CN · Hunan · 29.35°N 110.44°E

zhangjiajie

Floating 'Avatar' pillar mountains, glass bridges and cliffside lifts.

Best time
April to May and September to October are the most comfortable. Summer is busy and wet, and winter can be icy, closing some walkways. Mist can hide the peaks on any day.
How long
3 days
Getting there
Fly from KL to Changsha (about 4 hours), then take the high-speed train to Zhangjiajie West (about 3 hours). The park gates at Wulingyuan are another 40 minutes or so by road. Zhangjiajie also has its own airport, reached via other Chinese cities.
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CN · Hunanzhangjiajie29.35°N 110.44°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Floating 'Avatar' pillar mountains, glass bridges and cliffside lifts.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingZhangjiajieCN, Hunan
KLzhangjiajie
≈ 3,057 km from KL, as the crow flies
Panoramic view from Mount Tianzi Shan, Wulingyuan Zhangjiajie hunan China tujia miao 2012

Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A national forest park in north-west Hunan, full of thin sandstone pillars rising out of the forest and often wrapped in mist. The scenery is widely said to have inspired the floating mountains in Avatar. Glass bridges, cliff lifts and cable cars make the views easy to reach.

Makan

  1. SanxiaguoA Tujia dry hotpot of cured meats, tripe and chillies, the local signature.Map ↗
  2. Hunan cured porkSmoked la rou stir-fried with chillies and garlic shoots.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. YuanjiajieThe famous pillars, including the one now called Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.Map ↗
  2. Bailong ElevatorA glass lift running up the outside of a cliff, over 300 metres high.Map ↗
  3. Golden Whip StreamAn easy, flat walk along a stream at the foot of the pillars.Map ↗
  4. Tianmen MountainA long cable car from the city up to cliff walkways and Heaven's Gate, a huge natural arch.Map ↗
  5. Grand Canyon Glass BridgeA glass-floored bridge across a deep canyon, outside the main park.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Hunan food is spicy and pork-heavy. Muslim travellers should look for Lanzhou-style halal noodle shops or arrange meals in advance.
  • Stay in Wulingyuan, near the park gates, rather than in the city.
  • Bring your passport. It's needed for park tickets, and queues for lifts and cable cars get long on Chinese holidays.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.