Open the left hunan menu. South wall of china

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, or, as it is often called, Avatar Park (张家界 国家 森林 公园 zhāngjiājiè guójiā sēnlín gōngyuán) is a unique natural wonder in southwestern China. It is located in the Hunan province (湖南省 húnánshěng), more than 300 km from the provincial capital - the city of Changsha (长沙 chángshā) and belongs to mountain system Wulingshan.

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

It was one of those places that I dreamed of visiting from the moment I first learned about its existence. Even living in China, it was not easy to go on this trip, it was necessary to guess the time and calculate the finances. But in the fall of this year, what I had been waiting for happened: my husband gave me a trip to wonderful world"floating rocks". Such a gift will really be remembered for a lifetime.

The local landscapes are said to have been among those that inspired the director of Avatar to create the floating mountains of the planet Pandora. This served as a kind of advertisement for the park, and after the release of the film, the flow of tourists to Zhangjiajie increased significantly. The grateful Chinese even renamed one of the mountains "Avatar-Aliluyah", and put several "avatars" in the park, near which there are usually queues for photos. And indeed, while walking in the park, I got the impression that I was somewhere on another planet, such incredible landscapes sometimes opened up before my eyes.

In addition to picturesque landscapes, there is a rich flora and fauna. Some species of plants, birds and animals found in these mountains are listed in the Red Book, for example, a gigantic salamander, civet, pangolin, clouded leopard, rhesus monkey and many others.

I was 100% satisfied with my visit to Zhangjiajie. Despite the tiredness and "wadded" legs, I got so many impressions that it is difficult to even describe. All lovers of nature and unusual landscapes will definitely like this park. In my personal list of natural beauties, he took the honorable third place after the Bolaven plateau () and the park.

When to plan your visit

National park Zhangjiajie is open to the public 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.

Autumn is considered the best season to explore the park, especially from September to early November. At this time of the 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 the mountains are best seen in the fall.

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

Spring in Zhangjiajie begins the rainy season, which lasts from March to June. Of course, it is unpleasant to inspect the mountains when it is constantly dripping from the sky, but it is at this time that fogs cover the valley and many come here to enjoy the effect of "soaring peaks". When the fog hides the base of the mountains, it really looks like the mountains are hanging in the air. But here is how lucky. 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, the visibility was still not absolute, at any time of the day there was a haze that more or less obscured the outlines of the mountains, and nothing was visible in the distance. ...

On the day of our departure, it rained for the whole day, but at that moment I had already managed to see everything I wanted. Therefore, when planning a trip, it is better to grab one "extra" day in case the weather fails. If there are no problems with the weather, you can visit neighboring attractions, for example, Baofeng Lake, Huanglong Cave or Tianmen Mountain.

As for the time required to visit the park, it is individual. Someone says that they have seen everything in one day, but another 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 places that also deserve attention.

If you want to avoid a large crowd of people, then I do not advise planning a trip to Zhangjiajie in the first week of May and October due to the holidays, as well as during the 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 get 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: plane, train, bus.

By plane

If your goal is to visit Zhangjiajie Park and spend minimal time on the road, the easiest way is to fly by plane from other cities in China. The local airport is 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, Xian, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Changsha, Tianjin, Wuhan and other cities in China. From international flights, only flights to Busan (Korea) and Bangkok () are available. The 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 it is written about the latter on the Internet, in fact, 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 right to the entrance to the park will cost 100 yuan ($ 15). Be sure to bargain, because the distance is minimal, and taxi drivers, taking advantage of the ignorance of tourists, began to break space prices - 200 yuan ($ 30) to the city.

By train

Trains to Zhangjiajie run from many major cities, but this method is suitable for those who have a lot of free time and patience in stock. For reference: the road from Beijing takes 22-26 hours, and the ticket will cost $ 60 (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 is located near the city center and the airport, in addition, within walking distance from it is the starting station of the cable car to Tianmen Mountain (another must-see), as well as the central bus station from which you can get to Zhangjiajie National Park. The map shows the route from the airport to the station (distance 4.9 km), as well as the location of the airport, railway station and central bus station.

By bus

There are several bus stations in the city with regular connections 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 buses go from there to Shanghai, Changsha, Wuhan, Zhuhai and several other cities, which means that it is also possible to come to Zhangjiajie by bus. Departure schedule, travel time and ticket cost must be found out directly at the bus stations.

