The Avatar Mountains in China are inimitable famous rocks that conquer the world and the hearts of millions at first sight. By the way, it was they who became the prototypes of those "soaring mountains of Hallelujah".
Description
Zhangjiajie Park is part of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, located in the northwest of Hunan province. It was awarded the highest tourism rating "AAAAA" and became the first Chinese park to receive the status of a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site. On average, about 3 million foreigners visit the park per year, and among them the absolute leaders are tourists from South Korea, of whom there are about 300 thousand annually.
In addition to picturesque mountain landscapes, fans of the animal and natural worlds will be able to see with their own eyes the rarest species of flora and fauna listed in the Red Book.
Story
As a result of long weathering of quartz sandstones and limestones, as well as due to constant leaching of the soil, over 3000 peaks and cliffs the most amazing forms. A distinctive feature of these mountains, which later found its reflection in all Chinese painting, are deep gorges with lakes and waterfalls, completely covered with vegetation.
As for the park, its original goal was and remains a nature reserve, but thanks to the incredible landscapes, during its short existence, it quickly rose to the second line of the most visited protected zones in the country.
The meaning of the park's name is still a mystery, but Chinese scientists adhere to one theory. Most historians are inclined to believe that his name contains the name of the disgraced aristocrat Zhang Liang, who played a significant role in the formation of the Han dynasty, who, due to circumstances, was forced to hide in the local vicinity. There he died and was buried, as indicated by many reliable sources. Despite the fact that his real grave was never found, gullible tourists are invited to look at his "main" burial place, not far from the village of Zhangjiajie near the park's borders.
When is the best time to go
Although Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is open to the public all year round, each season has its own characteristics that should be considered when planning a trip here.
Based on the climatic characteristics of the area, autumn is considered the most favorable season for visiting. Autumn in China is usually warm and very sunny, soft light makes you feel comfortable from morning to late evening. And it should be added that the best view of the mountains is during this period.
Note! For a quiet enjoyment of the views, it is not recommended to choose the summer vacation period (July-August) for the trip, as well as the first weeks of May and October. Large-scale holidays and festivals taking place at this time attract a huge number of tourists.
Winter is considered the most inappropriate season for trips to the park. The cold, of course, brings some discomfort, but still is not the main reason for the refusal of tourist groups from the mesmerizing snow-covered views. In winter, for safety reasons, due to the presence of large precipices, most of the trails are closed. In addition, numerous snowfalls and fogs prevent you from enjoying the view in all its glory. However, this does not stop individual travelers from the opportunity to admire the snow-white peaks almost completely alone. As another important plus, it is worth mentioning the cost of tickets, which significantly decreases in winter.
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In spring, the weather in China is rather humid and not suitable for many people. The rainy season, which lasts from March to June, does not make exploring the mountains with umbrellas so attractive. But often people come here during this period to get the opportunity to contemplate the "soaring mountains" in China. This optical effect is created by the fog that hides the bases of the rocks and gives the impression of their levitation. Although here it is already as lucky, because the mountains, in the end, can not be seen at all behind a dense veil.
How many days do you need
This question is rather relative. For some, a day will be enough to explore the Avatar Mountains in China in Zhangjiajie National Park, while for others a week will not be enough. The main, most visited places are:
- the numerous rocky peaks of Mount Avatar;
- parks that look like wonders of the world;
- monkeys, a pond with turtles;
- temples and pavilions.
Tourists share that with a correctly drawn up route, you can fully explore the park in 2-4 days. But if only 1 day is allotted for a visit, you can manage to walk through iconic places in such a short period of time.
How to get to the city
To visit the park, you must first get to the city of the same name, and from there to the villages located at the entrance to the park. This can be done in 3 ways:
- by plane;
- by train;
- by bus.
By plane
Perhaps it's worth starting with the most comfortable transport - an airplane. The flight will take minimal time. Aircraft land at the airport, located just 5 km from the city center. Its full name is Zhangjiajie Hehua (Lotus) Airport. It accepts flights from many major (and not only) cities in China, but from international flights only flights to Busan (Korea) and Bangkok (Thailand) are available.
A ticket from Beijing will cost around 120 $ * and the flight will take about 3 hours.
From the airport, you can then get to your destination by bus or taxi. But according to the stories of tourists, the first one is almost impossible to find. Private taxi to the local station will cost 2,5 $, to the city itself about 3-5 $... The cost of a taxi directly to the entrance to the park will be $ 15.
