2 days in Zhangjiajie - 10/31/2023-11/1/2023

Day 1-Zhangjiajie National Forest Park-10/31/2023

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, located in the Hunan Province of China, is a breathtaking natural wonder renowned for its towering sandstone pillars, lush forests, and stunning natural beauty. Covering an area of approximately 11,900 acres and listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The park is best known for its unique rock formations, known locally as “stone forests,” which are characterized by thousands of towering quartzite sandstone pillars that soar into the sky that have been shaped over the years by the relentless forces of physical erosion.  Among its most famous landmarks is the “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain,” which served as inspiration for the floating mountains depicted in James Cameron’s blockbuster film “Avatar. Beyond its iconic rock formations, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is also home to dense subtropical forests which cover over ninety-seven percent of the park, crystal-clear streams, and serene lakes, providing habitat to a rich array of plant and animal species.

Map of Wulingyuan the core Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie.  The park has a total area of 11,885acres  and has five entrances: East Gate, the South Gate, the Central Gate, the West Gate and the North Gate, and all these gates are faraway from each other so you have to know which gate to enter.  Wendy took us to the Wulingyuan Ticket office located on the East entrance with the tall building you can see on the right.

Wulingyuan  park entrance

This gate is recognized as the main gate where most of tourists choose to enter the national park because it is easy is conveniently located to lots of hotels.

The square in front of the entrance is enormous with the mountains in the backdrop.

Wendy already got the tickets for us and we are just waiting for the bus to take us up to the mountain.

Shuttle bus station

There are so many students this day going up to the mountain.

We are on the bus.  The wait was about 15 minutes so it was not bad at all.

Scenery along the way.  It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to get up to the base of the mountain.

Beautiful lake along the way.

The ride was very scenic.

View of the sandstone pillars along the way.

It is really beautiful.

We now have reach the base of the mountain.

Getting off the bus and following our tour guide Wendy.

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Stairs leading to the Cable car station

Up and up....

View from below the stairs.

The sun trying to shine through the thick forest.

We are now at the Cable station

Waiting for our turn to get in.

The ride to the top is about 2,270 ft. and takes about 10 minutes.

View from inside the cable car.

Amazing rock formation.

Incredible view from above.

Kristie and Kevin enjoying the ride.

The vegetation in the park has also played an important role in its formation. The roots of trees and other plants have penetrated deep into the sandstone, helping to break it down and further shaping the landscape. The result is a truly unique and breathtaking natural wonder that attracts visitors from around the world.

Panoramic view

We have reached the top.

Getting off the cable car.  Walkway with incredible views.

Heading to the scenic spot.

Tianzi Mountain is located in the northern park of Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Tianzi (Son of Heaven) mountain provides stunning views of peaks

Tianzi Mountain was formed by sedimentary rocks 318 million years ago. Those rocks, eroded by the water and wind, slowly turned into quartz stones, which formed those amazing peaks in the scenic area.

The legend of Tianzi mountain takes its name from a man, Xiang Dakun. He was the leader of the Tu ethnic group during the last years of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 -1279). Xiang Dakun led a revolution and avowed himself as Tianzi (Son of Heaven). Visiting this scenic area, visitors can see many sites about his story, the most impressive being: the Yu Bi Peaks, the Xi'an Nü San Hua, and the Shen Bing Ju Hui.

Walkway along the edge of the mountain.

Panoramic view.

Let the adventure begin.

Most of the signs inside the park are in Chinese, English and Russian.

Pathway down to the village.

Rest area inside the park

It was still early so this area was pretty empty but I am sure it is full of people at lunch time.

They even have a McDonald's inside the park.

Continuing our trek.

Lookout spot.

Terrace below the lookout.

Panoramic view from the lookout.

Next...Stone Peak Forest