Zhangjiajie National Park, China. Zhangjiajie National Park in China

In the northwestern part of the Hunan province in China, there is a place of concentration of unique natural sculptures. Zhangjiajie National Park, established in 1982. 480 thousand square meters of subtropical virgin forests, where at every step you can see bizarre species of plants, birds and animals, almost every one of which is listed in the Red Book. The mountains are a picturesque sight: huge stone pillars above the rainforest, rugged sharp peaks, waterfalls, a giant cave system, powerful rivers suitable for rafting.

The original inhabitants of these places live here - the national minorities Tujia (Tujia), Miao (Miao) and Bo (Bai), they speak their languages and preserve their traditions and rituals. The park boasts many scenic spots.

Zhangjiajie is the oldest of China's national parks and perhaps the most remarkable. Opened in 1982, ten years later it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More than 500 species of animals live in the park, including civets, monkeys, birds and salamanders. Rare plants such as gingko, pigeon tree, mahogany also grow here. In addition, in this area of Hunan Province there is the Tianzishan Geopark, known for its mountains of amazing beauty, and Soxiuy Park, notable primarily for the huge Huanglong Cave, the largest hall of which can accommodate ten thousand people. Since Zhangjiajie is a popular tourist area, excellent hotels and restaurants with excellent cuisine are open here. And as a keepsake, guests can buy the products of the craftsmen of the local Miao, Tujia and Bo peoples, who lived in these lands for many thousands of years and developed original crafts, the secrets of which were passed down from generation to generation.

It also houses the world's tallest free-moving elevator, Bailong. The two-story elevator cabin can accommodate 50 people. It delivers visitors to the observation deck, located at an altitude of 360 m. The complex includes 3 such elevators with a carrying capacity of 3750 kg each. The walls of the elevator are transparent, so strong-willed passengers, along with a small dose of adrenaline, can enjoy contemplating the mountain landscapes that open to them.

Another attraction of the park is a natural 40-meter stone arch. The local slopes of the mountains are riddled with caves. The interiors are decorated with impressive stalactites, and the largest cave reaches an astonishing 142 meters in height. The abundance of bright neon lamps add a wonderful play of light and shadows.

They tried to give each rock a name, for example, this one is a chicken:

Zhangjiajie is located in the northwestern part of the Hunan province of China. Its population is approximately one and a half million people. Near the city is Wulingyuan District, on the territory of which the Zhangjiajie National Park is open with an unusually diverse flora and fauna. The city has its own airport, which receives flights from all major cities in China. In the Zhangjiajie region, in addition to ethnic Chinese (Han), the Miao, Tujia and Bo peoples also live, who have their own original culture.

Main plot: rocks, forest and river,

but it can be taken in different ways.

There are a lot of snakes here, but people love them.

You can get here by bus

go up the cable car

and where it is not, a couple of strong guys are at your service,

You can't build elevators everywhere.

It has its own language, its own songs.

Mountain tea is grown here,

Update. October 2017. A full-fledged GUIDE TO ZHANGJIAJIE is ready with routes and a large amount of really useful material.

Zhangjiajie, a national park in China, popularly simply “Avatar Park”, is an extremely unusual place where many people aspire to go. There are sights about which a lot is written in advertising booklets, a lot of colorful words are said, but in reality they are nothing of themselves. So Zhangjiajie National Park is NOT the case. It is truly beautiful here and sometimes it just takes your breath away from the landscapes you see.

Unexpected meeting

The last story of my trip was about the Emeishan Mountains, and this story can hardly be called successful. But this is already in the past, everything is forgotten and we are moving further to the east of China. Before I was in Zhangjiajie National Park, I needed to “activate” my double entry visa. To do this, they had to fly to Macau, spend the night at the airport, then take the train to Guangzhou and fly to Changsha, the nearest large city near Zhangjiajie Park. Here is such a stupid route that made my trip a little more expensive. What can you do, it is better not to violate the visa regime.

As I have already noted more than once, everything that is not done is for the better. At the Macau airport, I met a very curious man who has been traveling for 11 years and is clearly not going to stop. This man's name is Alexandro and he comes from sunny Rio De Janeiro. He had a dilemma, by morning he had to choose the next country, and we dealt with this interesting issue during the waiting hours. The choice had to be made between a 3-month stay in Japan, or fly to Australia for a year. I categorically insisted on Japan, because, in my opinion, it is a more interesting country in terms of culture, history and people living there. As a result, Alexandro did not decide, leaving the airport terminal in thought. I have his contacts, I'll ask sometime. I think he's in Japan now

How to get to Zhangjiajie city, China?

