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 of Zhangjiajie National Park, 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 kind of visiting card of the country, where a huge number of tourists come every year, the number of which has 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 go 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 film “Avatar” was filmed in the northwestern part of the country, not far from the 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. Total There are more than 3 thousand unusual rocks, and about one thousand have a height of 200 meters. 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 areas, 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. It is distinguished by a beautiful interior design of a 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 breaking off from the Tianmen rock (Tianmenshan) huge stone. 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 the Magic Cave of Western Hunan, since the place is imbued with a mysterious and enigmatic 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 picturesque places, 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. The average height of 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, of which small areas and trees remain. 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 National Park Zhangjiajie 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 best conditions for visitors are created here. 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.
The park has several tourist routes allowing you to see 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. You should definitely walk along the natural bridges that go across the mountains, as well as go down into the valleys of rivers, waterfalls, and visit 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 see pristine nature, you will have to delve into remote areas parka. 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 also worth considering the organizational aspects of the trip to the floating rocks:
- Book accommodation in advance, given the many national holidays that 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, ready 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 a large number of 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.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, or Avatar Park as it is often called, is a unique natural wonder in southwest China. It is located in Hunan Province (湖南省húnánshěng) more than 300 km from the provincial capital - Changsha (长沙chángshā) and belongs to mountain system Wulingshan.
The main asset of the park is the bizarre rocks that rise in pillars to the sky. Such an amazing landscape was formed as a result of prolonged weathering and washing out of rocks.
This was one of those places that I dreamed of visiting from the moment I first learned about its existence. Even living in China, going on this trip was not easy; it was necessary to figure out the timing and calculate the finances. But in the fall of this year, what I had been waiting for so long happened: my husband gave me a trip to amazing world"floating rocks" Such a gift will truly be remembered for a lifetime.
It is said that the local landscapes were among those that inspired the director of the film "Avatar" to create the floating mountains of the planet Pandora. This served as a kind of advertising for the park, and after the film was released, the flow of tourists to Zhangjiajie increased significantly. The grateful Chinese even renamed one of the mountains “Avatar Hallelujah” and placed several “avatars” in the park, near which people usually line up for photos. And indeed, while walking around the park, I got the impression that I was somewhere on another planet, such incredible landscapes sometimes opened up before my eyes.
In addition to picturesque landscapes, there is rich flora and fauna. Some species of plants, birds and animals found in these mountains are listed in the Red Book, for example, the giant salamander, civet, pangolin, clouded leopard, rhesus macaque and many others.
I was 100% satisfied with my visit to Zhangjiajie. Despite the fatigue and “wobbly” legs, I received so many impressions that it’s difficult to even describe. All lovers of nature and unusual landscapes will definitely like this park. In my personal list of natural beauties, it took an honorable third place after the Bolaven plateau () and the park.
When to plan a visit
Zhangjiajie National Park is open to the public all year round, but the weather does not always allow you to enjoy nature to the fullest. Therefore, when planning a trip, you need to decide what landscapes you want to see and what you expect from your visit.
The optimal season for visiting the park is autumn, especially the period from September to early November. At this time of year, the weather is almost always sunny and the temperature is comfortable enough to be in the park from morning to evening. They say that mountains are best seen in autumn.
In winter, the park is too cold for long walks. In addition, due to bad weather, some trails are closed for safety reasons, and snowfall and fog can cause poor visibility. But this does not stop tourists who want to see snow-covered landscapes and admire the views almost alone. Another plus is that tickets are cheaper at this time of year.
In spring, the rainy season begins in Zhangjiajie, which lasts from March to June. Of course, it is unpleasant to inspect the mountains when the sky is constantly dripping, but it is at this time that fogs cover the valley and many people come here to enjoy the effect of the “floating peaks”. When the fog hides the base of the mountains, it really seems like the mountains are hanging in the air. But here it depends. Maybe you won’t be able to see anything at all behind the veil of fog.
I was in the park on the 20th of October 2015. Although the weather was sunny and warm, visibility was still not absolute, at any time of the day there was a haze that more or less hid the outlines of the mountains, nothing was visible in the distance .
