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★ Itinerary · 5 days · 3 UNESCO sites
5-Day Zhangjiajie + Chongqing Itinerary 2026: Avatar Mountains + Mountain City
A 5-day itinerary combining Zhangjiajie (inspiration for Avatar's Pandora mountains) with Chongqing (mountain city, hotpot).
Quick Answer
What is this 5-day itinerary like?
This 5-day itinerary covers 3 UNESCO sites, involves 18 km of walking, and offers a total cost of $920.
Day by day
Five days: Day 1-3 Zhangjiajie (Wulingyuan + Tianmen Mountain), Day 4-5 Chongqing (Hongya Cave, hotpot, Dazu day trip). Fly into Zhangjiajie (DYG), out of Chongqing (CKG).
1
Day 1 · Mon
Zhangjiajie arrival
Fly into Zhangjiajie Hehua (DYG) · Transfer to Wulingyuan · Suoxi Valley walk
- 09:00Fly into Zhangjiajie Hehua
DYG
- 11:00Transfer to Wulingyuan
Transfer to Wulingyuan
- 13:00Suoxi Valley walk
Suoxi Valley walk
🏨Stay tonightWulingyuan· D: Tujia minority cuisine
2
Day 2 · Tue
Wulingyuan (Avatar)
Wulingyuan National Park (¥225, 4-day pass) · Yuanjiajie — Avatar Hallelujah Mountain · Tianzi Mountain peak forest · Cable car down
- 09:00Wulingyuan National Park
¥225, 4 day pass
- 11:00Yuanjiajie
Avatar Hallelujah Mountain
- 13:00Tianzi Mountain peak forest
Tianzi Mountain peak forest
- 15:00Cable car down
Cable car down
🏨Stay tonightSame hotel· B: hotel · L: park · D: Tujia
3
Day 3 · Wed
Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain (¥261, full day) · 99-bend road · Glass skywalk · Heaven's Gate cave · Transfer to Zhangjiajie city
- 09:00Tianmen Mountain
¥261, full day
- 11:0099
bend road
- 13:00Glass skywalk
Glass skywalk
- 15:00Heaven's Gate cave
Heaven's Gate cave
- 17:00Transfer to Zhangjiajie city
Transfer to Zhangjiajie city
🏨Stay tonightZhangjiajie city· B: hotel · L: mountain · D: city
4
Day 4 · Thu
Zhangjiajie to Chongqing
Fly Zhangjiajie → Chongqing (1.5h) · Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street · Hongya Cave (lit at night) · Hotpot dinner
- 09:00Fly Zhangjiajie → Chongqing
1.5h
- 11:00Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street
Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street
- 13:00Hongya Cave
lit at night
- 15:00Hotpot dinner
Hotpot dinner
🏨Stay tonightJiefangbei· B: hotel · L: airport · D: Chongqing hotpot
5
Day 5 · Fri
Chongqing and departure
Three Gorges Museum (free) · Ciqikou Old Town · Yangtze River Cableway (¥20) · Departure
- 09:00Three Gorges Museum
free
- 11:00Ciqikou Old Town
Ciqikou Old Town
- 13:00Yangtze River Cableway
¥20
- 15:00Departure
Departure
✈️DepartureHotel· B: hotel · L: Ciqikou · D: airport
If 5 days isn’t quite right
All routes →
Beijing essentials
Forbidden City · Great Wall · Temple of Heaven. For short stopovers.
Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai
Imperial, ancient, and modern China on one HSR loop.
Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Guilin → Shanghai
Adds Sichuan pandas and Li River karst.
Itinerary FAQ
How far in advance should I book the main sights?
Book the top restricted-access sight 7 days before, at midnight local time, via the official channel. Same-day tickets are not sold at most major sites.
Is 5 days too long for a first trip?
No — 5 days is the sweet spot. Three days covers the highlights but you will be exhausted. Five lets you add a day trip and an unhurried afternoon without rushing.
Can I do this itinerary without speaking Chinese?
Yes. Install Pleco (offline dictionary) and a translation app before you fly. Metro and attraction signage is in English in major cities; international-hotel staff speak English.
What's the worst time of year to run this exact route?
Golden Week (October 1–7) — every timed entry is impossible to get. Also avoid the Spring Festival rush (late Jan/Feb) and Labor Day (May 1–5). Mid-July to mid-August is hot and crowded with domestic travelers.
How much cash do I actually need?
Almost none. Alipay (linked to a foreign Visa/Mastercard) covers 95% of vendors. Carry ¥500–800 in cash as backup for small stalls. Tipping is not expected.
Is this route safe for solo travelers?
Yes. The main risk is traffic — e-bikes and scooters use sidewalks. Stay alert at intersections, especially outside Beijing/Shanghai where drivers may not stop. Solo female travelers report no issues.