Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is the landscape that inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains in James Cameron's Avatar — and the reality is, if anything, more dramatic than the film. Thousands of towering quartzite sandstone pillars rise vertically from a sea of subtropical forest in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China's first national forest park. The scale is difficult to comprehend from photographs. Standing at a viewpoint with columns of rock stretching to the horizon in every direction, the effect is genuinely otherworldly.

The broader Zhangjiajie area encompasses three main scenic zones: the National Forest Park (pillar landscape), Tianmen Mountain (glass walkways, cable cars, and the famous Heaven's Gate arch), and Baofeng Lake (boat trips through a flooded gorge). Most visitors base themselves in Zhangjiajie city and make day trips to each zone. The National Forest Park deserves at least two days — it is enormous and the different trail systems reveal entirely different aspects of the landscape.

Zhangjiajie has invested heavily in dramatic infrastructure. The Bailong Elevator (the world's highest outdoor lift) carries visitors 326 metres up a sheer cliff face in 2 minutes. The Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge was the world's longest glass-bottomed bridge when it opened. Tianmen Mountain's cable car is the world's longest passenger cable car at 7.5 kilometres. Whether you find this infrastructure thrilling or excessive, it is undeniably effective at making an extraordinary landscape accessible.

Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport (DYG) is about 5 kilometres from Zhangjiajie city centre (15–20 minutes by taxi, ¥30–40). Direct flights serve Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and several other major cities. Flying is by far the easiest way to reach Zhangjiajie.

By high-speed train, Zhangjiajie is connected to Changsha (2 hours) and Zhengzhou. Changsha is the main rail hub connecting Zhangjiajie to the national high-speed network — most visitors travel via Changsha. The journey from Shanghai via Changsha takes around 5 hours.

Zhangjiajie city (also called Yongding) is the main base for most visitors — it has the best range of hotels, restaurants, and transport connections to the scenic zones. The National Forest Park entrance town of Wulingyuan also has hotels, useful if you want to be closer to the park and avoid the daily commute.

For a special experience, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon area has resort hotels with views. Budget travellers will find good hostels in both Zhangjiajie city and Wulingyuan.

Buy a combined scenic area ticket (¥245 for 4 days) which covers the National Forest Park, Yuanjiajie (the main Avatar Mountains viewpoint), and Tianzi Mountain. The Bailong Elevator and cable cars within the park are separate charges. Tianmen Mountain requires a separate ticket (¥258 including cable car).

The National Forest Park is huge — plan at least two days. On day one, focus on the Yuanjiajie plateau (Avatar Mountains viewpoint, Hallelujah Mountain) via the Bailong Elevator. On day two, explore the Tianzi Mountain area and Golden Whip Stream valley trail. Both days involve significant walking — wear comfortable shoes and prepare for crowds at the main viewpoints.

Weather is highly variable. The pillars emerging from low cloud or morning mist is the most spectacular version of the landscape. Pack layers even in summer as the elevated areas can be cool.