Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province. It is famous for its karst peak forest landforms of ‘Three Thousands of Qifeng and Eight Hundreds of Xiushui’. ‘Wonderland punch card’.

The core natural wonders

(1) Quartz sandstone peak forest

This is the most iconic landscape of Zhangjiajie, and it is also a rare geological miracle in the world. There are more than 3,000 quartz sandstone peak columns in the park, with a height from tens of meters to 400 There is no other rice, the peak body is steep and straight, and the shapes are different: some are like sharp swords pointing directly at the sky, some are like old people meditating on a cane, and some are like couples snuggling with each other. Among them, the most representative ‘Qiankun Pillar’ (the prototype of Avatar suspended mountain), the column is as high as 150 The rice, the bottom is slender and the top is thick, as if standing out of thin air, it is even more fantastic when the clouds are shrouded, which makes people sigh the magic of nature. zitain

(2) Golden Whip Creek​

Jinbianxi is the ‘water of the soul’ in Zhangjiajie, with a total length of 5.7 kilometers. Surrounded by peaks and forests on both sides of the valley, shady trees, walking along the stream, you can enjoy the landscape such as ‘Golden Whip Rock’, ‘Condha Eagle Whip’ and ‘Splitting the Mountain to Save the Mother’ – The golden whip rock is shaped like a golden long whip, high 387 The rock wall is steep and smooth, shining under the sunlight, which is in stark contrast to the surrounding green plants; the condor whip is a mountain shaped like an eagle, just guarding the golden whip rock, as if guarding this handle. ‘Nature God Whip’. There are often small fish and crabs playing in the stream, and occasionally you can see macaques shuttle through the forest, which is full of wild fun. zitain

(3) Yuanjiajie​

Yuanjiajie is located in the northern part of the park. It is an excellent platform for viewing the panoramic view of the peak forest. It is about 1200 meters above sea level, and the terrain is relatively flat. The most famous attraction here is ‘the first bridge in the world’ – a naturally formed stone bridge, the bridge deck is about 2 meters wide and 35 meters long, with two peaks connected at both ends, and under the bridge is 357 In the deep canyon, standing on the bridge and overlooking, the peaks and forests have a panoramic view, and the clouds and mists are like being in the clouds. In addition, viewing platforms such as ‘Ecstasy Desk’ and ‘Back Garden’ are also favored by tourists. zitain

(4) Tianzi Mountain

Tianzi Mountain was named after Xiang Dakun, the leader of the ancient Tujia family, led the uprising here, calling himself ‘the Son of Heaven’, with an altitude of 1262.5 meters. The peaks and forests here are famous for their ‘high, big, strange and beautiful’, and have classic landscapes such as ‘Yubi Peak’, ‘Fairy Scattered Flowers’ and ‘West Sea Stone Forest’. The Yubi Peak is composed of 3 stone peaks, which is shaped like the imperial pen of the ancient emperor, and the tip of the pen pointed directly to the blue sky; The sea of clouds in Tianzi Mountain is also very distinctive. When the sky is clear after the rain, the sea of clouds is covered with valleys, and the peaks and forests are like islands. zitain

2. Characteristic experience and humanistic embellishment

(1) Huangshizhai ropeway

Huangshizhai is the ‘air garden’ of Zhangjiajie, with an altitude of 1092 meters. Take the Huangshizhai Cableway up the mountain, with a total length of 973 meters and a height difference of 430 meters. The cable car shuttles between the peaks and forests. Waiting for the landscape to have a panoramic view, especially in the cloudy weather, the cable car seems to be walking through a fairyland, and it is full of experience. After reaching the top, standing on the Liuqi Pavilion, you can overlook the panoramic view of Zhangjiajie Fenglin in 360 degrees. zitain

(2) Yangjiajie Wulong Village​

Yangjiajie is characterized by ‘dangerous, strange, and secluded’. Among them, Wulong Village is full of legends. It was once a place occupied by ancient bandits. Tianbo Mansion consists of more than 10 stone walls, shaped like the city wall of ancient military camp, the wall is about 100 meters high, and the width is only 1-2 Rice, you need to climb along the steep stone steps to reach it. After reaching the top, you can overlook the magnificent scenery of Yangjiajie Fenglin, which is extremely challenging and ornamental. zitain

(3) Tujia folk customs

Zhangjiajie is a settlement of the Tujia people. There are occasional Tujia folk performances around the park and in the scenic spot, such as ‘waving hand dance’ and ‘Magus dance’ and so on. The stilts of the Tujia people are also scattered around the scenic spot, with wooden structures and cornices, which complement the natural landscape. In addition to playing, tourists can also taste the specialties of Tujia, such as ‘Three Pots’, ‘Fried Bracken with Bacon’, etc., and feel the strong ethnic customs. zitain

3. Practical tour guide

(1) Tickets and transportation

1. Tickets: It is recommended to make an appointment through the official channel 1-3 days in advance, and the ticket is valid for 4 days (including environmentally friendly cars in the scenic area). You need to swipe your ID card to enter the park, and it is recommended to carry it with you. zitain

2. Traffic: You can take a plane to Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, or take the high-speed rail to Zhangjiajie West Station, and then transfer to a tourist bus or taxi to the scenic spot (about 30 from the city km); the scenic area takes environmentally friendly vehicles as the main mode of transportation, connecting major scenic spots, which is convenient and fast. zitain

(2) Core line recommendation​​​​​​​​​​

1. Classic 3-Day Tour:

• Day 1: Golden Whip Creek (5.7 kilometers on foot, about 2.5 hours) → Yuanjiajie (Take Bailong Tian Lai to go up the mountain, visit the first bridge in the world, ecstasy platform) → stay in the homestay of Yuanjiajie;

• Day 2: Tianzi Mountain (visiting Yubi Peak, Fairy Sanhua) → Yangjiajie (challenge to Tianbo Mansion, Air Corridor) → Live around Tianzi Mountain;

• Day 3: Huangshizhai (take the ropeway up the mountain, climb the top Liuqi Pavilion) → return. zitain

2. Easy day trip:

• Take the Bailong Ladder to Yuanjiajie (visit the first bridge in the world) → take an environmentally friendly car to Tianzi Mountain (watching Yubi Peak) → take the ropeway to the Tianzi Mountain → Stroll the Jinbian Creek (the essence section, about 1.5 hours) → return. zitain

(3) Notes

1. Clothes preparation: The temperature difference in the scenic area is large, especially the top of the mountain and the bottom of the valley. It is recommended to bring a light jacket; there are many hiking roads, so you need to wear comfortable and non-slip sports shoes. zitain

2. Weather and Safety: Zhangjiajie is rainy and foggy, and the roads are slippery in rainy days, so you need to pay attention to safety; in summer, the ultraviolet rays are strong, so you need to do a good job of sun protection; zitain

3. Food & Accommodation: There are many restaurants and homestays in and around the scenic area. It is recommended to choose regular merchants; you can bring your own small amount of snacks and drinking water, which is convenient for replenishing energy when walking. zitain

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a masterpiece of nature carved in hundreds of millions of years, and every peak and column is full of stories. Whether it is a natural lover who pursues visual shock, a photography enthusiast who yearns to Wonderland, or travelers who want to experience the fun of walking, they can find their own ‘poetry and distant place’. Step on this land, you will find that the original ‘Wonderland’ really exists in the world. zitain