Zhangjiajie National Park - what is remarkable? zhangjiajie national park zhangjiajie national park 6

It turns out that Avatar Mountains really exist and this is not James Cameron's invention for his film of the same name. Prototype Pandora mountains steel mountains in Zhangjiajie National Park Forest Park) – part of the reserve Wulingyuan. After the release of the film, the tourist flow increased so much that in gratitude it was renamed after the film.

Mountains in the Yunjiajie region

Bizarre rocks that rise high into the sky in lonely pillars will not leave you indifferent. The mountains are simply incredible, and if there is still fog or clouds are low, they become “floating”.
Zhangjiajie Park and Wulingyuan Scenic Area is the first park in China to receive status as a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site. And according to the Chinese system of rating attractions, it received the highest rating - AAAA.

Dragon's Back

The mountains were formed back in the Mesozoic era, and over millions of years, in the process of weathering and washing out sandstones and limestones, more than 3,000 pointed rocks were formed, many of them reaching a height of 800-1,000 meters. Today the cliffs and mountain crevices are overgrown with abundant vegetation and pine trees. Rivers and lakes, sometimes beautiful waterfalls, flow through deep gorges.
I'm an amateur high mountains, and not alone mountain range, but these are completely different and completely different from all the others. Even on Chinese mountains: or . But it’s worth noting that here they are more touristy, and you won’t have to conquer them, but that doesn’t make them any less interesting, and walking through them will make you feel like you’re “on another planet.”

Route through the Avatar mountains in 1 day

We spent 3 days in Zhangjiadze, but the itinerary in the surrounding area was very busy, so we only had 1 full day left for Avatar Park itself.

Pagoda at the main entrance

In order not to waste time on long journeys from Zhangjiadze to the reserve, it is most convenient to stay near the main entrance to the National Park in the village of Wulingyuan and in just 5 minutes on foot you will find yourself at your destination.

How are the attractions located in the park?

Wulingyuan is very popular among travelers and even at 8 am there are a lot of tour groups, so come even earlier, because the park opens from 6:30 am.

Queue to enter the park at 8 am

This is what the line looks like at 8am.
The town works for travelers, so even at 7 am near the park, you will find many open cafes offering breakfast. Of course, this will be a Chinese breakfast, maybe not everyone likes rice congee, but boiled eggs, noodles and steamed rice buns can also be found.

Early morning cafes open for breakfast

How to explore Zhangjiajie Park

To avoid long lines, start your tour in the opposite direction from the tour crowd. We choose a bus to the lower cable car station in the area TianZiShan, with the title "Lower station of Tanzishan cableway". Tourist groups they immediately go to the open elevator Bailong, so the queue there is 10 times longer and longer. We stood there for only 15 minutes this morning. to our bus.

Mountains in the Tianzishan region

Taking the cable car up the mountain Tianzishan, also called Emperor's Mountain, and there is a reason for it, because the height is 1182 m, and the peaks buried in the clouds form a real Stone Peak Forest.

Forest of Stone Peaks

The views here are amazing, and there are a lot of Chinese people on the central viewing platforms, but they are surprisingly civilized and wait for their turn to take a fantastic photo. If you go down a little further from tourist routes, there are noticeably fewer people, and there are many places where you can be alone.
It is in this area that there is a beautiful Emperor's Palace Pagoda, from which the most charming views open. There is also a McDonald's here if anyone still needs European food.
At the main stops there are many different snack bars; you can easily find water or some snacks. If you're not afraid, you can also try Chinese street food, all kinds of steamed rice cakes, sausages or fish balls skewers, etc. Water, cola, corn - costs 10 yuan each. Sausages, eggs, steamed bun – 5 yuan each. A large flatbread or sandwich costs 15 yuan.

Steamed rice buns with different fillings

And also strange fruits, we didn’t even know all the names.

Outlandish berries

A walk in this part of the park takes 1.5 hours.

Then take the bus to Yangjiajie (YangJiaJe). The nature here is also breathtaking, but there are practically no people. Several paths where you already need to climb the mountain, with interesting names– The man praying to the Buddha, One step to the Heaven, The Tiger and the Dragon and The Dragon", The Fishing Kitten.

Mountain area with few tourists

There is also an ethnic village here Wu Long, in which local residents still live and farm according to ancient traditions. Even the evidence for bees is specific here. Although mountain honey is very fragrant, we purchased a jar.

Honey is collected in such hives in the mountains

If you are tired of climbing the mountains, you can use the services of local Chinese who, for a fee, will carry you to the mountains in a special bamboo chair. Prices as per good attraction, 300-400 yuan.

In such a chair you will be carried to the mountains

If you have time, you can go off the paved path to the abandoned Chinese house. But then you will have to climb the Yang Jia Je cable Way again, ticket 76 yuan.

Abandoned house in the mountains

All tourist routes and paths are carefully laid out and marked with signs; of course, you need comfortable shoes, but it’s quite easy to move around.

If you descend far from the main attractions, be careful, the paths are already overgrown with moss and are very slippery from constant humidity, rain or dew. And the descents, corresponding to the height of the rocks, are very steep.
You can spend 2-3 hours here.

Avatar Hallelujah

From the top cable station in the area YangJiaJe we'll get to by bus tourist center in the park - YuanJiaJie. This is where the same mountain is Avatar Hallelujah Mountain or “Lonely standing stone pillar supporting the sky” (Stone Pillar – Support of the Sky), the highest Natural bridge in the world connecting 2 rocks "The First Bridge under Heaven".
You will immediately recognize the bridge, because it is all hung with red satin ribbons with wishes and locks of couples in love.

A lock for good luck or a ribbon with a wish

Enterprising Chinese even opened a kiosk here, where you can immediately buy both a ribbon and a lock 😉

The First Bridge Under Heaven

Despite the fact that there are always crowds of Chinese here, due to the spectacular views, you don’t always pay attention to them and consider them already part of the landscape.

Observation deck in Yundzadze

There are already monkeys here, of course, many people want to feed these cute creatures, but some of them are impudent and snatch food, and not only that, out of their hands. Be careful, mobile or light bags can also be snatched.

Wild monkey

In these parts, 1.5-2 hours is enough.

From YuanJiaJie you can walk down to Golden Whip Stream, the path is not very difficult, about 1-1.5 hours. Or take the bus to the popular elevator Bailong.

Baylong Elevator

The elevator, of course, is an “attraction for visitors,” but you will spend many times more time in line than inside the elevator. You will be dropped from a height of 330 m in just 1 minute. The mountains, of course, will be beautiful, but nothing more.

And most importantly, the queue to leave the elevator is always huge. We arrived at 5 pm on a weekday and waited for more than an hour for the bus. Judging by the reviews, many people stood in line at the elevator for 2-4 hours.

