zhangjiajie - where to stay and itinerary

Question

hello,

thanks in advance for any help!

I am arriving late night in zhangjiajie on Tuesday may 13. I leave late night may 17. So almost 4 full days. Within that, I want to spend two days in the national park(s? are there two?), one day in fenghuang and one day in tianmen mountain (before my flight). Here are my questions.

1. should I stay in downtown zhangjiajie or in wulingyuan or split it up? I’m thinking since I’m arriving late on may 13 maybe staying the first night at least in downtown zhangjiajie is smart… maybe the last night on may 16 also since the next day I want to go to tianmen mountain… so does may 13 and 16 in downtown zhangjiajie and may 14-15 in wulingyuan make sense? Would you suggest something different?

2. Speaking of which, is it possible to do tianmen and fenghuang in the same down if I start early enough and don’t mind arriving late? like a 6 AM to 11 PM day? The first half in tianmen and the last half in fenghuang so I can combine daylight and night hours since I know the experiences are different? Is it doable? I know it’ll be tiring but I’m wondering if it’s possible

3. do I need to buy tickets to zhangjiajie park’s in advance? or can I just show up?

thanks for any help!

Answer

For your Zhangjiajie trip from May 13–17, here’s a detailed guide to accommodation, itinerary planning, and ticketing.

1. Where to stay:

Your idea of splitting your stay between downtown Zhangjiajie and Wulingyuan is very practical:

May 13 (arrival late at night): Stay in downtown Zhangjiajie for convenience since it’s closer to the airport/train station and easier to reach at night.
May 14–15 (national park visits): Stay in Wulingyuan area. This is right next to the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and nearby parks, which saves significant travel time in the mornings and evenings.
May 16 (before Tianmen Mountain): Stay back in downtown Zhangjiajie for easier access to Tianmen Mountain cable car and your departure that night.

This plan minimizes long transfers and maximizes your time inside the parks.

2. Combining Tianmen Mountain and Fenghuang in one day:

Technically, it is possible but very ambitious:

Tianmen Mountain is in Zhangjiajie city; visiting early in the morning via cable car can take 3–4 hours for a full experience, including the cliff walk and temples.
Fenghuang is about 4–5 hours by car from Zhangjiajie. You could drive there after Tianmen Mountain and reach the ancient town in the evening for night views.
Considerations: You would start around 6 AM and return around 11 PM. This is a very long day and could be exhausting, especially with a child or if you prefer a more relaxed pace. The road to Fenghuang can be winding, so plan for safety and comfort.

Alternative suggestion: Dedicate one day entirely to Fenghuang and one day to Tianmen Mountain to enjoy both sites without rushing.

3. Tickets for Zhangjiajie National Park(s):

Zhangjiajie has several areas including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianzi Mountain, and Yuanjiajie.

It is strongly recommended to buy tickets in advance, especially for May, which is the start of the busy tourist season. Online ticketing is available and often comes with queue-free entry.
Buying in advance also allows you to reserve the shuttle bus tickets inside the park, which are required to reach different scenic areas.
If you show up without tickets, you risk long queues and possibly sold-out time slots for cable cars or park entry, especially on weekends or public holidays.

Summary recommendation:

May 13 & 16: Downtown Zhangjiajie.
May 14–15: Wulingyuan for park visits.
Allocate one day per major site (Tianmen and Fenghuang) to avoid extremely long and exhausting days.
Purchase all park and shuttle tickets in advance to save time and guarantee access.

With this plan, you can enjoy Zhangjiajie’s natural beauty, Fenghuang’s historic charm, and Tianmen Mountain efficiently and comfortably.