Things to Do in Zhangjiajie

If you’ve seen the James Cameron film Avatar, you might recognize the scenery at China’s majestic Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. According to park officials, it was photos of the national park in Hunan Province of Central China that inspired the floating mountains depicted in the film.

The park was the first designated national forest park in China and a favorite among outdoor loving travelers. The 185 square mile (479 square kilometer) park encompasses countless towering sandstone pillars, many times poking out from a sea of clouds, as well as peaceful streams, gaping karst caves and abundant natural wildlife.

Yuanjiajie, the most popular spot in the park, is where you’ll find the Avatar Hallelujah Mountains, while the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon area is home to the newly opened highest and longest glass bridge in the world.

Numbered among the most beautiful mountains on the planet, Tianmen Mountain in Hunan Province is for many the highlight of a visit to Zhangjiajie. The mountain summits at 4,983 feet (1,519 meters), with plenty of spectacular sights to see on the way up, including near vertical cliffs, a winding walkway appropriately named the 99 Bends and a rock arch called Heaven’s Gate.

Most visitors reach the mountain by riding the world’s longest aerial tramway — a 4-mile (7-kilometer) journey that takes about 30 minutes. Once on the mountain, visitors can choose to test their courage on a cliff-hanging walkway or a pair of glass skywalks. A two-person chairlift ferries visitors to the summit of Tianmen Mountain. A tourist bus winds along the 99 Bends to a natural cave in the mountain face.

The UNESCO-listed Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area encompasses more than 100 square miles (260 square kilometers) of Central China’s Hunan Province. The vast protected area is most famous for its 3,000 narrow sandstone pillars, some poking more than 650 feet (200 meters) into the sky.

While the stone forest is impressive enough as is, it also hides serene streams, natural pools and waterfalls, natural bridges and 40-odd karst caves. The park is also home to impressive biodiversity, including over 3000 species of plants.

Wulingyaun is divided into four national parks: Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, Yangjiajie Scenic area and, most famously, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Hiking is popular throughout, and with so much area, there are plenty of trains to occupy avid hikers for days or even weeks.