On the day of our departure, it rained for the whole day, but by that time I had already managed to see everything I wanted. Therefore, when planning a trip, it is better to take one “extra” day in case the weather lets you down. If there are no problems with the weather, you can visit neighboring attractions, for example, Baofen Lake, Huanglong Cave or Tianmen Mountain.
As for the time required to visit the park, this is individual. Some people say that they watched everything in one day, while for others even a week is not enough. It seems to me that you need at least 2 days to explore the main beauties without haste, plus a couple more days to go to nearby tourist spots that also deserve attention.
If you want to avoid large crowds, I do not recommend planning a trip to Zhangjiajie in the first week of May and October due to holidays and also during summer holidays(July August).
How to get there
To visit Zhangjiajie National Park, you must first come to the city of the same name, and then go directly to the villages at the entrance to the park. Let's start in order.
How to get to Zhangjiajie city
There are several ways to get to Zhangjiajie: by plane, train, bus.
By plane
If your goal is to visit Zhangjiajie Park and spend minimal time on the road, the easiest way would be to fly from other cities in China. The local airport is located just 5 km from the city center. The full name of the airport in Chinese is 张家界荷花机场 (zhāngjiājiè héhuā jīchǎng) in English - Zhangjiajie Hehua (Lotus) Airport. It receives daily flights from Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Changsha, Tianjin, Wuhan and other cities in China. Among international flights, only flights to Busan (Korea) and Bangkok () are available. Approximate prices for flights within China are listed below:
- from Beijing – $110-130 (2 hours 45 minutes on the way),
- from Shanghai – $115 (2.5 hours),
- from Guangzhou – $70-80 (1.5 hours),
- from Xi'an - $70-80 (1.5 hours).
You can get from the airport to the city by taxi or bus, but although the latter is written about on the Internet, in reality it is rare. A taxi to the station costs about 15 yuan ($2.5), to the city 20-30 ($3-5) depending on where you need to go. A taxi directly to the park entrance will cost 100 yuan ($15). Be sure to bargain, because the distance is minimal, and taxi drivers, taking advantage of tourists’ ignorance, began to charge astronomical prices - 200 yuan ($30) to the city.
By train
Trains to Zhangjiajie operate from many major cities, but this method is suitable for those who have a lot of free time and patience. For reference: the road from Beijing takes 22-26 hours, and a ticket will cost 60 dollars (reserved seat) or 100 (compartment). From Shanghai the train takes 20-22 hours and costs $60/80. By train from Guangzhou you can get there in 13-17 hours, paying $50/77, and from the provincial capital, Changsha, in just 5 hours and $30/40.
Zhangjiajie Railway Station has a very convenient location. It's close to the city center and airport, and is also within walking distance of the cable car start station for Tianmen Mountain (another must-see), as well as the central bus station for Zhangjiajie National Park. The map shows the route from the airport to the train station (distance 4.9 km), and also shows the location of the airport, railway station and central bus station.
By bus
The city has several bus stations with regular services from other major cities. I was at the central bus station (张家界中心汽车站zhāngjiājiè zhōngxīn qìchēzhàn), which is indicated on the map above and I know that from there there are buses to Shanghai, Changsha, Wuhan, Zhuhai and several other cities, which means it is also possible to come to Zhangjiajie by bus. Departure schedules, travel times and ticket prices must be found directly at the bus stations.
How to get to Zhangjiajie National Park
After you get to the city in a way convenient for you, the question will arise: where next? To get to the park, you need to go to one of the entrances to the reserve, where small villages are located. You can also stay there for the night. Judging by the map, there are only three of them:
- the closest entrance to the city is 32 km from the city, and many people call it Zhangjiajie village after the name of the entrance to the park (张家界国家森林公园门票站 zhāngjiājiè guójiā sēnlín gōngyuán ménpiào zhàn), on the map conditionally according to labeled as INPUT #1;
- 40 km from the city there is an entrance in the Wulingyuan area (武陵源门票站 wǔlíngyuánménpiào zhàn) designated as ENTRANCE No. 2;
- The farthest entrance is located at Mount Tianzi (天子山门票站 tiānzǐshān ménpiào zhàn) - 50 km from the city, ENTRANCE No. 3 on the map.