How to get to Zhangjiajie National Park

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

1. The nearest entrance to the city is 32 km from the city, and many call it the village of Zhangjiajie by 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), on the map it is conventionally marked as ENTRANCE
2. 40 km from the city there is an entrance in the Wulingyuan area (武陵源 门票 站 wǔlíngyuánménpiào zhàn) marked as ENTRANCE No. 2;
3. the farthest entrance is at Tianzi Mountain (天子山 门票 站 tiānzǐshān ménpiào zhàn) - 50 km from the city, ENTRANCE number 3 on the map.

As far as I understand, entrance number 3 is not very popular, because I did not see any buses to this place, and I did not find information about it in preparation for the trip.

Taxi

If you choose a taxi, then 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 the railway station is slightly cheaper, 70-80 yuan ($ 10-12). Local drivers are very reluctant to use a taximeter and call exorbitant prices, trying to distract tourists, so you need to persistently bargain. 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 English names do not tell them anything, you can even print pictures for clarity. Also, to avoid misunderstandings, do not forget to negotiate the cost in advance before getting into the car. In China, I never booked a taxi in advance. Usually a car can be caught on any street, besides, they are always "on duty" at all tourist places.

Bus

Unlike taxi, bus travel is very cheap, and it only costs 12 RMB ($ 2) to get to Wulingyuan. I decided to choose a budget option and, having saved a decent amount, I was satisfied.

Starting at 6 a.m., buses leave 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 one hour earlier. The journey takes a little less than an hour.

Since I came to Zhangjiaqie by train, I easily found the bus station. 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 how the building you want looks like.

Then you need to go through the waiting room to the area with buses and find a minibus with hieroglyphs 武陵源. Usually there are several of them, the drivers will tell you which one will go faster. You do not need to buy tickets in advance at the box office, everything is paid for on the bus. The driver will make several stops along the way, picking up and dropping off locals. If you are driving to the village of Zhangjiajie (entrance 1), then you need to inform the driver about this in advance, but he does not enter there, he will drop off only at the turn to her. If you are driving to Wulingyuan (entrance 2), then the stop you need is the final one, and you can not be afraid to miss it. In Wulingyuan, the bus arrives at the station, from which you can walk or take a taxi to the hotel or the park entrance.

Where to stay

As for housing, here again there are several options. The first is to check into a hotel in the city of Zhangjiajie, the second is to get to any entrance to the park and stay there, the third is to settle in 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, every day you have to spend time and money on the road to the park and back, which is about two hours a day. Not very convenient, agree?
2. By staying in a village at the entrance to the park, you can save time on the road 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 understood from the hotel reviews, the living conditions inside the park are Spartan: there may be interruptions in the supply of electricity, water, 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 impossible to withdraw money or pay with a card on the territory of the park.

Before the trip, I studied the option for a long time and settled on the village of Wulingyuan. I can say that I did not regret it at all. My hostel was a 10 minute walk from the park, and there were plenty of shops nearby, a fruit and souvenir market, an ATM machine and a cafe with decent food. There are many accommodation options for every taste and budget: there are budget hostels, and expensive hotels.

I stayed at Wulingyuan Tuniu Youth Hostel. I had booked the accommodation in advance on the well-known website and realized that I had done the right thing when, upon arriving at the place, I saw the full inscriptions on almost every door. When communicating with the guy from the reception, we managed to find out that during the season all housing is sold out a month in advance. At the hostel, they gave me a map of the park and made a visiting route, for which a special thank you! In principle, I can say that I was satisfied with the housing, given the price-quality ratio, I got what I paid for: a clean and tidy room, breakfasts with decent food in a nearby cafe, convenient location. In the establishment that provided us with breakfast, I also had dinner, because of all the places on our street, this was the cleanest and most attractive. Almost all the foreigners I met in the park and the 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 starts work at 6:30, so at the beginning of the seventh I was already at the entrance gate. But it was still closed and there were no people who wanted to get into the park, except for me and my companion. About 15-20 minutes later, Chinese groups began to flock. The park opened at 7 o'clock, but by this time the crowd was huge. So see for yourself how it is more convenient, but I recommend coming to the opening or even earlier. Estimated opening hours:

• Summer time from 6:30 (7:00) - 19:00
• V winter time from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Entrance fees

You can buy 2 types of tickets:

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

Prices are for high season, with a ticket costing 145 yuan ($ 22) during winter.

