Illustrative image, not a photograph

Zhangjiajie (Wulingyuan)

Thousands of quartz-sandstone pillars rising straight out of subtropical forest, the landscape said to have inspired the floating mountains of Avatar

Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 2-3 days to take in Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Yangjiajie without rushing, though the highlights can be covered in a single long day using the cable cars and Bailong Elevator
Summit elevation: 1262 m

Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area protects more than 3,000 slender quartz-sandstone pillars across four sections: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianzi Mountain, Suoxi Valley and Yangjiajie. Elevated boardwalks along the Yuanjiajie clifftop, including the arched formation nicknamed the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, and a cable car or the 326-metre outdoor Bailong Elevator up to Yuanjiajie, let visitors take in the pillar forest from both the valley floor and the clifftop without a demanding climb.

Highlights

The pillar forest viewed from the Yuanjiajie clifftop boardwalks
The 326-metre outdoor Bailong Elevator, among the tallest of its kind
Golden Whip Stream through Suoxi Valley at the base of the pillars
Tianzi Mountain's viewing platforms above a sea of mist on clear mornings

Getting there

From Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport or Zhangjiajie railway station, take a bus or taxi (about 40 minutes) to the Wulingyuan gate, the main entrance to the national forest park.

Safety tips

Boardwalks and viewing platforms are well built and railed, but paths can be crowded and slick with mist on cooler mornings, and the cable cars and Bailong Elevator occasionally pause in high wind or lightning, so building slack into a schedule matters more than on a typical day hike.

What to bring

Comfortable walking shoes, since even the flattest routes involve long stretches of stairs
A light jacket for cool, misty mornings even in warmer months
Cash or a China-linked mobile payment app for the eco-bus, elevator and park snacks
A fully charged phone or camera, since the pillar views are the main draw

Permit

Permit required

Official source: Wulingyuan Scenic Area Administration
Fee: A combined admission-and-eco-bus ticket costs 236 RMB and is valid for 4 consecutive days (or 165 RMB admission and 72 RMB eco-bus bought separately); the Bailong Elevator adds a further 76 RMB one-way. The Glass Bridge sits inside the separate Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon scenic area, roughly 30-45 minutes away by road, and is not covered by this ticket.
Apply at least: Book online in advance where possible; the real-name ticketing system caps daily numbers and gate queues can run long during national holiday weeks.
How to apply: Buy the combined ticket through the official zjjpark.com website or its WeChat mini-program using a passport number, or in person at the gate with a passport; the ticket unlocks eco-bus travel between zones for four consecutive days from first use.

Best months

April to June and September to November

Avoid

July and August for heat and crowds, and the Chinese New Year and 1-7 October national holiday weeks, when every viewpoint and cable car queue is at its busiest

Mist is common through the sandstone pillars and often clears by mid-morning, so an early start gives the best chance of the floating-peak scenery the park is famous for.

Official source

Wulingyuan Scenic Area · Official Site