As far as I understand, entrance No. 3 is not particularly popular, because I did not see any buses to this place, and when preparing for the trip I did not see any information about it.
Taxi
If you choose a taxi, you need to know that the distances here are short, and approximate price from the airport - 100 yuan ($15.5), from the city or railway station a little cheaper, 70-80 yuan ($10-12). Local drivers are very reluctant to use a taximeter and quote exorbitant prices in an attempt to scam tourists, so you need to bargain persistently. Most taxi drivers do not speak English, although they sometimes understand simple phrases like “how much?” But most likely you will have to explain yourself using gestures, a map and notes on paper. Be sure to prepare the names of the places you need in hieroglyphs, because the English names mean nothing to them; you can even print out pictures for clarity. Also, to avoid misunderstandings, do not forget to agree on the cost in advance before getting into the car. In China, I never booked a taxi in advance. Usually you can catch a car on any street, and besides, they are always “on duty” for everyone tourist places.
Bus
Unlike taxis, bus fares are very cheap; getting to Wulingyuan costs only 12 yuan ($2). I decided to choose a budget option and, having saved a decent amount, I was satisfied.
Starting at 6 am, buses depart from Central bus station(张家界中心汽车站 zhāngjiājiè zhōngxīn qìchēzhàn), which is located next to train station. In season last flight departs at 19:30, and in winter an hour earlier. The journey takes just under an hour.
Since I came to Zhangjiaqie by train, I found the bus station easily. If you walk to the end of the station square and stand with your back to the station building, you will see MacDonald’s on the left side and the entrance to the station is located right next to it. In the screenshot you can see what the desired building looks like.
Then you need to go through the waiting room to the area with buses and find a minibus with the hieroglyphs 武陵源. Usually there are several of them, the drivers will tell you which one will go faster. There is no need to buy tickets in advance at the ticket office; everything is paid for on the bus. Along the way, the driver will make several stops, picking up and dropping off locals. If you are going to the village of Zhangjiajie (entrance 1), then you need to inform the driver about this in advance, but he does not stop there, he will only drop you off at the turn to it. If you are going to Wulingyuan (entrance 2), then the stop you need is the final one, and you don’t have to worry about missing it. In Wulingyuan, the bus arrives at the station, from which you can walk or take a taxi to the hotel or park entrance.
Where to stay
When it comes to housing, there are again several options. The first is to check into a hotel in the city of Zhangjiajie, the second is to drive to any entrance to the park and stay there, the third is to stay on the territory of the park itself.
- The city of Zhangjiajie has a good selection of hotels, restaurants, and many ways to spend your leisure time. But having settled in the city, you will have to spend time and money every day on the road to the park and back, which is about two hours a day. Not very convenient, would you agree?
- By stopping in a village at the entrance to the park, you can save time on travel and at the same time not be as cut off from the world as inside the park. The villages also have a good selection of hotels and cafes.
- You can stay in the park itself, but, as I understand from hotel reviews, living conditions inside the park are spartan: there may be interruptions in the supply of light, water, and problems with the Internet. You cannot leave the park after closing, and the choice of food and products is limited. Money must be withdrawn in advance, since it is not possible to withdraw money or pay by card within the park.
Before the trip, I studied the option for a long time and chose the village of Wulingyuan. I can say that I didn’t regret it at all. My hostel was a 10-minute walk from the park, in addition, there were a sufficient number of shops nearby, a market with fruits and souvenirs, an ATM and a cafe with decent food. There are many accommodation options to suit every taste and budget: there are budget hostels and expensive hotels.
I stayed at Wulingyuan Tuniu Youth Hostel. I booked my accommodation in advance on a well-known website and realized that I had done the right thing when, upon arriving at the place, I saw the inscription “full” on almost every door. When talking with the guy from the reception, we managed to find out that during the high season, all housing is sold out a month in advance. At the hostel they gave me a map of the park and drew up a visiting route, for which a special thank you! In principle, I can say that I was satisfied with the accommodation, considering the price-quality ratio, I got what I paid for: a clean and tidy room, breakfast with decent food in a nearby cafe, convenient location. I had dinner at the establishment that provided us with breakfast, because of all the places on our street it was the cleanest and most attractive. Almost all the foreigners I met in the park and village also ate there. But I didn’t remember the name, unfortunately.