2 hour queue for the elevator

This is the main route for 1 day.

If you plan to spend 2-3 days in the reserve Wulingyuan, you can break everything into parts and walk more on footpaths. In the mountain area TianZiShan visit Ten mile gallery Natural ecological line, descend from the Emperor's Palace Pagoda (Pagoda Tianzi). Takes about 3 hours. Here, you can also take a tourist train, the cost is 38 yuan. And from here take a bus to the Baylong elevator.
Visit part HuangShiZhai or Yellow Stone Village, which is a little remote.

Little-explored mountain areas

There is also an unexplored part of the park, the area Laowuchang Area. There are practically no tourists here, so there is complete freedom for photographers.

When is the best time to go to Avatar Park?

Reserve Wulingyuan open all year round, but in February, often after the Chinese New Year, the park is closed for reconstruction. And in winter, after all, it’s not so pleasant to walk through the cold mountains without the opportunity to ski. Due to heavy snowfalls, many slopes and viewing platforms may be closed for safety reasons.
But at this time there are practically no tourists, so you won’t have to waste time in queues, and no one will block the snow-covered views at the observation decks. And tickets are cheaper in winter

UNESCO Natural Heritage

WITH April to June, the season of rain and fog begins here. But this has its own charm, when thick fog covers the base of the rocks, the mountain peaks seem to hang in the air and the effect of “floating peaks” is created. Although, when there is thick fog, absolutely nothing is visible even after a couple of meters, in September we found ourselves in such fog on Mount Tianmen Shan, this is a common occurrence there.
In the summer it’s good in the mountains, although it’s a little hot +35, but the breeze will blow on you in the shade of the trees. Even at this time, there is high humidity and the largest influx of tourists (although there is even more on the Chinese holidays of May 1-3 and the beginning of October).

Zhangjiajie Park

Optimal season in September and October. We were there in mid-September, the weather was perfect, neither hot nor cold. But there are a lot of tourists. Depending on the weather, it rained a couple of days before our arrival, and tourists were unable to see absolutely anything. In the same way, the next day we found ourselves in fog on a mountain in Zhangjadze.

How many days does it take to visit the Avatar Mountains?

1-3 days are enough for the Wulingyuan Nature Reserve itself, it all depends on how detailed you want to look at all the areas.
Due to unpredictable weather and frequent fogs, it is better to have a couple more days in reserve, and there is still something to see in these parts. Grand Canyon ( Grand Canyon) and the tallest, Lake Baofeng Lake), Mount Tanmen or (Tianmen mountain National Forest Park) with the longest cable car in the world, National Park "Red Stone Forest" (Red Stone Geopark), ancient city Fenghuan.
If it rains heavily, you can safely go to "" (Yellow Dragon Cave) cave of enormous size, we stayed in absolutely delighted from what he saw.
How many days to come to, of course, is up to you based on your schedule. In ours, we stayed here 3 full days, but not everyone had time to watch until Red Stone forest and we didn’t reach the authentic town of Fenghuan. And judging by the photos on the Internet, these are also very colorful places. So, when planning a route around China today, I would budget 5 days for the Zhangjiadze region and the surrounding area.

Where are the Avatar Mountains located?

The soaring mountains of Avatar are located in China, in Hunan province, in the urban district of Zhangjiadze, in the village of Wulingyuan in the reserve of the same name. First you need to get to the nearest transport center, the city of Zhangjiajie.

In the Yundzadze area

How to get to Zhangjiajie

1. By plane

Zhangqiajie can be reached from many Chinese cities. The fastest way is of course by plane, only 2-3 hours on the way from major cities China and you will fly to Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport. The airport accepts domestic flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Changsha, Nanjing, Haikou, Hengyang, Yinchuan, Chongqing, Wenzhou, Jinan, Shantou.
International flights are currently only available in a few countries: South Korea– Busan airport, and Thailand – Bangkok airport, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan.
The average ticket price is from 70 to 130 USD, depending on the distance and season.
From the airport to the city it only takes 15-20 minutes and a taxi costs 40 yuan. But here, like many places at airports, taxi drivers call exorbitant price. Therefore, you need to either bargain, or agree in advance with the hotel (provided they speak English) about the transfer, or book the transfer yourself in advance.
If you decide to go straight to Wulingyuan, where the floating mountains are located, then a taxi will cost 200 yuan, because the distance is a little more than 60 km and about 1.5 hours on the road.
You can also take bus number 4 from the airport to the bus station.

View from the observation deck

2. By train

There is a fairly good train station in Zhangqiadze, but there are no trains yet high speed trains.
Getting from Beijing and Shanghai by train is not entirely convenient, since you will spend 20-26 hours on the road. A ticket will cost 60-110 dollars, depending on which carriage you choose.
From the southern cities of China, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Guilin, traveling by night train is quite convenient, the journey takes about 11-16 hours and the ticket costs from $30 to $50, depending on the type of carriage.
The fastest way is by train from Changsha, only 4-6 hours.
We traveled by night train from Guilin in 11 hours, the ticket cost only 263 yuan at compartment carriage 1st class.
Or rather, from Guilin we took the fast train to Liuzhou, only 30 minutes on the way and transferred to an overnight regular train to Zhangjiadie. In Liuzhou you need to be very careful as you need to get to another train station Liujiang, where non-high-speed trains depart from. Book your tickets with plenty of time, as there are 14 km between the stations.
Taxis are very easy to find, there is a whole queue of them if you come across a normal taxi driver, the journey is only 30 minutes and the price is 20-30 yuan. If you see that the taxi driver is swerving and the price is completely different, go straight to the policeman at the station and the price immediately changes in the normal direction.
You can communicate with taxi drivers using an electronic translator; they were used everywhere in China, and there were absolutely no problems. Or, if you need to go to the station, immediately show your ticket, all the names of the station and the desired terminal are written there, in all languages.

In the Tianzishan Mountains area

We booked tickets for all trains in advance on the Internet, and upon arrival in China we immediately received all boarding passes by going to the nearest ticket window at the railway ticket office of the first station. You just need to show your reservations and passports.
Train Station Zhangjiajie is ideally located for tourists and is a wonderful landmark. Right in the city center, there is a bus station right away and the airport is a 15-minute drive away.
And here is the beginning of the cable car to Mount Tanmen or Heavenly Gate, which is also a “must see” in China and in particular in these parts.

3. By bus

You can also get there by bus. There are connections with almost all major cities. But if it takes a very long time to travel to Beijing and Shanghai, a valuable vacation day is lost, then to the nearest cities like Changsha the bus travels only 5 hours. And to the glorious ethnic town of Fenghuang - 50 minutes.

