Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Scenic Area is located in Sanguansi Township, Cili County, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, adjacent to the Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, a World Natural Heritage and World Geopark. The scenic area covers a total planned area of 22 square kilometers and is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. It is renowned for its stunning canyon scenery and the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, which has set ten world records. With a cumulative investment of 1.6 billion yuan, the scenic area has continuously upgraded in recent years, actively developing "tourism+N" product combinations and launching a series of experience projects such as high-altitude bungee jumping, via ferrata, high-altitude zip lines, and rock climbing. It has become a popular online celebrity check-in destination, a famous tourist attraction in Hunan Province, and a boutique tourist route favored by domestic and foreign tourists.
History and Culture
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon originally had two names. One was "Rotten Boat Gorge," derived from Shenquan Stream, from which the water of the entire grand canyon and the Southern Red Flag Canal originates. Legend has it that many rotten boat boards once emerged from the spring, and local people named it so without knowing their origin. The other name was "Chaotic Spring Gorge," named for the numerous streams and springs on both cliffs of the canyon, creating a scene of flowing water throughout the gorge.
Here lies a rich historical and cultural landscape. It is said that after Li Zicheng's defeat, he moved to western Hunan and converted to Buddhism at Jiashan Temple in Shimen County, Changde City. The opposite Wuwangpo Village is said to be one of the ancient battlefields where Wu Sangui pursued and attacked Li Zicheng's rebel army. Wu Sangui won a great victory here, killing thousands of rebel soldiers. Descendants of the local Tujia people named the village "Wuwangpo" (Wu King Slope) based on this legend, also known as "Wuwangpo" (Wu Perishing Slope), implying that although Wu Sangui won this battle, he eventually met his downfall in the "Rebellion of the Three Feudatories."
The Southern Red Flag Canal in the scenic area, formerly known as the Xiyukou Water Conservancy Project, started construction in 1964 and was completed in 1971 after seven years. The project solved the problems of paddy field irrigation and drinking water for the people in eight surrounding villages, and it remains the drinking water source for many places in the market town of Sanguansi Township today. During its construction, local people made huge sacrifices. Xie Jialv, the project construction commander, lived and worked on the construction site for seven years, putting aside his family, and five people including Cao Decheng even sacrificed their lives for it.
Main Attractions
Grand Canyon
The grand canyon features towering cliffs, flying waterfalls, and a harmonious contrast of mountains, waters, caves, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, and streams. A quiet stream runs through the canyon, with a wooden walkway along its edge. The valley is lush with vegetation, the air is fresh and cool, and mist shrouds the stream, creating a paradise-like setting. It also boasts cultural landscapes such as the Wuwangpo ancient battlefield, the Southern Red Flag Canal, and bandit suppression ruins. The cave treasure "Xuan Silk Cave" is listed in the World Natural Heritage Cave Protection List by UNESCO.
Glass Bridge (Yuntian Du)
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 has set ten world records, including the world's highest, longest span, and first use of new composite materials for bridge construction. The entire glass bridge project invested 260 million yuan, with the bridge deck about 300 meters above the valley floor. It is paved with 99 pieces of fully transparent laminated glass, 5 centimeters thick, each capable of bearing 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, won the 2016-2017 National High-Quality Engineering Award, and received the "Arthur Haydon" award, the only innovative award known as the "Nobel Prize of Bridge Engineering," at the 35th World Bridge Conference in June 2018.
Sky-Hanging Plank Road
Built on the canyon cliffs, the plank road is more than 800 meters long, with a height difference of nearly 300 meters to the canyon bottom. It appears to hang in the sky from a distance, hence the name. Visitors walking on it can overlook the spectacular canyon scenery.
High-Altitude Zip Line
Officially operated 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 carry 6 people simultaneously, and each round-trip glide takes about 3 minutes, allowing visitors to experience the thrill of speed.