Park opening hours and entrance fees
When I first visited the park, I was guided by the opening time, which was indicated on the map obtained from the hotel. It said that the park opens at 6:30, so at the beginning of seven I was already at the entrance gate. But it was still closed and there were no people wanting to get into the park except me and my companion. After 15-20 minutes, Chinese groups began to arrive. The park opened at 7 o'clock, but by this time the crowd was simply huge. So see for yourself what is more convenient, but I recommend coming at opening time or even earlier. Approximate opening hours:
- IN summer time from 6:30 (7:00) – 19:00
- IN winter time from 7:30 – 17:00
Entrance fees
You can purchase 2 types of tickets:
- 4-day ticket for 245 yuan ($38),
- 7-day ticket for 298 ($46).
Prices are for high season; in winter, a ticket costs 145 yuan ($22).
Paid separately:
Chinese and international students studying in China have the option of buying a half-price ticket, but this turned out to be more difficult than other places I've visited before. At the time of buying discount tickets introduced age limit: Students over 24 years old pay full price. At the same time, simply correcting the student’s date of birth will not work, because when purchasing a discount ticket, you also need to present your passport. Children under 120 cm tall have free admission, from 120 to 150 cm half the price, as well as people of retirement age from 60 to 69, those over 70 are even cheaper, but I don’t know whether this applies to people of all nationalities or only Chinese.
The price includes transportation by bus between park stops.
The check at the entrance is quite strict. Each ticket has a serial number stamped on it, to which fingerprints are attached when entering the territory for the first time. I had this story: I visited the park with my husband, and our tickets were kept in one place, the next day we simply took them, without knowing which was whose, and went through the turnstile, but the system refused to let us through. It turned out that we had mixed up our cards, and you can’t use someone else’s.
As a conclusion, do not buy tickets second-hand, even if the offer seems tempting, and keep your ticket in a safe place, because if you lose it, you will have to buy a new one.
It’s better to come to the park early, then you have a chance to enjoy the views in relative silence. If you plan to use the Bailong elevator, it is best to go on it in the morning, as soon as the park opens, and go down before 3-4 pm, otherwise you can spend about 4 hours in line. Or avoid this method of climbing altogether.
I was lucky, as I already said, on the first day of visiting the park we came even before it opened, so we were among the first to buy tickets and go sightseeing. When we arrived at the elevator, there was no line yet, and we managed to get up without any problems.
Keep in mind that you will be walking a lot, so make sure your shoes are comfortable and do not chafe. Clothing should also be comfortable. It won't hurt to take a band-aid with you.
The distances in the park are very large, and climbing uphill is difficult and often takes a long time, so it is better to combine the use of cable cars with walking routes. If you rely only on your legs, you may not meet the time limit and miss out on some of the sights. The most convenient way is to go up by cable car and go down on foot.
There are a lot of wild monkeys on some trails.
Some of them can be aggressive towards people, so do not tease them, hold your valuables, camera, phone tightly. In places where monkeys gather, it is better not to carry anything in your hands at all, but to hide everything in a bag or backpack. Before my eyes, monkeys snatched bags from people’s hands as they walked and climbed a tree with them or ran away into the forest. And don’t think that they don’t know how to stand up for themselves, a monkey can bite, after which you have to go to the hospital and get injections, such cases have also happened. Therefore, be careful with wild animals.
When going to the park, take with you a card, cash, sunscreen, raincoat, water and food. The prices for food in the park itself are very high, so it is better to take something with you, but inside you can buy fruits, fried potatoes, corn (about 10 yuan - $1.5).
But in the cafes located in the park, the prices are simply astronomical, so apart from McDonald’s, which also came here, we didn’t eat anywhere else.
What to see in Zhangjiajie National Park
The photo shows the map that they gave me at my hostel, and which I used to navigate when visiting the park. In my opinion, this is the most understandable and convenient map possible. Despite the fact that it distorts the scale, it is still possible to get an idea of the structure of the park. Having scoured the Internet, I couldn’t find anything more sensible.