Bridge in a mountain village

How to get to Wulingyuan

To see the coveted Avatar Mountains, you need to get to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Wulingyuan Conservation Area.
Today the reserve has 5 entrances, each at the village of the same name.

Main entrances to the park

1. Wujiayu (Wulingyuan Gate) – The main entrance, closest to the village of Wulinguan, where the main hotels and restaurants are located.
2. Zimugang is the least developed part of the park, but photographers love it
3. Luoguta (Zhanggiajie National Forest Park Gate) – The closest entrance if you go from Zhangqiatse and from here it is convenient to go to the Golden Whip Stream.
4. Yangjiajie – Not a busy part of the park, with very steep slopes and an abandoned old house
5. Tianzishan (Tianzi Mountain Gate) – If you want to be the first to reach Tianzishan Mountain without using the lift.
The distance to different entrances is about 30-60 km.

The most common or main entrance No. 1 is Wujiayu (Wulingyuan Gate), the map shows only 42 km, but we drove twice from the station to almost the entrance to the reserve, it was 58 km. They didn’t take us in circles, there was nowhere there, only 1 highway. A taxi costs 150 yuan during the day, 180-200 yuan in the evening, the journey takes 50 minutes.

You can also take a bus from central bus station, they are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. summer time. You need bus No. 1 or No. 21, the journey is a little over an hour and you will pay immediately on the bus, about 20 yuan. In China, you can pay with WeChat or AliPay everywhere, so you can install the application on your mobile phone in advance and learn how to use it. This was a new thing for us, so we paid in cash.

Where to Stay for the Best Exploration of the Avatar Mountains

Since the Wulingyuan Nature Reserve, in which the mountains we are interested in, is located at a fairly large distance from the city of Zhangjiajie, it is best to settle immediately in a village, near any entrance to the park. Thus, you will save time on the morning trip to the park (a little over an hour by bus), and in the evening you will also save money on a taxi (about 200 yuan), because the buses stop running at 19:00, and there is a high probability of being late for the last one.
The largest selection of hotels and hostels is in the village of Wulingyuan, near the main entrance. Also in the village there are enough cafes, shops, ATMs, and there is a central bus station.

Streets in Wulingyuan

Almost all hotels and hostels do not offer breakfast, but this is not a problem. After all, the area is touristic, and early in the morning cafes offering breakfast are already open everywhere. There are especially many of them when approaching the main entrance to the park.
Of course, you can stop at any other entrance to the park, but the infrastructure there is more modest, mostly only hostels and there is not such a choice of dishes in the cafe, mostly only all kinds of “nudels” - noodles, in our opinion.
It’s quite sad with the cultural program in the evening in distant villages, there is nothing to do except stay in a hotel or the nearest cafe.
There is even a theater in Wulingyuan, they show "Charming Xiangxi" grand show, starts at 19:00, ticket price – 228-308 yuan. The show is quite spectacular, a lot of dancing and acrobatics, based on folk legends and traditions.

Ancient Chinese raincoat

Be sure to go to the local restaurants in the evening, there are so many unusual dishes, it’s good that there are pictures on the menu. Unfortunately, dishes from rare animals were also on the menu.

The most popular hostel, right next to the entrance to the reserve, was this hostel. According to reviews, it is clean, excellent service and most importantly, English-speaking staff. On average, a room costs from $15.

We stayed at this hotel, also very close to the main entrance of Wulingyuan, clean and excellent staff. We were given a map and, having learned our preferences, they outlined the route on how best to walk around Zhangzyadze Park. They also suggested a service for delivering luggage to a hotel in Zhangjiadze the next day. It costs only 20 yuan per suitcase. The administrator also filled out all addresses in Chinese. A full room for two, with a mountain view, cost 26 $. Zhandzyadze, then I recommend this hotel, price 26 $ or this hotel, price 19 $. Both hotels are centrally located, close to the Tianmen Mountain ski lift and next to the train station. Also in both hotels the staff speaks English.

Ticket prices to Wulingyuan Nature Reserve in 2019

The park is huge and in order to explore most or the best part of it in 1-2-3 days, it is better to come as early as possible.
In summer, the park is open from 6:30 to 18:30
IN winter time from 7:30 to 17:30
4 day ticket– 245 yuan, annual subscription– 298 yuan. The ticket is personalized, when purchasing you show your passport and at the entrance they take your fingerprint, so don’t confuse the ticket when you enter the next day.
Buses that travel around the park are included in the ticket price, and you can change to any of them as many times as you like.
But additional transport or entertainment must be paid separately.

Cable car

Huangshi Fort Ropeway(Yellow Stone Village area) - one way 65 yuan, round trip 118 yuan.
Cable car to Tianzishan Mountain(TianZi Mountain) – 72 yuan
Yangjiadie Ropeway(YangJi Je) - 76 yuan
Tourist train along the 10 mile gallery(Ten-mile gallery Sightseeing tram) – one way 38 yuan, round trip – 52 yuan
Bailong Elevator– 72 yuan
Show "Charming Xiangxi"– from 228 to 308 yuan
Yellow Dragon Cave (Huanglong Cave)– 100 yuan
Baofeng Lake– 96 yuan
Museum of Technology and Science (Dani Science and Technology Museum of Zhangjiajie)– 98 yuan

1. You need comfortable shoes for long walks, preferably ones that do not slip. Of course, almost all paths are paved with steps. But sometimes, if you go down further from hiking trails, the steps are covered with moss and very slippery.
2. Remember that all buses and cable cars stop operating one hour before the park closes. So if you climb high, you will have to come down on your own.
3. Of course, on the territory of the reserve there are cafes and trays with all kinds of food. But this is only near major stops. It is advisable to take water and some snacks with you, in case you go far from civilization.
4. There are a lot of monkeys in some parts of the park, they can be aggressive and take all the food, as well as cameras and bags.
5. It is quite hot in summer, so apply sunscreen and mosquito spray to exposed skin. Also take a hat and glasses. In winter, warm yourself. After all, going up into the mountains, the temperature is even cooler. Even in the mountains, the weather often changes, from sunny to rainy very quickly. It will be good if you take waterproof clothes
6. Avoid queues for morning transport to the main viewing points. This also applies to buses to the park from the city. Especially avoid the Bailong elevator in the morning and evening, there are always queues for several hours, and during rush hour and 4 hours you can stand for the pleasure of a ride in 1 minute. It's better to choose a different route and go down.
7. Take a card from the hotel, they give them out for free. Ask for the most interesting places. It is very easy to move around the park by buses, either look for the name in English where the bus is going, or show the driver the place on the map where you need to go.
8. In China, rarely anyone speaks English, but now there have been no problems with the help of an electronic translator, all Chinese use it. Download in advance a Chinese dictionary from Google Translate that works even without the Internet. Maps.me – download a map of the area in advance, also works offline. If you need the Internet, use it better, since a Chinese SIM card bans many of our popular sites and programs
9. When you print out your hotel reservation, also print out the Chinese version to make it easier to understand with drivers. At the same time, if possible, the name of the attractions in Chinese translation, or even better, a picture.
10. Visa and Master Card are not accepted everywhere in China; they have their own Union Pay system. So it’s more convenient to always have cash or use the WeChat or AliPay payment system. With these systems you can immediately pay from your smartphone everywhere, even in a minibus, bus and at the souvenir market.
11. When purchasing tickets, they almost always ask for a passport. Therefore, you need to carry it with you; a photocopy will not save you.

