Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Scenic Area is located in Sanguansi Township, Cili County, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, adjacent to the Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a world natural heritage site and world geopark. Covering a total planned area of 22 square kilometers, it is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. It is renowned for its stunning canyon scenery and the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, which holds ten world records, with a total investment of 1.6 billion yuan. In recent years, the scenic area has continuously upgraded its quality, actively developing a "tourism + N" product portfolio. It has launched a series of experience projects such as high-altitude jumping boards, via ferrata, high-altitude zip lines, and rock climbing, becoming a popular Internet-famous check-in spot. It is also one of the famous tourist attractions in Hunan Province and a high-quality tourist route favored by tourists at home and abroad.
History and Culture
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon originally had two names. One was "Lanchuan Gorge" (Rotten Boat Gorge), derived from Shenquan Stream, which is the water source for the entire grand canyon and the Southern Red Flag Canal. According to legend, many rotten boat planks once gushed out of the spring, and the local people did not know their origin, hence the name. The other name was "Luanquan Gorge" (Chaotic Spring Gorge), given because there are numerous streams and springs on the rock walls on both sides of the canyon, with water flowing throughout the canyon.
The area boasts rich historical and cultural landscapes. It is said that after Li Zicheng's defeat in battle, he moved to western Hunan and converted to Buddhism at Jiasishan Temple in Shimeng County, Changde City. Wuwangpo Village opposite is one of the legendary ancient battlefields where Wu Sangui pursued Li Zicheng's rebel army. Wu Sangui achieved a great victory here, killing thousands of rebels. Descendants of the local Tujia people named the village "Wuwangpo" (King Wu Slope) based on this legend; there is also a saying that it is called "Wuwangpo" (Wu's Destruction Slope), implying that although Wu Sangui won this battle, he eventually perished in the "Three Feudatories Rebellion".
The Southern Red Flag Canal in the scenic area, originally named Xiyukou Water Conservancy Project, started construction in 1964 and was completed in 1971 after seven years of work. This project solved the problems of paddy field irrigation and drinking water for the people in eight surrounding villages, and it still serves as a drinking water source for many places in the Sanguansi Township market town. During the construction, local people paid a heavy price: Xie Jialü, the commander-in-chief of the project construction, gave up his family for the public good and lived and ate at the construction site for seven years. Five people, including Cao Decheng, even sacrificed their lives for this project.
Main Attractions
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon features towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls and springs. Mountains, water, caves, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, and streams complement each other perfectly. There is a quiet stream in the canyon, with a boardwalk built along the stream. The canyon is covered with lush vegetation, the air is fresh and cool, and mist shrouds the stream, making it like a paradise. It also has cultural landscapes such as the Wuwangpo Ancient Battlefield, the Southern Red Flag Canal, and bandit suppression relics. The "Xiansi Cave", a treasure among karst caves, has been included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Cave Protection List.
Glass Bridge (Yuntiandu)
Formerly known as the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, it is a large valley suspension bridge with a total length of 536 meters and a width of 6 meters. It holds ten world records, including the world's highest bridge, the longest span, and the first bridge built with new composite materials. The total investment of the entire glass bridge project is 260 million yuan. The bridge deck is about 300 meters above the valley floor, paved with 99 pieces of fully transparent laminated glass, each 5 centimeters thick and capable of bearing up to 60 tons. The bridge is equipped with the world's highest bungee jumping platform and the world's steepest zip line platform. It was completed and put into operation on August 20, 2016, and won the 2016-2017 National Quality Project Award. In June 2018, at the 35th World Bridge Conference, it won the "Arthur Haydn Award" — the only innovative award known as the "Nobel Prize in the bridge industry".
Tianxuan Plank Road
Built on the cliff of the canyon, the plank road is over 800 meters long, with a height difference of nearly 300 meters from the bottom of the canyon. From a distance, it seems to hang in the sky, hence the name. Tourists can overlook the magnificent scenery of the canyon while walking on it.
High-Altitude Zip Line
Officially put into operation in July 2020, it has 6 sets of 12 reciprocating high-altitude zip lines, with a total length of 358 meters and a vertical drop of 302 meters. It can accommodate 6 people to slide at the same time, and each round trip takes about 3 minutes, allowing tourists to experience the thrill of speeding like the wind.
Via Ferrata
Installed on the almost vertical giant rock walls of the canyon cliffs, it consists of steel handrails, footrests, and life steel cables to form a climbing path. Making full use of the towering, independent, and uniquely shaped rocks of the Grand Canyon, it allows people without professional rock climbing skills to experience the feeling of "riding" on the cliffs. There are two routes, A and B, with lengths of 360 meters and 356 meters respectively, to meet the experience needs of tourists with different difficulty requirements.
Sightseeing Elevator
Built against the cliff, it greatly shortens the time for tourists to go up and down the mountain, saves physical strength, and facilitates tourists to visit the scenic area.
