How the hole came to be
Local records say that in the year 263, during the Three Kingdoms period, a cliff on what was then called Songliang Mountain collapsed and left this opening. The mountain was renamed Tianmen — “Heaven’s Gate” — and the ruler of the Wu kingdom took it as a good omen and founded a prefecture of the same name. Geologists describe it more plainly: the roof of a cave fell in and left the mountain pierced from side to side. It has been the landmark of this corner of Hunan for seventeen centuries; the temple on the summit and the city below both face it.
Who has gone through it
- December 1999 — the Hungarian aerobatic pilot Péter Besenyei flew an Extra 300S through the arch inverted, and a dozen pilots followed him, including a Czech team in a four-plane line.
- March 2006 — the Russian Air Force’s Su-27 display team performed for three days in front of the mountain.
- Late September 2011 — the American wingsuit flyer Jeb Corliss jumped from a helicopter and flew through the cave, live on television; the first attempt was aborted, the second went through.
- October 2012 — the first World Wingsuit Championship was held here; South Africa’s Julian Boulle won with a run of 23.49 seconds.
- February 2018 — Land Rover drove a Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid up the 11.3 km of hairpins and then up the 999 steps, with Ho-Pin Tung at the wheel.
- November 2019 — the French pair Vince Reffet and Fred Fugen flew through the arch on jet-powered wings.
What the 999 steps are like
The staircase runs from the plaza at about 1,050 m to the cave mouth at about 1,170 m — a climb of roughly 120 m. It is built in nine sections, five gentler and four steep; the steepest stretches approach 45 degrees. Five landings break the climb, and local custom gives them names — Youyu, Qinse, Changsheng, Qingyun and Ruyi — one each for wealth, happiness, long life, rank and good fortune. Why 999? Nine is the highest single number in Chinese tradition and sounds like the word for “long-lasting”, so local tradition holds that walking all 999 steps carries longevity through the gate with you.
Most people take 20 to 30 minutes up and 10 to 20 down. There are handrails, with gaps between sections where you change hands. Our advice is to walk up and ride down: a five-section escalator runs beside the steps, ¥32 to go up and free to come down. If you would rather not climb at all, take the escalator both ways.
Reaching the cave since 13 October 2026
The long cableway from the city has been closed for rebuilding since 13 October 2026, and only Route C runs: check in at the mountain gate, ride the Tianmen Cave express cableway (1,209 m, a few minutes) to the plaza below the cave, climb the 999 steps or take the escalator to the cave mouth, continue through the seven escalators inside the rock to the summit, and come back the same way. The ticket includes the express cableway both ways and the seven summit escalators both ways; the ¥32 escalator beside the 999 steps is extra. The operator’s notice also says the east-line walkway, the Coiling Dragon Cliff glass walk and the Sky Ladder itself may close at short notice for weather, maintenance or events — so on most days they are open, and on the day you check the board at the gate. Tickets, fares and timing for the whole mountain are on the Tianmen Mountain page.
Go early. Visitors on the 1 October 2026 holiday report walking straight through the gate at opening, reaching the cave within an hour and the summit soon after, while the queue for the escalators down at midday was close to an hour. The order that works: cave first, summit loop, then back down to the cave mouth and down the steps or escalator before lunch. Prices and timetables last checked October 2026; they change — treat them as a guide, not a quote.
For the record: the suspended cableway from the city — 7,455 m long, about 28 minutes to the top — is closed for rebuilding from October 2026, as is the 99-bend road. No reopening date has been announced.
Quick answers
Where is the “Stairway to Heaven” in China?
On Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan: the 999 stone steps that climb from the plaza to Tianmen Cave. You can see the cave from the city.
Do I have to climb all 999 steps?
No. A five-section escalator runs beside the steps — ¥32 up, free down.
How long does the climb take?
Twenty to thirty minutes up, with five landings to rest on; ten to twenty minutes down.
Did a plane really fly through the hole?
Yes. Aerobatic pilots flew through it — one of them inverted — in 1999, a wingsuit flyer in 2011 and jet-wing flyers in 2019.
How do I get to the cave right now?
By Route C: express cableway from the mountain gate to the plaza, the 999 steps or the escalator to the cave, the seven escalators inside the rock to the summit, and the same way back.
Can the steps be closed?
They are open most days. The operator may close them at short notice for weather, maintenance or events; the notice board at the gate tells you on the day.