Via Ferrata
Set on the near-vertical giant rock walls of the canyon cliffs, it consists of steel handrails, footrests, life cables, and other climbing paths. Making full use of the grand canyon's towering and uniquely shaped rocks, it allows people without professional climbing skills to experience the feeling of galloping on cliffs. It has two routes, A and B, with lengths of 360 meters and 356 meters respectively, catering to visitors with different difficulty needs.
Sightseeing Elevator
Built against the wall, it greatly shortens the time for visitors to go up and down the mountain, saves physical strength, and facilitates sightseeing in the scenic area.
Rainbow Lake Cruise
Visitors can take a boat tour to enjoy the surrounding lake and mountain scenery and savor a leisurely time.
Love Fly VR
Through 3D glasses, it simulates a 360° aerial tour of the Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in a hot air balloon, allowing visitors to experience the perfect integration of technology and nature.
World's No.1 Bungee Jumping Platform
Located below the glass bridge, the bungee jumping height reaches 260 meters. It was officially opened to the public on December 25, 2020, becoming the world's highest commercial bungee jumping site. The project is independently operated by the "Bungee China" team, whose members come from multiple countries, making it one of the few international bungee jumping teams globally capable of safely operating above 200 meters.
Cuisine
Tujia Sour Meat
Made from fresh pork paired with local specialty pickled vegetables, slow-cooked to release a tangy aroma. The meat is soft and glutinous, with a sour and fresh taste, a authentic Zhangjiajie delicacy.
Sangzhi Dried Tofu
Famous for its unique taste and rich nutrition, it is tender, smooth, and moderately salty, an excellent snack for trips. Paired with hot tea, it offers great comfort.
Spicy Chicken
Stir-fried with local free-range chicken, it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with spicy and delicious chili peppers, satisfying Hunan people's love for spiciness and greatly enhancing appetite.
Glutinous Rice
As a traditional Zhangjiajie snack, glutinous rice is paired with various fillings such as cured meat and red bean paste, featuring a soft and glutinous texture, sweet but not greasy, suitable for breakfast or afternoon tea.
Tea-Leaf Egg
Common in small stalls of the grand canyon, peeling the eggshell reveals a rich tea aroma. Simple yet delicious, it brings warmth to visitors.
Sanguo Guo (Three-Dish Hot Pot)
A traditional Zhangjiajie food, typically slow-cooked with three ingredients: pork tripe, beef tripe, and sheep tripe, offering a unique and delicious taste.
Tujia Cured Meat
Made from high-quality pork through multiple processes such as curing and smoking, it has a firm texture and rich aroma.
Kudzu Powder
Ground from local kudzu roots, consumed with honey or brown sugar, it is cool and refreshing, with a delicate taste.
Hot and Sour Noodles
Mainly made of sweet potato noodles, paired with a special hot and sour soup base, sprinkled with peanut crumbs and coriander, it is hot, sour, and refreshing, very appetizing.
Oil Tea
A beverage made by mixing and boiling multiple ingredients such as tea leaves, puffed rice, and peanuts, which can be served hot or cold, with a unique flavor.
Fern Cake Fried with Meat
Fern cake is a food made from grinding the roots of wild ferns into a slurry and forming it into cakes, stir-fried with fresh pork, offering a fresh aroma and rich texture.
Tujia Sesame Cake
With a crispy outer skin and various fillings (sweet or salty), it is easy to carry, making it a good snack choice during trips.
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" on WeChat to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online. There are many types of tickets, so please choose according to your needs.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is usually open from 8:00 to 16:00, but the specific opening hours may be adjusted according to seasons, special events, or maintenance needs. It is recommended that visitors check the latest opening time information on the scenic area's official website or travel booking platforms before traveling to avoid delaying their itinerary.
