Zhangjiajie Travel Guide

Find out about the best things to do in Zhangjiajie.
Zhangjiajie Travel Guide by Wendy Wei Tours

​​​Last Update: 6th October 2020

Planning a trip to China and don’t know where to start? Find out more about some of top things to do in Zhangjiajie with Wendy Wei Tours’ Zhangjiajie travel guide. We detail the best things to do in Zhangjiajie including Golden Whip Stream, Tianmen Mountain, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge and other Zhangjiajie attractions. Find out more about the best Zhangjiajie attractions outlined below:

Best Zhangjiajie Attractions

The list below is a number of the best Zhangjiajie attractions & things to do in Zhangjiajie – to find out more about each attraction, click on the corresponding link.

Interested in visiting Zhangjiajie on a Zhangjiajie Private Tour?

Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours in Zhangjiajie, among other cities and areas. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.

What to expect at the Li River Cruise?

The Li River Cruise is divided into two types. One is the big boat cruise and the other one is the private Li River motorized raft cruise.

Available for all ages (and heights!), the big boat Li River Cruise lasts for around 4 hours from Guilin to Yangshuo. The period of time just depends on the water level in the Li River. Take the big boat and you’ll enjoy all of the stunning scenic point along the Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo. The river turns 90 degrees at the Cattle Valley with the Green Lotus Rock, Bat Rock and rocks in other shapes. Expecting Husband Rock looks as if a women with a baby on the back is expecting the return of husband. The Crown Cave is also located by the Li River. But the boat doesn’t stop during the cruise.

When the boat arrives at Yangdi, you’ll be amazed at the natural beauty. The section between Yangdi to Xingping has the most amazing highlights to enjoy. Wave Stone Legend, Fairy Pull the Mill, Xialong Scenery, Nine-horse Fresco Hill, the background of 20 RMB note – Reflection of Yellow Cloth all are situated there.

There are 3 types of big cruise boats departing at 09:00, 09:20, 09:30 and 09:40 from Guilin to Yangshuo, 3-star, 4-star and 4.5-star cruise boats. With the simple Chinese packaged lunch and the lowest pricing, the 3-star boat is the most popular among domestic Chinese tourists. Always, the foreign tourists prefer to take the 4-star and the 4.5-star boat with the Chinese buffet lunch. And the lunch on the 4.5-star boat is much richer than that on the 4-star boat. Usually, the pricing of tickets on the 4.5-star boat is the highest. Usually, the big cruise boats operate daily. There is Lower Deck, Upper Deck and VIP Seating on the 4-star and 4.5-star boats. There are also 3-star and 4-star return cruise boats from Yangshuo to Yangdi. The 3-star return cruise boat just offers the simple Chinese packaged lunch onboard while the 4-star return cruise boat offers the Chinese buffet afternoon tea onboard as it usually departs at 13:00 from Yangshuo pier. As the boat runs upstream, the cruise lasts for 4 hours as well. It offers the most stunning scenic spots along the river. Usually, the return cruise is unavailable from November to February due to the very low water level. When it will be available again just depends on the rainfall in Yangshuo.

The private Li River motorized raft cruise is appropriate for those who don’t want to spend so much time on the Li River. But the pregnant women, children under 1.2m tall (1.2m tall not included) and the elder above 70 years old (70 years old included) are not permitted to take it due to safety concerns.

​The private cruise can just accommodate 4 passengers. It runs along two sections on the river. One is between Yangdi and Nine-horse Fresco Hill and the other one is between Nine-horse Fresco Hill and Xingping. Whether the private cruise is available is subject to the water level in the Li River. 

Best time to enjoy the Li River Cruise?

It is safer to enjoy the cruise from October to March and in May, July and August as it rains a little in Yangshuo.

 

How to get to the Li River Cruise?

There is no direct bus from Guilin city to the pier in Guilin. The only option is to rent a vehicle to the pier (the pier for the 3-star cruise is called Mopanshan Pier and the pier for the 4-star and 4.5-star cruises is Zhujiang Pier). For the private rafting, there are piers in Yangdi and Xingping.

 

Additional Li River Cruise Advice

  • As at 4th October 2020, the return cruise from Yangshuo to Yangdi is available & operating. It typically operates between April to October. The same applies for the Yangshuo to Guilin return cruises.
  • There are one or two vegetarian dish options on the 4-star and 4.5-star boats. If you are vegetarian, it is suggested that you have lunch at the very first beginning as some meat may drop into the vegetables when other passengers pick it.
  • There is a security check at the pier just like that at the airport. It is recommended that you arrive at the pier 30 minutes at least in advance.
  • All types of tickets on the 4-star and 4.5 star boats are capped with the same pricing due to the accounting reason. But the actual pricing is higher than that on the ticket.
  • For the Private Li River Cruise Rafts, persons over 65 years of age and under 120 cms tall are not permitted on-board.
Qingxiu Mountain ​Interested in enjoying yourself in a quiet environment with lush and green plants and colorful flowers in Nanning? Qingxiu Mountain is a famous local park offering visitors and locals alike a variety of gardens and entertainment facilities to enjoy in Nanning.
Guangxi Museum
​Are you interested in learning the history and culture of Guangxi Province? The best place to start is by visiting Guangxi Museum which offers a variety of antique collections including minority antiques, ceramics, tea culture and more!
South Lake Park
​Located in the central downtown area of Nanning City, South Lake Park offers a flush green park with quiet surrounding in the center of Nanning. The park has no corresponding entrance fee and is a popular place for locals to relax in the middle of the city.
Yiling Cave
​Situated only 18 kms from Nanning City, the Yiling Cave is a famous karst cave, locally known as “the Underground Palace”. The cave features stalactites, stalagmites, stone flowers and stone pillars with different shapes.
Yangmei Ancient Town
​With a history of over 1,000 years, Yangmei Ancient Town has the best-preserved old buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Within the town, there are over 700 buildings of that kind, including residents, docks and estates are dotted around Yangmei Town.
Bama Longevity Village
​As a settlement for ethnic minorities, Bama Longevity Village enjoys a good reputation around the world. With the unique natural environment, exceptional air and one-of-a-kind spring water, it has raised countless the most centurions within an area, worldwide.
Detian Waterfalls
​Would you like to know why several former US presidents had spoken highly of the Reed Flute Cave after visiting it? It features its own unique charm, which some consider to be distinct from any other attractions in the world!
Tongling Grand Canyon
​Situated 29 kms from the Detian Waterfalls, Tongling Grand Canyon offers waterfalls in caves, underground rivers, old trees, ancient hanging coffins, streams and primeval vegetation. It is also home to more than 2,000 types of plants.
Quyang Lake
​Located 28 kilometers northwest of Jingxi, Quyang Lake is ideal for photographing the stunning sunset. This is a man-made reservoir with incredible scenery featuring tens of peaks standing in the lake, this attraction offers a unique view to appreciate.
Baimo Cave
​Baimo Cave is located 30 kilometers from Bama Town and is considered to be one of the main highlight in Bama. The karst cave offers four different ‘palaces’ (caverns) as well as several sinkholes on which stands cliffs and tens of stone pillars with heights of up to 80 meters!
Interested in visiting Zhangjiajie on a Zhangjiajie Private Tour?

Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours in Zhangjiajie, among other cities and areas. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.

Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin Exterior

Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel, Guilin Interior

Elephant Trunk Hill Hotel, Guilin Exterior
Zizhou Panoramic Hotel, Guilin Interior