Classic Zhangjiajie Travel Routes|Zhangjiajie Travel|Zhangjiajie Travel Guide|Zhangjiajie Specialties
Zhangjiajie|Zhangjiajie National Forest Park|Zhangjiajie travel|Zhangjiajie travel guide|Zhangjiajie specialties The beautiful Avatar world. The scenery is fixed, but the routes are flexible—choose your own adventure. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in the southern part of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area. The park administration is based at Luoguta, 32 kilometers from the Zhangjiajie city center and about 28 kilometers from the Wulingyuan District People's Government seat, both reachable by road. The Zhangjiajie region belonged in ancient times to Chao…
Zhangjiajie | Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | Zhangjiajie Travel | Zhangjiajie Travel Guide | Zhangjiajie Specialties
The beautiful world of Avatar. The scenery is fixed, but the routes are flexible—choose your own adventure.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in the southern part of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area. The park administration is based at Luoguta, 32 kilometers from the urban area of Zhangjiajie City and about 28 kilometers from the seat of Wulingyuan District Government. All are accessible by road.
The Zhangjiajie area was called Chaotian Mountain in ancient times. It got its name because Zhang Zaihong, a local man during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, was "graciously granted the title of Tuan Official" and established his office here. Zhangjiajie was also once called Mazongling. In 1958, the state-owned Zhangjiajie Forest Farm was established. In 1982, it was approved by the State Council as a national forest park.
In 1994, it was named a "National Demonstration Forest Park" by the Ministry of Forestry. Within its borders, peaks are dense and rocks precipitous, valleys deep and ravines secluded, waters beautiful and forests green, clouds and mist swirling. It combines majesty, wonder, seclusion, wildness, and elegance in one, and blends peaks, valleys, ravines, forests, and waters into a single hue. There are six mini-scenic touring routes—Golden Whip Stream, Huangshizhai, Pipa Stream, Yaozi Village, Shedao Valley, and Yuanjiajie—with more than 90 named scenic spots. There are 6 standard stone-slab walking paths totaling 21.8 kilometers, and vehicle roads totaling 29.8 kilometers.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has more than 3,000 strange peaks and unusual rocks, resembling people or objects, with both spirit and form—some rugged, some delicate, some bizarre, some mysterious. In their simplicity there is a touch of wildness; in their ferocity there is also charm. Precipitous cliffs and sheer walls stand with grand elegance. Zhangjiajie combines the six wonders of strange mountains, strange waters, strange rocks, strange clouds, strange animals, and strange plants, and gathers the five excellences of beauty, primitiveness, tranquility, completeness, and freshness. It embraces the scenery of north and south and combines the beauty of many mountains. It is a labyrinth of nature and the original model of Chinese painting! Zhangjiajie's forest resources are extremely rich. The forest coverage rate in the park is 97.7%. The world's five major plant families—such as Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, and Poaceae—are all found here. In terms of tree species, there are 93 families and 157 species, twice as many as in all of Europe; moreover, there are many rare and precious tree species, such as dove tree, Chinese tulip tree, eucommia, and ginkgo. The flowers in the park are also very beautiful and unique, such as the five-colored flower that can change into five colors in a day, and the lobster flower unique to Zhangjiajie.
Zhangjiajie, also known as Qingyan Mountain, is the site of China's first national forest park. It is located at the southwestern end of Suoxiyu in Wulingyuan, adjacent to the Suoxiyu Nature Scenic Area and Tianzi Mountain Nature Scenic Area, with a total area of 72,000 mu.
It is famous for its peaks, secluded for its waters, and beautiful for its forests. Within its borders, clusters of peaks rise from the ground like giant bamboo shoots proudly pointing to the sky. The four sides of the rock peaks are as neat as if cut by axes and knives, yet each has a different form. Golden Whip Stream is flanked by broken cliffs and sheer walls, with wild vines and ancient trees—a truly primeval scene. In the secluded valleys and ravines, springs and huge waterfalls flow throughout the year, forming one strange and wonderful picture after another. The main scenic spots include Huangshizhai, Yaozi Village, Yuanjiajie, Shadao Valley, and Golden Whip Stream.
