Tianmen Mountain is a magnificent natural wonder of China, that is also called ‘Heaven’s Gate’ or ‘Heaven Door’. It is located in Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park. The enormous size of the mountain along with various attractions like a giant karst cave (Heaven’s Gate) and Skywalk Bridge makes it an unforgettable destination. The National Park is a great choice for a day trip, there are several thrilling things to do in Tianmen Mountain including the famous Heaven Stairs (999 steps toward Heaven’s Gate). Here is a full guide on how to visit the Park for a memorable experience.
Incredible things to do in Tianmen Mountain.
Outside of the unreal landscape you get to witness while visiting the Park, these are the top things to do in Tianment Mountain:
- Heaven Stairs along with stunning valley views,
- Tianmen Cave – Heaven’s Gate,
- West Glass Skywalk – incredible cliff skywalks,
- East Glass Skywalk,
- Tianmen Mountain Temple,
- National Park.
Top attractions you can't miss when traveling to Zhangjiajie City.
How to get to Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge – the world’s highest and longest skywalk.
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge is the world’s longest and highest glass bridge suspended between two mountains in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. For me it was a
Magic things to see in Phoenix Ancient Town in Fenghuang County in China.
FENGHUANG ANCIENT CITY also known as Phoenix Ancient Town (located in Huan Province) is the kind of a destination that will totally blow
How to get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park?
Tianmen Mountain is located 1500 km from Beijing and there is a direct speed train. You can either take a bullet train or a flight – if booked in advance they could be at the same price.
I highly recommend booking train tickets well in advance in China, I got myself in big trouble leaving it till the last minute, as almost all trains were sold out. Locals travel a lot, especially during holidays and weekends. When you are traveling full-time, you lose a sense of time and you know longer recognize whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Trip.com was really handy, as you can easily book, change or cancel tickets, and it shows all available connections for bullet and slow trains.
From Zhangjiajie Railway Station.
Tianmen Mountain lower cable car station is located only 10 kilometers from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station.
To get to Tianmen cable car from Zhangjiajie West Railway Station you can either:
- take a TAXI – it’s 15 minutes to get to Tianmen Cable Car. I took a taxi as I also needed cash from ATM and it was the fasted way to travel around).
- take z public BUS, which will take around 45 minutes to reach the Cable Car Station.
Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station is located only 1 kilometer from Tianmen lower Cable Car Station.
Tianmen Mountain tickets.
In China it’s best to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long queues at the entrance and to be able to get in – here you can book entry tickets for Tianmen Mountain (Tianmen Cave + Tianmen Cable Car), which gives you access to all best things to do in Tianmen Mountain and flexibility on routes up on the mountain.
Ticket to Heaven’s Gate Tianmen Mountain requires access to the top cable car and costs 275Y, which includes: cable way up, elevators, and a bus taking you back to the City Cable Car Station.
Tianmen Cable Car.
Tianmen Cable car is the longest cable car in the world!
When purchasing the entry ticket to Tianment Cable Car you will get a sightseeing map, which is very helpful to navigate the best spots. The officers will also notify you which sections are closed for sightseeing – it is unlikely the Heaven Stairs will be accessible in wintertime due to icy surfaces and snowfalls. But you will be able to admire them from the top and the bottom end.
Tianmen Cave - Heaven’s Gate.
The iconic Tianmen Cave, also known as Heaven’s Gate or Heaven Door is an amazing, unique natural rock formation (a natural rock arch that’s a symbol of Zhangjiajie), resembling a doorway to heaven. Climbing the 999-steps is one the top things to do in Tianmen Mountain. The staircase lead you to the amazing cave and the a panoramic view of the park. If you are taking a cable car to the Upper Cable Car Station you will be walking along the cave balcony viewpoint to see the stairs from the top.
THE LOGEST CABLE CAR IN THE WORLD.
Getting to Tianmen Mountain by cable car is an adventure in itself. The Tianmen Mountain Cableway holds the record for the longest continuous high mountain cable car in the world, covering a distance of 7,455 meters. During the journey you’ll be able to witness incredible panoramic views of the surrounding dramatic mountains..
There are two Cable Ways going to the mountain – the long one (longest in the world) and the short one. Views from the cable car are magnificent, Heaven Door, curly roads entwining surrounding mountain peaks.
After taking the long cable car there are few spectacular things to do in Tianmen Mountain peak, including Tianmen Mountain Temple, Glass Walk and a walk down along the Heaven Stairs.
"The Stairway to Heaven".
Taking “The Stairway to Heaven” – 999-steps leading toward the Tianmen Cave is considered a top thing to do in Tianmen Mountain.
There is a Tianmen Square at the bottom of the stairs, where you can do your photo shoot and grab some snacks or hot drinks. Weather was brutal when I was there in January, cold and rainy.
Weather in Tianmen Mountain.
You should always check the weather forecast before your visit and dress accordingly. Tianmen Mountain can be cooler at higher elevations (above 1500m) so it’s wise to layer your clothing.
In January the weather was way below zero, it was freezing and rainy.
Tianmen Mountain National Park.
For most of China’s attractions, the sightseeing path is organized, and you hardly ever are able to explore the place on your own. In Tianmen Mountain you have the flexibility to explore the attractions on foot, or alternatively take cable cars, elevators, or even mountain buses.
Taking a bus ride along Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road is considered one of the top things to do in Tianment Mountain. This scenic bus ride along the winding Shan Big Gate Road, offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
Recommended route for Tianmen Mountain.
Take the cable car to an Upper Cable Car Station and visit the temple at the top (short hike), take a thrilling walk through the Glass Bridge and take a direction toward Tianmen Cave (the balcony viewing point). These are the top things to do in Tianmen but there’s much more to see.
Visiting Tianmen Mountain should not be rushed and I would recommend spending all day exploring the place and beautiful, quiet forest park (along with wildlife and incredible nature).
Avatar scenery of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
I took a few days to travel around the province to discover the avatar scenery of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, which was an inspiration for the Avatar movie. Most of the sights are pure magic, with few major attractions that should not be missed. Planfew days to explore the wonders of Zhangjiajie National Park. Some of the Tripadvisor tours offer combined touring options, discovering all the highlights of the region. Here are the most amazing sites to visit:
Hunan Province.
Tianmen Mountain at an altitude 1520 meters, is located within Tianmen Mountain National Park, in the northwestern part of Hunan Province in China.
Hunan Province is one of the most magic parts of China. Here are few must-see sights that will leave you breathless:
- Fenghuang City (Phoenix Ancient Town)
- Zhangjiajie City, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge,
- Changsha
Tianmen Mountain Glass Skywalk.
If you are up for an adrenaline rush – one of the best things to do in Tianmen Mountain is walking the Glass Skywalk, a dizzying platform that extends over the edge of the mountain. It is perched 1430 metres above the ground providing spectacular views underneath your feet.
But it’s good to know most of the walking paths in Tianmen Mountain National Park are wooden bridges hanging on the side of the mountain wall.
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