Have a nice trip and be sure to leave comments if you liked the mountains 😉

Zhangjiajie is one of the most famous national parks China, has recently become especially famous for serving as the inspiration for the creators of the film Avatar. You can also visit the planet Pandora, it’s not that difficult. First you need to get to Zhangjiajie city. There is an airport there, but the land connections are not so hot; you can get there from Yichang and Changsha, but from Chongqing it’s only a long detour with a transfer. It is 20-30 kilometers from the city to the park. The park can be entered from several directions, but the two most accessible are Wulingyuan Village and Zhangjiajie Village (same name as the city). These villages have all the necessary infrastructure: many hotels where foreigners can easily be accommodated from 80 yuan, shops, restaurants. Prices are a little higher than usual Chinese cities, but quite acceptable.

The entrance ticket costs 248 yuan ($50), a student ticket costs 148 (they also check your passport, which is no more than 25 years old). On a regular ticket it was written that it was valid for four days, on a student ticket - three. Such high prices are apparently intended to somewhat regulate demand - than more popular place, the more expensive it becomes. You won't be able to cheat and use someone else's ticket, because the entrance is based on fingerprints. But the price divided into three days no longer seems so high, and it’s worth coming here for just three days. In principle, you can see the park in one day, but if you go further by train, it might work out. But if you want to fly, setting aside one day is very risky, because if it rains, you will see something like this “beautiful” landscape from all observation platforms:




So I was incredibly lucky on the first day.


It rains frequently in this region and the climate here is very humid.



In the morning the probability of rain is lower, so it makes sense to set out early.



Now, actually, about what to see if the weather is good. There are several viewing platforms in Zhangjiajie where you can look at the narrow and high cliffs sticking out of the ground. Firstly, Huangshi (yellow village), secondly, Yuanjiajie, thirdly, Tianzi Mountain (imperial mountain). The remaining places are, as they say, outside the main path, and there are mostly long walking tracks. Leads to Huangshi cable car, but you can only walk there in a circle around the top of the mountain, and then back. Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain are connected by a road along the tops of the mountains, and free buses run there. There is also a cable car to Tianzi Mountain, and an elevator to Yuanjiajie (Bailong elevator). The entrance to Zhangjiajie village is very close to Huangshi, the Wulingyuan entrance is far from everything, but there are free buses from there to both the elevator and the cable car. There is no transport through the park between Huangshi and Yuanjiajie; you need to walk along the valley along the river.


The problem is that going up and down the elevator and any of the cable cars costs under 100 yuan ($15). So if you want to see everything in one day, you will have to spend another $60 for the ascent and descent in addition to the $50 entry fee. If you have two days, you can radically save on this by walking the entire route.


The climb to Huangshi or Yuanjiajie takes about an hour, walking along the stairs. Much easier than . They say that during peak times you can stand in line for an hour for the elevator, so it’s not even that slow.



You can also hire porters, but it’s not clear what the point is. It will be cheaper by elevator.



Ladder.


Path. Everything in the park is civilized and well-equipped.



The stairs are often lined with shops and eateries. One of them stores empty bottles.



And there are also many impudent, snickering monkeys living here.







DO WANT!



I read a lot of horror stories about having to stand in line to push to the railing to take a photo, but the reality was something like this:



Don't travel during the "high season"!



The only big group. Everyone was wearing raincoats, but it really didn’t rain that day.



Here they take selfies with caviar.



But the main thing is that they are watching this!



















In China, in the north of Hunan province, is located national park Zhangjiajie, which was one of the first in the country. It included the protected natural areas of Tianzishan, Zhangjiajie, Sanzhi, Xuoxiu, Yangjiajie, as well as Lake Baofeng.

Zhangjiajie National Park (Hunan Province) can be visited throughout the year. Spring gives this unique nature reserve the aromas of tropical flowers and magnificent greenery, summer - stunning vegetation and mountain coolness, autumn fascinates with a riot of colors, winter wraps you in a fluffy snow cover, turning the park into a fairy tale.

Zhangjiajie: history

Thanks to several photographs in popular publications and paintings by artists that were painted in Wulingyuan, the world learned that there was a natural pearl located in the mountains of China. The Chinese government has officially recognized the forested part of the Wulingyuan region as Zhangjiajie National Park. It was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1992.

Ten years later, the Ministry significantly expanded this territory, and in 2004 the huge natural geopark entered the worldwide network of national parks.

Description

Zhangjiajie is a national forest park, the territory of which is divided into several large zones, each of which has its own characteristics and picturesque landscape. The park consists of huge sandstone pillars located above the tropical forest, a labyrinth of karst caves, majestic waterfalls, amazing travertines, a picturesque lake, and powerful rivers.

Mount Tianmenshan

Local residents more often call it Tianmen. Its height is one and a half thousand meters. This mountain is famous for the “Heavenly Gate” cave located very high. Its height is one hundred thirty-two meters, length - sixty meters, width - fifty-seven. The cave was created as a result of erosion. During the collapse, a huge block of rock broke off from the mountain. Sometimes this cave is called fabulous due to the belief that it is connected with the sky.

"Yellow Dragon"

Zhangjiajie National Park, a photo of which you can see in this article, is famous for its caves. The four-tiered building is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. karst cave"Yellow Dragon" Its height is more than 140 meters, and its depth is about fifteen kilometers.

Inside there are thirteen halls, more than a hundred galleries, four waterfalls, two underground rivers and three lakes, thousands of stalagmites, stalactites, and stalagmates. The rarest stalagmite reaches twenty meters in height and only ten centimeters in diameter.

Yangjiajie

In the northeast, Zhangjiajie National Park neighbors this protected area. It includes the Xiangzhi Stream, the Longquan and Baihou valleys. These places are famous for the sheer, steep cliffs and the Dragon Spring waterfall. It throws streams of water from a high cliff, which is very picturesquely entwined with ivy and amazingly beautiful flowers.