Huangshizhai gets its name from a Taoist priest named Huang Shigong who once lived in seclusion here in ancient times. It is 1,080 meters above sea level, a platform supported by many cliffs and precipices, higher in the south and lower in the north, with an area of 16.5 hectares. This scenic area is the essence of the Zhangjiajie tourist area and the place where Zhangjiajie gathers its wonders. Its main attractions include: Heavenly Book Treasure Box, Sea-Calming Divine Needle, South Heaven Pillar, Golden Sea Probing Turtle, and others. Because of the strange mountains, strange waters, strange rocks, strange clouds, strange forests, and strange animals here, a Six Wonders Pavilion was also built on the summit. Standing on the platform and gazing into the distance, one can see countless scenes in distant peaks and nearby valleys, with the Thousand-Mile Meeting Peak, Cloud-Piercing Cave, and others all visible at a glance. Looking east, one can see strange peaks standing in rows on both sides of Golden Whip Stream, like a tray of exquisite emeralds—truly a feast for the eyes. Only then can one experience the feeling that if you don't go up Huangshizhai, your trip to Zhangjiajie is in vain.
Golden Whip Stream is located in the eastern part of the forest park, with a total length of 15 li. It flows from Laomowan to Shuiraosimen, passes through Suoxi, and empties into the Lishui River, one of Hunan's four major river systems. It is named after the Golden Whip Rock beside the stream. This scenic area has continuous stone peaks and plunging waterfalls. The stream winds through deep ravines and secluded valleys. On both sides of the stream, thousands of peaks tower into the clouds, and dense trees block out the sun. Here the stream murmurs, and glassy waterfalls cascade. Rare flowers and grasses grow together with rare birds and animals, forming an extremely beautiful, quiet, and natural ecological environment. It is called "the most beautiful canyon in the world" and "the most poetic stream."
Tianzi Mountain is located in the northwestern part of Suoxiyu in Wulingyuan, with a total area of 5,400 hectares. It stands in a tripod arrangement with Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Suoxiyu. It starts from Shenzhen Pavilion in the east and ends at General Rock in the west, stretching nearly 40 kilometers.
Tianzi Mountain is 1,262.5 meters above sea level and looks down on all others with its height. Legend says it was named because Xiang Dakun, a Tujia leader in the Song Dynasty, led followers in uprising here and called himself "Heavenly King." Viewing scenery at Tianzi Mountain offers a broad field of vision, majestic momentum, and rich layers. It is especially superb for viewing peaks, watching the sun, enjoying mist, and appreciating snow. Hence the saying, "After seeing Tianzi Mountain, no other mountains are worth seeing." There are also stretches of primeval secondary forest here, with rare flowers and unusual trees everywhere and rare birds and animals seen at every turn.
1. Excellent Viewing Spots
Because of its high terrain, scenery can be viewed from the southeast, south, and west, with long sightlines, broad panoramas, and many layers of landscape. Standing on Tianzi Peak or Seven-Star Mountain at Tianzi Mountain and looking down, one can take in the thousands of sensations below. The central part of Tianzi Mountain is high and the surroundings are low, like a giant pagoda rising from the ground. Various newly developed landforms of peculiar shapes are mostly concentrated on the mountainside of Tianzi Mountain, such as majestic waterfalls, the perilous Immortal Bridge, rock gates, karst caves, and dense and steep peak-forest stone pillars, which greatly satisfy visitors' curiosity.
2. Magical Peaks and Rocks
The magic of Tianzi Mountain lies in its mist-shrouded strange rocks and perilous peaks—like pillars, like pagodas, like bamboo shoots—some tens of meters low, some hundreds of meters high, carved into a hundred forms. There are natural group images such as Qu Yuan Chanting, Sisters Whispering, Deep Marital Love, Immortals Gathering, Beauties Dancing, and Heavenly Soldiers Setting Out. Local people call the stone pillars shaped like military officers "Forty-Eight Great Generals and Forty-Eight Lesser Generals," arrayed in the Eight Gates Locked Formation while the Son of Heaven sits in court reviewing troops. It is said that Tianzi Mountain got its name from Xiang Dakun, the leader of a Tujia uprising. He once led 30,000 troops, called himself the Xiang Family Son of Heaven, and vowed to resist the court. After several days of fierce fighting, he was defeated and surrounded. He shouted three times and, together with his horse, leaped from the rock ledge at Shentang Bay on the right side of Yuanjiajie, turning into strange peaks and rocks such as the Son of Heaven Holding Court. To this day, Shentang Bay remains mysterious and unfathomable, surrounded by sheer cliffs thousands of feet deep. Standing at the cliff and looking down, one feels an eerie chill and a sense of unfathomable depth. From ancient times to the present, few people have gone there, and no one has revealed its secrets, so people can only entrust it to myths and legends, adding a layer of mysterious brilliance to Tianzi Mountain.
