Zhangjiajie Travel Introduction Guide Tips
Zhangjiajie city is located in the northwest of Hunan, 398 kilometers from the provincial capital Changsha (calculated based on the seat of the municipal government in Yongding District). Its geographical coordinates are: 28°52′ to 29°48′ north latitude, 109°40′ to 111°20′ east longitude. It borders Shimen County and Taoyuan County of Changde city to the east, Yuanling County to the south, Yongshun County and Longshan County to the west, and Hefeng County and Xuan'en County of Hubei Province to the north, with a total area of 956...
Zhangjiajie City is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, 398 kilometers from the provincial capital Changsha (calculated from Yongding District, where the municipal government is seated). Its geographic coordinates
are: 28°52′ to 29°48′ north latitude, and 109°40′ to 111°20′ east longitude. To the east it borders Shimen County and Taoyuan County of Changde City; to the south it adjoins Yuanling County;
to the west it borders Yongshun County and Longshan County; to the north it neighbors Hefeng County and Xuan'en County of Hubei Province. Its total area is 9,563 square kilometers, stretching 167
kilometers at its longest from east to west and 96 kilometers at its widest from north to south, with a total population of 1.5 million (including nearly 600,000 people of ethnic minorities such as Miao, Tujia, and Bai).
Zhangjiajie City lies in the heart of the Wuling Mountains. The nationally famous nature reserve and world-renowned Buddhist holy site, Mount Fanjing, is its main peak
. From Mount Fanjing, the Wuling Mountains branch into Xiangxi and western Hubei, and then split into three branches: the northern branch enters from Laifeng County in Hubei Province and Longshan County in Hunan Province, passing through Lishan, Guiying Mountain, and Qinglong Mountain; the central branch enters Tianxing Mountain, Chaotian Mountain, Jinlong Mountain, and Baiyun Mountain north of the Lishui River; the southern branch enters Shizhu Mountain, Yang
feng Mountain, Tianmen Mountain, Dalong Mountain, and Tiantai Mountain. After passing through the city's two districts and two counties, these three branches run from west to east, sinking from Cili and Shimen toward Dongting Lake and naturally disappearing. Therefore, the northeastern part of Zhangjiajie City is actually at the junction (or transition zone) between mountain peaks and the lake area.
Zhangjiajie has a moderate climate. Located at mid-northern latitudes, it has a mid-subtropical mountainous monsoon humid climate. As a result, rainfall is abundant (average annual precipitation
is 1,400 mm), sunshine is plentiful, the frost-free period is long, and the severe cold period is short, with an average annual temperature of about 16°C. The hottest summer month averages 27°C, while the
coldest winter month averages 4.3°C (January is the coldest, with extreme temperatures around zero to 4°C). Such a climate is not only suitable for animal reproduction and plant growth, but even more suitable for sightseeing and tourism.
Because Zhangjiajie City is located in the heart of the Wuling Mountains, bordered to the east by the 800-li Dongting Lake, the land of fish and rice, and to the west by the border region of Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces,
it has historically been a famous distribution center for goods. According to local gazetteers, as early as the Ming Dynasty, this was a place where merchants gathered. Not only was surrounding trade
developed, but merchants from Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, and other places also came here to do business and establish enterprises. Today, the roads and railways here
extend in all directions, and civil aviation has also opened. It can be said with certainty that a vibrant, modern new tourism city is rising before the world with a brand-new face
! Zhangjiajie's course of change and development: In September 1982, China's first national forest park was established, filling the gap of China having no national park;
In February 1985, Hu Yaobang, then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, inscribed a title for Wulingyuan;
In May 1985, the State Council approved the abolition of Dayong County and the establishment of Dayong City (county-level);
In May 1988, Dayong City was upgraded to a prefecture-level city, governing Yongding District, Wulingyuan District, Cili County, and Sangzhi County;
In August 1988, Wulingyuan was listed among the second batch of 40 key scenic and historic interest areas in China;
On December 14, 1992, Wulingyuan was inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List;
In April 1994, the State Council approved the renaming of Dayong City to Zhangjiajie City;
In March 1995, President Jiang Zemin visited in person and set the direction for Zhangjiajie's future development: ""Build Zhangjiajie into a world-famous tourist
destination""
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was China's first national forest park, approved in 1982 by the State Planning Commission under the authorization of the State Council. In 1983, the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Management Office was established, managing Zhangjiajie Village and Yuanjiajie Village on its behalf. The park has a total area of 4,810 hectares, a forest coverage rate of 98%, and a timber volume
of 350,000 cubic meters. The park has a resident population of 3,800 and 1,500 cadres and workers in the management office. The park is famous for its unique quartz sandstone peak forest landform,
combining “majesty, wonder, seclusion, wildness, and elegance” into one, and is “a miniature fairyland, an enlarged bonsai.” The park has opened premium tour routes such as Huangshizhai, Golden Whip Stream, Yaozizhai, and
Yuanjiajie, with more than 130 essential scenic spots. The park not only has peculiar natural scenery, but also exceptionally rich animal and plant resources. There are woody
plants of 93 families and 517 species, 720 species of ornamental plants, birds of 13 families and 41 species, and 28 species of mammals. It is known as a “natural botanical garden” and “animal kingdom.” With the
continuous development of the tourism industry, the park has constantly undergone new changes. From a single operation formerly focused on forest cultivation, it has developed into an entity integrating agriculture, forestry, commerce, and ecotourism, with protection and development in harmony. The implementation of the tourism-driven strategy has welcomed more and more tourists from home and abroad, and has also brought
good economic and social benefits. Since the park was established, it has received 16 million Chinese and foreign visitors and realized tourism revenue of 2.7 billion RMB.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is remarkable for its peaks, secluded for its valleys, and elegant for its forests. Three thousand stone peaks rise from the ground, each with a different shape, and the canyons
between the peak forests are deep and quiet, with murmuring streams. In spring, mountain flowers bloom profusely and fragrance fills the air; in summer, cool breezes blow, making it an ideal place to escape the heat; in autumn, red leaves cover the mountains and wild fruits hang from the branches; in winter, it is wrapped in silver, with snow-white mountains all around. The park has a pleasant climate and different scenery in all four seasons, making it an ideal destination for tourism, vacation, and leisure.