* All prices for housing and transport in the article are for 2014. Price for entrance to the park valid for August 2016 of the year.

Let's return to the article and talk about how to get to Zhangjiajie National Park, as there are several important points. We will get there from Changsha Airport, everything is simple here. At the exit from the airport terminal there is a “help” where you need to explain that you need a bus to the railway station in Changsha. The bus costs 16.5 yuan, goes around 40 minutes and you are in close proximity to Changsha railway station. The building is large, do not miss it, walk to it for about five minutes.

You then have 2 options:

buy a train ticket
or a bus ticket (bus ticket offices are located to the left of the railway station building)

Ticket for a train worth about 100 yuan for a place in a reserved seat car, bus will cost you about in the same amount. The journey to the city of Zhangjiajie takes about four hours, but do not rush to rejoice at the arrival, you are still not in the park. It takes another 30 minutes to get to the park from the bus station. Here I would like to dwell in more detail.

Budget Accommodation in Zhangjiajie City and Zhangjiajie Park

In my opinion, the most reasonable decision would not be to rush ahead to Zhangjiajie Park on the very first day, but to stay in the town for the night, and then go to the park with fresh strength in the morning (there you will still need your strength). China has a hostel chain called Hostelling International, which brings together a significant number of hostels throughout the country. So, for example, you can stay in one of them in Zhangjiajie city and find out there are places in the hostel, which is located in the park. Immediately book a room and leave extra things for free storage. It is very convenient, especially since the prices are quite reasonable. Let's say you have to pay only for a place in a dormitory 50 yuan.

The hostel located in the city is called, from the station a taxi will take you for 10 yuan, it takes 5-7 minutes to drive. The main thing to remember is that it is located on the 4th floor, I personally did not manage to find it right away. But the place is very nice, I recommend.

Zhangjiajie national park in China. How much is admission?

So, we booked a room “on the mountain”, morning came and we are on our way to Zhangjiajie Park. From the hostel already known to us on bus number 5 or take a taxi to the bus station. We sit down there small bus, which run dozens between the park and the city. The road to the park takes about 30 minutes, price 12 yuan and we are at the entrance to the park.

You can see the most up-to-date information on entrance ticket prices on the official website of Zhangjiajie Park - http://www.zhangjiajietourism.us/about-faq.html

According to information on August 2016, entrance ticket standing in the park 248 yuan. Ticket for seven days 298 yuan. One way or another, the tickets at the exit are nobody does not check, so it makes sense to take a three-day ticket and stay in the park as long as you see fit. Or until the money and food run out)))

There are also places in the park where you have to buy additional tickets. Here is a selection in English of the cost of additional tickets:

Entrance Fee: CNY 245+ CNY3 insurance (approximately USD $39--$38.47 +$0.47)). The core Wulingyuan Scenic Area includes Yellow Stone Stronghold, Golden Whip Stream and Yaozi Village in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Yangjiajie, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, Ten-mile Gallery in Suoxiyu Valley Scenic Spot and battery car. The ticket is valid for three days. For a week-long ticket, the cost is CNY298 (USD $46.80).
King Dragon Cave: CNY 65 (USD $10.21)
Baofeng Lake: CNY 76 (USD $11.94)
Yellow Dragon Cave: CNY 82 (USD $12.87)
Tianzi Mountain Cable Car: CNY 52 (single trip) (USD $8.16); CNY 104 (round trip)(USD $16.33)
Yellow Stone Village Cable Car: CNY 48 (single trip) (USD $7.53); CNY 96 (round trip) (USD $15.07)
Bailong Sightseeing Elevator: CNY 56 (single trip) (USD $8.79); CNY 112 (round trip) (USD $17.59)
Ten-mile Gallery Tourist Train: CNY 30 (single trip) (USD $4.71); CNY 40 (round trip) (USD $6.28)
West Hunan Folk Custom Performance: CNY 240 (USD $37.68)
Tianmen (Heavenly Door) Mountain Scenic Area: CNY258 (USD $40.51) (including all the scenic spots, round-trip cable car and the shuttle bus)