Paid separately:

Chinese and foreign students studying in China have the opportunity to buy a ticket for half the price, but here everything turned out to be more complicated than in other places that I have visited before. At the time of buying discount tickets introduced an age limit: students over 24 pay full cost. At the same time, it will not work just to correct the date of birth in the student's room, because when buying a discount ticket, you also need to present your passport. For children up to 120 cm tall, admission is free, from 120 to 150 cm is half the cost, as well as for people of retirement age from 60 to 69, those over 70 are even cheaper, but I don’t know if this applies to people of all nationalities or only Chinese.

The price includes travel by bus between the park's stops.

The check at the entrance is pretty strict. Each ticket is stamped with a serial number, to which fingerprints are attached when entering the territory for the first time. I had the following story: I visited the park with my husband, and our tickets were kept in one place, the next day we just took them, not sorting out where whose, and went through the turnstile, but the system refused to let us through. It turned out that we had mixed up our cards, but it’s impossible to go through someone else’s.

As a conclusion, do not buy tickets hand-held, 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.

Better come to the park early, then there is a chance to enjoy the views in relative silence. If you plan to use the Bailong elevator, it is best to send it in the morning, as soon as the park opens, and go down until 3-4 pm, otherwise you can spend about 4 hours in line. Or avoid this way of climbing altogether.

I was lucky, as I already said, on the first day of visiting the park, we came before its opening, so we were among the first to buy tickets and went to see the sights. When we arrived at the elevator, there was no queue yet, and we managed to go upstairs without any problems.

Keep in mind that you will have to walk a lot, so make sure your shoes are comfortable and not chafing. Clothes should also be comfortable. It will not hurt to take an adhesive plaster with you.

The distances in the park are very long, and it is difficult to climb the mountain, and it often takes a long time, therefore it is better to combine the use of cable cars with walking routes... If you rely only on your own feet, then you can miss the time and miss some of the attractions. 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 are aggressive towards people, so do not tease them, hold your valuables, camera, phone tightly. In places where monkeys congregate, it is better not to carry anything at all in your hands, but to hide everything in a bag or backpack. Before my eyes, the monkeys snatched packages out of people's hands as they walked and climbed up a tree with them or ran into the forest. And do not think that they do not know how to stand up for themselves, the monkey may bite, after which you will have to go to the hospital and give injections, such cases also happened. Therefore, be careful with wild animals.

When going to the park, bring your 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 cafes located in the park, prices are simply cosmic, so except for McDonald's, which got here, we never ate anywhere else.

What to see in Zhangjiajie National Park

The photo shows a map that was given to me in my hostel, and by which I was guided 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 rummaged through the Internet, I did not find anything more sensible.

It is important to know that there are two main planes of movement in the park: the lower (in the valley) and the upper (on the mountains). There are also two lines of 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 on top of the mountains (red line on the map, beige buses). Accordingly, the stop sign P is also marked either red or purple, and its color indicates which route this stop belongs to. Green marked hiking trails... What I like about this map is that it shows the approximate travel time from one point to another, although it does not always correspond to reality. Different routes can be planned depending on the number of days allotted to explore the park.

In general, the territory of the park is divided into several zones, each of which is special and picturesque in its own way. I could not figure out the exact number of these same zones. The information on this is controversial, some guidebooks write that the park is divided into 6 separate sections, but my map shows them 7. At the same time, another important part of the park on my map is not highlighted in a separate zone, which is why such a confusion turned out. On the map below, I tried to conventionally designate all these zones in different colors, I got 8 of them.

• Red - Tianzi Mountain;
• Blue - Yuanjiajie;
• Yellow - Yangjiajie;
• Orange - Golden Whip Stream;
• White - Huangshichzhai, or the village of the Yellow Stone;
• Light green - Yaozizhai, 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 do not climb to the top on foot, but use the Bailong elevator or get from other park areas by bus, then it is quite easy to pass it.

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 "Halillujah" (哈里路亚 山 hālǐlùyà shān).

.

Having listened to rave reviews, it was decided to immediately go here. We can 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 taking a walk in the park for several days, I can't say that this place is the most worthy. The nature here really did its best, but the impression is spoiled by a 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 adjust or just unceremoniously push you away from the shooting location. But at least for the sake of seeing a lonely floating pillar, it's worth coming here.

Yangjiajie (杨家界 yángjiājiè)

The Yangjiajie Zone was discovered 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 symbolizes the Yangjiajie territory, and the orange one inside it is the part that I passed.

