Explore the land of 'Avatar' — Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, set up in 1982, is the first authorized national forest park in China. The area covers 480 thousand square meters. This park, together with Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve and Yangjiajie Scenic Area makes up the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, also known as Zhangjiajie Scenic Spot.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the most beautiful place on earth, has been described differently, such as, majestic, eccentric, tranquil, delicate and wild. It is known for its odd-shaped peaks and rocks, exquisite forests, tranquil water, beautiful canyons, limestone caves and breathtaking views. It mainly includes Yellow Stone Village (Huangshi Village), Golden Whip Stream and so on.

● Highlights of Zhangjiajie

01. Yuanjiajie (Yuan Family Territory) — the most popular and most crowded area

Yuanjiajie is rightly the shooting location of those “Hallelujah Mountains” in reality. With so fascinating scenery, particularly its mysterious view with clouds and mists after some drizzle, Yuanjiajie changes extremely appealing to global tourists and is praised as the mysterious “Pandora World”.
Yuanjiajie is a naturally formed platform mountain, surrounded by higher summits which are divided by deep valleys. The famous sights in this scenic area include: the First Bridge under Heaven, Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, Lost Soul Platform, Back Garden, Overlooking Bridge Terrace, etc.

02. Tianzi Mountain (Heaven Son Mountain) — famous for its clouds and mists

Tianzi Mountain provides stunning views of peaks, which rise one after another. It is known as 'the Monarch of the Peak Forest'. At the top of the mountain, visitors can see the full extent of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. It is said to combine the beauty of Guilin, the strangeness if not grotesqueness of Huangshan ("Yellow Mountain"), the awesomeness of Mount Hua and the magnificence of Mount Tai.
Tianzi Mountain greet visitors with its beautiful scenery, and if you are lucky enough, you would see the four wonders: the Sea of Clouds, the Radiance of the Moonlight, Rays of Sunshine and the Snow in winter.

03. Yangjiajie (Yang Family Territory) — newly discovered, and most steep

Yangjiajie is a newly developed area of Wulingyuan Scenic Area. It is the least crowed area, with peaks, cliffs, waterfalls, streams, gullies and other natural landscape. The area is also abundant with plants and animals, such as white cranes, macaques, ancient trees and rare flowers.

04. Gold Whip Stream (Jinbian Xi) — easy and relaxing walking

Golden Whip Stream (Jinbian Stream) is famous for its tranquil water, its verdant mountains, its steep cliffs and its serene valley. It is called “the most poetic valley in China”. Hence, Golden Whip Stream is suitable for 2-3 hours’ hiking.
Golden Whip Stream meanders 7.5 km, flowing between steep grotesque peaks and luxuriant trees. Here, the meandering streams, the crystal-clear water, exotic plants and rare animals co-exist and constitute the extraordinarily beautiful, tranquil and natural ecological environment.

05. Ten-mile Gallery

Ten mile Gallery is located at the foot of Tianzi Mountain. It is about 5.8 kilometers in length. With a stream flowing through, and the peaks on both sides of the valley shape, it forms natural sculptures. The Herb Collecting Old Man and Immortals Worshipping Guanyin are the most spectacular.
Ten-mile Natural Gallery has picturesque scenery, beautiful flowers and a hundred birds contend in singing. The sceneries in this scenic area have strange shapes. The quartz sandstone peaks hidden in the clouds changes a lot which look like people, God, immortal, forest, birds or beasts.

06. Yellow Stone Village (Huangshi Zhai) — similar to Yuanjiajie, but less spectacular  

As the essence of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Scenic Area, Huangshizhai possesses quite concentrated attractions, well worth visiting. It was said that Huangshi Gong, the master of Zhang Liang (an important adviser in West Han Dynasty) once produced elixir here.
With an elevation of 1080 meters, Huangshi Village is a high, magnificent and vast sightseeing platform, a high-south, low-north terrace composed of many cliffs in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This place is a The top consists of more than 20 hectares, with over 10 scene viewing platforms from where one can enjoy majestic sandstone peak forests.