Open left menu Hunan. Red Stone Forest

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, or as it is often called Avatar Park, is a unique natural miracle in southwest China. It is located in Hunan Province (湖南省húnánshěng) more than 300 km from the provincial capital - Changsha (长沙chángshā) and belongs to mountain system Wulingshan.

The main asset of the park is the bizarre rocks that rise in pillars to the sky. Such an amazing landscape was formed as a result of prolonged weathering and washing out of rocks.

This was one of those places that I dreamed of visiting from the moment I first learned about its existence. Even living in China, going on this trip was not easy; it was necessary to figure out the timing and calculate the finances. But in the fall of this year, what I had been waiting for so long happened: my husband gave me a trip to amazing world"floating rocks" Such a gift will truly be remembered for a lifetime.

It is said that the local landscapes were among those that inspired the director of the film "Avatar" to create the floating mountains of the planet Pandora. This served as a kind of advertising for the park, and after the film was released, the flow of tourists to Zhangjiajie increased significantly. The grateful Chinese even renamed one of the mountains “Avatar Hallelujah” and placed several “avatars” in the park, near which people usually line up for photos. And indeed, while walking around the park, I got the impression that I was somewhere on another planet, such incredible landscapes sometimes opened up before my eyes.

Except picturesque landscapes, there is rich flora and fauna here. Some species of plants, birds and animals found in these mountains are listed in the Red Book, for example, the giant salamander, civet, pangolin, clouded leopard, rhesus macaque and many others.

I was 100% satisfied with my visit to Zhangjiajie. Despite the fatigue and “wobbly” legs, I received so many impressions that it’s difficult to even describe. All lovers of nature and unusual landscapes will definitely like this park. On my personal list natural beauty he took an honorable third place after the Bolaven plateau () and the park.

When to plan a visit

National Park Zhangjiajie is open to visitors all year round, but the weather does not always allow you to fully enjoy nature. Therefore, when planning a trip, you need to decide what landscapes you want to see and what you expect from your visit.

The optimal season for visiting the park is autumn, especially the period from September to early November. At this time of year, the weather is almost always sunny and the temperature is comfortable enough to be in the park from morning to evening. They say that mountains are best seen in autumn.

In winter, the park is too cold for long walks. In addition, due to bad weather, some trails are closed for safety reasons, and snowfall and fog can cause poor visibility. But this does not stop tourists who want to see snow-covered landscapes and admire the views almost alone. Another plus is that tickets are cheaper at this time of year.

In spring, the rainy season begins in Zhangjiajie, which lasts from March to June. Of course, it is unpleasant to inspect the mountains when the sky is constantly dripping, but it is at this time that the fogs cover the valley and many come here to enjoy the effect of the “floating peaks”. When the fog hides the base of the mountains, it really seems like the mountains are hanging in the air. But here it depends. Maybe you won’t be able to see anything at all behind the veil of fog.

I was in the park on the 20th of October 2015. Although the weather was sunny and warm, visibility was still not absolute, at any time of the day there was a haze that more or less hid the outlines of the mountains, nothing was visible in the distance at all .

On the day of our departure, it rained for the whole day, but by that time I had already managed to see everything I wanted. Therefore, when planning a trip, it is better to take one “extra” day in case the weather lets you down. If there are no problems with the weather, you can visit neighboring attractions, for example, Baofen Lake, Huanglong Cave or Tianmen Mountain.

As for the time required to visit the park, this is individual. Some people say that they watched everything in one day, while for others even a week is not enough. It seems to me that you need at least 2 days to explore the main beauties without haste, plus a couple more days to go to nearby tourist spots that also deserve attention.

If you want to avoid large crowds, I do not recommend planning a trip to Zhangjiajie in the first week of May and October due to holidays and also during summer holidays(July August).

How to get there

To visit Zhangjiajie National Park, you must first come to the city of the same name, and then go directly to the villages at the entrance to the park. Let's start in order.

How to get to Zhangjiajie city

There are several ways to get to Zhangjiajie: by plane, train, bus.

By plane

If your goal is to visit Zhangjiajie Park and spend minimal time on the road, the easiest way would be to fly from other cities in China. The local airport is located just 5 km from the city center. The full name of the airport in Chinese is 张家界荷花机场 (zhāngjiājiè héhuā jīchǎng) in English - Zhangjiajie Hehua (Lotus) Airport. It receives daily flights from Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Changsha, Tianjin, Wuhan and other cities in China. Among international flights, only flights to Busan (Korea) and Bangkok () are available. Approximate prices for flights within China are listed below:

• from Beijing – $110-130 (2 hours 45 minutes on the way),
• from Shanghai – $115 (2.5 hours),
• from Guangzhou – $70-80 (1.5 hours),
• from Xi'an - $70-80 (1.5 hours).

You can get from the airport to the city by taxi or bus, but although the latter is written about on the Internet, in reality it is rare. A taxi to the station costs about 15 yuan ($2.5), to the city 20-30 ($3-5) depending on where you need to go. A taxi directly to the park entrance will cost 100 yuan ($15). Be sure to bargain, because the distance is minimal, and taxi drivers, taking advantage of tourists’ ignorance, began to charge astronomical prices - 200 yuan ($30) to the city.

By train

Trains to Zhangjiajie operate from many major cities, but this method is suitable for those who have a lot of free time and patience. For reference: the road from Beijing takes 22-26 hours, and a ticket will cost 60 dollars (reserved seat) or 100 (compartment). From Shanghai the train takes 20-22 hours and costs $60/80. By train from Guangzhou you can get there in 13-17 hours, paying $50/77, and from the provincial capital, Changsha, in just 5 hours and $30/40.