Rainbow Lake Boat Tour
Tourists can take a boat tour to enjoy the surrounding lake and mountain scenery and spend a leisurely and comfortable time.
Aixiangfei VR
Through 3D glasses, it simulates a 360-degree hot air balloon ride over the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, allowing tourists to experience the perfect integration of technology and nature.
Bungee Jumping Platform
Located under the Glass Bridge, the bungee jumping height reaches 260 meters. It was officially opened to tourists on December 25, 2020, and became the world's highest commercial bungee jumping platform at that time (as of October 26, 2025, the world's highest bungee jumping platform is Huajiang Canyon Bridge, with a height of 625 meters). This project is independently operated by the "Bungee China" team, whose members come from multiple countries. It is one of the few international bungee teams in the world capable of safely operating bungee jumping at heights over 200 meters.
Tour Route
After entering from the scenic area entrance, tourists can first follow the tourist path to visit some attractions of the Grand Canyon. For example, pass through the Tianti Plank Road to experience the unique feeling brought by its slope and narrow wooden planks, then reach the Sandie Tourist Path Platform to enjoy the three-level folded tourist path scenery. After that, head to Wuwangpo to learn about the ancient battlefield legend and enjoy the full view of the opposite cliff. Continue forward to see the thousand-year-old vine and feel its vicissitudes through wind and rain. Later, stop for a rest at Chuangwang Pavilion, then go to visit the Southern Red Flag Canal, a man-made miracle. Next, you can experience the high-altitude zip line project and feel the exciting glide.
After visiting the Grand Canyon, go to the Glass Bridge to experience the shock of the world's top attraction. You can also choose to experience bungee jumping or zip line on the Glass Bridge (additional fees are required and relevant safety requirements must be met). After walking across the Glass Bridge, you can go to the Aixiangfei VR area to experience the charm of the combination of technology and nature. Finally, you can choose to take the sightseeing elevator down the mountain, or continue to walk and visit other attractions before leaving the scenic area from the exit. The entire tour takes about 3-5 hours, and the specific time depends on the stay time of tourists at each attraction and their participation in experience projects.
Tour Suggestions
- Plan your itinerary in advance. Based on the scenic area's opening hours and your own schedule, choose the tour route reasonably to avoid a too tight schedule.
- Wear comfortable sports shoes. Since the walking distance in the scenic area is long and some sections have a large slope, comfortable shoes can make walking easier.
- Bring sun protection products and rain gear. The weather in mountainous areas is changeable; protect yourself from the sun when the sunlight is strong and prepare for sudden rain at the same time.
- If you plan to experience exciting projects such as bungee jumping and zip line, understand your physical condition in advance to ensure you meet the project requirements and follow the guidance of on-site staff.
- You can bring some snacks and drinking water by yourself. Although there are sales points in the scenic area, the prices may be relatively high. Moreover, it is important to replenish energy and water in a timely manner during the tour. However, note not to eat or drink in areas where eating and drinking are prohibited.
Notes
- Abide by all rules and regulations of the scenic area, follow the command of staff, and move within the designated areas. Do not leave the specified tourist path without permission.
- When experiencing high-altitude projects such as the Glass Bridge, if you have acrophobia, prepare mentally in advance. You can adapt slowly and do not force yourself to challenge, to avoid accidents caused by excessive tension.
- Take good care of the scenic area environment. Do not litter randomly or damage vegetation and public facilities.
- When taking transportation (such as the scenic area's sightseeing bus), fasten your seat belt, sit firmly and hold on tight. Do not stand or walk randomly during the ride.
- If you participate in experience projects with certain risks such as bungee jumping and rock climbing, be sure to operate in strict accordance with the requirements of the staff, wear safety equipment correctly, and do not operate in violation of regulations.
- The signal in some areas of the scenic area may be poor. Inform your family or friends of your itinerary in advance to maintain contact when needed.
Transportation
- Starting from Zhangjiajie urban area, you can take the special line bus to the Grand Canyon Scenic Area at Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station. The journey takes about 1.5 hours, and there are many buses. The departure time is roughly from 07:30 to 17:00. For details, you can consult the bus station.
- If you choose to take a taxi, the cost from Zhangjiajie urban area to the scenic area is about 150-200 yuan (for reference only; the actual cost is affected by factors such as road conditions), and the journey takes about 1 hour.
- If you travel by self-driving, you can set the destination as Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Scenic Area through navigation software. Starting from Zhangjiajie urban area, just drive along the corresponding road. The scenic area has a parking lot, and the parking fee is generally 10-20 yuan per day.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is usually open from 8:00 to 16:00. However, the specific opening hours may be adjusted according to seasons, special events or maintenance needs. It is recommended that tourists check the latest opening hours on the scenic area's official website or travel booking platforms before departure to avoid delaying the itinerary.
Tickets
The ticket price is 53 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "张家界大峡谷旅游开发有限公司" to obtain the latest updates or buy tickets online. There are many types of tickets; please choose according to your needs.