It is important to know that there are two main planes of movement in the park: lower (in the valley) and upper (in the mountains). There are also two lines free buses, some of them run at the foot of the mountains (marked in purple on the map, the buses themselves too purple), others from above on the mountains (red line on the map, beige buses). Accordingly, the P stop icon is also marked either red or purple, and its color indicates which route the stop belongs to. Hiking trails are marked in green. What I like about this map is that it shows the approximate travel time from one point to another, although this is not always true. Depending on the number of days allocated to explore the park, you can plan different routes.
In general, the park’s territory is divided into several zones, each of which is special and picturesque in its own way. I was unable to figure out the exact number of these same zones. Information on this matter is controversial; some guidebooks write that the park is divided into 6 separate sections, but on my map there are 7 of them. At the same time, another important part of the park on my map is not allocated to a separate zone, which is why there was such confusion. On the map below I tried to symbolize all these zones with different colors, and I came up with 8 of them.
- Red - Tianzi Mountain;
- Blue - Yuanjiajie;
- Yellow - Yangjiajie;
- Orange - Golden Whip Brook;
- White - Huangshizhai, or village Yellow Stone;
- Lime - Yaotsizhai, Hawk Village;
- Pink - Daguandai;
- Purple - Laowuchang.
Yuanjiajie (袁家界 yuánjiājiè)
The Yuanjiajie zone is one of the most visited and popular areas of the park, and it is its landscapes that are most often compared to the “Avatar Mountains”. If you don’t climb to the top on foot, but use the Baylong elevator or get there by bus from other park areas, then it’s quite easy to get through.
This part of the park is famous for the “First Heavenly Bridge” (天下第一桥 tiān xià dì yī qiáo) and the column, which has recently been called “Hallelujah” (哈里路亚山 hālǐlùyà shān).
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After listening to rave reviews, it was decided to immediately go here. You could say that this part of the park was the first thing I saw in Zhangjiajie after the Bailong elevator, so I was shocked by the views. But after walking around the park for several days, I can’t say that this place is the most worthy. Nature has really done its best here, but the impression is spoiled by the large influx of tourists. In order to take a photo, you first need to stand in line, and then, when your turn comes, everyone around you will rush you or simply unceremoniously push you away from the shooting location. But at least to see the lonely floating pillar, it’s worth coming here.
Yangjiajie (杨家界 yángjiājiè)
The Yangjiajie zone was opened later than the others, and has not yet gained such popularity as Yuanjiajie. In terms of its development, it also loses. On the map below, the yellow circle conventionally indicates the territory of Yangjiajie, and the orange part inside it is the part that I went through.
From the map it seems that the distance is short, but it is not easy to pass. To examine even part of it, you will have to be pretty exhausted and sweaty. As on other trails, here you can hire porters for an additional fee to help you cover the route. Their prices are fixed from one stop to another, but you can try to bargain. On the one hand, this is hard work, which is paid for by poor health, and I would not want to use people as “slaves” like this, but on the other hand, how else will they earn their bread? The Chinese, apparently, take this easier, because they use such services everywhere, but it’s somehow strange to me.
In this part of the park, tourists can expect steep steps and narrow passages between rocks, shaky iron stairs and cliffs. This is what one of the peaks looks like, which is called Tianbo Mansion (天波府 tiān bōfǔ).
And in the photo below is the view that opens from it. If it weren’t for the haze, it would be absolutely wonderful, but it is what it is.
I liked this part of the park, there weren’t too many tourists, the views were pleasant, and the visibility was relatively good.
Mount Tianzi (天子山 tiānzǐ shān)
At the time of my visit to the park, the cable car to Tianzi Mountain was not working, and the hostel employee did not advise climbing on foot. Later I understood why. Even after walking down the mountain, I couldn’t feel my legs, let alone climb it. Such a feat is possible either for athletes or for the Chinese, for whom climbing stairs is both a favorite hobby and national tradition:). And I still had many sights planned ahead, and I decided to take care of my only means of transportation. To visit Tianzi, I arrived at the end point of this part of the park by bus from Yangjiajie. To our great joy, there is a McDonald's at the top, so it was decided to have lunch there, given that we couldn't get a decent meal anywhere else in the park. And having refreshed myself, I went down and inspected the landscapes along the way. The rocks here are a little different from those we were able to see before. Along the way there is a pagoda called the Emperor's Palace (天子阁 tiānzǐ gé), you can climb it and explore the surrounding area.