Zhangjiajie Railway Station has a very convenient location. It's close to the city center and airport, and within walking distance of the Tianmen Mountain cable car starting station (another must-see), as well as the central bus station, which takes you to national park Zhangjiajie. The map shows the route from the airport to the train station (distance 4.9 km), and also shows the location of the airport, railway station and central bus station.

By bus

The city has several bus stations with regular services from other major cities. I was at the central bus station (张家界中心汽车站zhāngjiājiè zhōngxīn qìchēzhàn), which is indicated on the map above and I know that from there there are buses to Shanghai, Changsha, Wuhan, Zhuhai and several other cities, which means it is also possible to come to Zhangjiajie by bus. Departure schedules, travel times and ticket prices must be found directly at the bus stations.

How to get to Zhangjiajie National Park

After you get to the city in a way convenient for you, the question will arise: where next? To get to the park, you need to go to one of the entrances to the reserve, where small villages are located. You can also stay there for the night. Judging by the map, there are only three of them:

1. the closest entrance to the city is 32 km from the city, and many people call it the village of Zhangjiajie after the name of the entrance to the park (张家界国家森林公园门票站 zhāngjiājiè guójiā sēnlín gōngyuán ménpiào zhàn), conditionally on the map marked as INPUT #1;
2. 40 km from the city there is an entrance in the Wulingyuan area (武陵源门票站 wǔlíngyuánménpiào zhàn) designated as ENTRANCE No. 2;
3. The farthest entrance is located at Mount Tianzi (天子山门票站 tiānzǐshān ménpiào zhàn) - 50 km from the city, ENTRANCE No. 3 on the map.

As far as I understand, entrance No. 3 is not particularly popular, because I did not see any buses to this place, and when preparing for the trip I did not see any information about it.

Taxi

If you choose a taxi, you need to know that the distances here are short, and the approximate price from the airport is 100 yuan ($15.5), from the city or railway station it is a little cheaper, 70-80 yuan ($10-12). Local drivers are very reluctant to use a taximeter and quote exorbitant prices in an attempt to scam tourists, so you need to bargain persistently. Most taxi drivers do not speak English, although they sometimes understand simple phrases like “how much?” But most likely you will have to explain yourself using gestures, a map and notes on paper. Be sure to prepare the names of the places you need in hieroglyphs, because the English names mean nothing to them; you can even print out pictures for clarity. Also, to avoid misunderstandings, do not forget to agree on the cost in advance before getting into the car. In China, I never booked a taxi in advance. Usually you can catch a car on any street, and besides, they are always “on duty” for everyone tourist places.

Bus

Unlike taxis, bus fares are very cheap; getting to Wulingyuan costs only 12 yuan ($2). I decided to choose a budget option and, having saved a decent amount, I was satisfied.

Starting at 6 am, buses depart from the Central Bus Station (张家界中心汽车站 zhāngjiājiè zhōngxīn qìchēzhàn), which is located next to railway station. In season last flight departs at 19:30, and in winter an hour earlier. The journey takes just under an hour.

Since I came to Zhangjiaqie by train, I found the bus station easily. If you walk to the end of the station square and stand with your back to the station building, you will see MacDonald’s on the left side and the entrance to the station is located right next to it. In the screenshot you can see what the desired building looks like.

Then you need to go through the waiting room to the area with buses and find a minibus with the hieroglyphs 武陵源. Usually there are several of them, the drivers will tell you which one will go faster. There is no need to buy tickets in advance at the ticket office; everything is paid for on the bus. Along the way, the driver will make several stops, picking up and dropping off locals. If you are going to the village of Zhangjiajie (entrance 1), then you need to inform the driver about this in advance, but he does not stop there, he will only drop you off at the turn to it. If you are going to Wulingyuan (entrance 2), then the stop you need is the final one, and you don’t have to worry about missing it. In Wulingyuan, the bus arrives at the station, from which you can walk or take a taxi to the hotel or park entrance.

Where to stay

When it comes to housing, there are again several options. The first is to check into a hotel in the city of Zhangjiajie, the second is to drive to any entrance to the park and stay there, the third is to stay on the territory of the park itself.

1. The city of Zhangjiajie has a good selection of hotels, restaurants, and many ways to spend your leisure time. But having settled in the city, you will have to spend time and money every day on the road to the park and back, which is about two hours a day. Not very convenient, would you agree?
2. By stopping in a village at the entrance to the park, you can save time on travel and at the same time not be as cut off from the world as inside the park. The villages also have a good selection of hotels and cafes.
3. You can stay in the park itself, but, as I understand from hotel reviews, living conditions inside the park are spartan: there may be interruptions in the supply of light, water, and problems with the Internet. You cannot leave the park after closing, and the choice of food and products is limited. Money must be withdrawn in advance, since it is not possible to withdraw money or pay by card within the park.

Before the trip, I studied the option for a long time and chose the village of Wulingyuan. I can say that I didn’t regret it at all. My hostel was a 10-minute walk from the park, in addition, there were a sufficient number of shops nearby, a market with fruits and souvenirs, an ATM and a cafe with decent food. There are many accommodation options to suit every taste and budget: there are both budget hostels and expensive hotels.

I stayed at Wulingyuan Tuniu Youth Hostel. I booked my accommodation in advance on a well-known website and realized that I had done the right thing when, upon arriving at the place, I saw the inscription “full” on almost every door. When talking with the guy from the reception, we managed to find out that during the high season, all housing is sold out a month in advance. At the hostel they gave me a map of the park and drew up a visiting route, for which a special thank you! In principle, I can say that I was satisfied with the accommodation, considering the price-quality ratio, I got what I paid for: a clean and tidy room, breakfast with decent food in a nearby cafe, convenient location. I had dinner at the establishment that provided us with breakfast, because of all the places on our street it was the cleanest and most attractive. Almost all the foreigners I met in the park and village also ate there. But I didn’t remember the name, unfortunately.

