Zhangjiajie Travel Guide: Scenic Area Distribution and Transport Across Two Districts and Two Counties
Zhangjiajie's attractions are spread across Wulingyuan District, Yongding District, Cili County, and Sangzhi County. Figuring out which scenic area is in which district before you go will make your trip much smoother.
Many first-time visitors to Zhangjiajie mistakenly assume that all the scenic areas are clustered together. In fact, Zhangjiajie's well-known attractions are spread across four districts and counties, and understanding their distribution in advance can save you a great deal of time spent shuttling back and forth.
- Wulingyuan District: Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park + Suoxiyu + Tianzi Mountain + Yangjiajie), Baofeng Lake, and Huanglong Cave. This is the main stage for viewing the peak forest; the "Qiankun Pillar" in Yuanjiajie is the filming location that inspired the floating mountains in "Avatar."
- Yongding District: Tianmen Mountain (Tianmen Cave, Tongtian Avenue, glass skywalk), right next to the city center, with the cable car station very close to the railway station.
- Cili County: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. Note that itis not in Wulingyuan, and it takes about 1 hour by car from the city center.
- Sangzhi County: the hometown of Marshal He Long, Badagongshan, and others, leaning toward red tourism and natural ecology.
Transportation tips:Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport and Zhangjiajie Station (railway station) are both in the Yongding District city center; from the city center to the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour, to the Cili Grand Canyon about 1 hour, and to Fenghuang Ancient Town about 3.5–4 hours by car. Within the scenic area, you mainly rely on eco-buses, and some sections require cable cars or the Bailong Elevator.
(This article is a travel reference compiled by our site's editors; specifics are subject to the scenic area's official announcements.)