7 Days Chongqing Zhangjiajie Small Group Tour: Karstland Form & Avatar Peaks

Today begins around midday and focuses on Chongqing’s most iconic urban highlights.

Start at Liziba Metro Station, where the monorail famously passes directly through a residential building. This surreal engineering scene has become one of Chongqing’s most photographed attractions.

Continue to Kuixing Building, a multi-layered architectural structure that appears to stack different city levels on top of each other. It perfectly represents Chongqing’s “vertical city” design.

Next visit Jiefangbei Central Business District, the city’s commercial heart and historical monument area. This is a great place to experience modern Chongqing life, shopping streets, and local street food culture.

In the evening, enjoy a traditional Chongqing hot pot dinner, famous for its spicy, numbing Sichuan-style flavor and communal dining experience.

After dinner, explore Hongya Cave, a cliffside architectural complex built in traditional wooden style along the river. At night, it transforms into a glowing golden structure, creating one of the most iconic night views in China.

End the day with a walk across Qiansimen Bridge, where you can capture panoramic photos of Hongya Cave and the illuminated skyline before returning to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast (if included), Dinner (Hot Pot)
Accommodation: Chongqing downtown hotel
Travel Style: City sightseeing + night photography + food experience
Highlights: Cyberpunk architecture, river night views, illuminated Hongya Cave

After breakfast, depart by comfortable coach for a scenic drive of approximately 2.5 hours to Wulong Karst National Geological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Upon arrival, begin exploring the spectacular Three Natural Bridges, one of the world’s most impressive karst landscapes formed by natural limestone erosion over millions of years.

Inside the scenic area, you will first take a sightseeing elevator and shuttle bus system that leads deep into the canyon, making the visit comfortable and accessible.

You will explore:

• Tianlong Bridge (Heavenly Dragon Bridge) – the largest and most majestic natural stone arch, forming a massive gateway between cliffs
• Qinglong Bridge (Azure Dragon Bridge) – a highly photogenic arch surrounded by lush green canyon walls
• Heilong Bridge (Black Dragon Bridge) – a quieter and more mysterious section with streams and deep gorge scenery

Along the route, enjoy waterfalls, limestone cliffs, forest trails, and dramatic geological formations shaped over millions of years.

This area is also famous as a filming location for international movies, adding a cinematic feeling to the landscape.

After completing the visit, return to Chongqing city in the late afternoon or evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chongqing downtown hotel
Travel Style: UNESCO nature exploration + canyon sightseeing
Highlights: Karst bridges, canyon scenery, elevator descent, cinematic landscapes

After breakfast, transfer to the railway station and board a high-speed train from Chongqing to Zhangjiajie, a journey that usually takes around 2–3 hours. Traveling by high-speed rail is one of the most comfortable and efficient ways to move between these two famous destinations while enjoying views of central China’s countryside.

Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, your local guide and driver will meet you at the station and escort you to your hotel in the downtown area or Wulingyuan scenic district depending on the final arrangement.

The rest of the day is free for relaxation or independent exploration. You may stroll through local streets, try Hunan cuisine, browse local shops, or simply enjoy the slower pace compared with Chongqing’s busy urban atmosphere.

As the gateway to the world-famous Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the city offers a completely different environment filled with mountains, fresh air, and natural scenery.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Zhangjiajie / Wulingyuan
Travel Style: High-speed rail transfer + leisure time
Highlights: Comfortable train journey, transition from cyberpunk city to natural landscapes

Today is one of the most exciting days of the journey as you explore the legendary landscapes of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the inspiration behind the floating mountains in the movie Avatar.

After breakfast, enter the UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic Area, famous for its thousands of towering sandstone pillars rising dramatically through mist-covered valleys.

Begin with the world-famous Bailong Elevator, recognized as the tallest outdoor sightseeing elevator in the world. In just a few minutes, the glass elevator carries visitors from the canyon floor directly to the mountain plateau, offering breathtaking vertical views.

