UNESCO World Heritage · China's First National Forest Park
3,000 Peaks, 800 Streams — Pandora on Earth
ExploreZhangjiajie lies in northwestern Hunan Province. In 1982 it became China's first national forest park; in 1992 UNESCO listed Wulingyuan as a World Heritage site. Its quartz sandstone pinnacles are unique—over 3,000 peaks rise from the earth, with 800 streams winding through. It's called "a bonsai enlarged, a fairyland in miniature."
Zhangjiajie is in northwestern Hunan, in the Wuling Mountains. The city covers about 9,500 km².
The 217.4 km² quartz sandstone pinnacle landscape of Wulingyuan is officially named "Zhangjiajie landform." Formed 380 million years ago, erosion created over 3,000 stone pillars—a unique sandstone pinnacle landscape.
Forest coverage reaches 70.98% citywide, 85.28% in the core area. Over 4,000 plant and animal species include 81 protected species. The area is rich in negative oxygen ions—a natural oxygen bar.
China's first national forest park.
UNESCO World Heritage listing.
First batch of Global Geoparks.
5A National Tourist Attraction.
11 key attractions: pinnacles, canyons, caves, lakes, and the world's highest glass bridge.
South of Zhangjiajie · 1,518m
Famous for the natural Tianmen Cave. Features the world's longest alpine cable car, the world's largest natural mountain arch, 999 steps, glass skywalk and Guigu plank road.
Wulingyuan core · 949–1,074m
Inspiration for Avatar's "Pandora" floating mountains. First Bridge Under Heaven, Hallelujah Mountain (Southern Sky Column), Soul Lost Terrace, Bailong Elevator.
7.5 km · ~2 hr walk
One of the world's most beautiful canyons. Golden Whip Rock, Purple Grass Pool, Thousand Miles Meeting, Water Winding Four Gates.
Northwest · Best for sea of clouds
Peak forest at its finest. Sea of clouds, sunrise, and winter snow are the "three wonders." He Long Park, Imperial Brush Peak, Fairy Presenting Flowers.
Forest Park · Largest sky platform
"No Huangshi, no Zhangjiajie." 1.5–2 hr hike to the top. Six Wonders Pavilion, Palm Peak, Star Picking Platform, 360° views.
Suoxiyu · 5 km
Lush canyon with fantastical rock formations like a giant landscape painting. Peacock Spreading Tail, Herb Gatherer, Longevity Greeting, Tiger Roaring.
~40 km² · For adventurers
Peak wall geology. Natural Great Wall of dozens of walls. Wulong Village, Tianbo Mansion, Sky Corridor, One Step to Heaven.
World's highest glass bridge
536 m long, 6 m wide, 300 m above the canyon floor. World's longest and highest glass bridge.
Wulingyuan · 4A
Karst cave: 100,000 m², 7.5 km long, 140 m vertical. 1 reservoir, 2 rivers, 3 pools, 4 waterfalls, 13 halls, nearly 10,000 stalagmites.
Wulingyuan core · 5A
Zhangjiajie's only water-focused attraction. High gorge lake, 72 m deep, 2.5 km long. Filming site for Journey to the West.
East Wulingyuan
Ten-Mile Gallery, Yellow Dragon Cave, Baofeng Lake are in Suoxiyu. West Sea, Baizhang Gorge, Water Winding Four Gates.
3,000 peaks, 800 streams—every frame a wonderland. Click images to enlarge.
Peak Forest PanoramaTianmen MountainYuanjiajieGolden Whip StreamTianzi MountainHuangshi VillageTen-Mile GalleryYangjiajieGlass BridgeYellow Dragon CaveSuoxiyu
Peak Forest Wonder
Valley Cloud Sea
Stream Canyon
Stream in Autumn
Mountain Road
Valley Mist
Tianmen Cave 999 Steps
Bailong Elevator
Bailong Elevator
Tianzi Mountain Mist
Avatar Pandora
Peak Forest Wonderland
Avatar Hallelujah Mountain
Avatar-Inspired Peaks
Pandora Prototype Pillars
Cliff Viewpoint
Tianmen Cable Car
Glass Bridge
Aerial Peak Forest
Green Valley
Rocky PeaksExplore Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Avatar Mountain from home. Drag to look around; full-screen mode available.
