[2025 Zhangjiajie Attraction] Travel Guide for Tianmen Mountain Temple (Updated May)

Getting There - Take a taxi to Tianmen cable car station Attractions - Here you have the longest cable car in the world, You have the the underground escalators system and the 999 steps that lead you to the Temple of Heaven. You can also get the view of the 99 bends road. Food: When you get to the top of the mountain, there are some restaurants there with local food. you can also buy yourself some local crafts. You can also catch the cable car down if you are done exploring. I recommend taking the line A cable car ticket. This gives you a 2 way cable car ticket, access to the cross mountains escalator. This too took almost the whole day!

Located in Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Temple sits atop Tianmen Mountain at an elevation of approximately 1,500 meters. As the highest-altitude Buddhist architectural complex in Hunan Province, it serves as the Buddhist center of western Hunan. Originally built during the Tang Dynasty, the temple historically coexisted with Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. It underwent seven renovations from the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty to the Republican period before gradually declining due to prolonged disrepair. In 2002, the local government invested over 80 million yuan to reconstruct it on the original site. Spanning more than 20,000 square meters, the temple features Qing Dynasty official architectural style and comprises a mountain gate, bell and drum towers, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, and Scripture Depository. The Guanyin Pavilion is particularly exquisite, with its ingenious "two visible floors and three hidden floors" design, rivaling classical renowned towers. Blending nature and culture, the temple is surrounded by ancient towering trees and a seven-level pagoda nestled in the forest. With its open vistas overlooking surrounding mountains, it has earned titles like "Western Hunan's First Sacred Mountain" and "Buddhist Kingdom of the Celestial Realm." Historical figures such as Jin Yong inscribed "Tianmen Fairy Mountain" here, while singer Li Na once lived in seclusion at the temple and later became a Buddhist nun, adding to its cultural legacy. Today, Tianmen Mountain Temple is not only a sanctuary for meditation but also a tourist destination combining sightseeing and cultural experiences.

🌈 Highlights: Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, located in Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, is a 5A-rated scenic area with a peak elevation of 1,518.6 meters. This karst plateau landscape is famed for its four major zones: "Heaven's Gate Opening," "Buddhist Kingdom of Heaven," "Jade Field Terrace," and "Immortal-Seeking Wonderland." Over 90% of the area is covered by pristine secondary forests, with mist shrouding the mountain 230 days a year, creating unique sights like "Lotus Terrace in Sea of Clouds" and "Rainbow Over Heaven's Gate." It gained global fame for extreme feats like stunt flights through Tianmen Cave and wingsuit flying. 🌟 Must-Visit Spots: ✅ 1. Tianmen Cave A natural karst cave at 1,300 meters above sea level, standing 131.5m tall, 57m wide, and 60m deep—the world’s highest-altitude natural cave. The 999-step "Stairway to Heaven" leads to the cave, symbolizing a path to the divine. Legends speak of "Heaven's Gate Exhaling Mist" and "Celestial Light" phenomena here. ◦ Tip: Hike the stairs for a challenge or take the mountain escalator (¥32 one-way) for an easier ascent. ✅ 2. Glass Skywalk A 60m-long, 1.6m-wide transparent walkway at 1,430m altitude, offering a cloud-walking thrill. A ¥5 shoe cover fee applies—wear anti-slip shoes. ✅ 3. Ghost Valley Plank Walk A 1,600m cliffside path at 1,400m elevation, named after the hermit Guiguzi. It overlooks deep valleys and peaks. ✅ 4. Tianmen Mountain Cableway The world’s longest alpine passenger cableway (7,455m, 1,279m elevation drop, 28-minute ride). It connects downtown to the summit, showcasing rural vistas, canyons, and winding roads. 🕐 Hours: 07:30–19:00 (last entry at 16:00), subject to official notices. 🏝️ Recommended Routes: **Route A (Cableway Up + Express Cableway Down)** • Path: Downtown cableway station → Summit (West Glass Skywalk → Ghost Valley Walk → Tianmen Temple → East Cloud Corridor → Suspension Bridge) → Escalator down to Tianmen Cave → Express cableway to gate → Free shuttle back. • Perk: Aerial views throughout; ideal for panorama lovers. Visit the West Glass Skywalk early to avoid crowds. **Route B (Express Cableway Up + Cableway Down)** • Path: Mountain gate → Express cableway to Tianmen Cave → Escalator up → Summit (same as Route A) → Cableway down to downtown. • Perk: Challenge the cave stairs first, then explore the summit—best for the fit. Sunset city views on descent. **Route C (Express Cableway Round Trip)** • Path: Mountain gate → Express cableway to Tianmen Cave → Escalator up → Summit → Escalator back to cave → Express cableway return. • Perk: For those focusing on Tianmen Cave or unable to book Routes A/B (saves 2 hours of backtracking). 💗 Tips: 🎫 Tickets: Adults ¥278 (includes one-way cableway + shuttle). Free for under-14s/over-65s; half-price for students/60–65s. 🏨 Stay: Hotels/B&Bs near the park (e.g., Four Famous Residences Inn—free airport transfers and friendly staff). ⭕ Book tickets 3–7 days ahead. ⭕ Dining: Cherry Bay, Tianmen Waterfall, and Cloud Dream Peak restaurants (pricey; pack snacks).