Elevator Bailung

Every year everything large quantity tourists are interested in Zhangjiajie National Park. We will tell you how to get here a little later, but for now we will continue to get acquainted with its sights.

For tourists, the park has all the conditions for a comfortable exploration of the unique reserve. Most tourist routes are connected by funiculars and cable cars, which greatly facilitate the ascent to the peaks.

The glass elevator “Hundred Dragons” (Bailong Elevator) was created to transport tourists to the three-hundred-meter mountain. It is located in the very center of the park and connects the upper and lower levels of the reserve. Before his appearance, tourists were forced to climb the stairs. The road was quite tiring and long. Today, most travelers prefer to quickly take a glass elevator. If you are lucky, you will be able to sit in the front row of passengers, allowing you to admire the stunning views that open up from the observation glass of the lift.

It should be noted that this elevator is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest, highest, with an open view and also the most powerful - it can lift fifty people at the same time.

Glass Bridge

This unique structure was opened in the park in August 2016. Zhangjiajie National Park, whose photos are mesmerizing, has become the owner of the longest and highest glass bridge in the world. By unusual project became the architect Chaim Dotan. The cost of development and then implementation of the project amounted to almost three and a half million dollars.

The structure is located at an altitude of three hundred meters above a deep abyss. The length of the bridge is four hundred and thirty meters and the width is six meters. Glass Bridge in Zhangjiajie National Park connects two cliffs and consists of highly durable steel structures and ninety-nine slabs of three-layer glass. This structure can support eight hundred people at a time.

Interestingly, on the day of its grand opening the number of people wishing to see the building with their own eyes was a record figure - eight thousand people. Everyone who was lucky enough to visit Zhangjiajie National Park that day left rave reviews. Nothing can compare to a walk over a bottomless abyss, which can be viewed through glass slabs.

Due to the huge influx of visitors, just two weeks later the park administration temporarily closed the bridge for reconstruction. However, management assured that this was not associated with any damage. After carrying out preventive work to strengthen the structure, the bridge was reopened to the public.

Golden Whip Creek

This area is considered the easiest to explore, as it is located at the foot of the mountains in a valley and does not have steep climbs. Along the stream walking trail stretches for almost eight kilometers. From this area you can climb to Yuanjiajie or walk to the Yellow Stone Village.

Tourists note that a walk here is very pleasant - one feels the much-desired unity with nature. Crowds of tourists are found only in some areas, so you can enjoy the sound of water in the stream, the cheerful chirping of birds, picturesque views mountains

In this area, at one of the stops, very insidious monkeys live. Tourists try to treat them with all sorts of sweets. Do not do that. These cute, at first glance, animals are very cunning and dexterous - they can completely unnoticed leave you without wallets, phones and other valuables. In addition, they often show aggression towards humans.

Vegetation

China's Zhangjiajie National Park amazes tourists with its diversity of flora and its beauty. Scientists believe that the tropical, humid climate and varied topography contributed to the appearance of dense forests in Wulingyuan. Vegetation here is developing much faster than in neighboring provinces of the country.

More than seven hundred and seventy species of plants grow in the park. Among them there are very rare samples. These include gingko biloba, chestnut (Chinese), pigeon tree, and on the plains travelers can see compact tangerine groves.

But visitors to the park are especially impressed by the large white stipules of the pigeon tree swaying in the wind, which resemble a huge flock of white doves.

Animals in the park

Zhangjiajie National Park is home to more than five hundred species of different animals. Twenty-eight of them are rare and therefore are under constant protection. These include:

  • giant salamander;
  • big panda;
  • golden snub-nosed monkey;
  • leopard
  • In the 20th century, a waterfall unexpectedly collapsed into the gorge from the top of Mount Tianmen. This happened four times. The flow of water broke down for fifteen minutes, and then just as suddenly stopped.
  • The staircase, numbering 999 wide steps, leads to the Heaven's Gate Cave.
  • Along the top of the massif, at an altitude of 1500 m, there is a pedestrian path. Above particularly picturesque and steep cliffs, it was made of high-strength glass.

China, Zhangjiajie National Park: how to get there?

If you want to see incredibly beautiful landscapes, then you need to visit this unique place. To see Zhangjiajie National Park, you first need to get to the city of the same name, and then get to the small villages located at the entrances to the park. There are several ways to get to the city: by plane, train, bus. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

By plane

If you are planning to visit Zhangjiajie National Park and spend as little time on the road as possible, then this option is more suitable for you than others. You can fly by plane from other major cities in the country. The airport is located five kilometers from the city center. There are flights here every day aircraft from Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Tianjin and other cities in the country.

From the airport to the city you can take a bus or taxi, which will take you to the park entrance for 100 yuan ($15).

By train

Zhangjiajie National Park is of great interest to all tourists coming to the country, so many trains go here. We would like to warn you that this option is suitable for those who have a supply of free time and patience. A little information: the road from Beijing to your destination takes about twenty-six hours, and a ticket will cost sixty dollars (reserved seat) and one hundred (compartment). Zhangjiajie Railway Station is conveniently located, close to the city center and the airport.

By bus

There are several bus stations in the city. They receive flights from different cities in China. The departure schedule, cost of travel, travel time must be checked at bus stations.

When you arrive in the city in a way convenient for you, all that remains is to find Zhangjiajie National Park (China). How to get to the territory of the reserve? You need to go to one of the entrances, where small villages are located. You can stay there for the night.

The closest entrance to the city is 32 km away, and is called Zhangjiajie Village. Forty kilometers from the city there is an entrance in the Wulingyuan area. The third is the furthest from the city. It is located near Tianzi Mountain and is not very popular with tourists.

Where to live?

The city of Zhangjiajie offers a good selection of hotels, but if you stay here, you will have to spend money and time on the road every day. And this is about two hours a day. It is more advisable to stay in a village at the entrance to the park - you will save time on the road.

Almost all of these villages have several comfortable hotels. If you wish, you can stay in a hotel on the territory of the park, unless, of course, you are not afraid of the spartan living conditions: there are frequent interruptions in electricity, water, and Internet outages. After the park is closed, resident tourists are not allowed to leave its territory, which, you see, is not very convenient.

Opening hours and cost of visiting

Zhangjiajie National Park can be visited throughout the year. Opening hours depend on the season:

  • in summer - from 7.00 to 19.00;
  • in winter - from 7.30 to 17.00.

In summer it is not at all hot here, and in winter there are no severe frosts.