3. Natural Rock Walls
The magic of Tianzi Mountain also lies in a huge rock wall more than 20 kilometers long and up to a thousand meters high, embracing all the scenery in its arms. The rock wall facing the stone forest folds into one crease after another; rock spurs and rock bays extend and contract, shaped like the teeth of a folding fan. On the rock eaves at more than 900 meters above sea level on the mountainside, there is a winding yet flat touring path. The path is more than 20 kilometers long, with 69 rock bays and 84 viewing platforms along the way. Each bend offers a scene, each platform a panorama. This is a natural touring route, truly making one marvel at nature's uncanny workmanship.
4. Varied Water Scenery
The karst seepage water of Tianzi Mountain flows out from the sandstone surface at about 900 meters above sea level in all directions, forming countless springs and small streams and waterfalls and water curtains too many to take in. Some plunge straight down, some trickle slowly. The colorful waterfalls flowing from the red sandstone are especially superb scenery.
5. Four Great Wonders
Tianzi Mountain also has four great wonders: cloud and mist, moonlit night, rosy sunrise, and winter snow. Cloud and mist are the most commonly seen celestial wonders at Tianzi Mountain. There are scenes such as cloud and mist, sea of clouds, cloud waves, cloud waterfalls, and colored clouds. After a long rain clears or in drizzling rain, first comes hazy fog, then white clouds form and float around. The peaks appear and disappear in the boundless sea of clouds, making one feel as if in the fairyland of Penglai. Sometimes clouds and mist surge from the stream mouth, climb over the peaks, and then pour down with a momentum that blots out the sky, forming cloud waterfalls—extremely spectacular. On moonlit nights, when the moon is bright and stars are few and all is silent, the peak forest here is draped in a "magic veil" by the hazy moonlight, like groups of demon shadows standing in the secluded valleys. Hearing the chirping calls of birds and animals gives one a sense of mystery. At rosy sunrise, on a clear morning, a red sun rises slowly from among the strange mountains and peaks against clusters of red clouds. Thousands of stone pagodas stand gracefully, draped in a layer of red glow—most enchanting. In winter snow, as winter begins, Tianzi Mountain is wrapped in silver, and green pines and peaks are covered by heavy snow. At this time, Tianzi Mountain has upside-down icicles and scattered ice flowers; only some mountain deer and wild boars are not conquered by the silvery white world.
Its main scenic spots include natural landscapes such as South Heaven Gate, Imperial Brush Peak, Fairy Presenting Flowers, Reviewing Stand, Sky Garden, Immortal Bridge, and Divine Soldiers Gathering, as well as two cultural landscapes, Tianzi Pavilion and Helong Park. West Sea is a peculiar sea of stone forest. West Sea is a basin-type canyon peak-forest group. Climbing from Yejia Gang, one can see the starting point of the West Sea peak forest, undulating like ocean waves. Looking down at the sea of clouds, in spring, summer, or early autumn after rain clears, the clouds are like waves, surging or rolling, rushing or pouring, blotting out the sky—extremely spectacular.
The main scenic spots of West Sea include Sleeping Beauty, Natural Botanical Garden, Echo Wall, Camel Peak, and Heavenly Platform. Among them, Heavenly Platform is the best, more than 1,000 meters high, with a man-made ladder leading to the summit. Climbing to the summit and viewing West Sea again, one sees misty clouds and picturesque scenery.
It makes one sigh endlessly. Ten-Mile Gallery is a high mountain canyon more than 6 kilometers long. This canyon has overlapping strange peaks and standing grotesque rocks. On both sides of the canyon, peaks stand in awe-inspiring array with different shapes, forming a vivid natural sculpture painting. The poet Li Shengming wrote after touring: "Strange peaks vie to rise and stir the long sky, a hundred forms and thousand postures are the work of creation. In the beautiful valley and clear stream along ten li of road, how many visitors are within the gallery." The sculptor Qian Shaowu called it "a corridor displaying a group of natural sculpture masterpieces." Along the way, one can see landscapes such as Zhuan Ge Tower, Fierce Tiger Roaring at Heaven, and Old Man Rock. Among them, the Herb-Collecting Old Man and All Immortals Worshipping Guanyin on both sides of the canyon are the best scenic spots.
Geographical Location and Climate
Zhangjiajie City is located in northwestern Hunan, 398 kilometers from the provincial capital Changsha (calculated from Yongding District, where the municipal government is located). Its geographical coordinates are: 28°52′ to 29°48′ north latitude and 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. Its total area is 9,563 square kilometers, with a maximum east-west length of 167 kilometers and a maximum north-south width of 96 kilometers. Its total population reaches 1.5 million (including nearly 600,000 people of ethnic minorities such as Miao, Tujia, and Bai).