Park opening hours and entrance fees

When I first visited the park, I was guided by the opening time, which was indicated on the map obtained from the hotel. It said that the park opens at 6:30, so at the beginning of seven I was already at the entrance gate. But it was still closed and there were no people wanting to get into the park except me and my companion. After 15-20 minutes they began to flock Chinese groups. The park opened at 7 o'clock, but by this time the crowd was simply huge. So see for yourself what is more convenient, but I recommend coming at opening time or even earlier. Approximate opening hours:

• IN summer time from 6:30 (7:00) – 19:00
• IN winter time from 7:30 – 17:00

Entrance fees

You can purchase 2 types of tickets:

• 4-day ticket for 245 yuan ($38),
• 7-day ticket for 298 ($46).

Prices are for high season; in winter, a ticket costs 145 yuan ($22).

Paid separately:

The Chinese and foreign students Those studying in China have the opportunity to buy a ticket at half price, but here everything turned out to be more difficult than in other places I visited before. At the time of buying discount tickets an age limit has been introduced: students over 24 years old pay full price. At the same time, simply correcting the student’s date of birth will not work, because when purchasing a discount ticket, you also need to present your passport. Children under 120 cm tall have free admission, from 120 to 150 cm half the price, as well as people of retirement age from 60 to 69, those over 70 are even cheaper, but I don’t know whether this applies to people of all nationalities or only Chinese.

The price includes transportation by bus between park stops.

The check at the entrance is quite strict. Each ticket has a serial number stamped on it, to which fingerprints are attached when entering the territory for the first time. I had this story: I visited the park with my husband, and our tickets were kept in one place, the next day we simply took them, without knowing which was whose, and went through the turnstile, but the system refused to let us through. It turned out that we had mixed up our cards, and you can’t use someone else’s.

As a conclusion, do not buy tickets second-hand, even if the offer seems tempting, and keep your ticket in a safe place, because if you lose it, you will have to buy a new one.

It’s better to come to the park early, then you have a chance to enjoy the views in relative silence. If you plan to use the Bailong elevator, it is best to go on it in the morning, as soon as the park opens, and go down before 3-4 pm, otherwise you can spend about 4 hours in line. Or avoid this method of climbing altogether.

I was lucky, as I already said, on the first day of visiting the park we came even before it opened, so we were among the first to buy tickets and go sightseeing. When we arrived at the elevator, there was no line yet, and we managed to get up without any problems.

Keep in mind that you will be walking a lot, so make sure your shoes are comfortable and do not chafe. Clothing should also be comfortable. It won't hurt to take a band-aid with you.

The distances in the park are very large, and climbing uphill is difficult and often takes a long time, so it is better to combine the use of cable cars with walking routes. If you rely only on your legs, you may not meet the time limit and miss out on some of the sights. The most convenient way is to go up by cable car and go down on foot.

There are a lot of wild monkeys on some trails.

Some of them can be aggressive towards people, so do not tease them, hold your valuables, camera, phone tightly. In places where monkeys gather, it is better not to carry anything in your hands at all, but to hide everything in a bag or backpack. Before my eyes, monkeys snatched bags from people’s hands as they walked and climbed a tree with them or ran away into the forest. And don’t think that they don’t know how to stand up for themselves, a monkey can bite, after which you have to go to the hospital and get injections, such cases have also happened. Therefore, be careful with wild animals.

When going to the park, take with you a card, cash, sunscreen, raincoat, water and food. The prices for food in the park itself are very high, so it is better to take something with you, but inside you can buy fruits, fried potatoes, corn (about 10 yuan - $1.5).

But in the cafes located in the park, the prices are simply astronomical, so apart from McDonald’s, which also came here, we didn’t eat anywhere else.

What to see in Zhangjiajie National Park

The photo shows the map that they gave me at my hostel, and which I used to navigate when visiting the park. In my opinion, this is the most understandable and convenient map possible. Despite the fact that it distorts the scale, it is still possible to get an idea of ​​the structure of the park. Having scoured the Internet, I couldn’t find anything more sensible.

It is important to know that there are two main planes of movement in the park: lower (in the valley) and upper (in the mountains). There are also two lines free buses, some of them run at the foot of the mountains (marked in purple on the map, the buses themselves are also purple), others are on top of the mountains (red line on the map, beige buses). Accordingly, the P stop icon is also marked either red or purple, and its color indicates which route the stop belongs to. Indicated in green hiking trails. What I like about this map is that it shows the approximate travel time from one point to another, although this is not always true. Depending on the number of days allocated to explore the park, you can plan different routes.

In general, the park’s territory is divided into several zones, each of which is special and picturesque in its own way. I was unable to figure out the exact number of these same zones. Information on this matter is controversial; some guidebooks write that the park is divided into 6 separate sections, but on my map there are 7 of them. At the same time, another important part of the park on my map is not allocated to a separate zone, which is why there was such confusion. On the map below I tried to symbolize all these zones with different colors, and I came up with 8 of them.

• Red - Tianzi Mountain;
• Blue - Yuanjiajie;
• Yellow - Yangjiajie;
• Orange - Golden Whip Brook;
• White - Huangshizhai, or Yellow Stone Village;
• Lime - Yaotsizhai, Hawk Village;
• Pink - Daguandai;
• Purple - Laowuchang.

Yuanjiajie (袁家界 yuánjiājiè)

The Yuanjiajie zone is one of the most visited and popular areas of the park, and it is its landscapes that are most often compared to the “Avatar Mountains”. If you don’t climb to the top on foot, but use the Baylong elevator or get there by bus from other park areas, then it’s quite easy to get through.

This part of the park is famous for the “First Heavenly Bridge” (天下第一桥 tiān xià dì yī qiáo) and the column, which has recently been called “Hallelujah” (哈里路亚山 hālǐlùyà shān).

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After listening to rave reviews, it was decided to immediately go here. You could say that this part of the park was the first thing I saw in Zhangjiajie after the Bailong elevator, so I was shocked by the views. But after walking around the park for several days, I can’t say that this place is the most worthy. Nature has really done its best here, but the impression is spoiled by the large influx of tourists. In order to take a photo, you first need to stand in line, and then, when your turn comes, everyone around you will rush you or simply unceremoniously push you away from the shooting location. But at least to see the lonely floating pillar, it’s worth coming here.

Yangjiajie (杨家界 yángjiājiè)

The Yangjiajie zone was opened later than the others, and has not yet gained such popularity as Yuanjiajie. In terms of its development, it also loses. On the map below, the yellow circle conventionally indicates the territory of Yangjiajie, and the orange part inside it is the part that I went through.

From the map it seems that the distance is short, but it is not easy to pass. To examine even part of it, you will have to be pretty exhausted and sweaty. As on other trails, here you can hire porters for an additional fee to help you cover the route. Their prices are fixed from one stop to another, but you can try to bargain. On the one hand, this is hard work, which is paid for by poor health, and I would not want to use people as “slaves” like this, but on the other hand, how else will they earn their bread? The Chinese, apparently, take this easier, because they use such services everywhere, but it’s somehow strange to me.

In this part of the park, tourists can expect steep steps and narrow passages between rocks, shaky iron stairs and cliffs. This is what one of the peaks looks like, which is called Tianbo Mansion (天波府 tiān bōfǔ).

And in the photo below is the view that opens from it. If it weren’t for the haze, it would be absolutely wonderful, but it is what it is.

I liked this part of the park, there weren’t too many tourists, the views were pleasant, and the visibility was relatively good.

Mount Tianzi (天子山 tiānzǐ shān)

At the time of my visit to the park, the cable car to Tianzi Mountain was not working, and the hostel employee did not advise climbing on foot. Later I understood why. Even after walking down the mountain, I couldn’t feel my legs, let alone climb it. Such a feat is possible either for athletes or for the Chinese, for whom climbing stairs is both a favorite hobby and national tradition:). And I still had many sights planned ahead, and I decided to take care of my only means of transportation. To visit Tianzi, I arrived at the end point of this part of the park by bus from Yangjiajie. To our great joy, there is a McDonald's at the top, so it was decided to have lunch there, given that we couldn't get a decent meal anywhere else in the park. And having refreshed myself, I went down and inspected the landscapes along the way. The rocks here are a little different from those we were able to see before. Along the way there is a pagoda called the Emperor's Palace (天子阁 tiānzǐ gé), you can climb it and explore the surrounding area.

This is the view from the top - sharp peaks in the midday haze.

Flimsy structures made of chairs tied to bamboo sticks stand waiting for their passengers; this picture is found on almost every flight.

Another beautiful lookout, unfortunately I didn’t remember the name.

There are beautiful landscapes everywhere, but the road is very exhausting.

Golden Whip Brook (金鞭溪 jīn biān xī)

The Golden Knut stream is one of the easiest areas for walking, since it is located in a valley at the foot of the mountains and does not involve steep climbs. The walking trail along the stream stretches for almost 8 km. If you wish, you can start climbing from this area to Yuanjiajie or Yellow Stone Village. I really enjoyed the walk in this part of the park. It was here that I was able to feel the desired unity with nature.

Noisy crowds of tourists are found only in some areas, and the rest of the time you can enjoy the singing of birds, the splashing of water in the stream and views of the mountains.

At one of the stops there live monkeys, which we tried to feed, but almost lost all our things. This was the first meeting with these seemingly cute animals in Zhangjiajie, and we did not yet know about their impudence and possible aggression.

For walks below you need to take warm clothes; in the morning it is very cold near the water, and during the day the air does not have time to warm up everywhere.

Yellow Stone Village, or Huangshizhai (黄石寨huángshí zhài)

You can enter this part of the park from Entrance No. 1 or come from Entrance No. 2 along the creek, which is what I did. As it turned out later, it was possible to go up by cable car, but I lost sight of this and climbed on foot. At the beginning of the road to the mountain it is written: “Whoever has not been to Huangshizhai has not seen Zhangjiajie,” or something like that, from which I concluded that this popular place, a must-see, although I’ve never heard of it before. There were surprisingly few tourists on the trail; mostly there were groups going down, who apparently climbed up using the cable car.

Here I met a huge number of cute and not so cute monkeys, which distracted me from heavy thoughts and entertained me along the way. Their screams were heard throughout the forest and trees shook. Many monkeys are not at all afraid of people, going out onto hiking trails, begging, rummaging through trash cans and posing for photos. It is very interesting to watch them, but a little scary, because they are the owners of these places, not us. Some adult males behave aggressively, attack people, take things from them and simply scare tourists. But it’s a pleasure to watch the kids: they frolic, play and willingly take pictures.

Somewhere I saw that the path to the top consists of 3800 steps, but I myself did not count them. I can say one thing - the climb on foot is not easy, especially when your legs are aching from the previous two days, but we managed it. It took us about 3 hours to get to the top. But at the top, as a reward for the hard journey, tourists are treated to magnificent landscapes. In the photo below, one of the local attractions is Five Fingers Mountain (五指峰 wǔzhǐ fēng).

And another mountain whose name I don’t know.

In addition, there are also areas in the park that I did not visit - these are Daguangdai (大观台 dàguān tái), Laowuchang (老屋场 lǎowū chǎng) and Yaozi Village (鹞子寨 yàozi zhài). I didn’t initially plan to examine them, because I didn’t find anything about them interesting information on the Internet, and I didn’t have time to do it.

Nearby Attractions

Besides Zhangjiajie National Park, there are several other natural attractions in the area, worthy of attention tourists.

Tianmen Mountain (天门山 tiānmén shān)

This attraction is located almost in the city of Zhangjiajie, and it is very easy to get to it - walk to the starting station of the cable car, which is located next to the railway station. Cable car, leading up the mountain, is one of the longest in the world, and it offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding area, including a mountain serpentine of 99 turns.

This mountain road is also one of the features of Tianmen Park. You can take a special bus along it to the Heaven's Gate arch. To get to the arch, you need to overcome a difficult climb of 999 steps.

In addition, many tourists come here specifically to tickle their nerves by walking along the glass path on the edge of the cliff.

The cost of visiting the park includes a trip by cable car and bus along the serpentine road (if desired) and is 258 yuan ($40). For a walk along the glass section of the road you need to pay separately 5-10 yuan ($0.8 - 1.5). One day is enough for the inspection.

I was not as impressed by my visit to Tianmen Mountain as I was by my visit to Zhangjiajie Park. The impression was spoiled by the fact that at first we had to stand in line for more than 2 hours for the funicular. And the fact that it was very noisy and crowded at the top, the surrounding landscapes were obscured by haze. By the way, the “path of fear”, from which I expected special sensations, did not seem scary or exciting at all, but this is my personal opinion. In the photo there is a queue of tourists wanting to walk along glass bridge.

But I still don’t regret visiting Tianmen Mountain, another Chinese landmark has been conquered, and I can tick it off my list.

Fenghuang Ancient City (凤凰古城 fènghuáng gǔchéng)

The ancient city of Fenghuang, also known as Phoenix, sits on the river and attracts tourists with its architecture and antique atmosphere. The city is given a special flavor by its wooden houses on stilts along the river, bridges, narrow streets and old boats. In the evening, all this is beautifully illuminated and looks no less impressive.

The route to Fenghuang is not close, so it is advisable to go overnight. The distance from Zhangjiajie is about 240 km, and the journey by bus takes all of 5 hours. Not long ago, visiting the city became paid, 148 yuan ($23) per person, but you can try to contact the hotel where you plan to stay and perhaps they will help you get in for free.

Lake Baofeng (宝峰湖 bǎofēnghú)

Lake Baofeng is a reservoir that was formed not long ago as a result of the construction of a dam. Being there, it is difficult to believe that this is the work of human hands, and not a miracle of nature, it fits so organically into the local landscape.

From Wulingyuan village you can take a taxi for 10-15 yuan ($1.5 - 2.5) or walk, which takes about 40 minutes.

Admission ticket per person costs 96 yuan ($15) and includes a short walk around the lake. It takes place on a carved wooden boat accompanied by the songs of locals dressed in national costumes, which makes it even more exciting and colorful. Here you can see rocks growing straight out of the water and beautiful waterfall. The place is worth a visit.

Cave of the Yellow Dragon, or Huanglong (黄龙洞 huánglóngdòng)

Not far from the village of Wulingyuan there is one of the most beautiful caves in China, the Yellow Dragon Cave. It is perfectly equipped for tourists and is striking in its size. Inside, in addition to many halls and corridors, there are several ponds and even rivers, and stalactites and stalagmites, which are illuminated in different colors, create views of extraordinary beauty.

You can get there by city bus or taxi for 20 yuan ($3). The entrance ticket costs 100 yuan ($15) and includes a boat ride inside the cave.

In general, going to Zhangjiajie is really worth it; although this trip will not be cheap, it will delight you with unique landscapes and attractions, and will leave a lot of pleasant memories.

Zhangjiajie National Park is located in the Wulingyuan Mountains in southeastern China, in Hunan Province. This place is striking in its beauty, but in addition to its luxurious landscapes, Zhangjiajie Park is also a zoo, botanical and geological reserve. The area in which the park is located is famous for its quartzite rocks, the height of which reaches 800 meters, and the most high peaks The Wulingyuan massif reaches a height of more than 3 kilometers. The mountain peaks are covered with dense crowns of trees, many of which are centuries old.

The national park was opened in 1982. And 10 years later it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The park area is 13,000 square meters. km. This territory is home to over 500 different species of animals, as well as quite rare species of plants. Among them there are such as gingko, pigeon tree, mahogany, and animal world represented by monkeys, birds, salamanders and even rare representatives of the cat family - civets. Sometimes visitors to Zhangjiajie National Park compare a walk through it to viewing an exhibition of traditional Chinese paintings, only all the beauty here can be seen in person.

And at an altitude of more than 1 kilometer above sea level lies the Yellow Lion Village, where representatives of three small nationalities live - Tujia, Bai and Miao, making up 70% local population. Despite the fact that Han culture had a huge influence on their traditions, they managed to preserve National language, as well as traditional costumes, holidays and even a special architectural style.

Coordinates: 29.31559000,110.43471600

Dadonghai Beach

Dadonghai Beach, located on Hainan Island, is extremely popular among both local residents, and among tourists from other countries. People are attracted here not only by the stunning beauty of the nature, but also by the convenient location of the beach.

It is located between two hills on a huge sand spit. The sea here is extraordinarily beautiful, and the water has unprecedented transparency. White sand It’s tempting to relax, and the lush tropical vegetation adds extra flavor. The water here always remains warm, and the cleanliness of the beach is beyond praise. There are many entertainment clubs and cafes along the coast; if you go 300 meters away, you will find yourself in the Coastal Park. The total length of the beach is three kilometers. There is a lot of entertainment for tourists here. Some people simply prefer to swim in the sea and sunbathe, while others strive for more active species recreation. If you wish, you can rent a yacht to enjoy wonderful views bay.

Coordinates: 18.26326200,109.51699700

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South Wall of China

Everyone knows about the existence of the Great Wall of China. But not everyone knows that in China (specifically in Hunan province in the southeast of the country) there is also the South Wall of China. Its purpose was to defend China from the south.

The South Wall of China was built during the Ming Dynasty and is much younger and much shorter than the Great Wall of China. Its length is about 190 kilometers. Presumably, the wall was built in 1615. Huge amounts of money were invested in the construction, and at least 4,000 people took part in the work.

Despite the fact that the Southern Wall was built much later than the Great Wall, it is much worse preserved. Its remains were discovered in 2001 in mountainous area Hunan Province. At the same time, a decision was made to reconstruct it. Thanks to careful work, the wall was recreated almost in its original form. Experienced tourists advise not just admiring the wall from the ground, but also climbing it. From there you can not only enjoy beautiful view, but also to evaluate the scale of the structure.

Coordinates: 27.92947000,109.47115700

Huanglong Cave can be found in the territory of Sosiyu Park. Huanglong is also known by its second name - Yellow Dragon Cave. The cave has four tiers; it will take at least two and a half hours to walk around them all. The cave complex has a lake, two rivers, three waterfalls, thirteen halls and several dozen pedestrian galleries.

Huanglong Cave has an extremely original design - its interior decoration: stalagmites, stalactites and pedestrian paths are illuminated by multi-colored spotlights. Particularly notable is a stalagmite nineteen meters high, i.e. with a six-story building.

You will have to walk a lot in the Yellow Dragon Cave - here a large number of steps and stairs. You can only relax during the water section of the route - 1 km by boat along underground river.

Coordinates: 29.02855600,112.03720100

Path of Fear

The Glass Trail of Fear, 60 meters long, is located at an altitude of 1430 meters on Mount Tianmenshan. You can get to it by cable car and walking along a path attached to a steep cliff.

Cable car (to heaven)

Cable car from Zhangjiajie to the Path of Fear and Heaven's Gate. Length 7.5 km, travel time 28 minutes, 6-8 people per cabin, elevation changes up to 800 meters.

Hunan Golden Whip Canyon

The canyon is located in Wulingyuan National Park, in the Chinese province of Hunan. If you look at the canyon from the heights of the mountains in clear sunny weather, you can see a small river that sparkles under the sun - hence the poetic name.

On a stone installed in the canyon, it is stated that the most famous Chinese emperor, Qin Shi Huang (who united the kingdoms into a single state and united individual parts into the Great Chinese wall), was so fascinated by the mountains and the gorge that he wanted to move the mountains closer to the sea in order to admire them from the water.

The length of the Golden Whip canyon is 5.7 kilometers. Tourists are offered to go on excursions along this distance along the river. During your trip, you can not only admire the magnificent scenery, but also feed pampered monkeys or fish. Food for both is sold right there in numerous souvenir and food shops located right in the canyon.

Coordinates: 29.35764100,110.55188400

Huan Lake Baofeng

Lake Baofeng is one of the natural attractions of Hunan Province and China in general. It is located on the slope of the Baofeng mountain of the same name and covers an area of ​​more than 274 hectares. The reservoir evokes admiration for its clear water, as well as the majesty of the mountains surrounding it and the beauty of the landscape that they together create.

The Chinese are sure that the tranquility of the lake gives grace, purity and peace. Boat trips on the lake are especially enjoyable. During such a trip, you can see how mountains and green trees are reflected in the water, as if in a giant mirror.

Coordinates: 29.32314900,10.55283900

The most popular attractions in Hunan with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places for visiting famous places Hunan on our website.

Money and prices

Communication, traditions

Tourist information

Hunan has a humid, subtropical climate with monsoon rains from April to June, and July and August are hot and humid. Best time for visiting - September-October. In winter, temperatures are usually above freezing, with daily highs of 10 C.

Culture, religion

Safety and Sanitation

Connection

What and where to eat

Hunan Red Pork

Local Xiang cuisine(湖南菜 or 湘菜) is distinguished by the abundant use of pepper, garlic, onions, the main taste in this cuisine is spicy (干辣), fatty and strong, in contrast to the equally peppery, but less fatty and uncomplicated Sichuan cuisine. Hot and sour, sweet and sour and aromatic flavors are also popular here. Dishes are stewed in pots, fried, smoked, stewed.

There are several different directions in Hunan cooking, conventionally divided into the cuisine of the river basin. Xiangjiang (Changsha, Hengyang, Xiangtan), cuisine of the lake region. Dongting, cuisine of western (mountain) Hunan.

Widely known at the Chinese level local dish -- Hunan red pork and, (红烧肉, hóng shāo ròu), Mao Zedong's favorite dish. No less popular carp squirrel(松鼠鱼, sōngshǔ yú), fried chicken with Szechuan spicy sauce, smoked pork with dried green beans.

Depending on the time of year, they may be offered different dishes, in the heat - cold appetizers with pepper, in winter - hot pot with two containers, with spicy and fresh broths.

What to see

In the city of Changsha there is one of the oldest universities in the world - the Yuelu Academy, and in Wulipai, the western suburb of Changsha, during excavations along with the remains of Li Kang, Marquis of Dai (one of the close associates of Emperors Shao Di Gong and Hui Di), and Unique items were also discovered by his wife and son - dozens of ancient treatises on astronomy, medicine, history, military affairs and other sciences, silk banners and maps.

• Mausoleum of Emperor Shun Di- miraculously preserved tomb of one of the most revered Chinese emperors, who lived in the 2nd century. Shun Di of the Han Dynasty ascended the throne at the age of 10 and died when he was barely 30. During his reign, he was able to carry out a number of reforms, which resulted in the eradication of corruption, the strengthening of statehood and the flourishing of the empire.
• Shaoshan Village, birthplace of Mao Zedong
• Wulingyuan Mountains, where is located Zhangjiajie National Park, a unique natural monument included in the list World Heritage UNESCO (1992). These rock formations became widely known after the release of James Cameron's science fiction film "Avatar" - here, on Jiankunzhu Mountain, location shooting took place for episodes about the flying Hallelujah Mountains on the planet Pandora. The mountains are quartzite rocks up to 1000 meters, most high points The Wulingyuan Mountains reach a height of more than 3 km above sea level. For tourists in the park, several routes have been created for viewing, including, in particular, Mount Tianmen (“Heaven’s Gate”), glass suspension bridge 60 m long at an altitude of 1430 m, acting as an observation deck.
• Lanshan Mountains- another natural attraction of the province, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Not as sharp as the peaks of Zhangjiajie, the Lanshan Mountains have no less fancy shapes: (mountains Camel and Pepper, General). There you can also ride along the Fui River on bamboo rafts.
• Fenghuang City
• Huaihua City. One of its main attractions is the Londinh Covered Bridge, built in the 16th century, the longest such structure in the world, the entire wooden part of which was erected without a single nail.
• Hongjiang City - ancient city(Hongjiang Gushangeheng) 55 km south of Huaihua, former financial and shopping mall of the Qing dynasty, interesting for its architecture of 380 historical buildings, practically unchanged over the centuries. It is called the “city of black roofs” - for the characteristic colors of the tiles. The old city is bounded by Xinmin Lu, Yuanjiang Lu and Xiongxi Lu streets leading to Xingfu Lu, and is a labyrinth of narrow cobbled alleys and streets. There are signs inside in English and Chinese. See: Taiping Gong Temple (1723), damaged during the Cultural Revolution, Yuanjiang Lu Temple ticket office open from 08:00 to 17:00, admission 100 yuan. You can eat at the left side of the Hong Bridge. Stay: Liu Songxiu Guest House, in the center of the old city, 2 rooms; Hongjiang Hotel** next to Bank of China and Hong Bridge, across the road from the entrance to Old city. Get to Old Hongjiang (not to be confused with Hongjiang City) from Huaihua South Bus Station, 80 minutes on the road, every 40 minutes from 06:50 to 18:00, to Huaihua Bus Station on Yuanjiang Lu opposite the main entrance to the old city.
• Dongting Lake(Dongting), the second largest lake in China and the city of Yueyang (Yueyang) on ​​its shore with the Yueyang Pavilion (Tang Dynasty (618-907), reconstructed in the style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
• Mount Hengshan, one of the five most famous mountains in the country, a sacred mountain for Taoists and Buddhists.

Purchases

Notes

Links

Provinces: Anhui(Hefei) Gansu (Lanzhou) Jilin (Changchun) Guangdong (Guangzhou) Guizhou (Guiyang) Liaoning (Shenyang) Sichuan(Chengdu)

Hunan- This Chinese province, located south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Lake Dong Ting (the name itself Hunan means "south of the lake"). Hunan often abbreviated 湘 (Xian) after the Xian River, which flows in the province.
Hunan It borders Hubei in the north, Yanxi in the east, Guangdong in the south, Guanxi in the southwest, Guizhou in the west and Chongqin in the northwest. Capital of Changsha.
Shanghai is 1000 km away, Beijing is 1200 km away, and Guangzhou is 500 km away.

How to get there

Distances

• airport about 20 km

Transport

• railway transport from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou
• plane Moscow-Beijing-Changsha

Nature

Hunan Province is located on south coast the Yangtze River, about half its length.
Hunan is located between 20°-30°N latitude and 109°-114°E longitude. The eastern, southern and western parts of the province are surrounded by mountains and hills, such as Wulin in the northwest, Xiufen in the west, Nanlin in the south and Liuxiao in the east. Hills and mountains occupy 80% of the territory, the flat part is less than 20%.
The Xiangjiang, Qi, Yuanliang and Lishui rivers flow into the Yangtze River at Dongting Lake in northern Hunan. The central and northern parts are lowlands and have a U-shape, open to the north with Dong Tinh Lake in the center. Most of the province lies in the basin of the four main tributaries of the Yangtze River.
Dong Ting Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the province and the second largest freshwater lake in China. Due to the transformation of land for agriculture, Dong Tinh Lake was divided into many small lakes, now the reverse process is underway for some, because the result was damage to the wet soils around the lake.

Infrastructure

* Shaoshan chong, the village where Mao Zedong was born
* Wulingyuan natural and historical attraction ( World Heritage), famous for its nearly 3,100 quartz-sand columns, some of which are over 800m high, karst formation. This is part of the city of Zhangjiajie, which is 270 km from the provincial capital Hunan.
* Yuyan Pagoda in Yuyang
* Henshan in Hengyang, one of the five sacred mountains Taoism
* Feng Huang - Chinese phoenix - mythological bird in East Asia, king bird. The female is called Huang, and the male is called Feng. FengHuang - ancient antique city
* Hong Jiang.

Finally I wrote a text about Hunan, which I found myself in in November. Well, here's who is interested - more photos(I apologize for the quality) and comments.

When I tried to explain to my friends where this was, I said: “Well, this is where Cameron filmed Avatar.” In short, this is the planet Pandora." And at the same time, the most fertile and populated Chinese province in the south of the country with more than 3000 years of history...

In general, the Chinese are ready to declare James Cameron their national hero. And Mount Jiankunju, which “played” part of the landscape for her in the film, was officially renamed “Hallelujah Avatar” in January 2010. In December 2008, Cameron's film crew spent a couple of weeks in Hunan filming the mountain from all angles to create a 3D backdrop for the Avatar action.

Such shields, so that it is clear where everything comes from, stand on the funicular to Mount Tianji... Thousands of people flock here to look at another planet: over the past year the flow of tourists has almost doubled! True, there are only a few Russians.
To get to Hunan, you need to go all the way to Beijing (there is a direct flight from our Yekaterinburg “ Ural Airlines": a little over 5 hours). Next - transfer by monorail train (!) to the domestic terminal, from where it is another 2 hours by flight by South China to the city of Changsha - the capital of Hunan province.
Here it is - a foggy morning in Changsha. And the local Broadway (Arbat, Vainera) - Huanhing Street.

This 6 million (small by Chinese standards!) city is the student capital of China, there are 5 huge universities. Mao Tse Tung himself studied in one of them, pedagogical No. 1, the name on the wall of the main building is written by the hand of the Great Helmsman. The city is very lively, full of shops, bars and clubs. Entering one of them, you will feel like a real star: Europeans are rare here, and only 8 (!) Russians live in Changsha! Alternatively, you can get to Changsha by train, it takes 15-17 hours and 300-400 yuan. From Changsha, 5-6 hours by bus to the city of Chanjiadze - the gateway to the Pandora Mountains.

Kin-dza-dza - that’s what we began to call after unsuccessful attempts to learn the correct name of this small (250 thousand people) town in which the 1st international Chinese cultural and tourism festival took place.

In the Tongjia Arts and Crafts Garden: this guy has the best job in the world: touching a buffalo with his hand and smiling)). Girls in silver ringing kokoshniks greet guests with songs and a glass of local kaoliang - rice vodka.
The park's website is www.tusicheng.com. open from 7 to 20.00

...And this is a snack - traditional dishes tongjia: spicy carp, stewed bamboo, broken cucumbers, pickled daikon, rice dumplings, “Chairman Mao’s favorite pork,” “million-year-old” eggs. Hellishly spicy!
...And these are spectacles.

Look how well the local recreation center fits into the landscape - with a green grass roof. And all around is a wonderful park, where mills hum and giant zucchini grows idyllically!
So, we arrived at the Festival...

Thanks to this, we heard a lot of long, but damn convincing reports on the development of tourism in the Hunan region. Of course, without translation it was an exquisite Chinese torture, but the chic avenues (in English) and the far from stingy language of numbers (we were talking about billions of dollars of investment!) made us believe: in four years there will definitely be a garden city here! I was glad that reports and speeches were interspersed with performances of Chinese theater - songs, dances, kung fu, sword swallowing, fire shows...

And the apotheosis was the folk musical “The Tale of Love between the Woodcutter and the Werewolf Fox,” an open-air production that has no equal in the world, with a budget of 120 million yuan. The huge canyon of Mount Tiaenmen, rebuilt as a theater stage, a choir of 200 Tongjia girls, a ballet of hundreds of multi-colored “foxes” (a total of 530 actors are involved in the production), unreal lighting effects, two moons rising above the stage - a real one and a fake one, flying through the air to each other, the main characters are incredible!
http://www.tianmenfox.com/ – you can see a snippet here. The ticket costs 240 yuan.

Then we rode junks around mountain lake Baofen, deep, up to 720 m, with rock pillars sticking out of the water, covered with pine trees and ringing singing girls coming out to the piers (this is a tradition - they sing almost always and everywhere!).
www.baofenghu.com Ticket – 74 yuan, the park is open from 7 to 17.30
And we traveled by boat along the underground river (Hades?) through the huge karst cave of Huanglong (Yellow Dragon), the passages of which are ennobled with reliable stone stairs, and the giant stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated with multi-colored lights - at least arrange a global disco here! www.hnhld.com Ticket – 80 yuan, open from 7 to 17.30.
And all this - in walking distance from Kin-dza-dza, or rather, shuttle buses carry you to all the beauties. But the most important thing is, of course, the Wulingyuan Mountains.

Login to the national park, from where people are carried upward along the serpentine road to the funicular by special purple shuttle buses. Ticket for 1 day - 220-248 yuan. Once you get there, you realize how many Chinese there really are: you have to wait in a 1.5-hour queue! To avoid getting bored standing around, they sing in the karaoke booths set up right there and take pictures with the strange white tourists. And it's worth the wait! The cable car takes off to Mount Tianji (1250 m high) in 5 dizzying minutes! In good weather, up to 2,000 mountain peaks, waterfalls, streams and other natural wonders can be seen. During the reign of Emperor Hongwu (Ding Ming), rebel peasants set up camp on the mountain, and these Mountain peaks they compared it to a huge cavalry army.

True, we got into the fog... And still the sight is absolutely unreal, my poor camera is simply not capable of conveying this, but hoping for something, I keep taking pictures and taking pictures...

And this is Li O, our guide shows where we are: the park is huge, the total area is 391 square meters. km. About 3000 rocks, 800 reservoirs, more than 40 karst caves and two huge stone bridge created by nature. About 3000 species of plants and 500 species of animals. The highest point is Kunlun Peak (“Abode of the Gods”), 1262.5 m high, the lowest is 534 m. In 1992, Wulingyuan was included by UNESCO in the Catalog of World Natural Heritage.
Park website –