Towering quartz-sandstone pillars wrapped in mist — the landscape that inspired the floating mountains of 'Avatar'. Zhangjiajie is northern Hunan's adventure capital of glass bridges, cable cars and deep canyons.
History & culture
China's first national forest park (established 1982), this area protects a rare quartz-sandstone peak forest formed over hundreds of millions of years, long held sacred by the local Tujia and Miao peoples.
What to see & do
- ◆Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the 'Avatar' Hallelujah Mountain
- ◆Tianmen Mountain cable car and the glass skywalk
- ◆Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon glass bridge
- ◆Bailong Glass Elevator up a cliff face
- ◆Baofeng Lake boat ride
What to eat
- ●Tujia bacon (la rou) hotpot
- ●Sour-spicy preserved vegetables
- ●Glutinous rice cakes (ciba)
Getting there
Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport and a high-speed rail station connect to Changsha and beyond. Park shuttle buses link the main scenic entrances.
Avoid the pitfalls
- The park is huge — plan two days and pick entrances in advance to avoid backtracking.
- Don't confuse Zhangjiajie city, the forest park, and Tianmen Mountain; they're separate ticketed areas.
- Weekends and holidays mean long cable-car queues; go midweek and start early.
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