🌟From March to May, Zhangjiajie in spring is a fairyland! The peach blossoms covering the mountains and the swirling mist are truly enchanting. Here's your guide – save it now! ❗【👇Click below to start your mystical Zhangjiajie journey】❗ ⛰️Tianmen Mountain: Tianmen Mountain is a must-see in Zhangjiajie. The world's highest natural mountain-penetrating cave, resembling a gateway to paradise, is a real-life martial arts world! Ghost Valley Plank Road, Tianmen Mountain Cableway, Tianmenshan Temple... Explore mythical realms and discover ancient hidden retreats! 🌳Ten Mile Gallery: This is a representative work of peak cluster landscapes. With verdant peaks lining both sides, each with its unique charm, it's like a giant ink painting hanging on a cliff face. The magnificent scenery of this World Natural Heritage site is truly breathtaking. 🕳️Huanglong Cave: Don't miss Huanglong Cave! Experience the wonders of nature and typical karst landforms. The cave is vast, featuring the "Pillar of the Sea," the "Dragon Palace," and the "Antenna Bridge." The VIP guided tour provides deeper insights into these natural wonders. 🏞️Yuanjiajie Scenic Area: Located in the north of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, this area is surrounded by peaks and often shrouded in mist. It's a popular filming location and a shining pearl within the Wulingyuan core scenic area! 🌟 【Trip Highlights】 ✅ Mountain View Room: Highly recommend consecutive stays in a mountain view room at Zishan Manju, Zhangjiajie. ✅ VIP Guided Tour: Gain in-depth knowledge of Zhangjiajie's natural beauty and cultural heritage, all in one trip. ✅ Private Car Service: Enjoy exclusive car service within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, ensuring a comfortable and effortless experience. ✅ Changsha Cuisine: Indulge in Changsha's local delicacies and satisfy your taste buds. ❗【👇Click below to start your mystical Zhangjiajie journey】❗

