Journey to the Real-Life Avatar Mountains
If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into the floating mountains of Pandora from Avatar, you might be surprised to learn they exist right here on Earth — in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China. Located in the heart of Hunan Province, this surreal landscape is a feast for the senses, with its towering sandstone pillars, misty forests, and winding valleys.
Whether you’re an avid hiker, a casual explorer, or a photographer chasing epic views, Zhangjiajie offers a magical escape into nature’s most otherworldly terrain. Here’s your ultimate travel guide to make the most out of your Zhangjiajie adventure.
Where is Zhangjiajie National Park?
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is part of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s in northwestern Hunan Province and is best accessed via Zhangjiajie City, which has both an airport and train station.
The Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie Nationak Park
Spring (April–May) with pleasant wheather, is an ideal season for a trek on the Zhangjiajie National Park. It’s also the blooming seasons of the forest.
Autumn (September–October) offers stunning colorful foliage and clearblue skies.
Avoid: Chinese national holidays when domestic travelers traveling a lot. It’s takes more time for queuing and waiting to buy tickets, walk through narrow places, etc.
Top Must-See Attractions
Yuanjiajie Scenic Area
This area includes an iconic image of “floating island” in the Avatar that makes it named the “Avatar Hallelujah Mountains”. To reach this scenic area, you will take the Bailong Elevator — the world’s tallest outdoor lift — up 326 meters to panoramic views that seem pulled straight from a fantasy movie.
Tianzi Mountain
Nicknamed the “Monarch of the Peak Forest”, Tianzi Mountain offers jaw-dropping sunrise vistas and misty, cloud-covered mountain scenes perfect for photography.
Golden Whip Stream
Golden Whip stream is a peaceful, easy hike along a crystal-clear stream flanked by towering cliffs and lush greenery.
Yangjiajie Scenic Area
Looking for a less touristy route? You can visit Yanjiajie scenic area on this Zhangjiajie National Park. It offers rugged trails and quieter views. Ideal for adventurous hikers. The ones take only a day trip to Zhangjiajie National Park might not have enough time to cover this unique route.
Huangshi Village
By hiking or via a scenic cable car ride, you can reach Huangshi Village. This village offers some of the most accessible panoramic views of the national park.
A word of advice: see the map of this national park before deciding on which places you want to see. it’s a huge area that seeing a map in advance surely help you save a lot of time to navigate as well as avoid missing any highlighted scenic areas.
Getting There and Getting Around
To visit this national park, travelers can fly to or take local train to reach Zhangjiajie City where you can use local buses or taxi to reach the entrances either of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park Gate or the Wulingyuan Gate.
From there, there are shuttles bus which are already included in park tickets to transfer visitors between areas. There are many scheduled buses. Hence, it’s pretty convenient.
Entrance Fees & Tickets
- Cost: ~225 RMB (about $30 USD), valid for 4 consecutive days
- Includes: Unlimited park entry + shuttle bus usage
- Extras: Bailong Elevator, cable cars, and scenic elevators have separate fees (50–72 RMB per ride)
Where to Stay
Wulingyuan Town
- Closest to the West Gate; best location for daily park access
- Range of accommodations from budget hostels to boutique hotels
Zhangjiajie City
- Good if you’re planning to explore Tianmen Mountain or Grand Canyon Glass Bridge