Important! Do not hesitate to bargain. Local cabbies often take advantage of foreigners' ignorance of the local rates and charge exorbitant sums for their services.
By train
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The train is a cheaper transport, but it is not suitable for everyone. On average, the journey from Beijing takes about 22-26 hours, so be patient. The train ride will cost 60 $ (reserved seat) and 100 $ (compartment). Trains also come from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changsha and many other cities.
I would like to note that the Zhangjiajie Railway Station is located right in the center of the village, next to the cable car to Tianmen Mountain, which will be discussed a little later. You can get to Zhangjiajie National Park from the central bus station.
By bus
There are not so many bus stations in Zhangjiajie where flights from other cities would arrive, but they are still there. As a rule, there are regular flights from Shanghai, Changsha, Wuhan and several other settlements.
Note! Prices are constantly changing, so you will have to find out directly at the bus station.
Where to stay
Zhangzazze National Park has 3 entrances. The first nearest entrance is located 32 km from the city and is nicknamed by the locals "the village of Zhangjiajie". The second is located in the Wulinyuan district, 40 km from the village. The third is considered the most distant and therefore not very popular, it is located 50 km away. The hotel should be chosen depending on how long tourists plan to stay in the park. There are three options:
- Zhangjiace city in China.
- Zhangjiace village.
- Wulinyuan village.
Zhangjiace city
Ideal for those who plan to visit the park in 1 day. The city has a large selection of various hotels and inns for any amount and taste.And the only problem is that it will be quite expensive to get to the park by taxi (around 100-200 yuan), and catching a bus early and late is also not an easy task. That is why this option is only recommended for those wishing to spend very little time here.
Zhangjiace village
Zhangjiace Village has its pros and cons, but is generally well suited for those planning to spend all of their time in the park. It is located right next to the South Entrance, which makes it possible to visit from early morning until late at night. The Golden Knut hiking trail and the cable car to the Yellow Mountain also start next to it.
There are several hotels and hostels in the village (all of them can be viewed on the booking website). Serious inconveniences include the fact that the trip to the city will take about an hour, as well as the location of the entrance. The fact is that buses do not go to it and you will have to walk deeper into the park or to the nearest bus station.
Wulinyuan village
Wulinyuan Tourist Village is considered the most convenient option for all criteria. It is located near the West entrance to the park and has a wide selection of hotels (although many of them are too expensive for a budget tourist). Convenient transport allows you to get to both neighboring cities and local attractions with comfort. So if travelers decide to spend several days in the park, but the prospect of living in it does not appeal to them, then this accommodation option will be the most optimal.
Note! Before traveling to any of the above destinations, you should pre-book your accommodation, especially during the busy season.
Park opening hours and entrance fees
The opening of the park depends on the season. In summer, working hours are from 06:30 to 19:00, in winter - from 07:30 to 17:00.
Note! Although the park does not open until 06:30, tourists come there much earlier. If you arrive exactly at the opening time, then there will already be a huge crowd.
There are 2 types of tickets: 4 and 7 days. The first will cost around $ 38, and the second around $ 46. But you will have to pay extra for a lot:
- Cable car to Tianzi Mountain - 10 $.
- The cable car to Huangshizhai - 11 $.
- Baylong lift - $ 11.
- Yangjiajie Cable Car - 12 $.
- Tourist mini train - 6-8 $.
Important! Each ticket has a serial number to which fingerprints are linked. If you confuse your tickets with strangers, then you may not be allowed to enter the park.
Small tips for tourists
If the traveler wants to climb the mountain using the Bailong elevator, then it is better to come and go there early in the morning and go down before 3-4 pm. Otherwise, he risks getting into a 4-hour queue.
Comfortable shoes must be worn. The park is not small and you will have to walk a lot, so it is better to take adhesive plasters with you.
In order to have time to see everything, the best option would be to climb the cable cars, and descend on foot. This saves time, but you can still enjoy the beauty up close.
On some trails, the traveler will meet many not very friendly monkeys - you cannot tease them. It is worth hiding the contents of the pockets from the animals in a backpack.
When going to the park, you need to take money, sunscreen and a raincoat with you (the weather in the mountainous area is very changeable). Also, don't forget about food and water. The prices for food in the park are unreasonably high, so it is better to buy all this cheaper outside of it.
How to see Zhangjiajie Park
The park is made up of 2 leading planes: lower (in the valley) and upper (in the mountains). So by looking at the map below, you can roughly calculate your strength for the road. Also on its territory there are 2 lines of free buses: the purple one runs at the foot of the mountains, and the red one - at the tops. The walking paths are marked in green.
