Where is Zhangjiajie National Park. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (湖南 张家界 国家 森林 公园) - unique place, finding yourself in which you will not believe that this is all happening in reality. And if you watched the movie "Avatar", then you will recognize the satellite Pandora with its towering rock pillars. The park is located in southwestern China, on the territory of the Wulingyuan reserve, in the Hunan province and belongs to the Wulingshan mountain system. Zhangjiajie became the first park in China to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The formation of such an unusual landscape is due to the prolonged weathering and washing out of rocks. The pillar rocks are composed of quartzite and sandstone. The most beautiful rock has a height of 1080 m, the Chinese called it "Mount Avatar-Hallelujah" and put several avatar figures here, where tourists like to take pictures.

In total, there are more than 3 thousand similar rocks in the Zhangjiajie Forest Park, a third of which rises by more than 200 m.The highest point of the area is Mount Doupeng, its height is 1890 m.

Must see: the most beautiful areas of Zhangjiajie Park

"Bridge over the sky"

"Bridge over the sky", also known as Natural Bridge No. 1, is a unique creation of nature, which is located at an altitude of 357 m. The bridge connects the tops of 2 rocks. The width is 4 m, the length is 50 m, and the thickness is 5 m.

Tianzishan - Mountain of the Son of Heaven

The terrain of this area is located at an altitude of 1182 m. From here it is possible to contemplate the peaks piercing the clouds. The spectacle is truly incredible!

"Elevator 100 Dragons"

The 100 Dragons Elevator (Bailong Glass Elevator) is an open lift, which is also the tallest in the world. An elevator takes you to the top of a 330 m high steep slope.A lift in a transparent cabin will give you unforgettable experience... The elevator can accommodate up to 50 people, so not everyone is able to observe the beauty. It is better to come here in the morning, otherwise later you can get into the 4-hour queue.

Laowuchang

The wildest area of ​​Zhangjiajie National Park, where tourists walk on muddy paths. Here are the rice fields Spirit Soldiers Gathering and Paddies in the Sky. This place is especially loved by photographers.

Stream "Golden whip"

One of the most popular routes in the park, which stretches for 7 km. The path lies along a cute stream surrounded by beautiful rocks... Of the minuses - too many people, and always.

Yellow Rocks Region

This area is located slightly north of the Golden Whip. The famous Five-Fingers Peak is located here. Tourists prefer to stay at the observation deck, because from here an incredible view opens up - and it is not at all necessary to pay for the lift.

It should also be noted that in the Wulingyuan Nature Reserve, on the territory of which Zhangjiajie Park is located, there are several natural attractions, where tickets must be bought separately:

• Dragon King's Cave Longwandong - 81 ¥ ($ 12.5);
• Yellow Dragon Cave Huanglong - 100 ¥ (16 $);
• Baofeng artificial lake - 98 ¥ (15 $).

Fauna and flora

About 3 thousand species of rare plants grow on the territory. Among the rarest representatives here you can find red and pigeon trees, as well as gingko. And more than 500 representatives of the animal world live in the reserve - various monkeys, civets, salamanders, etc.

Information for visitors

The address: Wulingyuan, Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China, 427400

Schedule: 07:00-18:00

Best months to visit: April, September, October

How much is needed for inspection: 3-5 days

Ticket prices:

• 4 days for 245 ¥ (38 $);
• 7 days for ¥ 298 ($ 46).

Where to stay

The nearest railway station and airport are in Zhangjiajie city. From here to the park as much as 50 km, so it makes no sense to stop in the city. Not far from the park, there is a small town called (Wulingyuan). There are cafes, hotels and all the infrastructure necessary for a tourist.

There are also accommodation options on the territory of the national park itself.As a rule, these are hotels with a minimum of amenities.

How to get there

By plane Zhangjiajie can be reached from any big city China:

• from Beijing - $ 110-130;
• from Guangzhou - $ 70-80;
• from Shanghai - $ 115;
• from Xi'an - $ 70-80.

It is better to get from the airport to the national park by taxi, the approximate cost is $ 15.

If you prefer trains, then you can consider the options:

• from Beijing (60-100 $ *);
• from Guangzhou (50-80 $ *);
• from Shanghai (60-80 $ *);
• from Changsha ($ 30-40 *);

*more low price indicated for the reserved seat, the higher one - for the compartment.

From the railway stations there are buses to Wulingyuan city, from where you can take a taxi or walk to the park.

All calculations are in RMB, prices are for better understanding.

To visit Zhangjiajie Park in China, don't forget:

• water;
• snack (everything on the territory is quite expensive);
• raincoat;
• comfortable shoes;
• camera;
• a map of the park;
• cash.

Zhangjiajie is a national forest park in China, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main attraction of the reserve is a mountain range of weathered sand and quartz pillars. I think everyone has watched James Cameron's "Avatar" at least once in their life, so this place has become the prototype of the floating rocks of the planet Pandora.

On the one hand, there is no other such attraction in the world. Zhangjiajie Park is a unique natural phenomenon that is worth seeing with your own eyes.

But on the other hand, unpleasant consequences of interaction with Chinese culture will await you on the way: no one speaks English, it is unlikely that it will be possible to pay by card or withdraw money, it would be better to check your insurance before taking Chinese food, and finally the "Chinese" themselves ... Are you annoyed by a meeting with a tourist group of a couple of dozen shouting Chinese, somewhere in Europe? I think everyone will answer in the affirmative. Get ready that there are thousands of Chinese in Zhangjiajie. They will all yell furiously, make noise, eat all smelly stuff, push and do everything possible to ruin your holiday.

Which scales in the end will outweigh, the natural beauty or the difficulties of survival in Chinese society, will you enthusiastically talk about your journey or curse Zhangjiajie, the answer to these questions can be obtained in only one way, by going to the reserve on your own.

The city of Zhangjiajie by the standards of China is a village, with a population of about 200,000 people, information varies from source to source. It has its own airport, railway station, bus station.

Flight from Russia

Naturally, there are no direct flights from Russia to Zhangjiajie.

The most optimal route from Moscow is a one-stop flight through Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. Aeroflot has direct flights to each of these cities. Chinese airlines offer a single segment flight to Zhangjiajie with transit:

• Air China - transfer in Beijing;
• China Eastern - transfer in Shanghai, Xi'an;
• China Southern - transfer to Guangzhou, Shenzhen.

My personal opinion is that it is better to fly with a Chinese airline, buying a ticket in one segment. This will immediately save you from a number of problems, which will certainly cause inconvenience if you buy separate tickets from different airlines.

We flew by Air China via Beijing, the ticket was the same, i.e. at the check-in counter in Moscow I was given two boarding, one Moscow - Beijing, the second Beijing - Zhangjiajie.

You can find a suitable flight for yourself below:

Zhangjiajie airport

The region serves international Airport Dayong Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (DYG), which receives flights from all major cities China.

The route map is presented below. You can click on the picture and go to the airport page in the flightradar service. There is the most complete and reliable information on all flights to Zhangjiajie, their schedule, airlines that operate flights. In general, I recommend it, an excellent assistant in travel planning.

We flew directly here.

Before describing the available transport options from the airport, I will make a small digression regarding hotel booking. You can live in the city of Zhangjiajie and drive to the park from here (about 40 km.). Or you can book a hotel next to the nature reserve in Wulingyuan Town. which option is better - read on.

Taxi from the airport

I recommend not to rack your brains, but to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Keep in mind that the Chinese see a bag of money in pale-faced people, so they will immediately raise the price 5-10 times higher, they do not go on the counter. Negotiate the price right away. In English, none of them understands a word, so have a piece of paper with a pen to write your price, as well as a printout with the name of the hotel so that the address is spelled out in hieroglyphs.

Average taxi price from the airport:

• To the hotel within the city center of Zhangjiajie (drive no more than 5 km.) - 20-30 CNY
• To the hotel near the entrance to the park - Wulingyuan village (go about 40 km.) - 150 CNY

Airport bus

This is an option for the hardest backpackers. I have no experience of traveling on a city bus, but I have some information.

Bus number 4 runs from the airport to Zhangjiajie city center. The fare is 1 or 2 CNY. It runs from 06:30 to 21:30, I can't tell you the frequency.

Zhangjiajie Railway Station

The railway is, to put it mildly, not the best solution to get to Zhangjiajie. Routes from the largest metropolitan areas in China take a very long time. The ticket price is about 100 USD.

Summary of key areas:

If you have the courage to travel a day by train in China, then here is a site to help, where you can read more about railway, buying tickets and other features.

Bus station in Zhangjiajie

Located next to the railway station of the city. This is the starting point for city buses, about 7 routes in total. But who needs them? Once again, it’s easier to take a taxi, you can get to any part of the city for 20 CNY.

In addition to city routes, tourist buses leave from the bus station to Zhangjiajie Park and other attractions. I will write about this separately in the section about a specific place.

Taxi in Zhangjiajie

The procedure for organizing a trip is as follows: we approach the taxi driver and show him a picture with the place where you want to go, it is also desirable that the name is also written in Chinese characters. After making sure that the comrade understands you, then we move on to the price. We write our price list on a piece of paper and show it. The taxi driver starts waving his hands, turning his head, saying something in Chinese, drawing different numbers with his hands, we send him to hell and go to the next car.

How do you determine the value to offer? Calculate at 4 CNY per kilometer. Those. if you need to go from the Zhangjiajie bus station to the park entrance about 35 km, then the cost will be 140 CNY. This amount is 15-20% higher than for locals, so you can offer less if you wish, but then you will have to spend more time to negotiate with the driver.

Where to stay in Zhangjiajie

I turn to the second very important aspect when preparing for the trip. Your daily routine will directly depend on the choice of housing.

There are two options, stop directly in Zhangjiajie, 40 km away. from the entrance to the national park or book a hotel in Wulingyuan village. Every option has a right to life.

We booked 2 nights in Wulingyuan for a tour of the reserve and the surrounding area and another night in Zhangjiajie for a tour. I think this is the best option. If you live in Zhangjiajie, you will have to travel to Wulingyuan (attractions near it) for an hour every day, and two directions are already running.

Zhangjiajie Accommodation

Below is a map with all the hotels in the city that are registered in the Booking. You can click on it and.

I recommend that you immediately check the boxes to filter accommodation options by 4 and 5 stars. The choice will be reduced to 20 hotels. Of these, see those that will be closer to the center and free for your dates. There will most likely be 2-3 hotels.

Why 4 and 5 stars? Because the price of the five is about 80 USD per night. And although there will be zero in terms of service, it is at least possible to live in such places. And what happens in other hotels, below the category at a price of 20 - 50 bucks, God knows.

Although I also know, I was in one of these hotels in Beijing. Remember the beginning of the "hangover in Vegas - 2" when they wake up with a hangover in some slums? - this is what $ 30 hotels in China look like.

So look for the most expensive options, as close to the center as possible.

Regarding living in Zhangjiajie itself, I repeat once again, from here you will have to travel every day to the reserve for 40-60 minutes. It is better to first live in Wulingyuan for a couple of days, see the park, and then move here for one night to visit Tianmen (written about the mountain).

The hotel we stayed at is called Da Cheng Shanshui Hotel. I didn't like it at all. no lobby bar, breakfasts are dark. Yes, he is not even in the booking, how we got there, is another story.

Wulingyuan Hotels

In my opinion, this is the most the best way for accommodation if you want to see the reserve and its surroundings. The hotel map is below.

We can say that this is a park within a park. Those. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is some kind of fenced area national reserve to enter here, you have to pay a certain amount.

Zhangjiajie Park Entrance Fee

• High season (May to November) - 245 CNY
• Low season (December to February) - 136 CNY

The ticket is purchased at the box office at the entrance. Valid for four days from the date of purchase. You do not need to throw it out after the first day, we also go through it to the territory the next day.

The ticket price includes: visiting all zones related to Zhangjiajie Park (more on them below), as well as free travel on buses that run inside the park.

The ticket price does not include: all lifts, cable cars and lifts, they are paid separately. Here is a list of them:

• Bailong elevator - 72 CNY
• Cable car Yellow Stone Village - 65
• Tianzi Mountain Cable Car - 72
• Cable Car - Yangjiajie - 76
• Train Ten-mile Gallery - 38

Which of them will have to be used, I will tell you a little later.

Free buses around the park

You will need to travel between the zones of the park by buses that run between attractions. Unfortunately, I don't have maps with stops. You can get it in Zhangjiajie at the box office at the entrance. In the meantime, you can google the wulingyuan national park map and see the pictures, there are some good schemes.

In principle, two bus lines: the first (auxiliary) - passes at the foot of the mountains and takes tourists to the cable cars, the Bailong elevator, the ten mile train, the second - along the highlands (in the article below, “upper tier”), runs between the main attractions of the park.

Those. Usually, the layout is as follows, we sit down and the bus at the entrance to the park, go to the nearest lift (elevator), climb to the upper tier, and then begin to inspect the park's zones, moving between them on buses of the second line.

Entrance to Zhangjiajie Territory

Since the territory of the park is huge, it has several entrances, where ticket offices are located. There are three of them in total, I place them in order of priority of use:

• Wulinguan gate: Located within walking distance from the city of the same name (in which we stayed).
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Gate: This entrance is closest to Zhangjiajie city. From here you get to the Gold Whip Stream zone.
• Tianzi Mountain Gate: The entrance is practically not used, it is located in the north of the park.

Thus, if you follow my example, then in order to be in the park you will need to get up in the morning and walk 15 minutes from the hotel on foot to the Wilinguan Gate entrance.

Staying in Zhangjiajie City? then there are two options: a taxi (the preferred way) or a bus with central station(Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station). It takes about 40 minutes to Wulingyuan, the price is about 12 CNY.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Zones

The entire park is divided into several zones. Their number in each source of information is different, somewhere four of them are indicated, and somewhere it is divided more finely, into eight. There is no consensus. I prefer the option of dividing the territory into 6 segments.

I figured out such a schematic picture so that it was at least a little clear what the speech was about.

I want to note right away that our trip to South China was planned to be short, but very productive. The task was set in a short time, to see the maximum in the region. Therefore, two zones were selected for inspection in Zhangjiajie Park, Tianzi Mountain and Yuanjiajie. Why exactly are they? This was a council of Chinese friends working in the tourism industry in the region. First, I will walk through the parts of the park that I managed to see personally, and then I will share with general information, which is in other zones.

Tianzi mountain

Many guests start their first acquaintance with the park from here. To climb the mountain and see the sharp, rocky peaks wrapped in clouds, take the Tianzi Mountain cable car. These are the first compulsory expenses besides the entrance fee to Zhangjiajie Park. Let me remind you that the cost of ascent / descent one way is 72 CNY.

Climbing the cable car is already a separate entertainment, I liked it. True, the booths are closed, the windows are stained, but you can put up with this when the truly stunning mountain landscapes of South China open up around.

A completely logical question is brewing, is it possible to get to the Tianzi summit without using the cable car? You can, you just have to climb the mountain along the trail on foot, the climb - 700 meters, it will take, offhand, about 3 hours, an absolutely unjustified action. The use of the Tianzi Mountain Cable Car is necessary in this case.

After climbing to the top of the mountain, an incredible panorama of the rocks opens from the observation deck.

Unfortunately, the photos are poor. In the conditions of haze and fog, it was not possible to pull something decent out of them. So take our word for it, the Tianzi Observation Deck is great.

My acquaintance with Mount Tianzi was over at this point, from the nearest bus stop we went to the Yuanjiajie zone. I do not advise you to do this, plan more time for this part of the park, wander near the Yubi Feng pagoda and its surroundings. In the Tianzi Mountain area, there are many small trails with excellent viewpoints.

It is enough to allocate only 20-30 minutes to the highest point, where the lift takes you. This time is indicated already taking into account the fact that you will have to bump into the Chinese for a profitable place for a photo, and this is extremely difficult to do. To inspect the rest of Tianzi Mountain, I would lay another 2-3 hours.

Yuanjiajie Scenic Area

It is considered the most picturesque, and at the same time, the busiest area of ​​the entire Zhangjiajie Park. I confirm all these arguments, it is unrealistically beautiful, but at the same time there are a lot of Chinese people.

Plan to visit Yuanjiajie Territory in Zhangjiajie Park for at least 2 hours. This is enough to bypass the main observation decks... My calculations in time are given only for the walk itself, to go down from the Yuanjiajie highlands to the exit from the park will take another 1 to 2 hours.

In our case, this zone was the last one in the park. To descend from the "upper tier" down, we chose the Bailong elevator located nearby. This is how it looks from below:

The Chinese, horror, how they love high-tech buildings, respectively, the queues for the elevator are gigantic. To drive in a packed glass booth for 3 minutes, you will have to wait 1-2 hours. Besides, let me remind you that the lift is paid separately, 72 CNY.

Is it mandatory to use the elevator when visiting Yuanjiajie? I cannot answer this question unambiguously, since I have not completely familiarized myself with the logistics of moving around the park. If your visit to the park is planned the same as ours. those. after Yuanjiajie you are immediately going to the exit, then I think you will have to use the elevator. This is the only way to quickly descend from the highlands down to the bus stop from where the buses go to the exit. Going back to the Tianzi Mountain cable car would be silly. Well, if Yuanjiajie will be an intermediate point during your daytime stay in the park, then it is better to build your route bypassing the elevator so as not to stand in hellish lines.

This is what the line looks like for the bus that takes people from the Bailong elevator to the exit from Zhangjiajie Park in the late afternoon, when people gradually begin to leave the reserve.

This was the end of our acquaintance with the park. We did not include other areas of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in the express tour program of the region. Now I understand that I should devote much more time to this place and visit every part of the reserve, but that was what happened. Next, I will simply list them, with a brief reference description of what is there.

Yangjiajie Scenic Area

This area of ​​Zhangjiajie Park was recently opened to tourists. Located on the "upper tier". Judging by the reviews, it has a difficult hiking route with large differences in altitude. But the game is worth the candle, its territory is no less picturesque than the previous Yuanjiajie, but in turn there are an order of magnitude fewer tourists, due to the complexity of the route.

Most of all I regret that I could not visit this area of ​​Zhangjiajie.

Laowuchang (Old House Area)

It is considered the most undeveloped territory of the park and also belongs to the “upper tier”. From the bus stop, tourists are invited to walk a hiking route along a dirt road about 2 km in one direction, along the road there are several observation platforms. Probably very nice and not so crowded. Plan for this area for about 1.5 hours.

In general, my opinion is that, first of all, it was necessary to inspect this particular area and Yangjiajie, so as not to walk among the crowds of agile Chinese.

Gold whip stream

This is an area at the foot of the mountains, it includes a stream bed called Jinbian Xi. It is positioned as an easy walk for 1.5 - 2 hours without elevation changes. Relax in Chinese, you, nature and a few hundred more shouting Chinese next to you. In all sources, this area of ​​Zhangjiazzie is recommended to be skipped if you have a limited time. Too crowded due to the easy accessibility of the place and not very picturesque. In any case, decide for yourself based on your preferences.

Village Yellow Stone Village

This village is located two kilometers from the Gold Whip Stream. Among the main attractions is the easy walking trail through the fir forest. In general, another area for retirees or for those who have a very large amount of time that they are ready to spend on a scrupulous study of every corner of Zhangjiajie National Park.

Briefly summarize personal experience visiting the reserve: the place is incredibly beautiful and unusual. Traveling around the world often, you start to get a little tired of the same type of beaches, historical cities ... Zhangjiajie Park is a breath of fresh air, new landscapes, emotions and impressions.

Even though there are a lot of people here, huge queues, it is worth a visit. And not as it happened with us, when only two of the most popular zones were briefly examined. I recommend giving this place two full days, most likely this time will be enough to explore the most interesting areas in detail: Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, Yangjiajie Scenic Area, Laowuchang (Old House Area). The two remaining districts - already decide for yourself, I would leave them as a last resort, if there would be free time that had nowhere to do.

Baofeng Lake

Now I turn to the rest of the attractions of the Zhangjiajie region. Lake Baofeng is located very close to the park, which I described above, but is not part of it.

You can get from Wulingyuan to the entrance to the lake territory either by taxi or by bus # 2. Drive 5-10 minutes. Entrance fee 92 CNY, approximate time for inspection - 1.5 hours.

There are two main attractions in the Baofeng area - a boat trip on the lake and a waterfall. You need to go to the lake from the entrance by a free bus (about 5 minutes), walk to the waterfall (2-3 minutes). In what order you will inspect these places, there is no difference.

Yes, I also forgot about one Baofeng highlight - small, but very annoying and loud Chinese women traders in junk. Very colorful personalities.

Boat trip on Baofeng lake

This short tour lasts about 30 minutes. It is held on such interesting floating houses.

During the walk, the guide tells in Chinese / Korean various myths and tales about the lake, it’s probably interesting, the Chinese hooted and wagged their heads enthusiastically throughout the trip, listening attentively to the guide’s tales.

Somewhere in the middle of Baofeng, on one side and the other side of the coast, there are floating platforms made in the traditional Chinese style. When the boat comes up, a girl in a smart suit comes out of the house and sings a short song for about a minute.

It sounds very beautiful, Chinese folklore in a clear, clear voice.

As for the lake itself, the surrounding landscapes cannot be said to be directly impressive or mesmerizing. Low cliffs overgrown with trees and bushes, the green water of Baofeng.

In preparation for the trip, I came across a photo of the lake on the Internet in the late autumn period, when a dense thick fog covers the tops of the rocks, sinks to the surface of the water, giving Baofeng a mystical, frightening appearance. In such weather conditions, for sure, the impressions would be stronger from the visit.

Baofeng waterfall

After the boat ride on the lake, take the bus back to the park entrance, and from there walk a few minutes to Baofeng Falls.

I photographed it only from afar, I didn't want to come closer. During the season, and we arrived in Zhangjiajie in the midst of it, hundreds of Chinese people gather around the waterfall. Apparently he seriously mesmerizes them.

In general, if you have never seen a waterfall in your life, do not be lazy, spend 15-20 minutes to come close to it.

In general, I have blurred impressions of Lake Baofeng, I will give it 3 out of 5. People who are experienced in terms of landscapes (and others are unlikely to climb in Zhangjiajie) will be boring and ordinary here, except that it is very pleasant to listen to songs while riding a boat. Looking back, I wish I had spent more time in the park.

On the other hand, as I wrote above, Baofeng should look amazing in the fall and winter. So, if your trip to Zhangjiajie is scheduled for these seasons, I think you should definitely look here.

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge

This bridge is the longest as well as the tallest glass bridge in the world. It was built exclusively for tourist purposes so that the Chinese could take beautiful selfies overlooking the Grand Canyon.

Introductory information:

To get to the glass bridge, you need to take a taxi and not rack your brains. If you are not looking for easy routes, buses leave from Wulingyuan Bus Station to Glass Bridge, which takes 40 minutes. There are no direct tourist buses from the city of Zhangjiajie, you need to drive an hour to Wulingyuan, and then change to the route to the bridge.

The cost of visiting the canyon with the bridge is 294 CNY (only the bridge - 171, only the canyon - 121). You cannot buy tickets on the spot, only online. But bad luck, the official site sells them only upon presentation of a Chinese ID. Not surprisingly, in this country they wanted to spit on round-eyed people. Honestly, I have no idea how to get tickets here, my Chinese friends bought them for me. Someone recommends contacting travel agencies locally (in Wulingyuan), I have no such experience, so I will not advise anything. Look for information in other sources.

I will tell you, this place pissed me off and disappointed me the most during my entire trip to the vicinity of Zhangjiajie.

It all starts with the fact that you need to go through control, where they are not allowed to take any cameras to the bridge. Those. You can carry a laptop the size of a Samsung, but not a camera. Chinese safety technology.

Well, here she is a reward for all the torment, hundreds of narrow-minded people who take pictures endlessly in various idiotic poses. But you can't see anything there, the glass is so cloudy and dirty that you can't see anything through it!

And the grand canyon itself is stunningly beautiful, the panorama from the bridge is amazing. I am writing these words without sarcasm.

On the other side of the canyon, in a sheer cliff, there is a passage (stairs) that goes down to the river. Unfortunately, our tickets only included a glass bridge, no canyon. Now, I wildly regret it, I had to buy the opposite, a canyon without a bridge. I think very few Chinese walk this path, you can clearly see from the bridge from above, rare dots trudge down.

The recommendations are as follows: be sure to come here, but do not climb this damn bridge, leave this dubious fun to the Chinese. Buy a ticket to the canyon and walk the route carved into the rock. I think this is the best option for visiting this place in Zhangjiajie.

Regarding the timing: visiting the bridge along with the queues will take 3 hours. I don’t know how much time it takes to get to the canyon, offhand the same amount, since you will need to walk several kilometers down / up.

Yellow Dragon Cave

The cave is a huge natural underground complex. There are dozens of halls here, some of which are the size of a football field. Lakes, waterfalls, rivers - all this you will also find in Dragon Cave.

The most convenient way to get to the cave is from Wulingyuan. Again, a comfortable and easy way is a taxi for CNY 30. Alternatively, bus number 1 leaves from the central bus station, it takes 15 minutes to go. From Zhangjiajie you need to go with a change in Wulingyuan.

The cost of visiting the cave is 100 CNY.

The very area near the entrance looks very atmospheric. Small houses in the Chinese style, mountains around, a riot of greenery and colors.

It was early morning, we headed to this cave for the very opening. There are very few people, no Chinese hubbub, peace and quiet.

From the parking lot to the ticket office there is a path along the cascade of water mills. A mesmerizing sight, you can get stuck for at least half an hour.

After inspecting the ancient hydraulic structures, we move directly to the cave itself.

So, what is the inspection of Dragon Cave. Inside there is a comfortable and wide path that runs through the main halls and interesting places in the dungeon. Numerous stalactites and stalagnites are illuminated by lanterns of different colors. This is the first time I see such a design of a cave, it is beautiful.

I didn’t see the information on how much the path is in kilometers under the mountain, I can only orientate it in time, the walk will take from 40 minutes to an hour, depending on your physical form. There are several decent stair climbs along the way.

The temperature inside the cave is about 15 C, it is recommended to take a light jacket with you so as not to freeze. I was quite comfortable in one T-shirt. At +40 C, I somehow didn’t want to leave the cave outside.

Towards the end of the route, the path leads to an underground river, along which you can ride a boat. This is already included in your ticket, so feel free to sit down. The trip takes about 10 minutes.

An extremely positive experience was left from visiting the Dragon Cave. I definitely recommend to visit this place. Just try to get here as early as possible (although this rule works for all places in Zhangjiajie) in order to explore the area inside and out in peace. Plan for this spot at least 2 hours.

Other attractions in Zhangjiajie

Above, I have mentioned all the most important sights of the region. Tianmen Mountain, located near the city of Zhangjiajie, was left without attention, a separate article was allocated to it, do not miss it, you must visit it.

Well, do not forget about the everyday life and life of the Chinese - an ordinary walk in the city of Wulingyuan or Zhangjiazzie will already become something unusual and memorable. A small photo report below.

Local food market in Zhangjiajie Park

Oh, this Chinese street food. What dirt and stench stands along these tents. It's hard to imagine how you can eat something from here. But the photos turn out to be what you need.

Unlike modern Zhangjiajie, this village looks very pretty. The architecture is traditional Chinese style, variegated but very beautiful.

China is one of the most difficult destinations for the independent backpacker. This trip was organized with great difficulty, there is very little good material on Zhangjiajie on the net. Chinese friends helped us a lot in organizing logistics, they advised us what and how to look.

But now, looking back, I understand that the difference in culture is huge and that what is interesting local resident, will give little pleasure to the European. The Chinese love society, they are not embarrassed by the fact that there are hundreds of people nearby, even amusing. Therefore, our trip plan included the Glass Bridge, only the most crowded areas of Zhangjiajie Park. I myself would have replayed the whole trip differently. How exactly is described in detail above.

This material is not intended to be a guide to Zhangjiajie, but will hopefully be helpful in planning your trip. In conclusion, I will give a few more tips that would be useful to me myself before leaving.

When to go to Zhangjiajie

Spring... Very comfortable weather conditions, from +15 to +25 C. Perfect for visiting the region. There should be few people, except on national holidays and weekends.

Summer... Fries for 30 C, rainy season, high humidity. A wild number of people, Zhangjiajie Park and all other attractions are overcrowded. I do not recommend coming here this time of year. We were here in July.

Autumn... The temperature is as comfortable as in the spring months. The tourist flow is decreasing. I see autumn as another great time of the year when you can come to Zhangjiajie.

Winter... Temperatures in the winter months are from 0 C to 10 C. The mountains are covered with snow, many hiking trails blocked due to weather conditions... The lowest number of tourists per year. The landscapes are very different, instead of lush greenery, there are snow-capped mountains.

In my opinion, you should visit Zhangjiajie in spring or autumn, and if it so happens that you come back here again, then it is better to do it in winter to see the park in a completely different look.

Payment in Zhangjiajie

I advise you to go here only with cash in Yuan (CNY). And change them better in Russia.

You cannot pay by card in 99% of establishments, and this is not because the Chinese are so dark and do not accept non-cash payments. The fact is that a couple of years ago, their local messenger WeChat (analogous to whats app) developed a new system for accepting payments via QR codes, and now all points in China are equipped with this technology. Conventional terminals have sunk into oblivion. They stayed only in large hotels and some restaurants. I think that in a couple of years, terminals will disappear completely in China.

Withdraw money from an ATM card? - also a problem. I tried to do this in 5 machines in Wulingyuan and Zhangjiajie, but succeeded in only one, Bank of China.

Where to eat in Zhangjiajie

Choosing a restaurant is a huge problem in China. It is difficult to find a more or less decent establishment among this filthy behavior. I cannot give specific recommendations for restaurants, for one simple reason, they are not indicated on the map in any way, and they have no English names.

I can advise you to eat in 4 and 5 star hotels. As a rule, they all have a restaurant where you can eat without fear of poisoning. Also, watch the places where tourist groups bring, they are usually good establishments, and you can also eat well there.

Zhangjiajie Visit Plan

And finally, I want to write my plan for visiting the region, which now, after a trip to Zhangjiajie, seems to me optimal.

1st day

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, Yangjiajie Scenic Area, Gold Whip Stream)

2nd day

• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Tianzi Mountain Zone, Laowuchang)
• Lake Baofeng

3rd day

• Golden Dragon Cave
• Grand Canyon (no glass bridge)

4th day

Would you like to see the soaring mountains of Avatar with your own eyes? Then head to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Amazing rocks of this unique park became real prototypes of the world famous "soaring mountains Hallelujah". You can talk about this park endlessly. The beauty and uniqueness of nature is simply incredible. Mountains, streams and parks calm, inspire, delight and make you think about the eternal. No photographs can convey all the splendor and grandeur of this place.

Read also about other places in Zhangjiajie:

Formation of mountains

The world famous Zhangjiajie Park, or rather the wider area of ​​the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, is the first Chinese park to receive the status of a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site.

As a result of weathering of sandstones and limestones, as well as soil leaching, about 3000 peaks and cliffs of the most bizarre outlines were formed. The mountains are covered with dense vegetation, and they are separated by deep gorges with rivers, lakes and waterfalls. These distinctive mountain formations are a hallmark of the Chinese landscape, depicted in numerous ancient paintings.

Geography of Zhangjiajie Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, known as Avatar Park, is located in the northwest of Hunan Province in China and is part of the huge Wulingyuan nature reserve(Wulingyuan Scenic Area). The nearest airport and train station are located in Zhangjiajie (张家界 市). But, the park is located 50 km from the city of Zhangjiajie, so it is not recommended to stay in city hotels to visit the park. Near the park there is Wulingyuan town, also known as Zhangjiajie village, with all the necessary infrastructure, including hotels and restaurants.

In China, names are always difficult. They are duplicated and embedded in each other like nesting dolls. I will try to clarify a little how things are with the parks near Zhangjiajie.

Wulingyuan nature reserve(Wulingyuan Scenic Area, 武陵源) has four parts:

• Zhangjiajie National Park(Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, 张家界 国家 森林 公园),
• Tianji Mountain| Tianzi Mountain Natural Resource Reserve (天子山),
• Yangjiajie Region(Yuanjiajie Scenic Area, 袁家界),
• Suosi Valley(Suoxiyu Natural Resource Reserve, 索溪峪).

The Zhangjiajie Park ticket allows you to visit all of the above zones.

However, the Wulingyuan Scenic Area has attractions that require separate tickets:

• Yellow Dragon Cave (黄龙 洞) - 100 RMB
• Dragon King's Cave Longwang Dong (龙王 洞) - 81 RMB
• Baofang artificial lake - 98 RMB
• Museums, river rafting, etc.

Also near the city of Zhangjiajie there is (Tianmenshan National Forest Park, 天门山 森林 区). It is located in a completely different direction from Zhangjiajie and is not included in the Wulingyuan reserve zone. It is an absolutely beautiful, majestic and unique place. With a completely different atmosphere from Zhangjiajie Park.

Main Areas of Zhangjiajie Park

Yuanjiajie

View from the elevator 100 dragons

The most picturesque, but touristy area of ​​the park. In this zone are located (the one that is the main attraction of the entire park and is renamed "Avatar Mountains" in honor of the well-known film), The first bridge under heaven(natural bridge between two rocks), Lost Souls Platform, Bailong elevator(the world's highest elevator).

Bailong Elevator - the world's tallest elevator

Bailong Elevator | Hundred Dragon Elevator

Hundred Dragons Elevator – the tallest open lift in the world... It takes tourists to the top of a 330-meter steep slope in the heart of Zhangjiajie Park. A ride in the glass elevator will give you stunning views of the plain. The main thing is to get closer to the window, because 50 people can fit in the booth, and not everyone will be able to enjoy the beauty that opens from above.

Avatar Hallelujah Mountain

1080 meter mountain The Southern Sky Column has been renamed Avatar Hallelujah Mountain in honor of the landmark film Avatar. The mountain is located in the Yuanjiajie region.

Natural Bridge No. 1 (The First Bridge under Heaven)

Natural bridge number 1 (The First Bridge under Heaven | Tianxia Diyi Qiao) or "Bridge over the sky" is a kind of unique in the world, unique natural creation. At an altitude of 357 meters it connects the peaks of two rocks... Its length is 50 meters, width - 4 meters, thickness - 5 meters. It is the tallest natural bridge in the world.

Tianzishan | Mountain of the Son of Heaven | Emperor's Mountain (Tianzi Mountain)

Rocks forest | Stone peaks forest

The main advantage of this area is its height. The height of 1182 meters gives a great opportunity to see the famous mountains in the clouds. Here the mountains really seem to be floating. The area is popular with photographers. In this area you can see Dian Jiang Tai, Yubi Feng, Ten-Li Gallery.

Emperor's Pavilion | Tianzi Pavilion

Gallery ten li | Ten-Li Gallery

Yellow Stone Village

Five Fingers Peak | Five fingers peak

The region is just north of the Zolotoy Khlyst stream. This part of the park is home to the famous Five-Fingers Peak... The area is just as picturesque but less popular than Yuanjiajie. Many go to the main observation deck, which offers views of the Five-Fingers Peak on foot, without using expensive lifts.

Yangjiajie Scenic Area

This area for real explorers... Here you will have to walk not along paved paths, but along dangerous and slippery paths. No infrastructure, but no tourists and no queues. Real nature.

Laowuchang Area

One of the wildest areas of the park. You will have to walk on muddy paths. But this is the best area for photographers. Here are the rice fields Paddies in the sky and Spirit Soldiers 'Gathering'.

Golden Whip Stream

A pleasant walk along a beautiful stream surrounded by incredible mountains is the most popular route in the park... The path is quite long - 7 km, but not at all difficult. All is well, except that there are always a lot of people here.

How much is a ticket to Zhangjiajie?

A ticket to the park costs 248 RMB for 4 days or 298 RMB for a week. For students, seniors and children, prices are 160 RMB and 193 RMB, respectively. Children up to 1.2 meters tall are free. The price is far from low, but it's definitely worth it! You will not regret a dime.

The ticket price includes all the zones and observation decks listed above, as well as all bus movements within the park. However, rides by funiculars, trams and elevators require a separate fee.

Price for lifts and trams:

• Glass Elevator Bailong | Elevator 100 dragons (Bailong elevator) - 72 RMB.
• Tianzishan Cable Car - 67 RMB one way / 134 RMB round trip.
• Funicular Huangshi Zhai (Yellow Stone Village Cable Car) - 65 RMB one way / 118 RMB round trip.
• Tram in the ten li gorge (Tenli Gallery's Mini Train) - 38 RMB one way / 52 RMB round trip.

The main entrances to the park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has two main entrances. The park ticket allows you to visit all the attractions located inside.

• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Gate (on map A): southwest entrance, convenient if you want to walk along the Gold Whip Stream.
• Wulingyuan gate (on map B) : Closest to hotels in Wulingyuan town. It is convenient to get to Bailong Elevator, Tianzi Mountain Cable Way and Ten-Li Gallery train.

How long does it take to visit the park?

We had only 3 days for everything, and even during the Chinese holidays. We walked quite a lot and in a day and a half managed to see all the most interesting things in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. For half a day we went to the Yellow Dragon Cave, and on the last day we saw Tianmenshan National Forest Park.

When is the best time to visit Zhangjiajie Park?

• Avoid Chinese Holidays(May 1-3, October 1-7) and the Chinese holiday period (July and August). There will be not just a lot of tourists, but a lot of horror. You may have to queue for hours for the lifts.
• It's very cold in winter, and in February, the park may be closed for reconstruction.
• April to June good time but high humidity and a high probability of rain and fog. But if this does not scare you (and I advise you not to be intimidated by small rains), then this time is great.
• May to October high season... Accordingly, prices are higher, there are more tourists on average.
• September and October - the best time to visit the park. It is still warm enough, but this is already a low season, and therefore there are no queues and prices do not bite.

Where to stay to eat?

The restaurants in the park are small and very authentic. The most European place is McDonald’s on Tianzi Mountain. But on every corner there are street vendors with sausages, tofu, fruits, water and other snacks. Everything is quite expensive and not particularly tasty. So I recommend bringing sandwiches, nuts or fruit with you. Full meals can be found in Wulingyuan Township or near attractions outside the park, such as Yellow Dragon Cave.

Hotels in Zhangjiajie

I recommend staying in Wulingyuan Town, also called Zhangjiajie Village, or inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. It is definitely not necessary to stop in Zhangjiajie city, because it is located quite far (50 km or an hour's drive) from the park.

Hotels in Wulingyuan

Walking distance to the entrance to the park. You can come early in the morning and return late in the evening. The infrastructure of the village is much better than inside the park. Restaurants, shops, everything is there. The level of hotels from hostels to 5 stars.

Hotels inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Hotels inside Zhangjiajie Park are not comfortable and quality. But you do not need to stand in lines at the entrance and you can come to the most interesting places before others, as well as meet the sunrises and sunsets in the park. In terms of infrastructure, you will have to rely on the hotel and what you brought with you.

How to get to the Avatar Mountains?

Getting to the famous Avatar Park is not at all difficult:

1. Fly to Hunan Airport. Aircraft to Zhangjiajie fly from any major city in China.
2. Take a taxi or bus to the park or hotel.

I recommend taxi since the way is not close, taxis in China are not expensive, and there are always a lot of cars near the airport. The price to the park and to the village of Wulingyuan will be asked for about 300 RMB, but in fact, they can be delivered for 100 (such prices are offered to the Chinese). They don't like to turn on the meters, especially at night, so bargain fiercely.

If you want to get there to the park by bus then go to bus station(Near railway station and McDonald's). You need a bus that goes to the main entrance to the park. The stop is called Wulingyuan Menpiaozhan (武陵源 门票 站). The fare is 12 RMB and the controller takes the money during the trip.

The entrance to the park is indicated by a huge pagoda, it can be seen from afar.

• Queues... There are a lot of Chinese. And during the holidays there are even more of them. You can hang around (as we did on May 1) in the queue for the elevator for 2-4 hours or an hour in the queue for the bus. Therefore, more walks, less transport.
• Come to the park early... Better then sleep off in the early evening. The majority of tourists arrive after 10, and the park opens at 7.
• If you are traveling on your own, then learn the most important phrases in Chinese better... In China, almost no one speaks English.
• You must be able to pronounce the hotel name and address, taxi drivers often do not know how to read and do not always know the area well.
• Cash money (of course yuan) will save you always and everywhere. Currency and Visa, Master Card may not be accepted. Don't be surprised, China uses their own banking system.
• If you take map park at the entrance, choose English-Chinese... It most closely resembles the truth.

basic information

• Place: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, 张家界 国家 森林 公园.
• Nearest town: Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, China.
• Location: Wulingyuan Scenic Area (武陵源).
• The size: 48 sq. km
• Ticket price: 248/298 RMB
• Opening hours: 7.00-18.00
• Time for inspection: 2-4 days
• Number of visitors: lot
• Best time to visit: September, October.
• Must visit: areas of Yuanjiajie, Yellow Stone Village, Tianzi Mountain.
• We were in Park: 1-2 May 2014

Request

Ladies and gentlemen, I want to introduce you to a unique place in central China's Hunan province, which served as the inspiration for the world famous movie Avatar. Welcome to lost World Pandora's - Zhangjiajie National Park!

Wulingyuan nature reserve

Zhangjiajie Park, established in 1982, is recognized as the first authorized national forest park in China. It is spread over the territory the most picturesque mountains Wulingyuan Scenic Area (Chin. 武陵源 风景 名胜 区), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here water and wind have created about three thousand peaks of bizarre shapes, consisting of sandstone and quartz. The picturesque area boasts natural beauty, where mountains, valleys, forests, caves, lakes and waterfalls coexist in perfect harmony. To tell the truth, it was this place that served as the main reason for the trip to China. I really love nature in its original form, so while looking for something that could impress no worse, I found my treasure and began to pave it.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Ch. 张家界 国家 森林 公园) belongs to the Wulingyuan nature reserve and includes 4 zones:

• Suosi Valley (Suoxi Gully, Chin. 索溪峪)
• Yuanjiajie (Chinese 袁家界 风景区)
• Yangjiajie (Chinese 杨家界 风景区)
• Tianzi Mountain (Ch. 天子山)

Other objects located outside the park also belong to Wulingyuan Nature Reserve:

• Lake Baofeng
• Yellow Dragon Cave (Huanglong Cave, 黄龙 洞)
• King Long Wang Dong's Cave (龙王 洞)

A few kilometers south of the city of Zhangjiajie (not to be confused with Zhangjiajie Park) there is another chic park - Tianmenshan. It does not include the Wulingyuan Conservation Area, but it is no less a unique place, but it will be discussed in the next post.

In 2016, another interesting place was opened 20 kilometers northeast of Zhangjiajie Park - the Grand Canyon with a completely transparent bridge. When it opened, it became the longest and tallest glass bridge in the world.

For convenience, I have provided information on how to get to Zhangjiajie and where to stay. But here I will note once again that if you plan to visit the Zhangjiajie National Park, then it would be best to stop at the southeast entrance in the village of Wulingyuan of the same name the day before (Wulingyuan, Southeast Gate, Ch. 武陵源, 东南 门). Just below on the map below, it is marked as Entrance B.

Well, let's go see the great creation of nature? From our hotel to the southeastern entrance to the park 25 minutes walk or 5 minutes by taxi. In order not to waste time, we catch a taxi for 10 yuan to the park.

How much is a ticket to Zhangjiajie National Park?

There are 2 types of entrance tickets:

• For 4 days. Price entrance ticket 248 yuan for an adult, 163 yuan for beneficiaries.
• For 8 days. Entrance fee is 301 yuan for an adult, 196 yuan for privileged persons.

Notes:

• The discount ticket can be used by children from 1.2 to 1.5 meters in height, students up to 24 years old, pensioners aged 60-70 years.
• For persons with a 1st or 2nd group of disabilities and pensioners over 70 years old, the cost of an entrance ticket for 3 days is 60 yuan, for 7 days - 80 yuan.
• A free ticket is provided to Chinese military personnel, journalists and children up to 1.2 meters tall.

When buying, your finger is scanned, so if you come the next day, it will be enough to put your finger on the turnstile. Together with the tickets, they give a map of the park with routes and stops. You can move around the park between the main points on free shuttle buses that run every 10-15 minutes. Bus stops at major attractions are marked with a “P” on the map below. I will write the cost of tickets for additional transport in the process of describing the route.

Park opening hours

• The park is open every day from 07.00 to 18.00
• Opening hours of the funicular up from 07.30 to 16.00, down from 07.30 to 18.00
• Buses run from 07.00 to 18.00

Zhangjiajie National Park Map

For convenience, I am posting a map of Zhangjiajie National Park

Zhangjiajie National Park Visiting Route

The park is divided into upper and lower plateaus, between which you can move by funiculars and a huge lift in the rock. There are many routes, including hiking trails. We took 1 full day to visit the park, so we decided to move clockwise.

We go to the park, take the bus and go to railway station where the first stop awaits us - Ten-mile Natural Gallery, China. 十里画廊) located in the northwestern part of the Suoxi Valley at the foot of Tianji Mountain . A small railroad 5.8 kilometers long (marked in gray on the map) runs through picturesque landscapes unusual rocks. The journey takes 10 minutes. Round-trip travel RMB 52 per person. If you don't want to spend money, then there is a path nearby, a walk along which will take no more than 30 minutes.

On both sides, many peaks look like statues, as if carved by someone. The most famous peak is Herb Collecting Old Man 采药 老人 图片... He is a symbol of this valley and looks like an old man with a basket on his back, collecting medicinal herbs.

Not far from the herbal picker, you can also see a towering peak, which, according to the locals, resembles a man with crossed legs, and near him a series of smaller ones. This composition is called Immortals Worshipping Guanyin (Ch. 观音 十里画廊)... According to legend, it is said that the highest peak is the deity Guanyin, and 19 people worshiped nearby, asking for mercy to this world and blessing people with a happy life.

On the final stop can see Three sisters (Chinese 三 姐妹).

Admire the monkeys living in the cage.

And invest the first money in the Chinese economy by looking at the various counters that sell Chinese herbs, postcards, wood and glass products. Having bought a wooden fruit basket, we return back by train and go to the bus stop.

The next item is Bailong elevator (Chinese 百 龙 电梯)... It is located in the area Yuanjiajie and is installed in the mountain of the same name, and Bailun himself translates as "one hundred dragons" and is considered the tallest external elevator in the world, its height is 326 meters. When you approach this structure, your legs give way, and the lens cannot completely fit it into one shot.

We go upstairs. The cost of the lift is RMB 72 per person. On the way to the elevator, there are posters from the movie "Avatar".

The ascent takes 2 minutes. At first, part of the ascent takes place in the rock, but then this height opens up to the eye and you no longer know what to do, whether to photograph, or to be afraid. If you exit the elevator and turn right, you can find a steep observation deck on the elevator itself.

After a little admiring the views and fashionable Chinese slippers with pandas, we moved on to the bus stop, already at an altitude of more than three hundred meters.

Arriving at one of the most important points in the park, McDonalds was discovered. Suddenly. But we decided to support a local producer and tried an unknown fruit for us - yangmey, Chinese strawberry tree or mountain peach. Juicy and tasty.

So, the walking path lies along the cliff. In some places there are observation platforms, from where breathtaking panoramas open up. Where the views are especially good, there are platforms for photographers who, for a fee, will take a picture for you as a souvenir.

The weather was far from sunny, sometimes the mountains were enveloped in a white veil. Moreover, it is not clear whether these are clouds, or fog, however, one way or another, all this added some mysticism to the picture, visually it seemed that the mountains were soaring, and you were as if on another planet, as if in truth now blue would jump out from somewhere. little men. And here, by the way, they are.

Having overcome a few more hundred meters, we came to the most important exhibit. Mount Jiankunzhu (Qiankunzhu, Chinese 乾坤 柱) more than a kilometer high and consisting of quartz sandstone, it translates as the column of the Southern Heaven and has a deep philosophical meaning.

Qian (䷀) is the first trigram in the ancient Chinese philosophy I-Ching, a symbol of the masculine principle, sky, sun, father, husband, fortress.
Kun (䷁) is the second trigram in the ancient Chinese philosophy of the I-Ching, a symbol of the feminine principle, earth, moon, mother, wife, subject.
Zhu is a pillar, a column.

Having deciphered the trigrams, we get another name "The Column Between Heaven and Earth", which, in my opinion, sounds much better.

In 2010, commerce defeated philosophy when Western media spread information that this mountain formed the basis for the creation of the planet Pandora from the movie Avatar. After some time, in order to develop tourism, the mountain was given a new name - Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, Chinese 阿凡 达 - 哈利路亚 山... And then they came up with an inviting slogan: "Pandora is far away, and Zhangjiajie is close!"

However, despite the fact that the park is promoted at the international level, in fact we were the only Europeans who walked in this park. By the way, my girlfriend is blonde, and during these 2 weeks in China she was a celebrity. Here, too, every 10-15 minutes they tried to either settle down to us so that we could get into someone's lens, or they openly asked to be photographed together.

Further on our way - The First Natural Bridge under Heaven (Ch. 天下第一 桥)... It connects two peaks at an altitude of 360 meters and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest natural bridge in the world.

On the bridge, lovers can buy a lock for 40 yuan, ask them to carve names and hang them, and throw the key into the abyss. They say that after that the family will be happy and strong. True, finding a place for your lock will not be easy - the railings and stairs are closely bound by thousands of locks. It seems to me that from time to time they are filed.

Having passed to the end of the path, we come out to another stop. Here we also found a post office, but my attempts to find out whether our postcards will reach Russia were unsuccessful.

To get to the next attraction, which is already in a different area Yangjiajie next to the funicular of the same name, we get off at the next stop "WuLong Village" and set off for a short trekking. First we go down, and then at the T-shaped intersection we turn up to the right. Compared to the previous trails, this is a rather steep climb, and some of the stairs seem to be about to fall apart.

But at the end of the ascent, a surprise awaits us - Tianbo Mansion (Tianbo Mansion, Ch. 天波 府)... From here, an amazing panorama of Great natural wall stone pillars (The Natural Great Wall)... A distinctive feature of this place is the narrow and high natural rock walls, different from the typical pillars.

After that we go down back to the T-shaped intersection and go already in the opposite direction to the next observation deck, which is called One Step to the Heaven (Chin. 一步登天).

I will say that the first one was more interesting. Although it is also beautiful, but after spending half a day in the park you already start to get used to it and the “wow-effect” disappears a little. Some even manage to sleep.

We return back to the bus stop and go to the area Tianzi to the final attractions to date. The Highest Peak of Mount Tianji, also called Mountain of the Son of Heaven, is the most high point in the park, its height is 1182 meters. Friends, just look at this beauty!

