You’ve seen big mountains and hills, for sure. But you’ve never seen mountains as skinny and tall as these. Imagine 3,000 peaks, thin like pencils, soaring a kilometer high, standing straight up across the land of Zhangjiajie.
Zhangjiajie, located in the northwestern part of Hunan Province, ranks as one of China’s top tourist cities. Famous spots here are known both in China and globally. You’ve got Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, with its 3,000 slender, pencil-like peaks. Then there’s Tianmen Mountain, often called the “Gateway to Heaven,” and the world’s longest and highest glass bridge in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon.
The city is also a cultural hub for several ethnic minorities like the Tujia, Miao, and Bai peoples. These groups have developed a rich cultural heritage over centuries. In Zhangjiajie’s villages, you’ll see architecture full of ethnic character, such as the Miao’s stilt houses and the Tujia’s corner towers. During festivals or in everyday life, you can catch traditional dances like the Tujia hand-waving dance and the Miao reed-pipe dance.
Unlike other modernized Chinese cities, Zhangjiajie is known as a “natural museum.” It boasts a unique sandstone pillar landscape found nowhere else in the world, offering a chance to explore nature’s marvels rather than skyscrapers.
Scenic Photos of Zhangjiajie
Ever seen fields on a cliff? Or over 3,000 pencils over a kilometer tall sticking out of the earth? You’ll see all that at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
This ancient Chinese city is built around a massive waterfall—what a novel and beautiful sight! It’s a perfect blend of human ingenuity and nature.
If you’re just looking to hit the main spots in Zhangjiajie, 3-4 days should be enough. You can visit the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (Wulingyuan Scenic Area), Tianmen Mountain, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, and Furong Town.
But if you want to dive deeper into the natural beauty and culture, 5 days or more would be a better choice. For example, you could spend Day 1 arriving and resting, Day 2 exploring Tianmen Mountain and the Glass Walkway, Day 3 checking out Huanglong Cave and Baofeng Lake, Day 4 visiting the National Forest Park all day, and Day 5 heading to Furong Town and the Tusi Imperial City to soak in the local history and culture.
No, Avatar wasn’t filmed in Zhangjiajie. The “Hallelujah Mountains” and “floating mountains” in the movie were actually inspired by the sandstone pillars in Zhangjiajie, but the actual filming locations were in the USA and New Zealand. However, Zhangjiajie’s “Southern Pillar” inspired the floating mountains in the movie. Other spots like Tianzi Mountain, Tianmen Mountain, and Huangshizhai also made an appearance in the film.
By plane: Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport is the only airport in the area, about 10 kilometers from downtown. Once you arrive, you can take the airport shuttle, a bus, or a taxi to the city or the scenic spots.
By train: Zhangjiajie Railway Station is pretty close to the city center. From there, you can grab a bus or a taxi to the main tourist areas.
You can check the current time in Zhangjiajie here: Time in Zhangjiajie.