How to Beat the Crowds in Zhangjiajie: Why We Took the "Reverse" Routes (And You Should Too)
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain—with their ethereal, towering sandstone pillars and mist-shrouded peaks—are undeniably world-class wonders. However, their popularity presents a distinct challenge: the legendary, dense crowds that can quickly compromise a serene journey.
To help combat the high traffic, set routes have been established at both Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (home to the Hallelujah Mountains) and nearby Tianmen Mountain Park. However, most tourists stick to just one of these routes, meaning the majority of the crowd are all trying to move in the same direction.
Co-founder Mikki admiring the view
On our recent expedition to Hunan province, we decided to test the routes that aren’t recommended. Essentially this means traversing the parks in the opposite direction to the big tour groups and domestic tourists. For us this means Line A in the Forest Park and Line B on Tianmen Mountain (the usual route is Line B in the Forest Park and Line A on Tianman Mountain).
This is something to consider before entering the park, as the ticket you buy will only allow you to travel in the route/line you choose at purchase.
Here is how we did it, and why we now recommend this approach to truly experience Zhangjiajie.
Before we start, a quick note…
The time of year and the day of the week are going to heavily influence how busy the parks are for your visit. We visited on a weekend in early June, and we found the crowds were there but not too heavy. If you visit at the height of summer at the weekend, even the reverse routes are going to encounter queues. Visiting in the winter months will likely mean both routes are fairly quiet.
We highly recommend starting your day as early as you can, as soon as the park opens is best.
We highly recommend avoiding visiting this area during Chinese National Holidays.
The Route Comparison: At-a-Glance
| Destination | The Standard Itinerary (High Congestion) | The Reverse Route (Our recommendation) | The Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | Line B: Bailong Elevator UP → Yuanjiajie → Tianzi Mountain DOWN | Line A: Tianzi Mountain Cable Car UP → Yuanjiajie → Bailong Elevator DOWN | Complete bypass of morning elevator queues; a serene morning at the peaks. |
| Tianmen Mountain | Line A: Main Cable Car UP from city → Summit → Descend 999 Steps | Line B: Express Gondola UP → Climb UP 999 Steps → Summit → Main Cable Car DOWN | Eliminates morning terminal delays; rewards you with a private, golden-hour cable car descent. |
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park — The Inverted Elegance of Route A
The vast majority of tour operators enter through the Wulingyuan East Gate and immediately funnel their clients toward the Bailong Elevator to ascend the mountain. By mid-morning, this results in unglamorous, hours-long queues in crowded holding pens—something we all want to avoid.
We chose the road less travelled: Route A.
The Strategy: Ascend in Silence via the Tianzi Cable Car, enjoy the Bailong Elevator in the Afternoon
Instead of rushing the elevator, our reverse itinerary utilized the Tianzi Mountain Cable Car to ascend early in the morning. While thousands of tourists were bottlenecked at the base of the elevator miles away, we glided up into the clouds in near-total tranquility.
View from our early morning and private cable car - Tianzi Cable Car Zhangjiajie National Park
The Morning Advantage: Reaching the upper peaks of Tianzi Mountain ahead of the masses allowed us to experience the dramatic vertical spires with space to breathe.
We arrived early, and we didn’t even have to share the cable car with anyone else. The silent beauty of the sun light rising on the karsts is something to behold. Walking through Helong Park as the only people around, the only sound was the wind through the pines.
The Midday Transition: As the crowds finally began migrating from the elevator toward Tianzi Mountain in the afternoon, we were already moving away from them, heading toward the iconic Yuanjiajie area (the inspiration for the Avatar Hallelujah Mountains).
Moving in this direction also had the distinct advantage of ‘saving the best til last’. We enjoyed the quietness of the morning, while knowing the most impressive sights of Yuanjiajie area were still to come.
The Final Masterstroke: We arrived at the Bailong Elevator in the late afternoon. While the queues to go up were still formidable, the line to descend were very short, we waited around 10 minutes. We stepped into the glass double-decked structure, enjoying the thrilling ride without the stress of the crowd.
Part 2: Tianmen Mountain — Why Line B is the Connoisseur’s Choice
Tianmen Mountain requires travellers to choose a specific transit route (Line A, B, or C) upon booking. Conventional wisdom—and standard travel blogs—almost universally recommend Line A (taking the main cable car up from downtown and walking down).
We chose Line B, and it fundamentally upgraded the entire experience.
999 Steps to Heaven’s Gate - Tianmen Mountain
Eliminating the Downtown Bottleneck
The main cable car station in Zhangjiajie city center is a notorious choke point in the morning. Line A ticket holders can wait up to three hours just to board.
By selecting Line B, we bypassed this urban gridlock entirely. We took the free shuttle bus from the cable car station to the ‘Mountain gate’ to take the efficient Express Gondola to the mountain's mid-station, entering the scenic area seamlessly.
The Drama of the Ascent
Line B requires you to approach the mountain from its base, looking directly up at the awe-inspiring Heaven’s Gate Cave. Instead of shuffling down the 999 steps in a sea of downward-facing tourists, we climbed up.
An Insider Note on Exclusivity: Yes, the climb requires physical exertion. However, ascending the steps feels like a grand pilgrimage. You are facing the magnificent open sky the entire time, rather than looking at the backs of people's heads. We definitely felt a sense of achievement once reaching the top!
And if you don’t fancy it? China has you covered, pay a small fee to ride up the elevator built inside the mountain instead!
Our Founder Mikki before tackling the steps
The Cinematic Finale
After exploring the cliffside glass skywalks at the summit, Line B culminates in riding the world’s longest cable car down into the city in the late afternoon. As the sun began to dip, casting golden light across the jagged ridges, we enjoyed a panoramic theater view of the mountain with only around 2 minutes of queuing time—entirely skipping the evening descent queues that plague Line A travellers.
Zhangjiajie with Eventurus
At Eventurus Asia, we handle every micro-detail of the journey before you even arrive, transforming a logistically challenging destination into a seamless, stress-free sanctuary. Our comprehensive Zhangjiajie signature journeys include:
Full Customisation
Private Airport & Rail Transfers
Ticket Purchase & Passport Synchronization
Dedicated Private Transport with Chauffeur
English-Speaking Local Guides
Curated Luxury Accommodation
Leave the planning to us. Your only responsibility is to enjoy the view.