As the earliest national forest park established, on the path of continuous exploration it has achieved gratifying results, played a leading and exemplary role among forest parks, and received full recognition from relevant national, provincial, and municipal departments as well as social recognition. The park has successively won honors such as “National Model Unit for Ethnic Unity and Progress,” “National Civilized Forest Park,” “National Advanced Unit for Forest Fire Prevention,” and “National May 1 Labor Award.” The Huangshizhai Management Committee and Golden Whip Stream Management Committee under the park management office have successively been awarded the titles of “National Advanced Grassroots Party Organization” and “National March 8 Red Banner Collective.”
Unremitting struggle and always moving forward are the spirit of the people of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The goal of being China's number one park and an internationally renowned park is gradually being realized.
Three thousand wondrous peaks and eight hundred beautiful waters unfold the legend of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and display the beauty of nature. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park opens
its warm arms to welcome you!
Suoxiyu Nature Reserve is located to the northeast of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and is closely connected with Tianzi Mountain, with a total area of 147 square kilometers. Within the reserve, more than 200 scenic spots are scattered like stars, mainly including Baofeng Lake, Yellow Dragon Cave, Baizhang Gorge, Ten-Mile Gallery, Xihai, and other scenic areas.
Suoxiyu is named because the stream water is shaped like a rope. Here the caves are strange, the gorges and lakes lean against the sky, there are many birds and beasts, and plant species are complete. The landscapes are unique, and can be viewed
continuously as a whole or explored in detail garden by garden. It can truly be said that there are scenes within scenes and gardens beyond gardens.
Yellow Dragon Cave-Guanyin Cave Tour Route
Yellow Dragon Cave: Also called Huanglong Spring, it is located in Hekou Village, Suoxiyu, and is divided into a dry cave and a water cave. It has four levels in total, is 13 kilometers long, and reaches over 100 meters at its highest point. Inside the cave, flow marks, rimstones, inverted stalagmites, and inverted pot-shaped potholes are well developed, and calcareous deposits are colorful and resplendent. Stalactites, stalagmites, stone columns,
, stone flags, stone waterfalls, stone curtains, stone flowers, stone basins, stone fields, cave pearls, and other formations are peculiarly shaped. In addition, there are sounding stones in the cave. There are 11 kilometers of dark cave passages. In the cave
there is a waterfall more than 50 meters high. Yellow Dragon Cave contains almost all the contents of a cave. Halls such as the “Dragon Palace” can win the “individual
championship” among limestone caves nationwide, and in an overall evaluation of the entire cave, it can win the “all-around championship.” It is currently a famous cave in China with a complete range of types and extremely peculiar formations. The scale and landscapes of this cave are also rare in the world.
Dragon Palace: The Dragon Palace is the essence of Yellow Dragon Cave, with an area of about 1,600 square meters. The “Dragon King's Throne” is located in the center, with thousands of stone columns and stalagmites standing around it.
Baofeng Lake-Yingwo Village-Baizhang Gorge Tour Route
Baofeng Lake: It is a man-made lake formed by damming a gorge. The lake water follows the mountain terrain in a long shape, about 9 kilometers. The water surface is like a mirror, reflecting the towering peaks. Boating
on the lake and climbing the exquisite green island in the middle of the lake makes one feel as if置身 in a painting. Climbing the towering Yingwo Village by the lake and looking down at Baofeng Lake, it looks like a piece of jasper inlaid
among the mountains.
Baizhang Gorge: Legend has it that Baizhang Gorge was an ancient battlefield. Scenic spots such as Panma Post, Whetstone, Flag-Planting Peak, and Water-Connecting Bridge are all associated with the ancient battlefield,
so Baizhang Gorge is also called “Baizhang Gorge” (Hundred-Battle Gorge). Few scenic areas in Wulingyuan have historical records, but because of its strategic terrain, this place appeared in writing as early as the early Ming Dynasty. According to the Cili County Gazetteer
, “The gorge is a hundred zhang high, lofty and elegant, reaching into the clouds; the stone screen is reddish-brown, ... the pass eye is abrupt, unsurpassed in wonder under heaven.”
Xihai-Ten-Mile Gallery Tour Route
Xihai Cloud Waves: “Nothing in Xihai is more wondrous than the clouds. Sometimes they sound as if audible, sometimes they smell intoxicating, clustering like cotton, billowing like a sea, curling like smoke.”
Ten-Mile Gallery: On both sides of this valley more than ten li long, the natural landscapes are exceptionally rich. As one walks among them, there is a scene every three steps, as if traveling through a painting, too beautiful to take in
.
South Heaven Gate: Clouds and mist flow and swirl through it, one gate separating heaven and the human world.
Water Surrounding Four Gates: Here, Golden Whip Stream meets the Nanmu Stream from the south and the Kuangdong Stream from the north, the three waters converging eastward into Suoxi. Among the surrounding strange peaks and stone walls is a
lush green oasis, with several mountain streams cutting out four mountain gates to the southeast, northwest, and northeast. People call it Water Surrounding Four Gates.