On the map it seems that the distance is short, but it is not easy to walk. To inspect at least part of it, you have to be pretty exhausted and sweaty. As with other trails, porters can be hired here for an additional fee to help you complete the section of the path. Their prices are fixed from one stop to the next, but you can try to bargain. On the one hand, this is hard work, which is paid for by undermined health, and I would not want to use people like "slaves" like this, but on the other hand, how else would they earn their bread? The Chinese, apparently, take this easier, because they use such services everywhere, but I somehow feel wild.

In this part of the park, tourists will find steep steps and narrow passages between rocks, rickety iron stairs and cliffs. This is how 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 great at all, but it is what it is.

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

Tianzi Mountain (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 walking up on foot. Later I understood why. Even when I went down the mountain on foot, I didn’t feel my legs, let alone climb it. Such a feat is within the power of either athletes or the Chinese, for whom climbing stairs is both a favorite hobby and a national tradition :). And I still had many sights planned ahead, and I decided to save my only means of transportation. To visit Tianzi, I came to the end point of this part of the park by bus from Yangjiajie. There is a McDonald's upstairs, to the great joy, so it was decided to have lunch there, given that it was not possible to eat normally anywhere else in the park. And having refreshed, I went down and along the way examined the landscapes. The rocks here are slightly different from those that have been seen before. On the way, there is a pagoda called the Emperor's Palace (天子 阁 tiānzǐ gé), you can climb it and explore the surroundings.

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

Flimsy structures made of a chair tied to bamboo sticks stand waiting for their passengers, such a picture occurs on almost every flight.

Another beautiful observation deck, I, unfortunately, did not remember the name.

Beautiful landscapes open up everywhere, but the road is very exhausting.

Golden Whip Stream (金鞭溪 jīn biān xī)

The Golden Knut Stream is one of the easiest areas for walking, as it is located in a valley at the foot of the mountains and does not provide for steep climbs. The hiking trail along the stream stretches for almost 8 km. If you wish, you can start climbing from this zone to Yuanjiajie or the Yellow Stone Village. I really liked the walk in this part of the park. It was here that I managed 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 splash of water in the stream and the views of the mountains.

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

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

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

You can get to this part of the park from entrance number 1 or come from entrance number 2 along the stream, which I did. As it turned out later, it was possible to climb up on the cable car, but I lost sight of it 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 it was popular place, a must-see, although I've never heard of it before. There were surprisingly few tourists on the trail, mainly groups going downhill, which apparently climbed upward with the help of a cable car.

Here I met a huge number of cute and not so monkeys who distracted from heavy thoughts and entertained along the way. Throughout the forest, their cries were heard and the trees swayed. Many monkeys are not at all afraid of people, go out on hiking trails, beg, rummage in trash cans and pose for a photo. 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 away from them and simply frighten tourists. But looking at the kids is a pleasure: 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 - climbing on foot is not an easy task, especially when my legs are buzzing from the previous two days, but we mastered it. It took us about 3 hours to get to the top. But upstairs, as a reward for the difficult journey, the tourists open up magnificent landscapes. In the photo below, one of the local attractions is Five Fingers Mountain (五指 峰 wǔzhǐ fēng).

And one more mountain, the name of which I do not know.

In addition, there are also areas in the park that I have not visited - these are Daguangdai (大观 台 dàguān tái), Laowuchang (老屋 场 lǎowū chǎng) and Yaozi Village (鹞子 寨 yàozi zhài). Initially, I did not plan to examine them, because I did not find any interesting information on the Internet, and it did not fit in time.

Nearby attractions

In addition to Zhangjiajie National Park, there are several other natural attractions in this area, noteworthy tourists.

Mount Tianmen (天门山 tiānmén shān)

This attraction is located almost in the city of Zhangjiajie itself, and it is very easy to get to it - on foot 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 offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area, including a serpentine road 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 "Heavenly Gates" arch. To get to the arch, you need to overcome a difficult climb of 999 steps.

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

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

My visit to Tianmen Mountain was not as impressed as my visit to Zhangjiajie Park. The impression was spoiled by the fact that at first I had to stand for more than 2 hours in line for the funicular. And the fact that upstairs was very noisy and crowded, the surrounding landscapes were obscured by a 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 who want to walk along glass bridge.

But I still don't regret visiting Tianmen Mountain, another Chinese attraction has been conquered, and you can put a tick in your list.

Fenghuang Ancient City (凤凰 古城 fènghuáng gǔchéng)

The ancient city of Fenghuang, also known as Phoenix, stands on the river and attracts tourists with its architecture and ancient atmosphere. A special flavor to the city is given 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 path to Fenghuang is not close, so it is advisable to go with an overnight stay. The distance from Zhangjiajie is about 240 km, and the bus journey takes all 5 hours. Not so long ago, a visit to the city became paid, 148 yuan ($ 23) per person, but you can try to contact the hotel in which you plan to stay and, perhaps, they will help you get through for free.

