How Many Days to Spend in Zhangjiajie

How long to stay in Zhangjiajie? The answer is at least 2 days, during which you can visit most of the popular attractions there including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Tianmen Mountain(Heaven's Gate). In 1 day, only the Forest Park can be visited. Also, since the Park is so big, the trip would be a rush one even if you only cover those core sights. To have a full exploration of Zhangjiajie, please spare at least 3 - 4 days. With 5 - 6 days, Furong Ancient Town and Fenghuang Ancient Town near Zhangjiajie can be added to your Zhangjiajie tour.
 Can you do Zhangjiajie in one day? Generally, it is not highly recommended to give Zhangjiajie itinerary only 1 day as the trip would be very rushed, thus causing a poor traveling experience. If you really only have one day, then just go to visit the core attractions in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, also called Wulingyuan. 

To avoid wasting time, please arrange those top sights like Bailong Elevator in the afternoon as common visitors would visit them in the morning, causing crowds and much time for queuing in lines.
 Enter from the East Gate → the Lower Station of Tianzi Mountain Cable Car – take the Cable Car to the summit → visit Helong Park and Tianzi Pavillion → reach Yangjiajie and then go to the mountain foot by Yangjiajie Cable Car → Longfeng Temple

Stone Peaks in Wulingyuan

 Lower station of Huangshizhai Cable Car – take the Cable Car to the summit – visit Huangshizhai – go down the mountain by the Cable Car – the South Gate and it would be 13:00 – 13:30 – hike along the Golden Whip Stream for 2 hours – Shuiraosimen – Bailong Elevator Lower Station – take the Elevator to Yuanjiajie – Visit Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, then Tianzi Mountain – Tianzi Mountain Cable Car Upper Station at about 17:00 – go down to mountain foot by the Cable Car – exit the Park

Concerning how to avoid crowds in the Park, whether to book tickets in advance, or how to return city center after the tour, check How to Visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
 Based on the above 1-day tour, although you exit the Park not too late, it is estimated that 40,000 steps will be walked, thus tiring for visitors. Therefore, if you have 2 days, please arrange some attractions for the morning of the second day like the below itinerary: 

On the first day, enter the park from the East Gate and tour by the below order: Bailong Elevator – Yuanjiajie – Yangjiajie – Tianzi Mountain, and then exit from the East Gate. At night, you can go to taste local dishes around the East Gate. If you are not tired that night, spend 30 minutes taking a taxi to see performances, the most famous of which include Zhangjiajie Eternal Love Show and Charming Xiangxi; if tired, return to the hotel directly and have a good rest. As for the best area to stay in Zhangjiajie, feel free to read our Where to Stay in Zhangjiajie.

On the second day, have your breakfast around the East Gate and then go to the South Gate by taxi. Then tour Huangshizhai (1 – 1.5 h), Golden Whip Stream (2 – 2.5 h), and Ten Miles Gallery (30 min – 1h) one by one and then exit from the East Gate. After lunch and a short break around the East Gate, you can move on to visit Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon before 14:00. 4 – 5 hours are enough for a through tour of the Canyon.

See also: How to Plan a Zhangjiajie 2-day Trip

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge

 As for "how many days to stay in Zhangjiajie", most visitors would prepare 3 days. With 3 days, the highly-rated Tianmen Mountain can be added to your Zhangjiajie Route.

Tianmen Cave

Spend your first 2 days as above. On the night of the second day, take the long-distance bus to go to downtown and check in a hotel around the Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cable Car. Or you can rest next to the Grand Canyon on the 2nd day, and go to Tianmen Mountain in the morning of the 3rd day.
 

Tianmen Fox Fairy Show

In the morning, go directly to the Lower Station of Tianmen Mountain Cable Car and start your Tianmen Mountain tour. Usually, it takes about 5 – 6 hours to finish the tour. Later spend your night in 72 Strange Buildings, like watching wonderful light shows or performances. To experience local life, you can also go to Hourong Street where the night market is very bustling. If you don't want to walk anymore, then change the market exploration into performance – Tianmen Fox Fairy Show. 
 

With 4 days in Zhangjiajie, give the first 2 days for Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the 3rd day for Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, and the last day for Tianmen Mountain. 
This would be a relaxing tour. You have enough time to rest on the second evening, to relieve the tiredness of a long time walking in the Forest Park. As there are high-altitude exciting programs during the 3rd day’s Grand Canyon tour, a good rest the night before is important.Where to go after Zhangjiajie? If you have more than 4 days, the neighboring attractions like Fenghuang Ancient Town and Furong Ancient Town are good choices. In the morning of the 5th day, take train to Furong Ancient Town to watch the grand waterfall, ethnic wooden buildings, and the narrow and long slate street. In the late afternoon, take a train running to Fenghuang. You can arrive there at night when the peaceful night view of the ancient town will impress you a lot.

On the last day, stroll around the Fenghuang Ancient Town to see the ancient Tujia silted buildings, the beautiful Tuo River, and the Hongqiao Wind and Rain Bridge.