Few westerners have ever heard the names Zhangjiajie or Fenghuang. Hallelujah Mountains? Sounds familiar. The Avatar mountains? Ok, the famous first Avatar movie, sure. But those mountains, floating in the air above Pandora, aren’t real. Or are they? The karst formations in China’s Zhangjiajie National Forest Park actually served as inspiration for the film’s designers. Towering pillar rock formations, miraculously shooting up from valley floors. Somehow a forest of trees growing right out of the rock. This unworldly sight in China’s Hunan province can be an inspiration for you, too. And not far away is another magical place, the ancient town of Fenghuang. We will help you navigate from Avatar mountains to ancient China.
How do we get there?
Travelers coming from Beijing or Shanghai will want to fly directly to Zhangjiajie. It is a 2.5-hour flight. Hong Kong is a 2-hour flight. From the airport, the city and nearby National Forest Park are just about a half hour or so away by car. And Fenghuang is merely an hour from Zhangjiajie by bullet train.
When is the best time to visit?
This might be the most important question to answer. While westerners are unfamiliar with this area, it is extraordinarily popular with Chinese tourists. They pack the region throughout the summer and during long Chinese holidays, which include the first part of October and Chinese New Year, which can last up to a month. And there are more holidays. You should avoid the park during these times. Unlike Disney parks and some U.S. national parks, which put a restriction on daily visitors, Zhangjiajie has so far not stopped enormous crowds of tourists during these times. To compound matters, Zhangjiajie has become an extremely popular destination for South Koreans too. I have seen reports of tourists spending more than 7 hours of their day in one queue or another!
So, what to do? The good news is, the weather can be beautiful in the spring and fall anyway, making March, parts of April and May and September and November the best times to go. We visit in late November (actually during U.S. Thanksgiving week) and deal with somewhat manageable crowds. All the photos in this article are taken during this pleasant November weather.
Where should we stay?
There are a few options for the upscale traveler on a budget. Zhangjiajie has yet to see luxury international brand hotels – no Banyan Tree or Aman or Ritz Carlton to be found. You should skip the big hotels, inundated with Chinese tour groups. Fortunately, there are convenient homestays, where you can experience both the local atmosphere and quiet, premium lodging.
We choose Celestial Vally (yes, it’s spelled that way), a homestay via booking.com. This friendly, family-run establishment offers a handful of spacious rooms, all with lovely views of nearby rock formations. What really comes in handy is the included car service, with airport pickup and drop off, as well as daily transportation to the national forest and city.
How many days should we allow?
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and nearby Tianmen Mountain deserve at least three days, as you will see in the itinerary below. Could you cram highlights into two days? Sure. Could you extend to four days, especially if there are crowds? Sure.
In any scenario, you should allow another day and night (24 hours) in Fenghuang (above photo). Fortunately, there is a bullet train that can make the 140-mile (225km) journey in just one hour. The journey might be a little challenging for English-only speakers, but worth the effort.
What is a good itinerary?
Day one. English-only speakers may be wise to hire a private guide, as English is not widely spoken. The main entrance to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is through the east gate. A shuttle bus takes you to an area called Yuanjiajie. After walking the valley floor with views of the towering pillars, you need to queue for the Bailong (Hundred Dragon) elevator. The double-decker glass elevator, rising 1,070 feet (326m), is the tallest outdoor elevator in the world. And yet the ascent takes just 88 seconds! From the top the views of the Hallelujah pillars are magnificent. Welcome to Avatar.
Your day continues with a breakneck bus ride to another part of the park, Tianzi Mountain. The payoff is ongoing spectacular views of the more than 3,000 tree-covered sandstone pillars. Your day ends with a cable car ride down the mountain and back to the main gate. Note, this itinerary could be done in reverse order.
Day two. This time you enter through the south gate. The Huangshizhai cable car offers more scenic views. But the main attraction today is the 4.5-mile (7.5km) path that follows the Jinbianxi stream (Golden Whip Stream) valley. It is the most stunning hiking trail in the National Forest, a calming retreat from the hectic pace of day one. Here you encounter crystal-clear waters, tall trees, wild monkeys, and rocky peaks that reach the sky. Another option is to just walk partway; in either case returning to the south gate.
Day three. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is just of part of the greater Wulingyuan scenic area. Today we travel by car about 20 miles (32km) to Tianmen Mountain (Heaven’s Gate). First up is a steep cable car ride of 28 minutes (another world’s record). A cliffside path takes you to a closer view of Tianmen Cave, which is actually a 30-meter-high hole through the mountain. Not surprisingly, it is the world’s highest natural water-eroded cave. And if you are not satisfied with the view, you can climb the “Stairway to Heaven,” some 999 steps to the base. You are now 1,500 meters above sea level. Note: If this is just too much climbing, there is an escalator alternative to the stairway.
What are some other options?
Zhangjiajie has plenty of options for you if you are seeking thrills, want to hike, or just take a relaxing boat ride. Personally, we visit a national park to enjoy the finest nature can provide. Zhangjiajie has decided to produce its own set of experiences. If the tallest elevator and longest cable car aren’t thrilling enough, we are just getting started. Tianmen Mountain has the Glass Skywalk, where hugging a cliff, you can also look straight down 4,000 feet (1,200m). Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon features the longest glass bridge in the world (of course), connecting two rock formations high above ground. That area of the park also provides a bungee jump, zip line, an iron chain cliff path, and more.
But I have already had my share of scary travel moments elsewhere. So, at the other end of the spectrum, we choose the 30-minute boat trip on Baofeng Lake. We find this ride on what is an artificial reservoir a bit too theme park-like. We attend the Xiangxi theatre show at night in the city, but find that attraction really aimed more at the large Chinese tour groups.
Next stop, Fenghuang
It would be a shame to travel all the way to Zhangjiajie and not visit Fenghuang Ancient Town. Thanks to China’s modern train system, with speeds reaching 350km/h (217mph), the city is only an hour away. And yet, it is centuries away. Fenghuang, meaning phoenix in Chinese, is a mythical bird, representing harmony, balance, and good fortune. It is an appropriate symbol for a town that wants to take you back in time.
The 1,200-year-old city is one of the most beautiful in China. Stilted houses hug the Tuojiang River, crossed by both ancient bridges and stepping stones going back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Cobblestone lanes lead to temples, restaurants, and shops. Many of these are costume shops renting traditional outfits to females, as they pose for social media shots against the unique backdrops.
Fenghuang really transforms into a magical fairy land at night. Lanterns light up the alleys and the whole city becomes aglow in a vibrant scene of soft illumination best viewed from a boat ride on the river.
Travel to Fenghuang in the morning, spending a delightful afternoon and evening. Wander the streets and shops on both sides of the river the next morning before heading back to Zhangjiajie to end your journey.
What about Huangshan?
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), in the Anhui province of eastern China. The only thing this majestic mountain range doesn’t feature is the tall, narrow pillars of Zhangjiajie. It checks all the boxes for an Avatar-like experience though and was also visited by the film’s designers. Accessible by train from Shanghai and less crowded, we write about wondrous Huangshan here.
Do you have any questions or comments about Zhangjiajie or Fenghuang? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this post.
What’s upscale?
Don’t hesitate to secure upscale homestay lodging versus the big hotels. Take business class on the train to Fenghuang.
What’s budget?
Get all-inclusive pricing for the National Forest Park, which includes buses and cable cars.
