Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
A landscape of towering sandstone pillars, the inspiration for the planet Pandora in Avatar.
Overview
Zhangjiajie is China's first national forest park, world famous for its distinctive sandstone pillar landscape. More than 3,000 stone columns rise from the ground, the tallest reaching 400 metres, and when wrapped in mist they seem otherworldly. The park contains the Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Yangjiajie scenic areas along with the glass bridge and Tianmen Mountain, making it a paradise for nature lovers.
History
The geology of Zhangjiajie formed some 380 million years ago in the Palaeozoic era, and long geological movement and weathering created today's unique quartz sandstone pillars. The area became China's first national forest park in 1982 and was inscribed as a natural World Heritage Site in 1992.
Highlights
- •The floating peaks of Yuanjiajie, a location used in Avatar
- •Panoramic overlooks from Tianzi Mountain
- •One of the longest and highest glass bridges in the world
- •Sunrise over the sea of clouds, a superb photographic opportunity
Practical tips
- •The weather changes quickly, so carry rain gear
- •The park is vast, so use the internal transport
- •Avoid the summer holidays and Golden Week
- •Fit visitors can walk the trails for more unspoiled scenery
Practical information
- Best time
- April to June, September to November
- Tickets
- CNY 225 for a two-day adult ticket covering several scenic areas
- Opening hours
- 7:00 to 18:00
- Local food
- Western Hunan cured meat, sanxiaguo and fern root noodles
- Getting around
- Reached via Hehua airport or the high-speed rail station; inside the park, eco-buses and cable cars are the main transport
- Visa
- Domestic travel only requires a valid identity document, with no visa needed. Popular scenic areas and museums generally require real-name reservations booked online in advance.
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