Zhangjiajie City is located in the hinterland of the Wuling Mountains. The nationally famous nature reserve and world-renowned Buddhist holy site Fanjing Mountain is its main peak. The Wuling Mountains branch from Fanjing Mountain into western Hunan and western Hubei, and then divide into three branches: the northern branch enters Lishan, Guiying Mountain, and Qinglong Mountain from Laifeng County in Hubei Province and Longshan County in Hunan Province; the central branch enters Tianxing Mountain, Chaotian Mountain, Jinlong Mountain, and Baiyun Mountain north of the Lishui River; the southern branch enters Shizhu Mountain, Yangfeng Mountain, Tianmen Mountain, Dalong Mountain, and Tiantai Mountain. After these three mountain branches pass through the two districts and two counties under the city's jurisdiction, their direction runs from west to east, sinking toward Dongting Lake from Cili and Shimen and naturally disappearing. Therefore, the northeastern part of Zhangjiajie City is actually at the junction (or convergence) of mountain peaks and lake areas.
Zhangjiajie has a moderate climate. Located at the middle northern latitude, it has a mid-subtropical mountain-type monsoon humid climate. Therefore, rainfall is abundant (average annual precipitation is 1,400 millimeters), sunshine is ample, the frost-free period is long, and the severe cold period is short. The average annual temperature is about 16°C. The hottest summer month has a temperature of 27°C, and the coldest winter month has an average temperature of 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 hinterland of the Wuling Mountains, borders the 800-li Dongting Lake, the land of fish and rice, to the east, and is adjacent to the border areas of Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Guizhou to the west, it has historically been a famous distribution center for goods. According to local gazetteers, as early as the Ming Dynasty, this was already 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, roads and railways here extend in all directions, and civil aviation has also opened. It can be affirmed that a vigorous, modern new tourism city is rising before the world with a brand-new appearance!
Zhangjiajie's development process: In September 1982, China's first national forest park was established, filling the gap that China had 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 included in the second batch of 40 key scenic and historic interest areas in the country;
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-renowned tourist destination."
Complete List of Tourist Areas and Sites in Zhangjiajie City
No. Unit Name Grade
1 Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area Address: Wulingyuan 4A
2 Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Administration Address: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
3 Hunan Wulingyuan Cableway Co., Ltd. Address: Jundiping, Wulingyuan
4 Zhangjiajie Bailong Elevator Tourism Development Co., Ltd. Address: Shuiraosimen, Wulingyuan District
6 Yellow Dragon Cave Investment Co., Ltd. Address: Hekou Village, Wulingyuan District 4A
7 Zhangjiajie Baofeng Lake Tourism Industrial Development Co., Ltd. Address: Baofeng Lake Scenic Area, Wulingyuan 4A
8 Zhangjiajie Whitewater Slalom Tourism Co., Ltd. Address: Jundiping, Wulingyuan District
9 China Zhangjiajie Giant Salamander Nature Protection and Rescue Center Address: Baofeng Lake Road, Wulingyuan District
10 Wulingyuan Zixia Temple Address: Baofeng Lake Road, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
11 Badagongshan National Nature Reserve Administration Address: Tianping Mountain, Sangzhi County
12 Helong Memorial Hall Address: Hongjiaguan Township, Sangzhi County
13 Zhangjiajie Jiutian Cave Tourism Co., Ltd. Address: Shuidong Village, Lifuta, Sangzhi County
14 Zhangjiajie West Line Tourism Development Co., Ltd. Address: No. 15 Jiaochang Road, Zhangjiajie City
15 Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Tourism Co., Ltd. Address: Building 1, Dongyuan Xincun, Huilong Road, Zhangjiajie City
16 Zhangjiajie Tujia Customs Park Address: Wuzipo, Nanzhuangping, Yongding District
17 Zhangjiajie Xiuhua Mountain Hall Industrial Co., Ltd. Address: No. 31 Jiaochang Road, Yongding District
18 Puguang Zen Temple Address: No. 20 Jiefang Road, urban area
19 Junsheng Painting Academy Address: Fengwan Bridge, Ziwu East Road
20 Zhangjiajie Yongding District Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Guizhou Soviet Area Memorial Hall Address: No. 41 Jiefang Road, urban area
22 Zhangjiajie Wulei Mountain Scenic Area Administration Address: East of Cili County Seat
23 Zhangjiajie Jiangya Hot Spring Resort Address: Jiangya Town, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province
24 Wanlong Tourism Transportation Development Co., Ltd. (Dragon King Cave) Address: Yanbantian Village, Cili County
25 Zhangjiajie Loujiang Little Three Gorges Rafting Company Address: Jiangya Town, Cili County, Zhangjiajie City