Entrance tickets can be purchased in two types:

  • for seven days - 298 yuan;
  • 4 days - 245 yuan.
  • It is better to come to the park early, then you will have the opportunity to enjoy natural beauties in relative silence.
  • If you want to use the Bailong elevator, it is also better to do this in the morning and go down before 16:00. Otherwise, you can spend about four hours in line.
  • You will have to walk a lot in the park, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes to prevent chafing. The same can be said about clothes: they should be comfortable.
  • To save energy for exploring the park longer, combine hiking using cable cars and a ski lift.
  • When going to the park, be sure to take a map (you can buy it at the entrance), sunscreen, cash, water and food. You can buy food in the park, but the prices are excessively high. The most affordable items in these shops are fruits, corn, and fried potatoes (about 10 yuan).
  • Chinese and international students studying in China can purchase tickets at half price. But this applies to young people under 24 years of age. At the time of buying discount tickets You must present your passport.
  • Keep purchased tickets separate from those of friends or family. The fact is that each of them has a number stamped on it, to which fingerprints are attached. If you take the ticket of your husband or friend, the system will refuse to let you through the turnstile.

The unusually beautiful flying mountains located on the planet Pandora in the film Avatar are not an invention of the directors. Are located floating mountains in china, being part national park Zhangjiajie, and are called Wulingyuan. The rocks bewitch and amaze at first sight, so when going to the Celestial Empire, it’s worth going to Hunan Province for a few days, where the park is located. Excellent conditions for accommodation, food and leisure are created here for visitors. In addition to the mountains, there is the opportunity to see many other natural attractions.

National treasure of China

Zhangjiajie Park is a unique business card countries where he visits every year great amount tourists, the number of which increased after the release of the film "Avatar". Touch the unique nature, fauna, listen to many mysterious, mystical stories and legends - that's what I offer flying mountains in china to all visitors. Some objects on the territory of this protected area are protected by UNESCO, and the park itself is recognized as a national treasure of the Celestial Empire. Its inhabitants are proud of the unusual beauties that will take your breath away, and they say that numerous secrets and riddles are associated with the mountains and rocks. Their emergence and spread are facilitated by incredible landscapes, lush greenery, picturesque rocks, which cause a soaring effect. This unique phenomenon is due to the fact that mountain peaks rise into the sky, getting lost there between the clouds. The rocks are covered with greenery, which complements the feeling of weightlessness.

A little history

The area where the park is located is also known under another name - Yangjiajie, i.e. lands of Yang. According to ancient legends, there was once a war between clans near the mountains. The representative of the Yang Dynasty set up his military camp right at the base of Mount Tianzi. The confrontation lasted for several decades and never ended. Therefore, the descendants of the clan began to gradually develop this territory, moving further and further from the location of the military camp. Archaeologists and scientists have confirmed this legend by constantly finding graves and burial places of members of the Yang clan.

Creation of the park

There is a park where the movie "Avatar" was filmed in the northwestern part of the country, not far from city ​​of the same name. The area is full of wonders and natural attractions. Neighboring Zhangjiajie Park are the equally famous geological parks of Yangjiajie, Tanzishan and Xiuxiyu.

Zhangjiajie is the oldest park in China, created in 1982. Its territory is huge and is almost 13 thousand square kilometers, on which there are mountains, forests, other vegetation, and a huge number of animals. In 1992, it was taken under UNESCO protection as part of Wulingyuan. Nine years later, the park received the status of the Sandstone Peaks National Forest Geopark (by decision of the relevant Chinese ministry). It is also part of the Global Network of Geological Parks protected by UNESCO.

Natural and animal world

Decoration Zhangjiajie Park, China, the place where the films were filmed Avatar" and "Monster Hunt" are Mt. In fact, these are rocky pillar peaks, created from quartz and sandstone, and turned into a real miracle of nature under the influence of erosion and weathering. The total number of unusual rocks is more than 3 thousand, and about one thousand are 200 meters high. The highest peak is Mount Dupeng, which reaches 1,890 meters into the sky.

The peaks of the rocks are lost high in the clouds, and then abruptly give way to very dense forests. This is the habitat of a huge number of animals, birds, reptiles, and insects. You can also see quite rare relict plants, which include mahogany and gingko.

The climate in the park is humid and warm, although this does not create suffocating heat. People who cannot stand cold or very hot weather can feel comfortable here. In the warm season average temperature air temperature is +27 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops to +4-5.

The entire territory of the park is divided into 6 natural zones, the largest of which are Tianji Mountains, attracting tourists to China. This area is famous for very thick clouds, constant fog and a mysterious atmosphere.

Attractions

You can walk around the park without getting tired, because you never know what awaits around every turn. It’s not only the mountains that take your breath away, but also the richness of the animal world, as well as a large number of monuments.

The Yellow Dragon Cave is created from karst formations, has a height of 140 meters, and is therefore considered one of the largest in the world. She is distinguished by the most beautiful interior design natural character. The cave contains many unique natural attractions - waterfalls, rivers, pools. All this creates the feeling that you are in the palace of a fairy-tale Dragon.

The Buddhist Temple of Heaven's Gate has been known since the Ming Dynasty, which contributed to the transformation of this place into a center of pilgrimage. The temple occupies a huge area, which is equal to 10 thousand square meters. The temple is located in a cave that dates back to 263 AD. as a result of the breaking off of a huge stone from the Tianmen rock. The length of the cave-temple is 60 meters, the width reaches 57 meters, and the height is 131.5 m. The Chinese call the temple Magic Cave Western Hunan, as the place is imbued with a mysterious and mysterious atmosphere. This is due to the fact that the cave, located at a great height above the ground, seems to be shrouded in clouds, which are very thick above the mountain. Therefore, tourists, entering the cave, feel that they are in heaven, or are somewhere nearby.

It was not by chance that the temple appeared in this place. According to ancient chronicles, the mountain is connected with the sky, therefore it has enormous strength and energy. In addition, it influences people, their destinies, lives, and is capable of doing miracles. In historical documents you can find many facts that various mysterious events and phenomena took place in the cave.

The height of Tianmen Mountain is 1518 m, and is considered the central attraction of the park. All tourists who are not afraid to travel the longest cable car in the world strive to climb to the top. Its length is almost 7.5 kilometers, and it passes through such picturesque panoramas of mountains, mountains, and forests that it will take your breath away. And the closer the cabin gets to the top, the more it seems that you are falling into the arms of the clouds. The mountain is always shrouded in fog and mist, which very rarely clears. From generation to generation, local residents pass on legends that before very important events, water begins to pour from the top.

Next door to Zhajiajie Park is an equally stunning park called Yanqiajie. There are a huge number of amazing and scenic spots, including the Baihur, Longquan valleys, and the Xiangzhi Mountains.