Baofeng Lake

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

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

The admission ticket costs RMB 96 ($ 15) per person and includes a little walk on the lake. It goes on a carved wooden boat to the songs of locals dressed in national costumes, which makes it even more exciting and colorful. Here you can see rocks growing out of the water and beautiful waterfall... The place is worth visiting.

Yellow Dragon Cave, or Huanglong (黄龙 洞 huánglóngdòng)

Still not far from the village of Wulingyuan is one of the most beautiful caves in China, the Yellow Dragon Cave. It is well equipped for tourists and impresses with 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 to the place by city bus or taxi for 20 yuan ($ 3). The entrance ticket costs 100 RMB ($ 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 the Hunan province. This place is striking in its beauty, but in addition to the magnificent 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 reach heights of more than 3 kilometers. The mountain peaks are covered with dense crowns of trees, many of which are more than one century old.

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

And at an altitude of more than 1 kilometer above sea level, the Yellow Lion Village is spread, where representatives of three small nationalities live - Tujia, Bai and Miao, accounting for 70% local population... Despite the fact that the Han culture had a huge influence on their traditions, they managed to preserve the 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 with both locals and international tourists. People are attracted here not only by the stunning beauty of 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 an unprecedented transparency. White sand and tempts to relax, and the lush tropical vegetation gives an additional 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, as soon as you step back 300 meters, you will find yourself in the Coastal Park. The total length of the beach is three kilometers and there are many attractions for tourists. Someone just prefers to swim in the sea and sunbathe, while someone strives for more active types of recreation. If you wish, you can rent a yacht to enjoy the wonderful views of the 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 (and specifically in the Hunan province in the southeast of the country) there is also the South China Wall. 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 funds were invested in the construction, and at least 4,000 people took part in the work.

Despite the fact that the South Wall was erected much later than the Great Wall, it is much worse preserved. Its remains were discovered in 2001 in the highlands of Hunan province. At the same time, it was decided to reconstruct it. Thanks to careful work, the wall has been recreated almost in its original form. Experienced tourists advise not only to admire the wall from the ground, but also to climb it. From there it will be possible not only to enjoy the beautiful view, but also to appreciate the scale of the building.

Coordinates: 27.92947000,109.47115700

Huanglong Cave can be found in Sosiyu Park. Huanglong is also known by its second name - the Yellow Dragon Cave. The cave has four tiers; it will take at least two and a half hours to get around them all. V cave complex there is 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 footpaths are illuminated with multi-colored spotlights. The stalagmite with a height of nineteen meters stands out in particular, i.e. with a six-storey house.

In the cave of the Yellow Dragon you have to walk a lot - there are a lot of steps and stairs. It will be possible to relax only during the water section of the route - 1 km of the way 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 Tianmenshan Mountain. You can get to it by cable car and walked along a path attached to a sheer cliff.

Cable car (to heaven)

Cable car from Zhangjiajie City to Fear Trail and Heavenly Gate. The length is 7.5 km, the travel time is 28 minutes, in the cabin 6-8 people, the elevation changes are up to 800 meters.

Hunan Golden Whip Canyon

The canyon is located in the Wulingyuan National Park, in the Chinese province of Hunan. If you look at the canyon from the height 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 set in a canyon, it is stated that the most famous Chinese emperor, Qin Shihuang (who united the kingdoms into a single state and united the separate parts into the Great Wall of China), 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 side of 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 the trip, you can not only admire the magnificent scenery, but also feed the spoiled monkeys or fish. Food for both is sold right there in numerous souvenir and grocery stores located right in the canyon.

Coordinates: 29.35764100,110.55188400

Huang 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 is admired for its clear water, as well as the majesty of the surrounding mountains and the beauty of the landscape that they create together.

The Chinese are sure that the tranquility of the lake gives grace, purity and peace. Boat trips on the lake are a special pleasure. 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

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Hunan Province is located south of the large Dongting Lake (Dongtinghu). This circumstance influenced the name of the region, which is translated into Russian as "Province to the South of the Lake". Fascinating landscapes of secluded mountain ranges and karst peaks occupy more than 80% of the territory. Bare beige cliffs solemnly rise above the emerald valleys fed by the tributaries of the Yangtze.

