4 Day Zhangjiajie Off-the-Beaten Trekking Tour

You will be guided by us in this special-designed tour and hike in less-traveled paths in Zhangjiajie and its beautiful surroundings to avoid tourists crowds as much as possible. We will see the classic as well as the hidden secret ones which common tourists may not have chance to experience.In order to make the tour more fun,we will take you out of Zhangjiajie to view a beautiful old town and do an iron-chain holding hike in a narrow gorge,if interested, we can homestay for overnight in authentic Tujia minority village to get a close touch of the local’s life or just stay in the old town. Everyday would be different, everyday is highlight. With the help of this non-mainstreamed tour route, you will get different and more perspertive in Zhangjiajie,Western Part of Hunan. Come and In!

Attractions Visited:Zhangjiajie National Park-Avatar Mountain Sceney(Tianzi Mountain,Laowuchang Suspense Terrace.Ten Mile Gallery.Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Golden whip Stream)+Furong Town+Sitting Dragon Gorge+Laodaowan Gorge.


Zhangjiajie Tour Inquiry


Highlights of This Tour


  • Zhangjiajie National Park with Bailong Elevator 
  • The World’s Longest Cable Way
  • Glass Sky Walk On The Cliff Of The Mountain
  • A panoramic View of Zhangjijaie 
  • Get Chance to Learn the Local Tujia Minority

Detailed Itinerary

Day Of Arrival: Pickup and transfer to hotel.

Greet and pick up by local guide and driver from Zhangjiajie Airport . Transfer to hotel for check in. Free & easy to explore the zhangjiajie city . Overnight in Zhangjiajie Downtown or Wulingyuan Center.

Day 1 Zhangjiajie National Park Part A

Morning:(Cablecar up) Tianzi Mountain.Sky Garden Terrace.Afternoon:Tianzi Mountain(Cablecar down). Nightstay in Wuingyuan. 

Tianzi Mountain:(Classic & Popular Spot, 1 hour easy tour on the top after one way cablecar up. if walk up from the foot,will be 3.5 hours on 8000 steep steps,it‘s one of the hardest trek in the park.)
Tianzi means “Heavenly Prince”. actually, he is the real person who leads the local minority to fight with the government army in Ming Dynasty 500 years ago…Mt. Tianzi Area is the very old battle field. Most of the scenic spots there are combined with historical stories and legends of this honorable man. Besides these, Visually, on the Tianzi mountain top, we can experience the most spectacular view of sandstone peak forest in the park featured by its sharp and slim shape. it’s one of the highlights in Zhangjiajie Scenic Area.
Yuanjiajie (Classic&popular Spot,1-1.5 hour walk(up&down a little bit) on the top with the help of Bailong Elevator-World highest Ourdoor One…If by foot to the top,1 hour flat walk,2.5 hours on 8000 steps.)

One of rhe most spectacular  spot in Zhangjiajie
One of rhe most spectacular spot in Zhangjiajie

Sky Garden Terrace: (Non-tourist Spot, 1.5 hours’ trip with local villager’s van )

This spot is the 1 of the top picks for photographer without any disturbance from tourists. Actually, there are 2 pieces of Suspending Terrace (Big Terrace &Small Terrace), surrounded by small villages. it’s right facing the World Highest Sighseeing Elevator(Bailong), and the common tourists will never get a chance to view it. since there is no park bus leading them here. A local van needs to be hired to get here.

The deepest area in Avatar World, Zhangjiajie
The deepest area in Avatar World, Zhangjiajie

Ten Mile Gallery(40 minutes, Easy walk forwards and back in the way)

This is a short and wide valley which delivers an easy and relaxing walk,(if take mini train 25minutes), On both side of the valley, beautiful peaks with stories are interesting to be enjoyed

Pretty Painting-liked Scenery in Zhangijiajie
Pretty Painting-liked Scenery in Zhangijiajie

Day 2 Zhangjiajie National Park Part B

Morning:Golden Whip Stream.Afternoon: Yangjiajie, Yuanjiajie.Nightstay in Wulingyuan.

Golden Whip Stream: (Classic & Popular Spot, Easy Flat Walking, 2.5hours)

Golden whip stream (Jin Bianxi) is regarded as the 1 of the most beautiful Streams in China. It’s 6km long with a well-paved walkway at the bottom of valley, which takes about 2.5 hours easy & flat walk between 2 ends. ( For Photographer,may be 2/3 day). On both sides of the bottom walkway, there are hundreds of different-shaped sandstone peaks erecting by the clear stream with lovely legends and interesting stories from locals. Most travelers would be shockingly amazed the scenery along the way. sometimes, if lucky, wild monkeys would bring more fun and vitality of nature.

Yuanjiajie (Classic&popular Spot,1 hour walk)

It’s one of the highlighted area in ZJJ National Park chosen to be the main background of the Movie: Avatar. No wonder,it becomes the most popular spot for all people. the peaks here are bigger in size, the view is close, fantastic too. Moreover, there is a World Highest Sightseeing Elevator (326m) which’s regarded as a big controversy existing against UNESCO, but It does bring an much easier way for going up to Yuanjiajie than spending 3.5 hours’ crazy trek on 9000 steps.The only problem for Yuanjiajie is ,in busy season, it would be unavoidably crowded.