Tour Routes
After entering from the scenic area entrance, visitors can first tour the grand canyon's attractions along the walkway, such as passing through the Ladder Plank Road to experience its slope and the unique feeling of narrow wooden boards, then reaching the Three-Fold Walkway Platform to admire the three-level folded walkway landscape. Subsequently go to Wuwangpo to learn about the ancient battlefield legend and enjoy the full view of the opposite cliff. Continue moving forward to view the thousand-year-old vine, feeling its vicissitudes through wind and rain. After that, reach Chuangwang Pavilion for a short rest, then go to view the Southern Red Flag Canal, a man-made wonder. Next, you can experience the high-altitude zip line project to feel the exciting glide.
After visiting the grand canyon, go to the glass bridge to experience the shock of the world records. You can also choose to experience bungee jumping or zip lining on the glass bridge (additional fees apply and relevant safety requirements must be met). After crossing the glass bridge, go to the Love Fly VR area to feel the integration of technology and nature. Finally, you can choose to take the sightseeing elevator down the mountain or continue walking to visit other attractions before leaving the scenic area from the exit. The entire tour takes about 3-5 hours, depending on the time visitors spend at each attraction and their participation in experience projects.
Transportation
- Starting from Zhangjiajie urban area, you can take a special line bus to the Grand Canyon Scenic Area at Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station, with a journey of about 1.5 hours. There are many departures, roughly from 07:30 to 17:00, and specific information can be consulted at the bus station.
- If taking a taxi, the cost from Zhangjiajie urban area to the scenic area is approximately 150-200 yuan (for reference only, actual costs are affected by road conditions and other factors), with a journey of about 1 hour.
- For self-driving, set the destination as Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Scenic Area through navigation software. Starting from Zhangjiajie urban area, drive along the corresponding roads. The scenic area has a parking lot, and parking fees are generally 10-20 yuan per day.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Glass Bridge (Yuntian Du): The world's first cable-stayed alpine canyon glass bridge, setting ten world records. Standing on the bridge, you can overlook the full view of the valley floor, feel the high-altitude excitement, and marvel at its unique architectural design.
- Grand Canyon: With its beautiful natural scenery, interweaving cliffs, waterfalls, streams, and vegetation, walking through it is like being in a paradise, while also appreciating rich historical and cultural landscapes.
- Via Ferrata: A climbing path set on canyon cliffs, allowing visitors to challenge themselves, experience the thrill of galloping on cliffs under safety protection, and enjoy unique canyon views.
- High-Altitude Zip Line: Sliding through the air at high speed, feeling the howling wind, experiencing unique speed and passion, while enjoying the magnificent canyon scenery.
Tour Tips
- Plan your itinerary in advance, choose a reasonable tour route according to the scenic area's opening hours and your own schedule, and avoid a too tight schedule.
- Wear comfortable sports shoes, as the walking distance in the scenic area is long and some sections have large slopes. Comfortable shoes make walking easier.
- Carry sunscreen and rain gear. The mountain weather is changeable, so protect yourself from the sun on sunny days and prevent sudden rain.
- If you plan to experience exciting projects like bungee jumping and zip lining, understand your physical condition in advance, ensure you meet the project requirements, and follow the guidance of on-site staff.
- You can bring your own snacks and drinking water. Although there are sales points in the scenic area, prices may be relatively high, and it is important to replenish energy and water in a timely manner during the tour. However, pay attention not to eat in areas where food is prohibited.
Precautions
- Abide by the scenic area's rules and regulations, follow the staff's instructions, and move within the specified areas. Do not leave the designated walkway without permission.
- When experiencing high-altitude projects like the glass bridge, if you have acrophobia, prepare mentally in advance, adapt slowly, and do not force yourself to challenge them to avoid accidents caused by excessive tension.
- Take care of the scenic area's environment, do not litter, and do not damage vegetation or public facilities.
- When taking transportation (such as scenic area sightseeing vehicles), fasten your seat belt, sit firmly, and do not stand or walk around during driving.
- If participating in risky experience projects like bungee jumping and rock climbing, strictly follow the staff's instructions, wear safety equipment correctly, and do not operate in violation of regulations.
- Signal may be poor in some areas of the scenic area. Inform family or friends of your itinerary in advance to maintain contact when needed.