The terrain can be divided into 8 parts, each of them marked with a separate color:
- Red - Tianzi Mountain;
- Blue - Yuanjiajie;
- Yellow - Yangjiajie;
- Orange - Golden Whip Stream;
- White - Huangshichzhai, or the village of the Yellow Stone;
- Light green - Yaozizhai, Hawk Village;
- Pink - Daguandai;
- Purple - Laowuchang.
Do not forget that there is always the opportunity to take a ready-made tour in the park itself.
What to see in Zhangjiajie National Park
Yuanjiajie
The Yuanjiajie Zone is one of the most popular places in the park. It is also often referred to as the "Avatar Mountains" zone. If a tourist is not timid, he can try to climb it on foot. And so everyone else has the opportunity to use the Baylong elevator or the bus.
This area is especially famous for its "First Heavenly Bridge" and the tall, lonely pillar, recently called "Halillujah".
Yangjiajie
The Yangjiajie Zone opened much later than the others and is not yet as popular as its other predecessors. Looking at the map, you might think that the distance between attractions is quite trifling, but this is not so. Due to uneven roads constantly going uphill, not everyone is able to overcome such distances on foot. Therefore, in China, special porter services are provided for this, allowing you to painlessly overcome long sections of the path.
Tianzi mountain
To climb Mount Tianzi, the traveler can use the cable car or the bus from Yangjiajie. At the top of the mountain there is a McDonald's (where many have a snack, since there are almost no other similar places in the park).
When descending from it, there is a pagoda called the Palace of the Emperor, from which you can see a beautiful view of the local rocks.
Golden Whip Stream
The Golden Knut Stream is located in the plain at the foot of the mountains, and this is what makes it one of the most pleasant walking areas. The pedestrian road stretches for a distance of 8 km. Many visitors share that it was only here that they managed to feel what they had been looking for for so long - harmony with nature.
Yellow Stone Village or Huangshizhai
You can get to the village of Yellow Stone from the first entrance or by walking along the stream, from the second entrance by cable car or on foot. In this village, there is a large number of touching and not very monkeys - so it's better to be wary of them all the same. Males, as owners of the territory, often attack people, taking away their personal belongings, and the cubs frolic and willingly let themselves be filmed.
The path to the peak takes about 3 hours and, according to legend, consists of 3800 steps. But those who reach the top have incredible landscapes, one of them is the Mountain of Five Fingers. It is there that you can climb the Zhangjiajie glass bridge and test yourself for strength.
Nearby attractions
There are many other interesting places in the park.
Tianmen Mountain
Mount Tianmen is located almost in the heart of Zhangjiajie city, and it is not difficult to get to it. Within walking distance is the starting station of the cable car, which leads directly to it. The peculiarity of the object is that it has the "Heavenly Gates" arch, the ascent to which consists of 999 steps.
Fenghuang ancient city
Phoenix is the second name of the ancient city of Fenghuang. Its architecture attracts tourists from all over the world. Narrow streets and old, wooden houses, illuminated in the evening and looking quite impressive, give it a special atmosphere.
The road to Fenghuang is quite long, as a result of this, it is better to stay there with an overnight stay. The distance from Zhangjiajie is about 240 km, and the whole journey by bus takes all 5 hours.
Baofeng Lake
Lake Baofeng itself is not actually a lake, but a reservoir that arose as a result of the construction of a dam. While there, it is difficult to believe that this is the creation of human hands, and not mother nature. Travel from Wulingyuan Village by taxi will cost 1,5 $ – 2,5 $, but you can always walk on foot - it will take no more than 40 minutes.
The entrance ticket will cost 15 $, but it also includes a trip on a wooden boat, accompanied by locals dressed in Chinese national costumes.
Yellow Dragon Cave or Huanglong
The Yellow Dragon Cave is located in the vicinity of the village of Wulinyuan and is officially considered one of the most beautiful caves in China. It is superbly equipped for tourists and its size is truly impressive. In addition to many halls and corridors, there are often illuminated stalactites and stalagmites and several small ponds. You can always get to it by city bus or taxi for $ 3. The entrance ticket costs $ 15 (a boat trip through the cave is already included in its price).
As you can see, the Zhangjiajie National Park attracts hundreds of millions of tourists from all over the world every year. To get complete satisfaction from the trip, it is worth knowing what time it is best to visit it and other features of this beautiful protected area.
* Prices are valid for January 2021
