(Easy) How to get to Zhangjiajie National Park (Avatar Mountains) in China
This is the most popular natural tourism destination in all of mainland China, and for good reason! We’ve never visited anywhere like Zhangjiajie National Park with its thin, towering peaks rising up from the Earth. The views from the perfectly set up National Park are unmatched, and here’s exactly how you can get here with a variety of methods.
Also check out our (updated for 2026) Entry Requirements for China blog on how you can get in to China visa-free!
Option 1: Fly directly to Zhangjiajie City then transfer to Wulingyuan
Wulingyuan Accommodation Recommendations
Budget: Family Hotel (from $15)
Mid-range: Easy House (from $40)
Luxury: Zhangjiajie Qish Li Cave (from $90)
Price: A$600-1,300pp, one way.
This is the fastest and easiest way to get to Zhangjiajie and nearby national park whether you’re travelling internationally or domestically from within mainland China. Direct flights to Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYG) airport are available from Singapore, Korea or mainland China, so connecting flights will be necessary from other points of departure such as if you are travelling from Australia or the United States to Zhangjiajie.
Once arrived to Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (DYG), travel by local transfer such as DiDi taxi or private transfer to the town of Wulingyuan, this will be your gateway to Zhangjiajie National Park!
Option 2: Intercity bullet train to Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie Accommodation Recommendations
Budget: Breeze Alley Inn (from $20)
Mid-range: Mercure Zhangjiajie (from $80)
Luxury: Hilton Garden Inn (from $120)
Price: A$50-150pp, one way.
If you’re already in China, the city of Zhangjiajie can be reached easily by fast train from most major cities in China such as Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Beijing. Use trip.com for official train tickets across all of mainland China. trip.com is the official ticket provider for the China Railway and connects your tickets directly to your passport to ensure that ticket officers at the train stations can validate your tickets for boarding.
Overnight and day-services travel from all over China to Zhangjiajie, however be sure to check your route as some may require a transfer.
Once you have arrived at Zhangjiajie Train Station, use the DiDi taxi service in the Alipay app to request a taxi to your hotel in the town of Wulingyuan, alternatively you may stay in the town of Zhangjiajie and transfer each day to the national park.
Option 3: Night Bus to Zhangjiajie
Price: A$20-170pp, one way.
Should you want to visit Zhangjiajie by bus rather than train or flight, you can organise long-distance overnight busses from nearby cities such as Chongqing, Changsha or Guilin. These are generally organised by local tour providers or hotels. This is the most time-consuming method of travel to Zhangjiajie, and we wouldn’t recommend choosing to travel by road unless you are unable to travel by train or air.
A benefit of travelling by bus is that they may transfer directly to Wulingyuan, your final destination for exploring the park, however given the ease of accessing taxis and transfers in Zhangjiajie, this isn’t necessary to make the experience of visiting the Avatar Mountains easier.
How to get into Zhangjiajie National park from Wulingyuan
More Wulingyuan Accommodation Recommendations
Budget: Tianchong Yunhai Hotel (from $40)
Mid-range: Vienna International Hotel (from $70)
Luxury: Foggy Valley Mountain View (from $180)
The Zhangjiajie National Park is open during daylight hours seasonally, so it’s unlikely you’ll make it in to the expansive park on the day of your arrival so check in and unpack at your hotel before speaking with your receptionist for detailed information on visiting the park.
Pro tip: hotels in the Wulingyuan area have access to discounted multi-day tickets for the park, we recommend waiting to buy tickets until you have a chance to speak with your hotel reception about them as they can be up to A$50 cheaper for the multi-day tickets!
The hotel should be able to draw you a day-by-day map to help you visit every area of the park in your allowed time in area, and its important as the park is absolutely massive! Most hotels in the northwest area of Wulingyuan are within a 15minute walking distance of the East Gate to the Zhangjiajie National Park, and is easy to find. However if you are staying in the town of Zhangjiajie, you may enter via the south gate which is easily accessible by taxi from town. If staying in Wulingyuan your hotel will most likely plan your days in the Avatar Mountains from the East Gate, this is fine as the entire park including the Tianmen Mountain Cable Car.
That’s It!
If you’ve made it down here, thank you so much for reading!
That covers everything you need to know to get to one of the most unbelievably beautiful places we’ve ever been.
