start your hiking from the Forest Hiking Road with 45 minutes up to witness the famous Mushroom Stone. It is the landmark of Fanjingshan and draws people’s follow by its unbelievable image of the bigger top quadrate putting off center on the smaller quadrate bottom, which forms like a mushroom vividly and seems easy to fall. However, for one million years, it just stands so still there after centuries of rain, snow, wind and sunburn. Remember to take a standard photo of tourists with it!
Then, continue to hike for about 30 minutes to the Old Golden Summit and walk up to its peak. With an elevation of 2,494 meters, it is the best observation deck to appreciate the panorama of Fanjingshan with layers of forest of strange shaped stones, rolling verdant mountain range, and vegetation forest in light and dark green. Also, from the summit, you will see the iconic Red Clouds Golden Summit clearly from a distance.
Then, walk down gradually to admire the natural scenery along the way to visit the sacred Buddhist attractions including Wanming Cave, Buddha Worshipping Stage, Monk Pagoda, Pudu Square, etc. You will not miss the Cheng En Temple that was built first from the Ming Dynasty and one of the four royal temples at Fanjingshan. Walk in the major temple with solemn scarlet walls and dark tiles, worship among the about 10 halls, and imagine the rising and falling and recovery of Fanjingshan’s Buddhist status in the past hundreds of years.
Here, take your challenge to hike along the narrow, steep and rough steps with iron chain up to Red Clouds Golden Summit that shows particularly often on Fanjingshan photographs. This thumb-like peak is a world rare miracle erecting about 100 meters high from the flatter mountain bed millions of years ago and is separated with two peaks and a gorge by natural wearing and with a bridge linked between. After reaching the top, visit the appealing Temple of Buddha, the bridge and Maitreya Temple in sequence to feel walking from present to the future in Buddhist belief. While witnessing the hard-to-believe difficulty of building houses on such a steep crest, stand on the peak to command the panoramic view of Fanjingshan and enjoy the feeling of being in the “space in the sky”. (Note: You can choose to go up or not considering your physical condition at that time. Just tell your needs to the guide.)
After the physical consuming hiking, walk by Jingxin Pool and go to see Wanbao Rock. You will truly believe Fanjingshan was in fact a part of ocean in the remote 1.4 million years ago by the strong proof of the cobbles, shells, paleontological fossils, and so on left within the shale rock there.
After the amazing sightseeing hiking exploration, take the cable car and sightseeing bus down to exit Fanjingshan Scenic Area. You will be driven to Tongren City for accommodation. Have a good sleep!
Day 3 Tongren & Train to Zhangjiajie (B)
Take a Train to Zhangjiajie from Tongren & Transfer to Wulingyuan for Accommodation
On this day, you are free until be escorted to Tongren Railway Station for your train to Zhangjiajie (about 5 hours). Upon arrival at Zhangjiajie Railway Station, the local guide and driver will transfer you directly to your hotel in Wulingyuan downtown in Zhangjiajie by our comfortable private car (non-smoking), and the guide will help you check in. The rest of today is on your own to explore this fabulous city in China.
Notice: If there are no direct trains from Tongren to Zhangjiajie, you can transfer at Huaihua South Station without needing to change stations. The whole travel takes about 4~5 hours.
Day 4 Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (B, L)
Ten-mile Gallery - Bailong Elevator - Avatar Mountain - Yuanjiajie - Tianzi Mountain
Kick off your day with an early breakfast, then head to the UNESCO World Heritage site - Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. You will visit Ten-mile Gallery, Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain which are the Core Scenic Areas of the national park. (Please be advised that the order of visits to the attractions listed below may be adjusted in response to real-time weather conditions and visitor traffic levels.)
Begin your adventure at the Ten-mile Gallery, where sightseeing trams glide past stunning formations like The God of Longevity Welcoming Guests, the Old Herb Picker, and the Three Sisters Peaks. This leisurely journey leads you through a captivating valley filled with storytelling landscapes. To enrich your experience and save time, you’ll take a tram in and back out, soaking in the beauty along the way.
Your next destination is Yuanjiajie. Begin your exploration on the Bailong Elevator, the world’s fastest and tallest outdoor lift, which ascends from the valley floor to the peak in just 1.5 minutes, providing a stunning bird’s-eye view of the remarkable landscape. Once you arrive at Yuanjiajie, immerse yourself in the area's natural beauty, renowned for its towering sandstone columns. Hike through this enchanting terrain, often shrouded in mist, and discover the inspiration behind the floating Hallelujah Mountains from the film Avatar. At the Ecstasy Terrace, soak in breathtaking vistas of hundreds of distinctive stone peaks. Finally, explore the natural wonder of The First Bridge, a striking stone bridge connecting two peaks with a 5-meter platform, showcasing a rare geological marvel.