The most well-known scenic area in Zhangjiajie
The most well-known scenic area in Zhangjiajie

Yangjiajie (less tourist,1.5hours fun hike)

Yangjiajie used to be the military base for the local bandit in old times, it’s a pretty wild area for nature-lovers, there is a narrow and fun bandit path leading to the top of Yangjiajie, called Wulong Village, which requires 2 hours to go forward&back. there are some spots on the path which are quite narrow, Big-sized guys may not make through. We can view a nature Great Wall formed by the sandstone when reach the top at Tianbofu, where also is the best spot to enjoy the sunset.

Old Bandit Area In Zhangjiajie
Old Bandit Area In Zhangjiajie

Day 3 Zhangjiajie Surroundings

Morning: Furong Town. Afternoon: Sitting Dragon Gorge. Nightstay in Furong Town or Homestay in Sitting Dragon Gorge

Furong Town(2.5hours visit)

The original name is Wangcun or Wang Village. Historically, It’s 1 of 4 famous old towns in Western Hunan (Xiangxi Miao&Tujia Minority Autonomous Prefecture), and used to be very prosperous since it has an most important port when waterway was the main transportation in the whole Xiangxi area. Now it’s still well-preserved in the style of typical local town. however, Wang Village owns its fame by a controversial movie called “Furong Town”, in which a special phase of China: Culture Revolution is showed. After this well-known movie, it gains the 2nd name.

Waterfall in Furong Town, Hunan
Waterfall in Furong Town, Hunan

Sitting Dragon Gorge (Less tourists,2 hours fun hike with chains)

Surprisingly, For most of my past travelers, Sitting Dragong Gorge hidden in deep mountain is their favorite spot in western Hunan, because it’s where they can experience a fun nature adventure and an authentic culture interaction with minorities. The 1st part is 1.5 hours’ hike-up with iron chains in a narrow but beautiful valley decorated by waterfalls and wild stones, it’s a really special way to do a tour. when we reach a pretty Tujia villages on the top, the hike ends, but we begin the 2nd part with a lovely homestay offered by hospitable Tujia people,by which we could see, join their simple but different life.by which again,we would understand more on our owns. They cook or they teach us to cook the food from their fields, it cannot be more healthy. At night, it’s so quiet that you can hear a needle dropping. It’s a place to listen to the wind and rain, a place to escape from the disturbance of city. when wake up in the morning, we may feel ourselves being purified in heart. This is a great great spot for a real travel experience in nature and culture. Personally, My favorite, too.

Hiking with Chains in zuolong Gorge
Hiking with Chains in zuolong Gorge

Day 4 Happy Ending.

Laodaowan Gorge (Less Tourists, 2hours fun hike-up and outdoor activity)

This spot locates at the foot of Tianmen Mountain, and offers us a great hike-up with waterfalls all the way. It’s a real tour immersing in pure nature. the funnest experience there is when we climb for 2 hours to the top, it will ony take us 3 minutes to get down to the ground, because they have a long zip-line (800m) to make us fly back. Super Cool. Plus, there is an interesting slide tunnel for us to have fun on the way, too. If you like hiking and something exciting, This gorge would be a good pick.

Hidden Spot For Wild Fun Hike In Zhangjiajie
Hidden Spot For Wild Fun Hike In Zhangjiajie

Service Included


  •  An English speaking guide
  • One Daily Chinese Style Meal(Lunch or Dinner based on the situation)
  • All Entrance Fees
  • Private Car Service (Notice:In high tourism season, it may not be the same car serving for everyday)
  • One Bottled Water Everyday

Service Excluded


  • Hotel ( Book on your own online following the location of each day in the itinerary. In this case, you will have more options to choose to meet your preference.
  • One Meal (leave it flexible to make the tour go more efficiently. If want it to be included, just request)

Notice Before Tour


  • The fine weather condition. 

If the reality is not promising it, the itinerary can be adjusted by the guide for bettering the travel experience. If it increases the tour cost on extra parts, it would be on your side. But the choice is still yours to follow the original or the revised one.

  • The policy of “Maximize the tour value”.

Most of the days are arranged with full tour activities or scenic attractions to let you experience the most in your limited tour duration. If your physical level or tour budget  can not fit. You could request to reduce some parts of it to meet  your needs.

  • No Shopping,No Hidden Cost.100%Sightseeing Tour With Real Travel Experience

The travel style from Travel Agencies Of China normally is:”Half day of rushy tour, Half day of shopping activities”.Because in order to attract more people to join in their tours. They usually offer low quotation,sometimes, even lower than the real cost, then they turn back to give a heavy pressure on the guide and driver which are little paid or not paid. Then the guide and driver have to steal some portions of your tour time from sightseeing and take you to shops for purchasing stuff to fill the hole of the deficit with the commission,meanwhile get their own income. It’s the common practice for China Tourism. But we decide to take a different way and respect them and their work by paying them a reasonable amount for getting full time travel. It will benefit both.


  • What You Should Bring
  • Small backpack for daily activity in which water,snacks, camera,proper dress,and other daily neccessities can be put in
  • Your ORIGINAL ID card or passport for ticket booked.

Zhangjiajie Tour Inquiry