Essential info for US, EU, UK and other Western travelers. Flights, visa, best season, payment, food.
Zhangjiajie Hehua Airport (DYG) is 5 km from downtown, 30 km from Wulingyuan. Direct flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, etc. From Europe/US: fly to Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, then connect. Check airlines or Trip.com for current routes.
Zhangjiajie West Station (high-speed) is ~30 min to Wulingyuan. Changsha South ↔ Zhangjiajie West ~3.5 hr; Guangzhou South ↔ Zhangjiajie West ~5 hr. Trip.com accepts international cards (recommended); 12306 often requires a Chinese phone number.
April–May and September–October: mild weather, good chance of cloud sea. Summer (Jul–Aug): crowded but greenest. Winter (Dec–Feb): snow scenery, fewer crowds, lower prices; Tianmen snow views are stunning.
US, UK, EU citizens need a Chinese visa. A 144-hour (or 240-hour at some ports) visa-free transit may apply when transiting through China to a third country—check Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and other major hub airports. Verify with your embassy. Bring onward tickets and hotel bookings.
Alipay and WeChat Pay are widely used. Bind via TourCard or supported international cards. Carry some cash. Mandarin is main; some staff speak basic English. A translation app helps.
Sanxiaguo (Tujia specialty), blood duck, straw hat noodles, kudzu root. Xibu Street in Wulingyuan and Nanzheng Street downtown have many options. Prices higher inside parks; bring snacks or eat outside.
15-day forecast from Open-Meteo.
Itineraries, visa, flights, accommodation—curated for Western travelers.
Tickets, opening hours, accommodation. Currency: 1 CNY ≈ 0.14 USD ≈ 0.13 EUR ≈ 0.11 GBP.
Tianmen Mountain and Glass Bridge require advance time-slot booking. Overseas users can use Trip.com (supports international cards). Search the above sites for booking.
Tianmen Mountain ¥278, Forest Park ¥228 (4-day), Glass Bridge ¥219. Book time slots in advance for Tianmen and Glass Bridge. Trip.com supports international cards.
Forest Park: Mar–Nov 07:00–18:00, Dec–Feb 08:00–17:00. Tianmen: 08:00–18:00. Glass Bridge: 08:00–16:00. Arrive early in peak season.
Stay in Wulingyuan for easy park access. Xibu Street has restaurants and nightlife. Downtown suits early flights/trains. Book on Trip.com, Agoda; confirm international card acceptance.
Free shuttles connect entrances. Bailong Elevator ¥65, Tianzi cable car ¥72, Ten-Mile Gallery train ¥30 one-way. Wear grippy shoes; some paths are steep.
Roaming or local SIM. WiFi at hotels and some spots. Alipay/WeChat need linked cards; some places accept Visa/Mastercard.
Ambulance 120, Police 110. Visitor centers can help. Save your embassy contact for visa/entry issues.
Answers for Western travelers.
Yes. Most Western nationals need a Chinese visa. A 144-hour visa-free transit may apply when transiting through China to a third country (e.g. Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou). Verify with your embassy.
Alipay: use the international app with TourCard or supported cards. WeChat: some international cards work. Set up before you go. Carry cash as backup.
Main signs are in Chinese; some key spots have English. Book an English-speaking guide in advance. A translation app helps.
Yes. Golden Whip Stream, Ten-Mile Gallery train, Bailong Elevator, cable cars reduce walking. Choose the East Route (Bailong up to Yuanjiajie). Skip glass walkways if afraid of heights.
Tianmen glass walkway can be bypassed. The Glass Bridge is a separate attraction—skip it if needed. Walk in the middle, don't look down; go at off-peak times.
Sunrise and sunset (blue hour). Soul Lost Terrace, Hallelujah Mountain, Imperial Brush Peak are classics. Cloud sea often after rain in early morning. Winter snow is stunning.
Cable cars, Bailong Elevator, shuttles reach some viewpoints. Ten-Mile Gallery has a train. Many paths have steps; wheelchair access is limited. Contact the park for accessible routes.