The locals have arranged their lives many centuries ago against the backdrop of the natural wonders of Hunan, turning the inaccessible rocky slopes into terraces of lush fields. Their distinct culture lives on in the charming villages and towns of the region.

How to get to Hunan

The airport is located 25 km from the capital of Hunan province, Changsha. There are no direct flights from Moscow, but you can use a flight from China Eastern Airlines with a transfer in Beijing or Guangzhou. Ticket price: from 250 USD, travel time: from 12 hours (depending on the duration of the transfer). Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Shuttles and city buses No. 75 and 114 go from the airport to Changsha and back. Travel time: 1 hour. Ticket price: 16 CNY. A taxi to the city center costs about 120-150 CNY.

Search for flights to Guangzhou (closest airport to Hunan)

What to see

The Golden Whip Canyon is located in the Zhangjiajie National Park near the city of the same name. On a stone standing in the canyon, it is written that the emperor Qin Shihuang (he is known for uniting the fragmented kingdoms into one state and connecting their separate defensive structures into one Great Wall of China) was so amazed by the local landscapes that he dreamed of moving the mountains closer to the sea to admire them from the water.

The length of the Golden Whip is almost 6 km. During the hike, tourists discover magnificent landscapes and the opportunity to feed the monkeys. Food for them is sold by enterprising locals here in numerous souvenir shops.

The Faith Road or Heavenly Walk is the famous glass balcony around Tianmen Mountain. Images of those walking on glass floor people have been walking on the Internet for a long time. This attraction is located in national park wildlife"Tianmen" in the northwest of Hunan in the city of Zhangjiajie.

Not everyone is able to test themselves, because the transparent balcony rises more than 1400 m above the ground. It is built so high that while walking along it, you can see the peaks of the nearest, lower mountains. Thanks to the transparent glass, you get the feeling that you are floating in the air. To many visitors, the "Road of Faith" seems to be a very creepy and unreliable structure, they say, you can walk on it only by firmly grasping the handrails and not looking down. In reality, the whole structure is very strong and can withstand a crowd of people without any problems.

The glass of the pedestrian zone "Vera's Road" is more than 6 cm thick. And so that a person does not accidentally slip, he is given soft non-slip rubber shoes, which, moreover, protects the glass of the walkway from scratches. You will have to pay 5 CNY for the rental of shoe covers.

Here, on Tianmen, there is the tallest cave in the world, formed as a result of the weathering of the rock. In general, this is not quite a cave - rather, a giant arch in the rock, stretching from north to south. Its maximum height is 131 m, width - 57 m (at the narrowest point - 28 m), and its depth - 60 m. Stone steps lead to the cave along the slopes of the mountain. They allow you to climb to the top and walk right through the mountain. For those who are unable to climb the stairs on their own, an escalator is provided, but there is a small fee for it. So Tianmen is sometimes called the "natural bridge".

Tianmen Cave received several minutes of world fame at once. In 1999, a pilot from Hungary, Peter Beshenny, flew through it in a propeller-driven aircraft. The flight was broadcast on TV and was seen by 800 million people. In 2006, the same trick was performed by the "Russian Knights", only five of them and on jet Su-27s. In 2009, the cave appeared in the form of a plot of the landscape of the planet Pandora in the movie "Avatar" by James Cameron. Due to this circumstance tourist flow to the region has increased several times.

Another natural attraction is Shuilian Cave, which is located next to a red sandstone cliff. In summer, cascades of a waterfall rush down from its top, for which the Chinese often call the cave a "water curtain".

Having settled in a house carved into the rock, tourists can heartily admire the scale of the water flow. The route between the cave and the river runs between tea plantations and establishments where you can take part in the tea ceremony.

Weather

Hunan has a humid subtropical climate. Monsoon rains fall in April, May and June. July and August are very hot and humid. The best time for travel - July and August, when the temperature is lower and there is less rain. Although for Europeans, travel here will be comfortable in winter (+10 ° C on average). Up to 1500 mm of precipitation falls annually, the temperature differences in the northern part of the province are greater than in the southern one. It is colder in winter and warmer in summer.

The provincial capital of Changsha is a large industrial city, but the air quality is surprisingly good for China: everything is blown away by the wind. Guests can enjoy blue skies and clean fresh air in the parks along the Xiangyan River. True, coal is actively burned in December and January, so it is better for asthmatics not to come here in winter.

Accommodation in Hunan

Hunan is a tourist region, so the prices for living here are quite high by Chinese standards. A night in a five-star hotel in downtown Changsha costs around 900 CNY. The simpler options will cost around 300 CNY. The price of a bed in a decent hostel is about 80 CNY.