History of the Tianji Mountains

These rocks are worth talking about separately. According to historical records in chronicles and other documents, at the foot of Tianji Mountains, China, in the Middle Ages, farmers rebelled. They were led by a leader named Xiang Dakun, who styled himself the son of heaven. Such an unusual nickname was associated with the ambitions of the peasant, as well as the characteristics of the area where the mountains are located. There are more than two thousand stone pillars here, which, like rods, connect heaven and earth. Average height The rock ranges from 1 thousand meters to 1250 meters. They were formed more than three thousand years ago. One part of the mountains is represented by quartz rocks, and the second by limestone. Despite ancient history, the area has not been studied and is practically unexplored. Once upon a time there were tropical forests, about which remained small areas and trees. Between the mountains there are very ancient caves, rock arches, impenetrable forests where no one has ever been.

Tourist services

You can walk around the park for several days, especially since the entrance ticket is valid for two days. You can buy it for 245 yuan, right at the main entrance to Zhangjiajie National Park in China. To save a little money, you can purchase a weekly pass, and such a ticket is not very expensive - about 300 Chinese yuan. There are significant discounts available for students who present their student ID. The most Better conditions for visitors. In particular, they have a wonderful opportunity to see the mountains from a bird's eye view and then walk around them on the ground. There is an elevator leading to one of the peaks, so you can climb the mountain directly on it.

There are several tourist routes in the park, allowing you to explore all the sights. But it’s difficult to do this in 2 days, so guides recommend using the cable car to see all the flying mountains. It is definitely worth walking along the natural bridges that go across the mountains, as well as going down into the valleys of rivers, waterfalls, and visiting caves. Tourists do not have to worry about their own safety: fences are installed everywhere, there are safe stairs for movement, special paths and signs to help you navigate the park.

The price of the entrance ticket includes bus transportation along the routes. Separately, you need to pay for the elevator ride, use of the escalator, elevator, and travel on the tourist train. There are free buses between attractions that go to a specific stop. Here you can change to another bus and continue your trip. You can also travel by other means of transport - cable cars (two closed and one open), funicular.

For those who want to watch pristine nature, you will have to go deeper into the remote areas of the park. The main attractions are nearby. It won’t take long to get to them - everything is within reach, you just need to buy a ticket and enter the park. In other cases, you need to cover considerable distances, so you need to choose comfortable shoes, clothes for the trip, and put things in backpacks. In addition, you need to go to the deep areas of the park either with a guide or along a pre-designed route so as not to get lost.

It is worth considering separately organizational issues trips to the floating rocks:

  • Book accommodation in advance, given the many national holidays, which exist in China;
  • Prepare for the fact that a huge number of Chinese come to the Wulingyuan rocks, so it is always crowded, and in some places there is a significant crowd of people;
  • Buy or download a map of the park and surrounding area, purchase a compass, raincoats and raincoats;
  • It is better to start your walks in the morning to see more interesting things. And in the morning there are fewer people than in the afternoon and evening hours. It is dangerous to wander around after seven in the evening, because... The park area is not illuminated.
  • Think about how you can get to Zhangjiajie from the Chinese capital.

You can get to the park from the city of the same name by taxi or bus, which come here regularly. You can enter the protected area through two entrances - the northeastern one, where the Wulingyuan Mountains are located, and through the southern one - Zhangjiajie. You need to start your journey from the first entrance, since there is a glass elevator that takes you up to the tops of the rocks and observation platforms.

Housing and food

Experienced tourists advise staying in two villages – Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan (the names here are all very original, so it’s worth considering that the park, city and village have the same name). Renting comfortable accommodation here is not a problem; the only negative, and quite significant, is that in the morning there is a queue at the entrance. And you will have to stand in it before entering the park.

You can also live in Zhangjiajie, where there are several types of housing:

  • Guesthouse;
  • Hostel;
  • Hotel.

The quality of the rooms is somewhat lower than in the villages, and walking is only allowed when the buses start running.

A budget accommodation option is to stay with local residents who are willing to provide a bed in a room for several people for 40 yuan per day. You can choose the option for single occupancy, but the cost will increase accordingly.

You can eat in restaurants, local cafes, McDonald's. It is worth considering that the cuisine of this province is quite unique - it is based on mushrooms that have medicinal properties, And large quantities hot seasonings. In addition to traditional Hunan cuisine, you can try dishes from other regions of the country.

There are no restaurants or cafes in the park, but flat cakes, fried potatoes, fish, and chestnuts are sold everywhere. Everything is fresh and prepared in the presence of tourists.

It is better to buy water in the city or in villages, since it is much cheaper here than in the park.

Remember the place called Pandora with its fabulous mountains from the movie Avatar by James Cameron? It turns out that it actually exists, and all the sketches for the film were made here, in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (湖南张家界国家森林公园). Of course, there are no floating rocks or unusual waterfalls, alien creatures or unusual animals from You won’t see a movie here either, but these stunning landscapes will be etched in your memory for a long time, and the photographs will amaze your friends and acquaintances.,

Zhangjiajie National Park is located in the Wulingyuan Mountains in southeast China, in Hunan Province. This place is striking in its beauty, but in addition to its luxurious landscapes, Zhangjiajie Park is also a zoo, botanical and geological reserve. The area in which the park is located is famous for its quartzite rocks, the height of which reaches 800 meters, and the most high peaks The Wulingyuan massif reaches a height of more than 3 kilometers. Mountain peaks covered with dense crowns of trees, many of which are centuries old.

Photo 1.

The national park was opened in 1982. And 10 years later it was included in the List of objects World Heritage UNESCO. The park area is 13,000 square meters. km. This territory is home to over 500 different species of animals, as well as quite rare species of plants. Among them there are such as gingko, pigeon tree, mahogany, and animal world represented by monkeys, birds, salamanders and even rare representatives of the cat family - civet cats. Sometimes visitors to Zhangjiajie National Park compare a walk through it to viewing an exhibition of traditional Chinese paintings, only all the beauty here can be seen in person.

And at an altitude of more than 1 kilometer above sea level lies the Yellow Lion Village, where representatives of three small nationalities live - Tujia, Bai and Miao, making up 70% local population. Despite the fact that Han culture had a huge influence on their traditions, they managed to preserve their national language, as well as traditional costumes, holidays and even a special architectural style.

Photo 2.

So, after a long 26-hour drive from Guilin to Zhangjiajie, I finally got to the park.

Entrance to the park is paid, you can buy a two-day ticket for 245 yuan and a week pass for 298. Tickets also include internal transportation by bus (yes, the park is large, you can’t get enough of it on foot). As it turned out later, they were not included in the price : elevator rides, escalators and a train that runs around the park. There is a separate fee for them, prices are about 50 yuan one way.

If you are under 24 years old and have a student card with you, there is a significant discount on entry.

