Zhangjiajie

About Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie lies in northwestern Hunan and was China’s first national forest park, now also a World Natural Heritage site. More than three thousand quartz sandstone pillars rise vertically from the valley floor, the tallest over two hundred metres, pines growing from their tops. When cloud rolls in, the whole forest seems to float — the Hallelujah pillar in Yuanjiajie inspired the floating mountains of Avatar. Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Golden Whip Stream and Ten-Mile Gallery form the core of Wulingyuan, and the Bailong glass elevator plus cable cars save most of the climbing. Tianmen Mountain and the Grand Canyon glass bridge each have their following, as does Tianmen’s ninety-nine-bend road. The Wulingyuan ticket is valid four days, so you can split visits by weather — misty days look more like ink painting. Allow three to four days, with Fenghuang Old Town two hours south.