Tianmen Mountain, by Zhangjiajie city, in central Chinas Hunan Province, has been

called one of the most beautiful mountains in the world by many travelers
who have been there.

The stunning views including 'Heaven's Door' and the 99 Bends, vertical cliffs, the
thrilling cliff-hanging walkway and glass skywalk, and the world's longest cable
car ride, make it unquestionably one of the best mountains to visit in China. Come,
climb the 'Stairway to Heaven'!

Most Important Facts on Tianmen Mountain

Chinese: Tinmn Shn /tyen-mnn shan/ Heaven's Door Mountain

Location: just south of Zhangjiajie city, NOT in the National Park, north of the
city see our Where to Stay Map

Height: 1,519 meters (4,983 feet)

Mountain Tourist Area (above 700m, 2,300 ft): 10 square kilometers (4

square miles)

Popular activities: hiking, cable car riding, photography, gazing at incredible

views

Tianmen Mountain Tourist Map

Top Highlights You Should Not Miss
Based on our own travel experience, and reviews from our customers and
Tripadvisor, we have selected the following must-see attractions on the mountain.

The World's Longest Cable Car Ride up to the Mountain Top

Tianmen Mountain cable car

The mountain is best reached by cable car. The aerial tramway ride is the longest in
the world, taking about 30 minutes for over 7 kilometers. The last part of the cable
way is very steep, going up at 37 degrees over sheer cliffs to one of the mountain
peaks.
The cable car starts close to the bus station and railway station. It is often very busy,
and waiting in line is normal. The cable car starts at 7:30 in summer and 8:00 in
winter. Our guide will suggest our customers to arrive there early (half an hour or
more before it officially opens) to avoid a long wait. Otherwise you may need to
queue for 2 hours or even more amongst noisy, chaotic Chinese tour groups. While
your are waiting for the cable car, your guide is waiting at the ticket office for the
cable car ticket for you.

The scenery viewed from the cable car is fantastic: lush mountain peaks, the 99
Bends (99 sharp curves on a road up to the mountain peak), and deep valleys. One
cable car holding eight people, and our guide is with you in the same cable car.

The cableway may close when there are thunder storms, high winds, or heavy
snowfalls. Our travel advisor and guide are flexible to change the itinerary to make
sure you can visit the mountain if the cable car closes during your visit.

The Cliff-Hanging Walkway

Walk along the sheer cliff

The walkway was built along the edges of this mountain's summits, clinging to the
vertical cliffs. The walkway is about 1.6 kilometers long, about 1,400 meters high.
The cliffside loop takes about 1 hours. At the end of the walkway, there is a
hanging bridge linking two peaks.

It is always busy and crowded along the walkway. You may find you need to fight for
a place to take photos. Avoiding the crowds is essential for you to enjoy the
highlights and take good photos. Your experienced guide knows how to help you get
the best out of the experience.

The Newest Skywalk 'Coiled Dragon Cliff'

The third glass skywalk in Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area 'Coiled Dragon Cliff
Glass Walkway' () opened to the public on August 1st, 2016. It offers a
new way to enjoy the stunning mountainous landscapes though you might be too
terrified to appreciate the views!
 Location: above the 99 Bends, about 600m from the top of the cableway

Altitude: over 1,400 meters (4,600 feet)

Dimensions: 100 meters (328 feet) long, 1.6 meter (5 feet) wide

Stand on the crystal clear walkway, you can see all the way down to the bottom of
the cliff and Tongtian Avenue (Heaven-Linking Avenue), which is the road up the
mountain featuring a staggering 99 turns (see below).

The Famous Original Skywalk "The Walk of Faith"

The Glass Skywalk

The first glass skywalk on Tianmen Mountain called "the Walk of Faith" opened in
November 2011. Since then it has been a must-see tourist attraction on the west
side of the mountain. (A less-known glass skywalk on the east side opened in April,
2015.)

Location: part of the cliff-hanging walkway by Ghost-Valley Cave (),

only about 200m from the top of the cableway

Altitude: over 1,400 meters (4,600 feet)

Dimensions: 60 meters (197 feet) long, 1.6 meters (5 feet) wide.

It gives a thrilling feeling like walking in the sky. It is definitely not suitable for
the faint-hearted. It is interesting to see people (scared of the height) leaning
against the cliff as they cross it.

On foggy days, it is easier to walk across as you can see nothing below, however
the thrilling feature of the walkways is lost. If it rains the day before, there is usually
heavy fog at the mountain top. You are advised to check the weather forecast before
going to get the best experience. Our travel advisors can also give you some useful
suggestions.

The glass walkways close when they are covered by ice and snow in winter.
Open Chairlift for Two Persons
The open chairlift is at the end of the hanging bridge. Two persons share a chair. It
goes up to the summit of the mountain, where there is a tower. At the top of the
tower, travelers can get an eyes-bird views of the surrounding mountains. The
chairlift takes about 20 minutes over densely forested peaks.

There is usually another wait for the chairlift. Its cost is not included in the
entrance ticket. It is normal to wait another 30 minutes. To the left of the chairlift
station, there is a temple.

The 99 Bends

There are 99 sharp curves on the road up to Tianmen Cave, the famous 99 Bends.
The best place to see and take photos of these bends is from the cable car.