After exploring Yuanjiajie, hop on a sightseeing bus to Tianzi Mountain. At Helong Park, you'll discover one of the area's finest viewing decks, providing close-up views of the majestic and unique Yubi Peak, and find the romantic Fairy Flowers among the hundreds of bizarre sandstone peaks. If you have the energy, you can venture a bit deeper to the Warrior Training Horse where dozens of unusual peaks stand tall, among which one peak resembles a proud steed with its mane held high, while next to it, a rock looks like a warrior holding the reins of a horse. End your visit at Tianzi Mountain with an exhilarating ride on the Cable Car, descending through a landscape of sandstone pillars that seem to rush past your window.
Following this thrilling tour, your guide and driver will take you to Zhangjiajie’s downtown area for hotel check-in.
Today 's Optional Attraction - Kongzhong Tianyuan, also known as The Field in the Sky (around 1~2 hours):
Kongzhong Tianyuan is a scenic spot that is less frequented by tour groups but features breathtaking views, making it especially suitable for photography. Typically, visitors need to take a sightseeing bus to reach the area (round trip CNY 64/pp not included in the ticket price). Here, you can see dozens of terraced fields layered amidst hundreds of towering stone peaks, and you can also gaze at the Bailong Elevator rising like a giant dragon into the sky. It’s important to note that to get a close-up view of the Avatar peaks from the lower observation platforms, you'll need to walk about half an hour. Be extra cautious while walking during rainy days and in winter.
Optional Evening Show: Enjoy your night to watch the popular Tianmen Fox Fairy Show at the foot of Tianmen Mountain, which is an excellent large-scaled musical drama performance with real landscape being the background and stage telling the touching story. Performance time: 20:15-21:50.
Day 5 Tianmen Mountain & Zhangjiajie Departure (B, L)
Tianmen Mountain Cableway - Top of the Mountain West Line (Tianmen Temple, Guigu Cliffside Path, Glass Bottom Cliffside Path) - Transmountain Escalator - Tianmen Cave - Tianmen Cave Express Cableway - Mountain Gate
After breakfast, your guide and driver will collect you from your hotel to embark on an exhilarating journey to Tianmen Mountain, a must-see attraction in Zhangjiajie, renowned for its record-breaking single-track circular alpine cableway and the awe-inspiring natural phenomenon, Tianmen Cave.
You'll begin by taking the Tianmen Mountain Cableway, which ascends from downtown Zhangjiajie to the top of the mountain, over 1,400 meters above sea level. This approximately 7,455-meter-long cableway is currently the longest of its kind globally, offering a breathtaking view of the meandering Tongtian Avenue (Avenue toward Heaven) as seen from the transparent carriage.
The first part of your journey will be along the West Line Visiting Route (Looking for a Wonderland), which leads you through the mountain’s peak area. En route, you’ll be surrounded by natural marvels and thrilling experiences. The Guigu Cliffside Path awaits your adventurous spirit. At the end of the West Line, you’ll find the Tianmen Mountain Temple, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty and is situated atop the mountain.
After visiting the temple, you have the option to continue exploring the East Line (Jasper Terrace in The Green Field), hiking towards Yuhu Peak, and passing through South Overlooking Tianmen Cave, Immortal Source, Yu Hu Peak and Happy Grove, etc. Alternatively, you can take a refreshing forest sightseeing cable car (requires an extra fee of 25/pp for a single run) up to the Yunmeng Fairy Summit, the best vantage point on Tianmen Mountain, then walk down to the Turbulent Water at Tianmen (Upper Station of Transmountain Escalator).
Next, you’ll take the Transmountain Escalator from the peak down to Tianmen Cave to witness the colossal natural opening in the mountain. This cave, formed by natural compression and collapse, measures 131.5 meters in height, 57 meters in width, and 60 meters in depth, making it an extraordinary geological wonder. Afterwards, you’ll walk down the extremely steep 999 steps (Stairway to Heaven), with an incline of up to 45°. Finally, you will take the Tianmen Mountain Express Cableway down to the mountain gate parking lot, then transfer to a shuttle bus back to the Tianmen Mountain Tourist Center, where your driver will be waiting for you.
Following your exhilarating day, you’ll be escorted to Zhangjiajie’s airport or train station for your next adventure or journey home, marking the end of our services. Safe travels and fond memories!
Tianmen Mountain Travel Tips: 1. At Tianmen Mountain, there are three glass skywalks: one to the east and two to the west. It costs CNY 5-10/pp to walk on them. 2. If you have trouble moving around or want to save energy, you can take the escalator down to Tianmen Cave square. It costs an extra 32 per person per ride. 3. The tour of Tianmen Mountain offers great flexibility in operation. The guide arranges the specific order of sightseeing according to the flow of visitors in the scenic area on the day. If you have specific places you're keen on exploring, please share this with your guide.