This is the view from the top - sharp peaks in the midday haze.
Flimsy structures made of chairs tied to bamboo sticks stand waiting for their passengers; this picture is found on almost every flight.
Another beautiful lookout, unfortunately I didn’t remember the name.
There are beautiful landscapes everywhere, but the road is very exhausting.
Golden Whip Brook (金鞭溪 jīn biān xī)
The Golden Knut stream is one of the easiest areas for walking, since it is located in a valley at the foot of the mountains and does not involve steep climbs. The walking trail along the stream stretches for almost 8 km. If you wish, you can start climbing from this area to Yuanjiajie or Yellow Stone Village. I really enjoyed the walk in this part of the park. It was here that I was able to feel the desired unity with nature.
Noisy crowds of tourists are found only in some areas, and the rest of the time you can enjoy the singing of birds, the splashing of water in the stream and views of the mountains.
At one of the stops there live monkeys, which we tried to feed, but almost lost all our things. This was the first meeting with these seemingly cute animals in Zhangjiajie, and we did not yet know about their impudence and possible aggression.
For walks below you need to take warm clothes; in the morning it is very cold near the water, and during the day the air does not have time to warm up everywhere.
Yellow Stone Village, or Huangshizhai (黄石寨huángshí zhài)
You can enter this part of the park from Entrance No. 1 or come from Entrance No. 2 along the creek, which is what I did. As it turned out later, it was possible to go up by cable car, but I lost sight of this and climbed on foot. At the beginning of the road to the mountain it is written: “Whoever has not been to Huangshizhai has not seen Zhangjiajie,” or something like that, from which I concluded that this popular place, a must-see, although I’ve never heard of it before. There were surprisingly few tourists on the trail; mostly there were groups going down, who apparently climbed up using the cable car.
Here I met a huge number of cute and not so cute monkeys, which distracted me from heavy thoughts and entertained me along the way. Their screams were heard throughout the forest and trees shook. Many monkeys are not at all afraid of people, going out onto hiking trails, begging, rummaging through trash cans and posing for photos. It is very interesting to watch them, but a little scary, because they are the owners of these places, not us. Some adult males behave aggressively, attack people, take things from them and simply scare tourists. But it’s a pleasure to watch the kids: they frolic, play and willingly take pictures.
Somewhere I saw that the path to the top consists of 3800 steps, but I myself did not count them. I can say one thing - the climb on foot is not easy, especially when your legs are aching from the previous two days, but we managed it. It took us about 3 hours to get to the top. But at the top, as a reward for the hard journey, tourists are treated to magnificent landscapes. In the photo below, one of the local attractions is Five Fingers Mountain (五指峰 wǔzhǐ fēng).
And another mountain whose name I don’t know.
In addition, there are also areas in the park that I did not visit - these are Daguangdai (大观台 dàguān tái), Laowuchang (老屋场 lǎowū chǎng) and Yaozi Village (鹞子寨 yàozi zhài). I didn’t initially plan to examine them, because I didn’t find anything about them interesting information on the Internet, and I didn’t have time to do it.
Nearby Attractions
Except National Park Zhangjiajie, there are several other natural attractions in this area that are worthy of tourists' attention.
Tianmen Mountain (天门山 tiānmén shān)
This attraction is located almost in the city of Zhangjiajie, and it is very easy to get to it - walk to the starting station of the cable car, which is located next to the railway station. The cable car leading up the mountain is one of the longest in the world, and it offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area, including the mountain serpentine of 99 turns.
This Mountain road is also one of the features of Tianmen Park. You can take a special bus along it to the Heaven's Gate arch. To get to the arch, you need to overcome a difficult climb of 999 steps.
In addition, many tourists come here specifically to tickle their nerves by walking along glass path on the edge of a cliff.
The cost of visiting the park includes a trip by cable car and bus along the serpentine road (if desired) and is 258 yuan ($40). For a walk along the glass section of the road you need to pay separately 5-10 yuan ($0.8 - 1.5). One day is enough for the inspection.
