When it comes to Guilin and Zhangjiajie, your travel dreams might be evoked by their idyllic landscapes and thrusting peak forests. To experience these awesome destinations for yourself, detailed planning, including where to stay, how to travel between key places, how to avoid the crowds, etc. is needed, and you won't want this to be too time-consuming and laborious.
Based in Guilin and with 25 years of experience in tailor-made China tours, we understand your concerns and are dedicated to assisting you in planning a stress-free journey with beautiful memories.
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- 1. What to See
- 2. How Long to Spend (Itinerary Suggestions)
- 3. How Much Does it Cost
- 4. Best Time to Visit
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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Tour Guide makes the difference
We chose China Highlights and we were delighted that we have Ann as our tour guide. She has extensive local knowledge and made our journey seamlessly. There was no attempt to sell us any products or optional tours and she catered to our needs as we were taking many photographs. She is very organized but yet flexible and she is very passionate about her work. more
Oct 2024, Cheong k
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Amazing Zhangjiajie with angelic Ann
And all these won’t be possible without our lovely tour guide Ann . She is knowledgeable, passionate,friendly and most supportive and she will go extra miles to ensure our safety / welfare/ comforts. Did I mention that she has a great voice , ever ready to entertain us with beautiful folk tunes . She is the main reason that makes our trip extra memorable and enjoyable . Thank you Ann! more
Oct 2024, Keith L
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Memorable experience exceeded expectations
Our guide Daidai was the best. She took care of us like we were her family, paying attention to every little detail to maximize our enjoyment. We miss her already. more
Oct 2024, Vo T(Tran Vo Ngoc)
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What to See in Zhangjiajie and Guilin
Zhangjiajie is renowned for its majestic mountain landscapes like peak forests and towering cliffs, which require physical fitness to climb all the steps. By contrast, Guilin is known for smaller-sized mountains and karst hills, where pointy green peaks and tranquil rivers interweave, offering a comparatively leisurely and pastoral ambiance.
We recommend that you start your trip from Zhangjiajie. Experience a challenging and exciting journey in Zhangjiajie, and then enjoy a leisurely end to the journey in Guilin to relax, giving the whole trip a pleasant balance.
Best Places to Visit in Zhangjiajie:
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Known as the Avatar Mountain, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has six main areas — Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Yellow Stone Village, Golden Whip Stream and Ten Mile Gallery. The most recommended two areas for a one-day visit are Tianzi Mountain (the highest peak, popular for birding) and Yuanjiajie (containing Hallelujah Mountain, named after Avatar). You could take the highest outdoor Elevator, Bailong Elevator, to ascend/descend the mountain in 2 minutes.
Tianmen Mountain: The city-side peak attracts countless travelers with its spectacular Tianmen Cave, thrilling glass skywalk with a length of 60 meters (197 feet) and altitude over 1,400 meters (4,600 feet), and winding 99-bend mountain road. Take the longest cable car in the world for nearly half an hour to ascend the mountain, experiencing forests and the city beneath your feet.
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon: The world's longest and highest glass bridge spans across the canyon, with a length of 430 meters, (1,410 feet) and a height of 300 meters (984 feet), offering you an exhilarating experience while also providing breathtaking views of the canyon scenery. With a wide field of vision, it is very suitable for photography.
Yellow Dragon Cave: The stalactites and stalagmites in the cave are dazzling. With colorful lights, it feels like a fairyland.
Fenghuang Ancient Town: It features a fusion of Miao and Tujia ethnic styles, spanning over three hundred years of history. You can also experience the distinctive stilted buildings and brilliant night views.
Baofeng Lake: It is a leisurely experience to take a wooden boat on the clear water of this mountain lake. If your travel plans already include Guilin, we recommend skipping Baofeng Lake, as the scenery is quite similar, but Guilin offers more spectacular views.
If you want to experience yet more excitement and challenge, Via Ferrata and Glass Bridge Bungee Jumping are available to get your adrenaline pumping.
Best Places to Visit in Guilin:
Elephant Trunk Hill: Named for its elephantine shape, Guilin's most famous landmark is located downtown by the Li River. Large tourist groups frequent Elephant Hill Park for photos. However, a higher position outside the park ensures you better photos. We recommend you have an afternoon tea on the top of the Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel beside the Hill to enjoy a relaxing afternoon surrounded by marvelous Guilin views.
Sightseeing on the Li River: A Li River Cruise will take you through a beautiful landscape painting of mountains and rivers. For family groups with kids above 6 years old, hiking along the Li River is also recommended. In a leisurely three-hour walk, you could admire the natural scenery and witness real rural life outside of the tourist areas of Guilin.
Longji Rice Terraces: Overlook the layers of terraced fields surrounded by towering mountains. Make bamboo tube rice with a local family, and experience the lifestyle and culture of ethnic minorities.
Yangshuo: There, bustling West Street contrasts with tranquil pastoral villages, and the peculiar karst peaks border the crystal-clear Yulong River. Ride a bike or a motorcycle sidecar through the villages. Staying one or two nights in a boutique hotel surrounded by karst hills and paddy fields is a great way to refresh yourself in nature.
