The Floating Mountains In Zhangjiajie

Located in the northwest corner of China’s Hunan province, the Zhangjiajie sandstone wonder or Floating Mountains is part of the scenic and historic Wulingyuan area, where distinctive stone points rise above the forest floor.

Zhangjiajie is a small city in Hunan Province, China. Its location in central China, far from other famous places, makes it a very rare destination for most western travelers visiting Drake Country.

Zhangjiajie National Park is considered China’s Grand Canyon but is perhaps better known as the Avatar Mountains. The sandstone towers appear in one of the most epic movies in the world, “Avatar”, which features over 3150 bamboo towers creating a fairytale landscape that enchants visitors.

The picturesque and historic area of ​​Wulingyuan and Zhangjiajie, China’s first UNESCO World Heritage Natural Area, attracts millions of visitors every year. Most tourists are Chinese citizens. Hunan Province’s central forest remains largely unexplored by the many western travelers who visit China. Those who mainly travel to the larger cities will miss the opportunity to experience this precious reserve.

Hidden Gem of Chinese Landscape

I bet you’ve seen or at least heard about the epic movie Avatar. Now imagine that the world you saw on the movie screen is real. Although Zhangjiajie is best known for its beautiful national park, Zhangjiajie National Park, the city itself is more than just a set of mountains that everyone knows from the Avatar movie. There are even plenty of hiking trails to try, lots of history to discover, and delicious Chinese food to try.

Zhangjiajie Floating Mountains

Let me tell you that the beauty of Zhangjiajie National Park can easily put you off, and I absolutely mean it. While many of you may think that the Hallelujah Mountains are floating in the sky because we can remember them that way from the movie Avatar, this doesn’t really happen in real life.

It’s not just the view that takes your breath away, it’s the heights. Some of the sandstone columns are 1190 meters (3904 feet) high!

Best Time to Visit the Floating Mountains

The hottest month in Zhangjiajie is July and it will be very hot for you. Summer is usually hot and crowded, so don’t plan your trip between June and August.

Autumn (September to November) can be a fairly epic season, similar to spring. There is less rain, the temperatures are good, but you will notice that the park is more lively.

In winter, while the park looks absolutely beautiful when covered in snow, it is very cold and dangerous due to the heavy snowfall.

Bailong Elevator

It is located here in the middle of Zhangjiajie National Park and is called Bailong Elevator. It is 330 meters high and allows you to walk through a beautiful cliff with a beautiful view. Beware if you are afraid of heights!

Tianzi Mountain

It is one of the highest peaks in Zhangjiajie National Park and is 1,263 meters high. Ensure a sunny day to get the best view.

Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge

Imagine walking across the glass bottom bridge which is 430m long and hangs 300m above the valley floor! How great is it! Something that will surely confuse you.

Make sure the bridge is open before you get there. It was closed several times but reopened.

Thanks to Chinese technology, or courage, a funicular was built to connect the city with the mountains. They claim that it is the longest cable car in the world and will take you more than 850 meters above the ground. At one point you can even walk across the glass bridge Zhangjiajie.

I hope this little guidebook will help you decide to visit Zhangjiajie at some point in your trip to China. It really is a lovely place that you fall in love with at first sight. I ask everyone to go and see the Chinese floating mountains.