The road is built for tourist use, taking tourists from the mountain foot to the top of
the mountain and Tianmen Cave. Tourist buses take travelers from the midway cable
car station along some of these 99 bends to Tianmen Cave. The bus doesn't stop on
the way. It takes about 20 minutes to the cave. The ride, full of sharp turns along
vertical cliffs, is not recommended for those who are easily carsick.

If someone in your travel group don't want to take the bus, our guide will help find a
good relaxing place for him/her to wait for the rest of you.

Tianmen Cave 'Heaven's Door' and the "Stairway to Heaven"

 Tianmen ('Heaven's Door' Tinmn /tyen-mnn/) Cave is a large (30 meters or
100 feet wide) water-eroded hole between two peaks, like a huge doorway in the cliff
face. It's the highest hole of its sort in the world.

To reach the cave, take a tourist bus (usually a mini-bus) on the 99 Bends (see
above).

Then there are 999 steep and narrow steps up to the cave "the Stairway to
Heaven". It is a hard and tiresome climb (about 30 minutes). The views from the
cave are quite plain, and it is always crowded, and hard to find a good place for
photos. So it's only really worth doing to say you've "climbed the stairway to heaven"
and "knocked on Heaven's Door".

The World Wingsuit League held the first and second World Wingsuit
Championships at Tianmen Mountain, flying through Tianmen Cave!

The Smartest Travel Route

The tour needs more than half a day, even a full day if you want to travel slowly. Our
guide will remind you to bring some snacks / a picnic. Food sold at the small
restaurants on the mountain is expensive, and the quality is unreliable. We don't
arrange our customers to eat at the mountain restaurants.

The itinerary usually goes this way:

Cable car up to a lesser peak (about 30 minutes).

Walk around the cliff-hanging walkways (about 1 hours).

Take a chairlift to the summit (about 20 minutes wait and 20 minutes

chairlift ride). Explore the summit, climbing to the top of a tower for a photo or
bird's-eye view of the mountains.
 Take an elevator to the cable car station, and take the cable car back to
the mid cable car station, where you can take a tourist bus to the cave.

Climb to Tianmen Cave for about 25 minutes, and then take the bus back.

Take the cable car at the mid cable car station down the mountain.

Best Times to Visit and Weather

Tianmen Mountian in mists

April to October is the golden time to travel to Tianmen Mountain, as the

temperature during this period is moderate and comfortable. Choose September for
drier weather, while there is still warmth at the peaks.

December to February is the best time to appreciate snow scenery on the

mountain, and also for snow photography.

The temperature difference between the foot and top of the mountain is
large, so bringing some thick clothes to keep warm is necessary.

The scenery is best on clear days. On rainy days there is usually thick fog (cloud)
over the mountains, which covers everything. Mists are usually heavy if it rains the
day before. The mountains in mist are a mystical scene, so there is an upside to the
cloudiness.

Travel Essentials
Location: On the south of Zhangjiajie city, close to the bus and train stations

Open: 8am4pm

Entry: MarchNovember: 258 yuan (42 USD); DecemberFebruary: 225 yuan

(37 USD), children under 1.2 meters free of charge, children 1.21.5 meters half
price; students with student ID 158 yuan (26 USD); seniors (60+) 158 yuan
(passport needed as evidence).
 Facilities
There are clean squat toilets at every major sight. Your guide will tell you where
they are. No toilet paper is supplied, so bring your own.

There are shops at Tianmen Cave selling simple snacks (such as biscuits) and
bottled water. Price are three or four times higher than those sold at the foot of the
mountain. Ask your guide for help if you need to buy something as no English is
spoken.

There are storage services at the cable car stations.

Good to Know

Red ribbons along the walkway

The tour requires a lot of walking, including 6 kilometers of easy walking

along the cliff walkway and 999 steep steps.

Long lines: As the mountain is very famous among Chinese travelers, expect
to see large and noisy crowds.

The red ribbons along the walkway: The Chinese hang them for special
(superstitious) reasons. But these red colors really upset the harmony of the natural
greens and grays.

No English is spoken and there are no English signs, so it is not easy to find
the way in such a big park if you travel alone.

The fight for a seat in the tourist bus up to the cave is not something
Westerners are used to.

The mountain's tourist area is BIG. A guide is recommended to help you deal
with all the above hassles and for finding good places for photos.

Show Opportunity in the Evening

 Tianmen Fox Fairy is an outdoor musical telling an old Chinese love story, with
Tianmen Mountain and its deep valleys as the backdrop. It has received good
reviews on TripAdvisor. The show is on every night. If you are interested, please ask
your guide to book tickets for you, at extra cost.

Nearby Attractions

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Most of Zhangjiajie's renowned scenic attractions are an hour north of the city
in Wulingyuan Scenic Area:

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park the main area including "Halleluyah

Mountain", the precipitous pillars, and spectacular photography locations

Yellow Dragon Cave a side attraction, consisting of a large karst cave

complex, worth seeing if you haven't seen other caves in China

Baofeng Lake another side attraction, nice if you have time for relaxing on
a boat, seeing waterfalls and visiting a mountain village with very snap-able rice
terraces

Our Most Popular Tianmen Mountain Tours

If you are interested in Tianmen Mountian, please see our popular tours below for
inspiration:

4-Day Essence of Zhangjiajie Tour the classic Zhangjiajie tour

15-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Yangtze Cruise, and Zhangjiajie

Combo China's star sights with the magic of Zhangjiaje seamlessly
tailored in

Zhangjiajie Photography Tour Capture the spectacular with a

photography guide to suit your needs (amateur to professional)