| The snowy rhythm of the south is like a dreamland. It’s snowing again in Hunan! This time, Hunanese 👯‍♀ are promoting it vigorously! Is there anyone who doesn’t know? Hurry up and bring your family and friends to Zhangjiajie, the best place to enjoy the snow! Among the scenic spots in Zhangjiajie, Zhangjiajie🏞 must be the most popular among tourists and has the most complete tourist facilities~ So Tianmen Mountain⛰ must be the best place to enjoy the snow in Zhangjiajie! 🚩Transportation: There is a special cableway 🚡 for going up and down the mountain in Zhangjiajie city, and it is a long cableway that goes directly to Tianmen Mountain. This is also the starting point of Tianmen Mountain A Line. Currently, only the 🅰 line is open for viewing the snow in winter, so don’t go the wrong way! There are mostly trails on the mountain. If you are afraid of danger in Tianmen Cave, you can also choose the sightseeing elevator~ 🚩Tickets: Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain has opened online 🖥ticket reservations. The price of each route will be slightly different. You can choose the route that suits you. The price difference between discounted and non-discounted tickets is also a bit big. You can wait~ 🚩Tour route: Arrive at Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Cableway ➖ Enter the park through Line A entrance with mainland China ID card ➖ Take the cableway directly to the top of the mountain (about 28 minutes) ➖ Visit the West Line (West Slope Glass Plank Road---Guigu Plank Road) and arrive at Tianmen Mountain Temple ➖ Take the mountaintop forest cable car at your own expense of 25 ➖ Yunmeng Fairy Peak ➖ Panlong Cliff Glass Plank Road ➖ Mountain Escalator ➖ Tianmen Cave ➖ Express Line Directly to the Mountain Gate ➖ Shuttle bus to Tianmen Mountain Cableway Company 💡Tour Notes: The necessary equipment must be well prepared. When we went to Zhangjiajie, we hired a guide to reduce the burden. It turned out that there were many benefits. The guide helped to take care of all the equipment and tickets, and we felt very happy. If it snows in Zhangjiajie, the temperature difference between the mountain and the ground is large. Everyone must keep warm. If necessary, you can also prepare some medicines for emergency use. The most important point is that it is best not to wear cotton clothes when climbing. It will be very cold when sweating. Children can prepare sweat towels.

Tianmenshan Temple, located on the top of Tianmen Mountain, was built in the Tang Dynasty and covers an area of ​​more than 20,000 square meters. It is the Buddhist center of western Hunan and the highest Buddhist building complex in Hunan Province. On the afternoon of June 8, 2009, at the Tianmen Mountain Temple in Zhangjiajie, solemn and loud trumpet sounds resounded through the mountains and Buddhist music echoed in all directions. For the first time, a delegation from the Chinese Buddhist community went to Lumbini, Nepal, the hometown of the founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni, to invite the real body relics of Sakyamuni Buddha to be placed there. The real relics of Sakyamuni Buddha in the temple are the size of soybeans and have an ivory-white luster. Also placed in Tianmenshan Temple are two relics of Sakyamuni’s two great disciples, Maudgalyayana and Sariputra. It is reported that the relic of Sakyamuni Buddha in the temple is not only the first in Hunan Province, but also one of the only five genuine relics in China. The current Tianmenshan Temple was rebuilt on the original site and consists of the Main Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, Sutra Pavilion, Dharma Hall and other buildings. The temple is located in a valley with a broad view, showing its majestic majesty. Come to Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain for a tour, admire the beautiful mountain scenery in the movie "Avatar", enter the Tianmen Mountain Temple to worship Buddha, and pay homage to the relics of Sakyamuni Buddha, so that your blessings and wisdom will increase, and you will be safe and auspicious! Tickets: Included in the Tianmen Mountain ticket. Opening hours: March to November 8:00 to 6:00. December to February 8:30 to 6 pm.

Tianmen Mountain Temple was established in the Ming Dynasty and is the Buddhist center in the western Hunan region. Since its establishment, it has attracted many believers and is thriving. The old temple faces south with the north behind it, and the temple gate is inscribed with 'Tianmen Xianshan'. The couplets on both sides read 'There is a day outside the sky that never turns into night, and there is no mountain on the mountain that is the only one to be respected'. The temple has three entrances and two halls, with a Guanyin hall behind the halls, which is magnificent. Outside the temple, ancient trees reach the sky, and not far away there is a seven-level pagoda, which can be described as ancient, elegant and quiet. Although the scale of Tianmen Mountain Temple cannot be compared with Shaolin, Putuo Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Emei Mountain, relying on the unique topography and climate conditions of Tianmen Mountain, Tianmen Mountain Temple has won the beautiful name of 'The Buddhist Kingdom in Heaven'.

Location: Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. This mountain is called Tianmen shan. To get to the top you will need to take the cable car up, leaving from the centre of the city. It might be a foggy day up at the top but the clouds make for truly wonderful photographs. Looking down you can see the spiral roads with the picturesque greenery. You can spend hours at the top and be amazed. #tianmenshan #zhangjiajie