Money and prices

Communication, traditions

Tourist information

Hunan has a humid, subtropical climate with monsoon rains from April to June, July and August hot and humid. The best time to visit is September-October. In winter, temperatures are usually above freezing, with a daily maximum of 10 C.

Culture, religion

Safety and sanitation

Connection

What and where to eat

Hunanese red pork

Local xiang kitchen(湖南菜 or 湘菜) is distinguished by the abundant use of peppers, garlic, onions, the main taste in this cuisine is spicy (干 辣), fatty and strong, in contrast to the no less peppery, but less fatty and uncomplicated Sichuan cuisine. Hot-sour, sweet-sour and aromatic tastes 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 basin of the river. Xiangjiang (Changsha, Hengyang, Xiangtan), Lake District cuisine Dongtinghu, western (mountain) Hunan cuisine.

The local dish is widely known at the general Chinese level - Hunansk red pork and, (红烧肉, hóng shāo ròu), Mao Zedong's favorite dish. No less popular squirrel carp(松鼠 鱼, sōngshǔ yú), fried chicken with Sichuan hot sauce, smoked pork with dried green beans.

Depending on the season, different dishes may be offered, in the heat - cold appetizers with peppers, in winter - hoo with two containers, with spicy and unleavened broth.

What to see

In the city of Changsha is one of the oldest universities in the world - the Yuelu Academy, and in Wulipai, a western suburb of Changsha, during excavations along with the remains of Li Kang, Marquis Dai (one of the closest emperors of Shao-di Gong and Hui-di), and his wife and son also discovered unique objects - dozens of ancient treatises on astronomy, medicine, history, military science and other sciences, silk banners and maps.

• Mausoleum of Emperor Shun-Di- a miraculously preserved tomb of one of the most revered Chinese emperors, who lived in the 2nd century. Shun-di from 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 that resulted in the eradication of corruption, strengthening of statehood and the flourishing of the empire.
• Shaoshan village, the birthplace of Mao Zedong
• Wulingyuan Mountains where is located Zhangjiajie National Park, a unique listed natural monument World heritage UNESCO (1992). These rock formations became widely known after the release of James Camerom's science fiction film "Avatar" - here, on Mount Jiankunzhu, they filmed for episodes about the flying Hallelujah mountains on the planet Pandora. The mountains are quartzite rocks up to 1000 meters, the highest points of the Wulingyuan mountains reach heights of more than 3 km above sea level. There are several routes for tourists in the park, including, in particular, Mount Tianmen ("Heavenly Gate"), a glass suspension bridge with a length of 60 m at an altitude of 1430 m, which acts as an observation deck.
• Lanshan Mountains is another natural attraction of the province, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Not as sharp as the Zhangjiajie peaks, the Lanshan mountains have no less bizarre shapes: (Camel and Pepper mountains, General). There you can also ride on the Phui River on bamboo rafts.
• Fenghuang city
• Huaihua city... One of its main attractions is the Londin 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 center the Qing Dynasty, interesting for its architecture of 380 historical buildings that has practically not changed over the centuries. It is called the "city of black roofs" - for its characteristic tile colors. The old town is bounded by Xinmin Lu, Yuanjiang Lu and Xunxi Lu streets, which turn into Xinfu Lu, and is a maze of narrow cobbled alleys and streets. Inside there are signs in English and Chinese... View: Taiping Gong Temple (1723), damaged during the Cultural Revolution, Yuanjiang Lu Temple ticket office is open from 08:00 to 17:00, entrance is 100 yuan. You can eat to the left of the Hung Bridge. Live: Liu Songxiu Guest House, in the center of the old city, 2 rooms; Hongjiang Inn ** next to Bank of China and Hong Bridge, across the street from the entrance to Old city... Drive to old Hongjiang (not to be confused with Hongjiang city) from the southern Huaihua bus station, 80 minutes on the way, 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 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, sacred mountain for Taoists and Buddhists.

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Notes (edit)

Links

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

Finally, I wrote a text about Hunan, which I was brought into in November. Well, who's interested - more photos(sorry for the quality) and comments.

When I tried to explain to my friends where it was at all, 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 as their national hero. And Jiankunju Mountain, which “played” part of the landscape in her film, was already 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 an Avatar 3D action against its background.

