A price notice before National Day: Zhangjiajie's main scenic areas will not raise prices in 2015
With the "October 1" National Day Golden Week approaching, ticket price increases at many scenic areas across the country have become a hot topic recently. What about Zhangjiajie, the leader of Hunan tourism? On September 10, 2015, this writer learned from local price authorities, tourism bodies and the relevant scenic areas that Zhangjiajie's main scenic areas, including Wulingyuan and Tianmen Mountain, had no plans to raise prices in 2015, and that the Wulingyuan core scenic area would continue to apply off-season ticket prices from December 1 until the end of February 2016.
For visitors, this means that during National Day and for some time afterwards, ticket spending at Zhangjiajie's main scenic areas will not increase because of price rises.
Which scenic areas keep things as they are: Wulingyuan, Tianmen Mountain and several routes
Besides Wulingyuan and Tianmen Mountain, whose ticket prices remain unchanged, the current ticket prices at the two attractions Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake will, under price department rules, be held at least until the end of March 2016. The eastern-route and western-route scenic areas such as Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Maoyan River have also said they will not raise ticket prices during the year.
- Wulingyuan, Tianmen Mountain: no price increase planned in 2015; prices stay as they are.
- Huanglong Cave, Baofeng Lake: current prices held at least until the end of March 2016 under price department rules.
- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, Maoyan River and other eastern-route and western-route scenic areas: no ticket price increases during the year.
How the off-season price works: 136 yuan per person, 109 yuan per person less than peak season
The off-season ticket price for the Wulingyuan core scenic area, a World Natural Heritage site, is 136 yuan per person, 109 yuan per person less than the peak-season ticket price. It applies from December 1 until the end of February 2016.
Note that the off-season price covers the core scenic area's main gate ticket; Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake are attractions with separate tickets and are not included.
What 136 yuan covers: core sights and multiple entries over four days
The Wulingyuan core scenic area ticket covers Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, Huangshizhai, Jinbian Stream, Shuirao Simen, Shili Gallery and other sights; it does not include the two attractions Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake.
After buying a Wulingyuan core scenic area ticket, visitors may enter the scenic area multiple times within four consecutive days to visit all open sights, and ride the scenic area's shuttle buses free of charge. The four-day validity is very practical for multi-day itineraries: there is no need to rush through everything in one day, and the mountain-top and valley-floor sections can be spread over different days according to your energy.
Practical tips
- The scenic area uses timed, station-by-station real-name reservations; every entry within the ticket's validity period requires an advance reservation and entry on time, so bring your original ID card.
- For a first visit, or when bringing elderly people or children, the East Gate (Wulingyuan Landmark Gate) is recommended; Wulingyuan town is right outside the gate, with plenty of food and accommodation. If you want to hike Jinbian Stream, the South Gate is an option.
- The temperature difference between the mountain top and the valley floor is 5–8°C, so bring a jacket; in peak season the Bailong Elevator has long queues, so it is best to go up the mountain as soon as the park opens.
- Private cars cannot be driven into the scenic area; they must be parked in the car park outside the ticket gate, and visitors transfer to the scenic area's shuttle buses to enter.
- Cableways, elevators and the mini train inside the park require separate tickets; budget for these costs separately in your itinerary.
Current standards in effect
From January 1, 2025, the Wulingyuan core scenic area abolished the peak/off-season distinction, with a uniform ticket price of 165 yuan per person, valid for 4 consecutive days. Transport inside the scenic area (shuttle buses and so on) is 71 yuan and personal accident insurance is 3 yuan, making 239 yuan for the three items together. This site includes the 3 yuan insurance as a gift, so visitors pay 236 yuan in practice. One clarification: the 165 yuan is only the price of the ticket itself and does not include scenic area transport or insurance, so there is no need to be puzzled by the three figures 165, 236 and 239 — they refer to different scopes.