Tickets are checked only at the entrances to the park; no one checks tickets in the park itself, so you can easily “live” there for a month with a two-day ticket. But due to relatively high prices In the park itself, you will most likely have to go out to withdraw money or buy provisions.

Accommodation in Zhangjiajie

There are two accommodation options:

  • In the town near the park there are many hotels and guesthouses to suit every budget.
  • In the park itself.

But there is a small nuance. Living in the city and going to the park in the morning, you will have to wait in huge queues every time, especially during summer holidays and Chinese New Year celebrations.
Living in the park itself, you can walk around it from the moment the buses start running in the morning, but the quality of housing there leaves much to be desired.

Photo 3.

I chose accommodation in the park, it was important for me to be there from morning to evening. I stayed in a guesthouse of the Yoth International hostels network (phone 0744-5713568), you can book places through Hostelworld. In order not to get confused, there are 2 of these guesthouses in Zhangjiajie - one in itself park, and the second close to the train station.

This is very convenient, because you can come, check into a guest house near the railway station, from there check if there are free rooms in their branch in the park, and the coolest thing is that you can leave large backpacks or ask them to be delivered to the hostel in the park and then not you will have to carry all your luggage with you. Of course, I found out about all this only a few days later, after dragging all my luggage to the park.

Price:

  • 40 RMB per dorm (multiple beds in a room)
  • 120 yuan for a double room (double room)

Photo 4.

To find a hostel, I recommend going to these guys http://backpacker-ru.livejournal.com/36853.html, they even have a map on their website that they filled with useful information.
The bus drivers don’t understand English; out of four respondents, only 1 understood where I wanted to go, despite the fact that my map was in Chinese, and the hostel was marked with a circle, so it’s better to ask questions to the guides you came across.

Note: The walk to the hostel is very long, about two hours, and you need to climb a huge number of steps (600 m up). So it’s better to pay 50 yuan and take the elevator.

While I was running around the park with a backpack on my shoulders, local residents came up to me and offered to stay with them for the night, so in addition to this hostel, apparently there are other affordable housing options.

Photo 5.

  • The park is crowded during the day...it's better to come early or close to closing
  • Buses run until 7 pm, the roads in the park are not lit at night, walking is not recommended
  • If you come for 2-3 days, use the buses and visit the main observation points
  • If you come for 3+ days, get off the main route and it is quieter and much more beautiful
  • If you're saving money, you'll have to walk a lot

Photo 6.

There were 7 days in Zhangjiajie, a ticket for this period costs 301 yuan. We left for the National Park through the central entrance in the morning (8-9 a.m.) and returned in the evening (4-5 p.m.). There are many routes inside the park that you get to (from central square inside the park) on free buses. You get to a certain place, then - as you wish: on foot or, having been in one place, change to another bus and move on. Inside the park you can also move around on cable cars (2 closed, 1 small - open), on an elevator located in the rock (you can take pictures from it through glass), on foot.

The park is located in the mountains, the weather is often rainy and foggy, so you need appropriate shoes (possibly replaceable ones with you), and raincoats. You can’t seriously eat in the park, so either have snacks (fried potatoes, chestnuts, fish, etc.) or take them with you. Water (drinking) is everywhere, however, it is cheaper to take it with you from the city (village). There are 5 entrances to this “complex” (since the national park is only one of 5 territories). On one of these territories there is a lake, on the other there is a cave (these are separate entrances for a fee). It is better to live in a tourist village that is close to the main entrance. From the city of Zhangjiajie to the entrance to the park you need to take a bus (11 yuan) or a taxi, the travel time is about 40 minutes. Huge opportunities for filming with a camera and/or camera, even if it’s foggy. Worth visiting: cave (Soxiuei Park), Lake Baofen, national. park - repeatedly, on its territory it is necessary to ride all the cable cars, the Bailong elevator, take a short trip on the funicular train (round trip), walk along the Golden Whip Stream along different paths (you can take a rickshaw, about 300 yuan), walk along path with a glass floor: unforgettable, because... there is an abyss under your feet, and rocks all around, and from the city itself by cable car (7 km) climb Tianmen Mountain, where the Heavenly Gate is located, 999 steps lead to it, which must be walked (up/down), then down to the entrance go down by bus along the serpentine road.

The impressions are stunning! It is also necessary to visit the Huanglong Cave (an underground lake on which you can ride a boat, many stalactites, stalagmites, the largest is 19.4 m, everything is illuminated, it looks good in photographs). So, to travel around the park you need to have: a camera and/or camera, shoes (including replacement ones), waterproof clothing, food and drink with you in a backpack (optional), it’s better to live on a tour. village near the entrance to the national park, prepare for the fact that almost no one SPEAKS ENGLISH, signs inside the park are in Chinese and English languages, there are also maps with routes inside the park, but it is advisable to have the skill to understand them, the slightest desire and ability to walk (a lot!), and also a HUGE DESIRE TO SEE ALL THIS! You need to prepare to either study everything in advance (Internet forums, reviews of those who have visited), or take a guide-translator with knowledge of English (at least!), and also, if you can find it, texts in Russian (English) languages ​​with a number of written in Chinese characters denoting a particular place or name, so that you can show what exactly you need.

And one more note: if you don’t like national Chinese food too much, it will be a little difficult, then you can eat in small cafes, where you can show what you specifically want to eat (chicken, rabbit, fish, vegetables), they will quickly prepare it for you , not bad, or eat Chinese fast food, we only found one burger place. But this all applies to living in a village, and not in a city, where there is McDonald’s and, I think, many other restaurants and cafes. Good luck! Go - you won't regret it!

Photo 7.

The sensations you experience while in the mountains of Zhangjiajie National Park or Wulingyuan are indescribable in words and photos. These protected places in the Hunan province of southeastern China need to be seen with your own eyes. Mysterious mountain paths, abysses along the edge of which you walk in search of fantastic landscapes, clouds disappearing from under your feet and rocks surrounded by subtropical forest, the intoxicating air of the Suosi Valley, the magic of Lake Baofen...

You can fly to Zhangjiajie from almost anywhere large city China, you can come by train. It is more convenient to settle in the village of Wulingyuan or in the village at the entrance to Zhangjiajie National Park. Entrance to the park for 3 days costs 245 yuan. The territory of the reserve is huge, it is worth downloading a map in advance and exploring the area, you can buy a map at the entrance to the park, it is worth taking a compass with you, secluded tempting paths can lead to unexpected places. They ply around the park tourist buses, a cable car was built, and even a Baylong elevator with a transparent cabin, which takes you through the rocks to the very top. If you are hungry, you can snack on fried potatoes, fish, chestnuts, and flatbreads prepared the old fashioned way in the fresh air. local residents, and again on the road for impressions.

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