Next, visit Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, home to the iconic “Avatar Hallelujah Mountains.” Walk along cliffside pathways while enjoying panoramic views of massive sandstone peaks, deep ravines, and floating cloud formations. You will also visit the famous First Bridge Under Heaven, a naturally formed stone bridge suspended between mountain pillars.

Continue to Tianzi Mountain, often called the “King of Peaks.” This area is known for its spectacular sea of clouds, dramatic rock formations, and expansive mountain viewpoints. Key viewpoints include:

• Dianjiangtai Platform
• Imperial Writing Brush Peaks
• West Sea Stone Forest
• Tianzige Pavilion

You will also visit He Long Park, where a large bronze statue honors Marshal He Long, an important historical figure from Hunan Province.

Throughout the day, the scenery constantly changes depending on clouds, fog, and sunlight, making every viewpoint unique for photography.

After sightseeing, transfer to your hotel in Wulingyuan for overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Wulingyuan
Travel Style: UNESCO mountain exploration + photography tour
Highlights: Bailong Elevator, Avatar Mountains, Tianzi Mountain, sandstone pillar landscapes

After breakfast, drive to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, one of the region’s most famous adventure and nature destinations.

The highlight here is the world-renowned Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, suspended high above the canyon floor. Walking across the transparent bridge creates the thrilling sensation of floating in the air while overlooking cliffs, forests, waterfalls, and deep valleys nearly 300 meters below.

For adventure seekers, optional activities such as bungee jumping may also be available at the scenic area.

Besides the glass bridge, the canyon itself features beautiful natural scenery including streams, waterfalls, rock formations, and lush vegetation, creating a peaceful contrast to the thrilling bridge experience.

Later, continue to Baofeng Lake, often described as one of the most tranquil scenic spots in Zhangjiajie.

Take a shuttle bus followed by a relaxing wooden boat cruise across the emerald-green lake surrounded by steep mountains and dense forests. During the cruise, you may also hear traditional local folk songs performed by Tujia ethnic singers along the lakeshore.

The calm atmosphere of Baofeng Lake provides an excellent balance after the excitement of the Glass Bridge.

After the tour, return to your hotel in Wulingyuan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Wulingyuan
Travel Style: Nature sightseeing + adventure experience
Highlights: Glass Bridge, canyon scenery, waterfalls, peaceful Baofeng Lake cruise

Today you will visit one of Zhangjiajie’s most iconic attractions: Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, often called the “Soul of Zhangjiajie.”

Begin with a ride on the famous Tianmen Mountain Cable Car, one of the longest cable cars in the world, stretching over 7 kilometers from the city center directly to the mountain summit. During the ride, enjoy panoramic views of forests, cliffs, and the legendary 99-Bend Mountain Road winding below.

At the summit, experience the thrilling Glass Skywalk, a transparent pathway built along vertical cliffs more than 1,400 meters above sea level. Walking above the deep valley creates an unforgettable adrenaline-filled experience.

Continue along the Cliff-Hanging Walkway, a scenic path attached directly to the mountain edge with spectacular panoramic viewpoints.

You may also visit:

• Tianmen Temple, a peaceful Buddhist temple hidden among forests
• Yunmen Summit, one of the highest viewpoints in the park

Later, descend to the famous Tianmen Cave (Heaven’s Gate), an enormous natural arch carved through the mountain. This massive opening is one of Zhangjiajie’s most recognizable natural landmarks.

Visitors can either challenge themselves by walking the symbolic 999 steps or take the escalator system for easier access.

After completing the tour, transfer to Zhangjiajie Airport or railway station for your onward journey.

Your unforgettable 7 Days Chongqing Zhangjiajie Small Group Tour concludes here.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: None
Travel Style: Mountain sightseeing + departure day
Highlights: Tianmen Mountain, Glass Skywalk, Heaven’s Gate Cave, panoramic cable car ride