Such shields, so that it is clear where what comes from, stand on the funicular to Mount Tianji ... Thousands of people are crowding 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 make the way to Beijing, (there is a direct flight from our Yekaterinburg " Ural Airlines": A little over 5 hours). Further - transfer by monorail train (!) To the domestic terminal, from where another 2 hours fly by the South China company to the city of Changsha - the capital of Hunan province.
Here it is - a foggy morning in Changsha. And the local Broadway (Arbat, Weiner) is Huanching Street.

This 6-million (small by Chinese standards!) City is the student capital of China, there are 5 huge universities. In one of them, Pedagogical No. 1, Mao Tse Tung himself studied, 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 there are only 8 (!) Russians living in Changsha! Alternatively, you can get to Changsha by train, it is 15-17 hours and 300-400 yuan. From Changsha 5-6 hours by bus to Chandzyadze - the gateway to the Pandora Mountains.

Kin-dza-dza - this is how we began to call after unsuccessful attempts to learn the correct name for this small (250 thousand people) town, which hosted the 1st International Chinese Cultural and Tourist Festival.

In the Tongjia Arts and Crafts Garden: this guy has the best job in the world: touch the buffalo and smile)). Girls in silver tinkling kokoshniks greet guests with songs and a glass of local gaolyan - rice vodka.
the park's website is www.tusicheng.com. works from 7 to 20.00

... And this is an appetizer - traditional tungjia dishes: spicy carp, stewed bamboo, broken cucumbers, pickled daikon, rice donuts, “Chairman Mao's favorite pork,” “million-year-old” eggs. Sharp as hell!
... And these are spectacles.

See how nicely the local recreation center fits into the landscape - a green grassy roof. And around - a wonderful park, where mills murmur and giant zucchini grow idyllically!
So, we arrived at the Festival ...

Thanks to this, we have 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 brochures (in English) and the far from stingy language of numbers (we were talking about billions of dollars in investments!) Made us believe: in four years there will definitely be a garden city! I was glad that the reports and speeches were interspersed with performances of the Chinese theater - songs, dances, kung fu, sword swallowing, fire show ...

And the apotheosis was the folk musical "The Tale of Love of the Woodcutter and the Werewolf Fox", an open-air production unparalleled 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 tungjia girls, a ballet of hundreds of multi-colored "foxes" (530 actors are involved in the production), unrealistic lighting effects, two moons rising above the stage - natural and fake, each other flying through the air to a friend, the main characters are incredible!
http://www.tianmenfox.com/ - you can see a snippet here. The ticket costs RMB 240.

Then we rode junks on the Baofen mountain lake, deep, up to 720 m, with rocks-pillars sticking out of the water, overgrown with pine trees and ringing singing girls coming out onto the piers (this is the tradition - they sing almost always and everywhere!).
www.baofenghu.com Ticket - 74 RMB, the park is open from 7 am to 5:30 pm
And we traveled by boat along the underground river (Hades?) Along the huge Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) karst cave, the passages of which are ennobled with reliable stone stairs, and giant stalactites and stalagmites are illuminated with colorful lights - even if you have a global disco here! www.hnhld.com Ticket - 80 RMB, open from 7 am to 5.30 pm.
And all this is within walking distance from Kin-dza-dzy, more precisely, shuttle buses are carried to all the beauties. But the most important thing is, of course, the Wulingyuan Mountains.

Entrance to the nat. the park, from where upstairs, along the serpentine to the funicular, people are transported by special purple shuttle buses. 1 day ticket - 220-248 yuan. When you get there, you understand how many Chinese really are: you have to stand in a 1.5-hour queue! In order not to be bored of standing, they sing in the karaoke booths set up right there and take pictures with white outlandish tourists. And the wait is worth it! The funicular takes off to Mount Tianji (1250 m high) in 5 dizzying minutes! In good weather, you can see up to 2000 mountain peaks, waterfalls, streams and other natural wonders. During the reign of Emperor Hunu (Din.Ming), rebellious peasants camped on the mountain, and these Mountain peaks they compared it to a huge cavalry army.

True, we got into the fog ... And all the same, the spectacle is absolutely unreal, my poor cameraman is simply not able to convey this, but hoping for something, I take pictures and take pictures ...

And this is Li Oh, our guide shows where we are: the park is huge, the total area is 391 sq. km. About 3000 rocks, 800 reservoirs, more than 40 karst caves and two huge stone bridges created by nature. About 3000 plant species and 500 animal species. The highest point is Kunlun Peak ("Abode of the Gods"), 1262.5 m high, the lowest is 534 m. In 1992, Wulingyuan was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Park site -