Arrival and Accommodation

We arrived the previous night at Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (张家界荷花机场). After exiting the terminal through the glass doors, cross a small road to the parking lot where you can easily catch a taxi without incurring additional parking fees. We stayed at the Hampton by Hilton Hotel (希尔顿欢朋酒店), located just opposite the cable car station. The taxi ride from the airport took about 15 minutes. The location is super convenient, with good dining options at the doorstep and a small supermarket next to the hotel. 🌟

Tickets

We booked Route A tickets three to four days in advance. If you're visiting during peak season, make sure to book even earlier because Route A and tickets for time slots before 8 AM sell out quickly. Tickets can be purchased on platforms like Meituan, Qunar, Dianping, and Ctrip. Compare prices and choose the cheapest option. At the time, the ticket prices were approximately 272 CNY (about $38 USD) for adults and 144 CNY (about $20 USD) for students.

Entry Time: Tickets are time-slotted. The 6:30-8:00 AM slots sell out first, but during off-peak seasons, the 8:00-9:00 AM slot is sufficient and not too crowded. ⏰

Routes

Route A (Highly Recommended)

• Take the world’s longest high mountain passenger cableway (世界最长高山客运索道) (a Guinness World Record, about half an hour ride, super interesting!) to the mountaintop (the circular route on the mountaintop is mostly flat).
• Take the escalator through the mountain to Tianmen Cave (天门洞).
• Descend the 999-step staircase (999天梯) on foot or buy a separate ticket for the elevator.
• Descend quickly by cable car.
• Take the shuttle bus back to the cable car lower station (west line to east line).

Route B

• Reverse of Route A, requiring climbing the 999-step staircase. Note: the Li Na Villa (李娜别墅) requires a cable car queue number. Details unknown. Only Route B requires this. (East line to west line)

Route C

• Overflow route for when crowds are high, only involving the fast cable car.

Tips

1. Visit on a sunny day! Otherwise, the cable car views, Tianmen Cave, and the staircase will be obscured. We had perfect weather, but a few days later, it rained and fog rolled in. ☀️
2. Walk the glass walkway on the west line (西线的玻璃栈道) (don’t buy the shoe covers from the elderly ladies at the entrance, you’ll need to buy a ticket for 5 CNY (approximately $1 USD) at the glass walkway and use the official shoe covers). To be honest, it’s not that exciting. Instead, head to the east line’s "Wood and Stone Love" (木石之恋) area. There’s a fork in the road - definitely take the outer walkway. It's very steep, and even for someone not afraid of heights, looking down made my legs go weak. 😱
3. We boarded the ascending cable car at 9:09 AM and took the shuttle bus back at 2:34 PM. Use this as a timing reference.
4. After taking the cable car up, you’ll immediately enter a building where you can get a free map of Tianmen Mountain (天门山).

Rough Estimate of Expenses

• Adult Ticket: 272 CNY (approximately $38 USD)
• Student Ticket: 144 CNY (approximately $20 USD)
• Glass Walkway Ticket: 5 CNY (approximately $1 USD)
• Taxi from Airport to Hotel: 20 CNY (approximately $3 USD)
• Accommodation (Hampton by Hilton): Approximately $80 USD per night
• Meals and Miscellaneous: Approximately $50 USD

Total: Approximately $192 USD per person

Actual expenses may vary based on meals and hotel choices.

Visiting Tianmen Mountain (天门山) is a spectacular experience. The combination of the world’s longest cable car ride, the thrill of the glass walkway, and the awe-inspiring Tianmen Cave makes for an unforgettable adventure. Make sure to plan ahead, choose the right time, and prepare for some breathtaking views! 🌄✨