Zhangjiajie,
the mountains that float

How to split your days

Three days is the correct standard. Wulingyuan park is enormous and the internal shuttle buses eat up time.

• Day 1 — Yuanjiajie, the Bailong lift and Avatar Mountain.
• Day 2 — Jinbian Stream trail + Tianzi Wharf and cable car.
• Day 3 — Tianmen Mountain, Heaven's Gate and the glass walk. Departure.

When to travel

April to May and September to November. Summer brings heavy rain — and with the rain, the mist that makes the photos magical — but also crowds. In winter there can be ice on the walkways.

• April–May — mild and green, the best balance of weather and crowds.
• June–August — hot, wet and busy; mist is spectacular after rain.
• September–November — clear and cool, our favourite window.
• December–February — cold, possible ice; quiet and cheap.

Fitness: what to know

It isn't a destination to do three days back-to-back if you have knee trouble. There are many stairs and the trails climb and descend without mercy. You can cut the effort a lot by combining cable cars, lifts and the internal bus — our JoyoTour guides plan it that way as standard, so you spend your energy on the views, not the stairs.