I was not as impressed by my visit to Tianmen Mountain as I was by my visit to Zhangjiajie Park. The impression was spoiled by the fact that at first we had to stand in line for more than 2 hours for the funicular. And the fact that it was very noisy and crowded at the top, the surrounding landscapes were obscured by haze. By the way, the “path of fear”, from which I expected special sensations, did not seem scary or exciting at all, but this is my personal opinion. In the photo there is a queue of tourists wanting to walk along glass bridge.
But I still don’t regret visiting Tianmen Mountain, another Chinese landmark has been conquered, and I can tick it off my list.
Fenghuang Ancient City (凤凰古城 fènghuáng gǔchéng)
Ancient city Fenghuang, also known as Phoenix, sits on the river and attracts tourists with its architecture and antique atmosphere. The city is given a special flavor by its wooden houses on stilts along the river, bridges, narrow streets and old boats. In the evening, all this is beautifully illuminated and looks no less impressive.
The route to Fenghuang is not close, so it is advisable to go overnight. The distance from Zhangjiajie is about 240 km, and the journey by bus takes all of 5 hours. Not long ago, visiting the city became paid, 148 yuan ($23) per person, but you can try to contact the hotel where you plan to stay and perhaps they will help you get in for free.
Lake Baofeng (宝峰湖 bǎofēnghú)
Lake Baofeng is a reservoir that was formed not long ago as a result of the construction of a dam. Being there, it’s hard to believe that this is the work of human hands, and not a miracle of nature, it fits so organically into the local landscape.
From Wulingyuan village you can take a taxi for 10-15 yuan ($1.5 - 2.5) or walk, which takes about 40 minutes.
Admission ticket per person costs 96 yuan ($15) and includes a short walk around the lake. It takes place on a carved wooden boat accompanied by the songs of locals dressed in national costumes, which makes it even more exciting and colorful. Here you can see rocks growing straight out of the water and beautiful waterfall. The place is worth a visit.
Cave of the Yellow Dragon, or Huanglong (黄龙洞 huánglóngdòng)
Not far from the village of Wulingyuan there is one of the most beautiful caves in China, the Yellow Dragon Cave. It is perfectly equipped for tourists and is striking in its size. Inside, in addition to many halls and corridors, there are several ponds and even rivers, and stalactites and stalagmites, which are illuminated in different colors, create views of extraordinary beauty.
You can get there by city bus or taxi for 20 yuan ($3). The entrance ticket costs 100 yuan ($15) and includes a boat ride inside the cave.
In general, going to Zhangjiajie is really worth it; although this trip will not be cheap, it will delight you with unique landscapes and attractions, and will leave a lot of pleasant memories.
James Cameron came up with the story about Avatar back in 1994, but for fifteen long years he could not start filming the film, since the computer graphics and special effects technologies existing at that time did not meet the director’s vision of the film. And I must say that the film was created when the time came for it.
And it came only in 2004. Technologies in the visual effects industry have stepped forward, and the director decided to start filming the film. Of course, all possible solutions to such a grandiose idea were taken into account. To do this, it was necessary to create a special design department to create the world of Pandora, hire a specialist to develop a system with which it would be possible to capture the movements of objects without rendering them frame-by-frame, and attract a specialist in visual technologies.
Although the planet Pandora was created entirely using computer graphics, the basis for its creation was Mount Jiankunzhu in Hunan Province. The local landscape made a strong impression on the director. When the province is covered in fog, the tops of the local mountains resemble the flying islands of Pandora.
The main sets of the film were first drawn on paper and then visualized using 3D technology. And if the fictional world was created with the help of computers, then for the technical base of people it was necessary to create real layouts in addition to digital models.
They didn’t use any ready-made ideas or templates for the film. Pandora was created entirely from scratch, and of the nearly three-hour film, 117 minutes were created using computer graphics. It is worth noting that the film was shot on special 3D cameras, which Cameron personally invented.
For the filming of the film, the newest technologies existing at that time were used, and some were created specifically. For example, a system was developed that allows, during the filming process, to observe on the screen not only human actors, but also virtual characters at the same time. This saved a lot of time during editing when substituting frames.
