Take your parents on a 2-day trip to the Forest Park

🗻 Zhangjiajie Two-Day Tour Experience: Up the Mountain & Down the Mountain

First off, let’s be real—this trip is tiring! We clocked over 20,000 steps daily. But as three casual, fun-loving travelers, we lucked out with the Mid-Autumn Festival crowd levels: queues were under 30 minutes. Here’s our two-day breakdown (Day 1: uphill; Day 2: downhill), with check-in spots matching the photos below.

🎫 Tickets: For a two-day tour, the “three cableways + one elevator” package is a no-brainer. The scenic area uses facial recognition everywhere, which is super convenient.

🌞 Day 1: Uphill Route

East Gate Entry → Bailong Elevator (up) → Yuanjiajie → Yangjiajie → Tianzi Mountain → Tianzi Mountain Cableway (down) → East Gate Exit

1️⃣ Bailong Elevator

Enter the East Gate, take the eco-friendly bus through Shili Gallery (stay on board!) for 20 minutes to the elevator’s lower station.
I’d seen countless videos online and was skeptical, but it’s just… fine. Still, it’s the fastest way up!
After exiting the elevator, take another eco-friendly bus—20 minutes to Yuanjiajie.

2️⃣ Yuanjiajie
Hands down the most stunning spot in Zhangjiajie.
Start at Mihun Terrace, where you’ll see the “Pillar of Heaven and Earth” (Avatar filming location) and the “Hundred-Yuan Bill” rock formation. Exit via the “World’s First Bridge.”
Hop on an eco-friendly bus (10 minutes) to Yangjiajie.

3️⃣ Yangjiajie (Optional)
Mediocre compared to other spots. Some attractions are far, and we ran out of time—feel free to skip if pressed.

4️⃣ Tianzi Mountain

⚠️ Critical tip: Tell the eco-friendly bus driver you want to get off at Dianjiangtai—the views here are way better than the main Tianzi Mountain area. We made the mistake of going all the way to the top first, then had to take the bus back!
After checking out Imperial Brush Peak and Fairy Offering Flowers, take the cableway down.

🌙 Day 2: Downhill Route

South Gate Entry → Oxygen Bar Square → Huangshizhai → Golden Whip Stream → Shili Gallery → East Gate Exit

1️⃣ Huangshizhai (2 hours)
We planned to hike Golden Whip Stream later, so we stuck to the “small loop” (1–2 hours) to save energy. The “large loop” takes 3–4 hours, but the small loop hits all core spots. By Day 2, we were a little mountain-weary, so this worked perfectly.

2️⃣ Golden Whip Stream (4 hours)
A 7.5-kilometer trail—admittedly, my legs were screaming by the end. But the air is fresh, it stays cool, and the snacking monkeys are adorable!

3️⃣ Shili Gallery (1 hour)
We took the sightseeing train in, then walked out. The 2-kilometer trail is doable, and the train ticket is worth it—my smart mom loved listening to the audio guide on the ride, so we knew which peaks to photograph on the walk back. (Without context, the rock formations are hard to identify!)

⚠️ Final Tips

1. 1-day visit? Prioritize Bailong Elevator → Yuanjiajie → Yangjiajie → Golden Whip Stream. For more energy, stretch it to 3 days.
2. Rock formations = imagination required—but once you see the resemblance, it’s awesome!
3. Shoes matter! Wear comfy sneakers. And check signs—easy to take wrong turns!

Overall, it’s a leg-burner but 100% worth it. Enjoy the views! 🌿