Zhangjiajie is a sizeable city located in the northwest of the Hunan province of China. It is mainly visited by tourists because of the incredible scenery and the national forest park which are just outside the city itself. There are thousands of impressive sandstone columns, some of which are in excess of 200m high, which have been said to look eerily like a gigantic natural graveyard. There are also a number of impressive cave networks filled with stalagmites and stalactites which have formed over the course of many centuries.
If you have seen the film ‘Avatar’ then the scenery in this province might look familiar to you. The number of tourists who flock to this area to enjoy the outstanding natural beauty has increased dramatically since this Oscar-winning film used the mountains as its set.
The city itself is not particularly exciting, but the karst scenery is some of the most impressive on the planet. It’s not just mountains either. There are forests and rivers with cascading waterfalls, stone bridges created by natural erosion of the rock and a wide variety of endangered animal and plant species to enjoy in their natural environment.
If you are not afraid of heights, you can’t leave Zhangjiajie without riding the Bailong elevator: the highest in the world. It is over 300m tall and gives you a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. It costs around US$18 per person to go all the way to the top, but when you see the view you will certainly get your money’s worth. Make sure you pick a nice day though, it is far less impressive when the mountains are covered in clouds, and if it is too misty, you will see nothing at all from the top.
Be warned though, queueing may be firmly embedded into Singaporean culture, but it is not necessarily a part of the Chinese culture. During peak times the park can become quite crowded and you may have to fight your way to the front at key viewpoints, so it’s best to arrive as early as you can if you want to enjoy the quiet and stillness of the surroundings.
If you’re looking to enjoy the scenery from a slightly less crowded part of the park, the Grand Canyon of Zhangjiajie could be the answer. There are roughly 1,600 steps to climb down if you want to descend into the valley itself, so this could be the reason it’s less busy!
Once you’ve finished looking around the national park and its breath-taking sights, you might visit Tianmen Mountain. Over here you’ll be able to climb the stairway to Heaven’s Door.
If you are up for something a bit more urban, you can visit The Phoenix Ancient Town. It is one of the gems of the Hunan province, and is a must-see for anyone who travels to Zhangjiajie. The Phoenix Ancient Town offers a step back in time to the Old China, to see what urban life was like before industrialization and modernization swept through the country. The river flows through the centre of the town, so you can see the stilted buildings by taking a boat along the water.
Whilst the large cities are probably what China is most renowned for these days, it is the rural landscapes and the snippets of ancient Chinese culture which make the Hunan province such a special place. A tour of Zhangjiajie provides a wonderful and much-appreciated contrast to the fast-pace of city life.
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