A New Zealand company specializing in motion capture technologies, WETA Digital, whose pavilions were used for filming, developed a system for transmitting human emotions to computer characters especially for the film. This is a helmet with a mini-camera aimed at the face, on which control markers are located. The company also developed a new software based on “spherical functions” technologies that are used to produce computer games. This made it possible to create three-dimensional scenes with maximum realism.
As the director noted, when creating Avatar, he was inspired by a variety of sources, from books to simple drawings. But the artist Roger Dean had the greatest influence on the creation of the world of Pandora and its life forms. If you look at his paintings and illustrations, you can easily notice the similarities with the world of Avatar.
James Cameron saw very well in his imagination what the inhabitants of Pandora looked like even at the time of creating the script. However, the real prototype of the “avatars”, which satisfied the director, appeared only ten years later in the form of Neytiri. This is a sculpture authored by D. Schell.
As already noted, only the latest and unique technologies were used for filming. James Cameron himself participated in the development and creation of some of them. So, he developed Fusion 3d with his friend Vince Pace, which made it possible to use not six cameras, but only three.
It is impossible not to note the use of a landfill, the size of which was 21 by 12 meters. About 120 cameras were placed around its perimeter, which recorded the actions of all the actors involved in a particular scene, and immediately projected them onto the computer characters of the film...
In general, it can be noted that the work done was titanic. No standard programs or methods were used here. Almost all software for creating 3D graphics was modified in accordance with the requirements for the film; some were created literally from scratch. But despite the abundance of virtual opportunities, many actors were involved in the film. "Avatar" is a unique symbiosis of virtual technologies and human resources. It's hard to even imagine what we would have seen if Cameron had decided to make it in 1994...
The most beautiful park in China, where the famous film “Avatar” was filmed.
Avatar grossed $2.7 billion in theaters. Millions of people have seen this film and many consider it one of director James Cameron's best films.
The first part was released in 2009 and amazed all viewers with both its unusual idea, twisted plot, and incredibly beautiful landscapes. These places are only partly fantastic. During the filming, technologies were used, as a result of which the real landscapes were slightly adjusted to make them look fantastic or unearthly. However, few people know that in fact these landscapes can be seen not in distant space, but on earth, since the filming took place in one of the most beautiful and picturesque parks in the world.
Zhangjiajie National Park, which is located in Hunan Province in China, is recognized as a World Heritage. After the filming of Avatar, interest in it increased even more, as many tourists want to see with their own eyes the places where the plot of the famous film unfolded.
This park is interesting because because of the outlandish pillars it looks fantastic or even surreal. Just looking at the photographs of these places, you might be surprised at how different these places are from anything you might have seen before.
Zhangjiajie Park receives special attention due to the fact that there are a large number of stone pillars, which consist of sandstone and quartz. Looking at them, you sincerely wonder how such pillars can stay in place. There are more than three thousand similar rocks in the park, many of which are quite high, a third of which reach a height of two hundred meters.
After the film "Avatar" was successfully shown in cinemas around the world, excursions around the park became more themed. There are new ones here sightseeing tours, which invite tourists to visit the places where the film was filmed and where they can see landscapes familiar from the film. Also, after the film, the Southern Sky Column mountain was renamed to Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.
Not only Avatar was filmed in the park mentioned here. The 2015 film “Monster Hunt” was also filmed here.
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September 15 - 22, 2019
(stay in China 7 nights
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They are three meters tall, have blue skin, and have cat-like faces. Their planet is Pandora,
located several light years from Earth. Most of it is covered with jungle,
mountains hang in the air, plants glow in the dark...
To experience Pandora, you need to go to James Cameron's Avatar, which was inspired by the Wulingyuan Mountains.
To see the “flying” mountains in reality, to break out of everyday life and feel like the heroes of “Avatar”, you need to fly to China.
The program includes: panoramic routes - serpentines, various cable cars(among which is the longest in the world). The rocks are surrounded by routes made of stones and even glass, connected by giant bridges. The world's tallest open-air elevator was built, taking it to the top. Landscapes of unreal beauty, as if straight from the paintings of Chinese painters, became available thanks to the miracle of human genius and hard work.
Combines well with tours:
