Zhangjiajie 3-Day Classic Forest Park Tour
Zhangjiajie Core: Yuanjiajie + Tianzi Mountain + Golden Whip Stream (Avatar Experience)
Day-by-Day Itinerary
1
Stroll the 'most beautiful valley' Golden Whip Stream, then take the cable car to Huangshizhai for panoramic views of the peak forest.
Golden Whip Stream
Golden Whip Stream is a beautiful stream within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, named for flowing past Golden Whip Rock. It is famous for its lush green peaks, unique rock formations, clear flowing water, and dense forests, making it one of Zhangjiajie's most beautiful natural oxygen bars. Walking along the stream, visitors can admire famous attractions such as 'Divine Eagle Protecting the Whip', 'Golden Whip Rock', and 'Drunken Arhat', making it an excellent place for hiking, sightseeing, and getting close to nature.
Wulingyuan Scenic Area - Huangshizhai
Huangshizhai is located within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and is the largest aerial viewing platform in the park, with an elevation of 1080 meters. It is a majestic quartz sandstone peak, famous for its unique mountain landform and rich forest vegetation. Legend has it that Huang Shigong, the master of Zhang Liang, Marquis of Liu in the Han Dynasty, once refined elixirs here, hence the name Huangshizhai. There are numerous attractions within the Huangshizhai scenic area, such as Five Finger Peak, Front Garden, General's Platform, Rear Garden, South Heaven Gate, Star Picking Platform, etc., making it an excellent place to admire Zhangjiajie's peak forest landform. Visitors can choose to go on foot or by cable car.
2
Take the Bailong Elevator to Yuanjiajie (Qiankun Pillar, First Bridge Under Heaven), then to Tianzi Mountain (Helong Park, Imperial Brush Peak).
Bailong Elevator
The Bailong Elevator (Hundred Dragons Heaven Elevator) is a glass double-deck elevator built into the side of a cliff in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie, China. The region is famous for its more than 3,000 quartz-sandstone pillars and peaks, many of which are over 200 meters (660 feet) tall. The Bailong Elevator is notable for its ascent of 326 meters (1070 feet) in 1 minute and 32 seconds and has been certified by Guinness World Records as the world's tallest outdoor elevator. It offers visitors panoramic views of Wulingyuan's magnificent quartz-sandstone peak forest landscape. Construction of the elevator began in October 1999 and it opened to the public in 2002.
Yuanjiajie Scenic Area - Observation Deck
Yuanjiajie is one of the core scenic areas of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, renowned for its unique sandstone peak forest landform. It features the Southern Sky Column (Qiankunzhu), the filming location for the 'Hallelujah Mountains' in the movie 'Avatar', as well as other famous attractions like the First Bridge Under Heaven and the Enchanting Platform. Visitors can admire the ever-changing stone peaks, deep canyons, and magnificent misty landscapes here.
The First Bridge Under Heaven
The First Bridge Under Heaven is located in the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie. It is a natural stone bridge formed by the masterful craftsmanship of nature. It spans across two massive mountain peaks with a vertical height of 357 meters, making it the natural self-formed stone slab bridge with the largest vertical drop discovered in the world to date. The bridge is approximately 20 meters long and 1 to 2 meters wide. It is magnificent and spectacular, and is one of the essential attractions of the Zhangjiajie landform.
Qiankun Column (Avatar Hallelujah Mountain)
Qiankun Column, also known as the Southern Pillar of Heaven, is famous for being a filming location for the movie 'Avatar' and is hailed as 'Avatar Hallelujah Mountain'. It is an iconic attraction within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, a stone peak approximately 150 meters high, shaped like a giant pillar supporting the sky, with a magnificent presence. When shrouded in clouds and mist, the peaks appear and disappear, like a fairyland, making it an excellent spot to admire the spectacular geological formations of Zhangjiajie.
Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area
Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area is located in the northwest of Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area. It is named after Xiang Dakun, a leader of a Tujia peasant uprising in the early Ming Dynasty, who called himself 'Xiang Wang Tianzi' (King Tianzi). It is part of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992. Tianzi Mountain boasts a unique quartz sandstone landform, formed over hundreds of millions of years through crustal movement and erosion. Its highest peak, Kunlun Peak, stands at an elevation of 1262.5 meters. The area is renowned for its magnificent peak forests, sea of clouds, sunrises, and winter snowscapes, and also served as an inspiration for the 'Pandora' mountains in the movie 'Avatar'.
He Long Park
He Long Park is located in the Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area, northwest of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area in Zhangjiajie. It was built to commemorate He Long, a marshal of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Major attractions within the park include the He Long Bronze Statue, the Exhibition Hall of Marshal He Long's Life and Deeds, and observation decks offering panoramic views of magnificent natural landscapes such as the 'West Sea Peak Forest'. It is an important part of the Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area, combining humanistic commemoration with natural beauty.
Imperial Brush Peak
Imperial Brush Peak is a famous scenic spot within the Tianzi Mountain Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area. It is composed of dozens of stone peaks of varying heights, shaped like an inverted pen holder, and legend has it that it is the 'imperial brush' left by King Xiang, hence its name. This is one of the best locations to view the 'West Sea Peak Forest', attracting numerous tourists with its unique shape and beautiful scenery.
3
Explore the Ten-Mile Gallery (optional mini-train), admire Herb Collecting Old Man, Three Sisters Peak, then depart Zhangjiajie.
Ten-Mile Gallery
The Ten-Mile Gallery is a famous scenic spot within the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area of Zhangjiajie, located in the Suoxiyu Nature Reserve. The gallery stretches for ten miles, with lush trees on both sides, fragrant wildflowers, and peculiar peaks and strange rocks in various shapes and forms, resembling a huge landscape painting. Along the way, there are attractions such as 'Longevity Star Welcoming Guests', 'Herb-Collecting Old Man', and 'Three Sisters Peak'.
Herb-Collecting Old Man
The Herb-Collecting Old Man is a famous natural attraction within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, named for its unique geological features, which strikingly resemble an old man carrying a medicine basket and bending down to collect herbs. This naturally formed stone peak is vivid and lifelike, a masterpiece of nature's craftsmanship, attracting countless tourists to stop and admire it. Located deep within Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, it is one of the iconic landscapes along the Golden Whip Stream or in the Yuanjiajie scenic area, renowned for its peculiar shape and rich cultural connotations.
Wulingyuan Scenic Area - Three Sisters Peak
The Three Sisters Peak is located in the Ten-Mile Gallery scenic area within the Wulingyuan Scenic Area of Zhangjiajie, and is a typical representative of Zhangjiajie's unique quartz sandstone peak forest landform. The three stone peaks here resemble three graceful sisters, standing tall and elegant, each with its unique charm. They are a masterpiece of nature's craftsmanship and one of the iconic attractions of Zhangjiajie's World Natural Heritage. Legend has it that these three stone peaks are a creation of nature, resembling three young girls dressed in ethnic costumes, vivid and imaginative. Visitors can admire these peculiar peaks up close and experience the majestic beauty of nature.
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