Reed Flute Cave: This spectacular karst cave hosts stalactites and stalagmites in a cornucopia of shapes. As Yellow Dragon Cave and Reed Flute Cave are quite similar, visiting just one of them is enough.
Guilin is another great destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering fantastic experiences doping activities like cave exploration, SUP (stand-up paddleboarding), bamboo rafting, and rock climbing.
How Many Days to Spend in Zhangjiajie and Guilin
It usually takes 7–8 days to enjoy the main highlights in Zhangjiajie and Guilin, with 3–4 days in each destination.
Two popular itineraries are recommended below for your inspiration. One covers Zhangjiajie and Guilin and the other comes with Fenghuang Ancient Town included. Send us your schedule and interests, and we'll tailor-make an ideal itinerary for you.
Itinerary 1: A 7-Day Zhangjiajie and Guilin Itinerary
- Day 1: Zhangjiajie arrival
- Day 2: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Day 3: Tianmen Mountain, Yellow Dragon Cave
- Day 4: Bullet train ride from Zhangjiajie to Guilin (7 hours)
- Day 5: Longji Terraced Fields day trip
- Day 6: Li River cruise to Yangshuo, a leisurely afternoon in the countryside
- Day 7: Yangshuo, Guilin departure
This itinerary covers the most popular attractions and experiences in Zhangjiajie and Guilin.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in the rural Wulingyuan area, while Tianmen Mountain and Zhangjiajie Railway Station are near the Zhangjiajie downtown area. It takes about 1 hour by road to travel between them. To save transfer time, you're suggested to stay in Wulingyuan for the first 2 nights and in Zhangjiajie city center for the last night.
Similarly in Guilin, spend the first two nights in Guilin city center and one night in Yangshuo. It takes about 1½ hours to drive from Yangshuo to Guilin.
Itinerary 2: 8-day Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang, and Guilin Itinerary
- Day 1: Zhangjiajie arrival
- Day 2: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Day 3: Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (Glass Bridge), Yellow Dragon Cave
- Day 4: Tianmen Mountain, transfer to Fenghuang Ancient Town (3 hours), enjoy breathtaking night views in Fenghuang
- Day 5: Discover the ancient town, transfer from Fenghuang to Guilin (5 hours)
- Day 6: Longji Terraced Fields day trip
- Day 7: Li River cruise to Yangshuo, enjoy a leisurely afternoon in the countryside
- Day 8: Yangshuo, Guilin departure
This itinerary is similar to the above 7-day tour, but with the glass bridge and Fenghuang Ancient Town added in between. It is a trip that blends mountains, rivers, caves, an ancient town, and countryside tranquility.
Fenghuang is on the way from Zhangjiajie to Guilin. With this trip, you're suggested to take a private transfer instead of a bullet train between the destinations. It takes about 3 hours from Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang. After enjoying the highlights there, we can drive you another 5 hours directly to Guilin instead of going back to Zhangjiajie to take the train ride. There is no direct train from Fenghuang to Guilin.
How Much Does It Cost to Visit Zhangjiajie and Guilin?
Generally, it is 150–200 USD per person per day for a private tour based on a group of 2–5 people. This price usually covers an experienced local English-speaking guide, a private vehicle with driver, domestic transport, 4-star hotels or boutique hotels at the same level, attraction tickets, and all other trip arrangements included in the itinerary.
A larger group usually means better deals. You could invite your friends or another family to take the trip together for great memories and great savings.
Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie and Guilin
Mid-September to mid-November is the best time to visit Zhangjiajie and Guilin. During this time, the weather is comfortable with average high temperatures around 20°C (68°F) in Zhangjiajie and 25°C (77°F) in Guilin and little rain. The large crowds of the summer peak season will have gone and there are usually less visitors at the sights (with the exception of the October 1st golden week).
The second-best time is April to May (except the May 1st holiday week), when it is warm with afternoon temperatures around 20–28°C (68–82°F) most of the time. There might be some rainy days in Zhangjiajie (10–15 days), but the rain is not as heavy as in June and July. The blossom in the spring makes the scenery more attractive.
We don't really recommend visiting Zhangjiajie and Guilin at these times, including December to March, June to August, and China's public holidays.
December to March is the rainy season in Guilin. More than half of each month will be cold and damp. However, you might get the chance to see the peaks in Zhangjiajie covered in snow. And the rime on the mountains also attracts many visitors to Zhangjiajie. There is little rain in Zhangjiajie during this period but be prepared for the cold weather with the lowest temperature -3°C (27°F).
June to August is the rainiest and hottest season in Zhangjiajie. The temperature can reach up to 38°C（100 °F), and you'd probably need to wear a raincoat to visit the mountains. It is also hot in Guilin but with even heavier and stormier rain. In addition, July to August is the schools' summer holiday time in China. You would see many student or family groups at every popular attraction, which may result in queue times from half an hour to two hours!
Chinese public holidays like the May Day Holiday usually from May 1st to 5th and the National Day Holiday usually from October 1st to 7th see many domestic travelers swarming the sights. As with the July and August school holiday months, you'll encounter large crowds.
Traveling with a private tour will give you a comfortable trip even during the peak season. Your guide will try his/her best to help you skip the lines at scenic spots, and lead you knowledgeably to avoid the large Chinese tourist groups.