Catch the Exclusive Beauties of Zhangjiajie
A newly popular place among photographers around the world, Zhangjiajie's fame has increased with its Hallelujah Mountain, reminiscent of the movie Avatar. Our staff made an inspection trip to Zhangjiajie to discover unique photography tour.
Accompanied by an English-speaking guide and a professional photography guide in Zhangjiajie, you can concentrate on photography and do it in an efficiently way. You will not miss wonderful shoot opportunity.
Tour Highlights
- Get the best angles on sights like 'First Bridge in the World'
- Photograph wide-angle panoramas at the 'Natural Great Wall'
- Visit the famous Hallelujah Mountain
- Shoot 'Sky Field Garden' surrounded by precipitous peaks
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No crowds, breathtaking scenery in winter low season
![]() We arrived at Zhangjiajie High Speed Rail station on Jan 2nd and were met by our local guide Bree (dressed in traditional Miao ethnic minority costume !) and our driver Mr Wu. This "no queuing" experience became a recurring feature on our next few days and is very satisfying (and time-saving), as long as you don't mind the colder temperatures in January ! We want to give special thanks to our guide, Bree, who organized everything for us so efficiently and accommodated us with our last minute requests such as wanting to see the cultural show and the 72 Wonder Tower. She is very knowledgeable about the area and culture and we learned many fascinating facts from her during the hikes and in the mini-van as we went from location to location. One of our party had sprained her ankle during the hike in the Grand Canyon and had some discomfort in walking. This would have been an issue on the last day as there was still so much to see on Tianmen Mountain and we had a train to catch that afternoon. Bree was not flustered by this and had worked out an alternative, less strenuous route for the injured party to meet up with the rest of us along the way. Luckily, we did not need to use this in the end. We were willing to forego lunch to make up for lost time due to the slower pace but Bree timed everything well. We managed to see everything that was planned on our schedule and still had time for a full lunch before we headed to the train station. We also want to give a shout-out to the driver Mr Wu too, for his pleasant disposition and patience in waiting for us all day as we went sightseeing. He kept us hydrated with bottled water in the mini-van and provided snacks and fruits. He even brought us his own home-grown organic oranges which tasted very sweet. Thank you ! We have had such a great experience travelling with China Highlights that we have already planned our third trip with them, this time going to Jiu Zhai Gou later this year. more
Jan 2025, Damian C
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A unique and fantastic three days, discovering China's limestone country
![]() What a fantastic experience. We spent three days in the company of Abbie, our amazing guide. Being in our late 70's Abbie looked after us as if we were her own parents! Always getting us to the front of queues. Finding interesting local eateries. The sights we saw were stunning, the steps we climbed were many. I can thoroughly recommend the Zhangjiajie tour, a unique part of the world, it has to be seen to be believed. more
Jan 2025, GrandTour24467632574
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Could not recommend more!
![]() My family and I are currently traveling around China with China Highlights and it has been amazing. All the cars have been excellent, very comfortable, spacious and new. Lily, our guide in Zhangjiajie, was exceptional. Incredibly kind, attentive to our needs, and always with a smile. She always had snacks for us, was warm and joyous, and very knowledgeable. Of all the guides we have used across our travels, she may be one of the best. Highly recommend China Highlights and if you’re considering a visit to Zhangjiajie, Lily will make your trip very memorable. more
Dec 2024, Ana B
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Suggested Itinerary
Becoming popular, this new area's top viewpoints include Tianbofu and the Natural Great Wall. Narrow and towering natural walls of rock, different from typical Zhangjiajie pillars, are its distinguishing feature.

Have a short walk to photo 'Spirit Soldiers Meeting' and 'Sky Field Garden'. 'Sky Field Garden' is a rice paddy area, farmed by local people and hanging on an outcrop, surrounded by Zhangjiajie's classic towers.
Famous and popular for its Hallelujah Mountain, named after Avatar's floating rocks, pictures of 'First Bridge in the World' from 'Viewing Bridge Platform' (Wangqiaotai) are a bonus. Afternoon is the best time to photograph the Yuanjiajie area. To avoid crowds and a better light, your guide will take you there around 5:00 pm.

Tianzi Shan ('Heaven Son Mountain') is a fabulous location for seeing Zhangjiajie pillars among the sea of clouds. A lot of Zhangjiajie photography blockbusters are created there. Get inspired!
Start early to avoid crowds and to catch the morning mists. All the photographic locations are within a short distance. You can stay in McDonald's ("the best restaurant on the mountains"!) to enjoy some coffee or upload your photos when you are free. Enjoy a familiar Western breakfast.

Trip Notes
The Best Time to Go
Zhangjiajie's classic scenery is pillars in the sea of clouds. The best times for foggy peaks are a day or two after rain in April to June or September to November. July and August have much fewer chances to see the clouds. The phenomen can last 30 to 60 minutes, depending on wind, temperature, etc. May Day and Chinese National Day holidays (the first weeks of May and October) are strongly NOT recommended.
The Weather
The weather plays a very important role in a photography tour. Your guide is flexible, and can make appropriate changes based on the weather, after discussion with you. If you meet some bad weather for photography, your guide will try his best to take you to the place best suited to the weather conditions.
Hotel Conditions
In the mountains of Zhangjiajie are very basic. Usually there is only a simple Chinese breakfast including rice porridge, pickles, and steamed buns. Your guide will prepare instant coffee and some bread. Hotels adjacent to the park in Wulingyuan offer better conditions.
Luggage Transfer
From downtown Zhangjiajie to the national park is 20 RMB per piece of luggage. Transfer to Wulingyuan Town is 30 RMB per piece. If you stay in the city on the first and last days, you can leave your excess luggage in your downtown hotel.
National Park Transport
Free shuttle buses run 8am–5:30pm, and the last paid bus is 7pm. You will need to rent a low-comfort local van for sunrise or sunset trips. We will do our best to arrange the best transport for you.
Meet Top Photographer in Zhangjiajie
Mr. Zhou Mingfa, One of top photographers in Zhangjiajie, lives at Tianzi Mountain area and his family run a shop that sell his photography book and post card. If you are lucky, you may meet him at the shop. It is good to have a chat with him.
Price includes: