You’ve probably never heard of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China but maybe you’ve seen it as it served as the inspiration behind the film Avatar, giant sandstone pinnacles soaring from the forest below where dragons raced around in the mist and under floating islands in the sky.
We had two and a half days exploring the park and the various areas within it. We are here in August and the park was very busy, mainly with Chinese tourists although we did see a handful of other Westerners. This meant queuing for cable cars, the elevator and even on some walkways.
We stayed in Wulingyuan at the Guanshanyue Honeymoon Mansion, not as it sounds but a small friendly hotel right in a shopping and restaurant area.
Our first look at the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was from the Bailong Outdoor Elevator, a glass elevator built into the side of an enormous cliff, that is 330 metres high. It takes just 1 minute 28 seconds to travel the 330 metres. It is claimed to be the highest and heaviest outdoor elevator in the world. Half way up the park unfolds in front of you as you come out of the elevator shaft. Once at the top of the mountain the amazing views of Zhangjiajie are all around you. This was the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area.
Tianzi Mountain was the next area we visited. Again spectacular views from the top. And a long cable car ride to get back down.
Our last stop of the day was Baofeng Lake, a freshwater lake surrounded by forested stone peaks. We took a 30 minute boat ride around the lake.
Our second day in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park took us to Huangshizhai Mountain. We took a cable car up and down the mountain, being very lucky on the way down as we had a glass bottom cable car so we could see straight down to the ground!
In the afternoon we walked along Golden Whip Stream, a beautiful walk of 7.5 kilometres following the stream. It was shady in the valley, hence cooler, and very scenic, with the stream and the towering pinnacles of sandstone all around you. The boys had great fun paddling and throwing stones into the stream.
On our last morning we visited the Yellow Dragon Cave, a huge cave system with deep wide caves, underground rivers and many stalactites and stalagmites. We took a short boat ride on an underground river in the cave, the water temperature maintains a constant 16C. The cave temperature was 20C, 15C cooler than outside! The tallest stalagmite in the cave was 19.2 metres tall and is insured for one hundred million RMB.
3 Comments.
That is amazing, really awe inspiring. What a place and you are right I had never previously heard of it!
What an incredible place and you are right we’d never heard of this place. Now on the bucket list!
China seems full of places that are unheard of back at home. We have been amazed by all that we have seen. It is also huge so could spend a long time here. Would definitely recommend a visit.