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons. It will drop greatly if your group has 4 or more members.
2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, month and date. There may be huge price increasing during public Chinese holidays, school summer vacations, tourism peak seasons or some special dates. (China Public Holiday 2025 Schedule Released)
3. Other factors that may change the final tour price include group size, hotel class, tour activities, fluctuation of currency exchange rate, etc.
4. This price is based on exchange rate USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final price will be based on the exchange rate in effect at the time of agreement with our quotation.
5. This price is only valid to March 31, 2026.
6. This price is not the final price until the Confirmation Letter is sent.
7. The items included and excluded in this price are for reference only. The final services included, please refer to the confirmation letter sent to you by the travel consultant.
Hi Elk,
You are very kind, and I'll certainly be recommending you to anyone we know who is traveling to China! I've left a 5 star review on TripAdvisor also!
We really enjoyed the cruise and found it very relaxing and interesting. The rooms were really clean and comfortable, and the food was surprisingly good and varied. Some of the earlier excursions we found a little boring (we had already seen a lot of temples at that point) but the top of the Three Gorges and the trip up the smaller gorge was great!
Fergal
Dear Wonder,
Greetings from Melbourne. It feels like forever since our trip to China arranged by you. Everything went well. I look forward to having you arrange another trip for me in the future. Services are all great.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Wong
Hi Wonder,
Yes it was excellent. Jerry is a very good guide for Huangshan. He is very knowledgeable. thx
Cheng
Hi Leo,
We’re back from our trip—thank you so much for organizing such a memorable first tour of China. My family and I had a fantastic time and truly appreciated all the arrangements.
Overall Highlights:
1. Your responsiveness to all my inquiries, along with the clear arrangements, pricing and cancellation policy, made the booking process smooth and reassuring.
2. The transfers and pickups—from Beijing to Hangzhou and then to Shanghai—were seamless. The tour guides provided clear instructions throughout the journey, and we encountered no issues.
3. The tour guides and drivers were friendly, highly professional, ensuring our safety and staying prompt and on schedule. We especially appreciated the clear communication when there were any changes due to weather or timing.
4. The food and hotel (including breakfast) arrangements were excellent—well planned and thoroughly enjoyable.
Thank you again for your outstanding service. We look forward to booking future trips with China Discovery!
Evolution form as below:
1. YES, Leo always response promptly and answered my questions as clearly and accurately as possible.
2. Tour Guides and drivers were all professionals. Ensure our safety, prompt, timely and on schedule. Foods and hotel arrangements were excellent! Appreciate they let us know ahead if there is a change in schedule due to weather or time.
3. Based on the interaction with China Discovery (prompt response, clear arrangement, pricing and cancellation policy). I will use and recommend China Discovery again.
4. Suggestion: Inform us in advance if a particular event or attraction is out of season—for example, our visit to Meijiawu Tea Village. It seems the tea-picking season was in March or April, so there was no tea leaf picking during our visit. Had China Discovery let us know ahead of time, we would have adjusted our expectations and avoided disappointment. That said, we still enjoyed the beautiful scenery and overall experience.
Cheow
Hi Elk,
我们对此行非常满意，三餐可供选择的食品种类多，味道可口；船上有表演、有互动，中途还有观景游玩，活动形式灵活多样；房间干净、零食和饮用水的提供到位；船上的工作人员态度和蔼耐心，服务周到，特别是我们在六楼11号餐桌用餐时为我们提供服务的女生服务员做事积极、周到又细致……。总之，感谢长江2号游轮带给了我们一个愉快的旅行！
Wong
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years!
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
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Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
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Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
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In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Fantastic Aerial View of Fanjingshan -
Tongren Fenghuang Airport
Bizarre Fanjingshan Mushroom Stone - Jessica's Group from Malaysia
Red Clouds Golden Summit View from Old Golden Summit - Jessica's Group from Malaysia
Panorama of Sacred Cheng En Temple
Red Clouds Golden Summit at Fanjingshan
Fanjingshan Temple Built on the Crest
Challenging Steep Steps Up to Red Clouds Golden Summit
Snow Scenery of Wanbao Rock
Tianzi Mountain-202405-Mazurek's Group from Poland
Yuanjiajie-202403-Lenise's Group from Brasil
Bailong Elevator, Yuanjiajie
Bailong Elevator, Taken from Kong Zhong Tian Yuan Scenic Area
Sightseeing Tram in Ten-mile Gallery, Zhangjiajie
Tianmen Cave, Tianmen Mountain-202309-Manolis' Group from Greece
Tianmen Mountain Temple Inner
Tianmen Mountain Tongtian Avenue
Guigu Cliffside Path, Tianmen Mountain-202403-Lenise's Group from Brasil
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