Well, let's plunge into history a little? Mountain Tianzi before the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was called "Qing Yan Mountain". In 1353, Xiang Dakun, the leader of the Tujia ethnic group, started a rebellion in the area and declared himself as Tianji, which means Son of Heaven and is a traditional synonym for the Chinese emperor. In 1385, Xiang Dakong faced a fierce siege by an army commanded by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), the first emperor of the Ming dynasty we have already heard of. Sadly, Xiang died in the battle and fell into Shentang Bay. To show their respect for Xiang Dakun, the settlements were rebuilt and the mountains were named after Tianji. Legend has it that sometimes the sounds of drums, neighing horses and shouts of people can be heard from the canyon, as if an ancient medieval battle is still going on somewhere below!

Confuses Nothing? Right. There is no bay here. So called Valley of Heavenly Abode (Shentang Gulf, Chin. 神堂 湾) where we headed. Not to go to reverse side, you need to ask the driver to stop a little earlier than the last stop. In the heart of the gorge there is a dark pool and there is only one way there - a terrible staircase, as if leading into an abyss. Shentan Bay is still untouched by human footprints, like a mythical labyrinth with a bottomless gorge bathed in fog all year round... And again, mesmerizing panoramas make us freeze for a moment in order to capture this extraordinary beauty forever in our memory.

At the final stop of the main route, we get to He long Park (Chinese 贺龙 公园), named after the Chinese revolutionary Marshal He Long. The Tianji area was one of the battlegrounds in the 1930s. In these parts, he organized a Soviet Red Army of more than 200,000 men and in 1935 joined Mao Zedong to support him in the uprising. He then led guerrilla forces in Northwest China in both the Chinese Civil War and the Sino-Japanese War, and was generally successful in expanding communist control. By the end of 1945, he commanded a force of 170,000 troops. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, he held a number of civil and military positions, and in 1955 he was awarded the honorary title of Marshal (there are 10 in China) for his invaluable contribution to the victory of the Communist Party. To perpetuate the memory of the great Marshal, at the 90th birthday celebration in 1986, the Zhangjiajie city government established a park and erected a seven-meter bronze statue weighing about 9 tons. It is the largest in China.

Passing the bronze statue, we find ourselves on Emperor's platform (Tianzi Sightseeing platform, Chinese 天子 观景 台), from which the next breathtaking landscapes open. Of course, nature creates amazing things, somewhere it has created huge canyons, somewhere a magnificent ensemble of rivers and lakes, but here it’s hard to imagine where these isolated mountains appeared, which seemed to stand on a thin leg, and were waiting for something. After 10 minutes, this beautiful picture was again covered with a white veil. The weather here is completely unpredictable. It is believed that the best time to visit Zhangjiajie is during spring and autumn.

There was not much time left until the park was closed, shuttles stopped running at 18.00, and we still have to go down the funicular, so we make the last dash towards the pagoda, which bears the name Pavilion of the Son of God (Tianzi Pavilion, Chin. 天子 阁)... Here you can also grab a bite to eat, buy souvenirs or even go inside.

Further from the pagoda, a long hiking descent into the Suosi Valley starts (remember, we started with it at the very beginning?). Of course, we will not go down it, but go only down a couple of hundred meters to capture the final and one of the most important sights of the park - Imperial Writing Brush Peaks or Yu Bi Feng, Chinese 御笔 峰. These are free-standing sandstone columns surrounded by mountainous green peaks. The tops of more massive peaks smoothly flow into thinner ones. The name Yubi Feng derives from the brush used by the imperial calligrapher, where the thicker end becomes a thin brush. Legend has it that the stone tassels belong to the same king of Xiang. They say that it was these places that served as the reason for the park to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Well, it's time to return to the ground, for this we head towards He Long Park and take another bus that takes us to the upper station of the Tianzi cable car, Chin. 天子山 索道, which costs 67 yuan per person. And finally, probably, Zhangjiajie wants to tell his visitors: "You still have not realized all my majesty and power? So get a flight around my planet!"

Time flew by here unnoticed. Of course, one day to explore the park is not completely enough, but to be honest, you don't need more days either, especially considering that there are other attractions in the vicinity, but Zhangjiajie Park will definitely be included in the top of the most amazing places on the planet that I happened to see. Such places are remembered for a lifetime and give rise to inspiration and a passion for travel inside.

It is not known how soon the beauty of Zhangjiajie would have been revealed to the world if it had not been for James Cameron's film Avatar. Its action takes place on the fictional celestial body Pandora. And, although the shooting was not done in China, it is believed that it was the landscapes of the Zhangjiajie National Park that inspired the famous director.

And it seems to be the oldest of the protected areas in China (since 1982), it is easy to get here from any big airport- but if I didn't watch the movie Avatar (and after it the park got the unofficial name "Avatar Park"), I'm afraid I would not even have found it, planning a trip and shooting in the People's Republic of China.

The park is, of course, not quite Pandora with its flying rocks, overgrown with lianas and waterfalls, as well as dragons. But if you mentally turn the picture of what you saw 180 degrees, then the similarity becomes obvious.

Any tourist who arrives at the park has a choice - to walk along the lower paths among 400-meter vertical pillars, raising their heads in amazement, or to climb the mountain range using the 360-meter Bailun elevator. Then you can take a bus a little more and look at the same pillars from above. There are many interesting places: for example, caves or authentic villages, but inside even the highest caves it is not very convenient to take pictures from a drone, so we limited ourselves to shooting rocks.

Zhangjiajie is part of the Wulingyuan mountain system, recognized in 1992 as a UNESCO natural heritage site, and Avatar Park itself is included in the number of geoparks under the protection of this organization. Distances there are impressive; its different parts are often not even connected with each other. But each has its own flavor: rocks of different heights and shapes, pagodas, pavilions, rivers, streams, arches and bridges. Paths from the hills lead down - it will take half a day to walk along such a path. We had no idea how huge Zhangjiajie is. In the three days that I planned for filming, we were able to visit, probably, 30 percent of its territory.

Among the most famous attractions of Zhangjiajie are the Yuanjiajie Mountains, located in its northwestern part. The most picturesque views open from observation platforms, bearing the poetic names "Five beauties go hiking", "The bridge between heaven and earth" and "Enchanting scene" .

Unfortunately, we did not manage to visit another popular mountain - Tianmen Shan. A cable car, which is called the "road to heaven", leads to its top: in some sections it rises upward at an angle of 70 °, crashing right into the clouds. The journey to an altitude of 1519 meters takes about 40 minutes, while, due to the pressure drop, passengers often get ears, and the temperature in the cabin drops sharply. You can go down the mountain by bus along the serpentine road, which has exactly 99 turns.

Locals believe that this hill is connected with the sky and has supernatural powers. In the XX century, four times from the top of the mountain, unexpectedly and for some inexplicable reason, a waterfall with a height of 1,500 meters collapsed. The streams of water fell for 15 minutes, and then just as suddenly disappeared. There are also rumors that untold treasures are hidden in the mountain. So far no one has found them, but the undisputed "treasure" of the "Heavenly Gate" is the giant cave of the same name, which appeared in 263 as a result of the collapse of a rock. With a height of 131.5 meters, a width of 57 meters and a length of 60 meters, it is one of the largest in the world.

Any viewer of his famous film can see Pandora from the point of view of James Cameron, and you can look at it from a bird's eye view and make sure that earthly landscapes are in no way inferior in beauty to the space ones on the AirPano panoramas.