Route inside Zhangjiajie Park

When preparing to visit the park, I first began to study detailed maps and routes on other resources. Those maps looked like a plan for a quick capture of a small state, with arrows on which side to attack and where to build fortifications. He spat on all this and decided not to waste time and emotions on this Chinese letter. I don't know how sound my advice will be, but do not plan a route on maps on the Internet. Come to the hostel in Zhangjiajie city, throw your backpacks on the beds and go to the hostel hall holding the park map you bought. Either travelers who have already returned from the mountain, or friendly hostel workers at the reception in 15 minutes will give you several routes to choose from.

Also, directly in the hostel in the park, you can adjust the route by talking with people who have been in the park longer than you or have been to parts of the park that you have not yet visited. Don't go according to plan, go off the tourist trails, and it's likely that you'll find the best spots and the best shots on trails that aren't crowded with Chinese tourists. The card can be bought at the station, in the hostel or in the park itself.

It will also not be superfluous to say that Zhangjiajie Park is large, but it is quite possible to see most of it in 2-3 days. In general, I had two full days for inspection and this time was quite enough. Be sure to take food, everything is several times more expensive on the mountain.

UPD. In the summer of 2017 I will be in Zhangjiajie and I will lay out a detailed route with coordinates and map references. Wait for updates!

Zhangjiajie national park in China. The first day. Photo

Why I love backpacking places, you can always find interesting people there and have fun with them. So it happened this time too. Our company consisted of three Chinese students, two friends from Shenzhen (one of whom is from Barbados, his name is Tyrone) and myself. Initially, without planning a route, I completely devoted myself to the knowledge of my new friends and never regretted it. In one day, we examined two sections of the park at once, which I definitely would not have been able to do alone. On the map, as best I could, I marked the places we visited on the first day, and what exactly I managed to see, the photos will tell for me.

Continuation of the first day. winter scenery

After the part that is located to the left of the hostel, we took a taxi to the next one. Walking here, I got the impression that I was not in China, but in my homeland, in Russia. I did not expect so much snow and such beautiful snow-covered trails. Of course, there are some advantages when you know little about a new place for yourself. You expect one thing, but here you have a completely different, even more beautiful

Zhangjiajie national park in China. Second day. Photo

On the second day, the friendly company dispersed in all directions and I had to explore another part of the already beloved park alone. The second day was no worse than the first. I had to go up and down 1.5 kilometers 2 times, but without a backpack it's an easy walk. This part of the park is one of the most popular, most people pass it in a day and return to their hotels. By the way, the vast majority of tourists stop outside the park, in my opinion, making a big mistake. But that's up to everyone...

Zhangjiajie Ice Forest. A photo

Probably, the main decoration of the day is a forest located almost on the very top of the mountain, shrouded in ice. It's really beautiful.

In custody. Is it worth going to Zhangjiajie Park in winter?

When I first arrived at the park, it was very windy and cold, the scenery did not inspire me, and I thought that visiting Zhangjiajie would not give me pleasure. In fact, it turned out to be one of the most interesting and beautiful places that we managed to see. I haven't been to the park in summer, but I strongly advise you to visit it in winter - just the right time.

Yes, it's cold here in the morning. Yes, there is no water on the mountain in the hostel, but all these are trifles and you can survive these inconveniences for several days. When you walk through the icy forest, feed funny monkeys or conquer the next peak, all the little things will be erased in your memory and only pleasant memories will remain. The park is magnificent, now I understand why so many people want to see it with their own eyes.

This is where my journey ends. I decided that the next mountain, which was supposed to be Huangshan and huge Shanghai, were no longer particularly interesting, and on this journey I found enough for myself. I’m flying home, in the next article I will briefly share my impressions, and also tell you how much this wonderful trip cost me.

Or you can just enjoy the views of Zhangjiajie National Park in China on video.

In China, in the north of the Hunan province, there is the Zhangjiajie National Park, which was created one of the first in the country. It included the protected natural areas of Tianzishan, Zhangjiajie, Sanzhi, Xuoxiu, Yangjiajie, as well as Lake Baofeng.

Zhangjiajie National Park (Hunan Province) can be visited throughout the year. Spring gives this unique nature reserve aromas of tropical flowers and magnificent greenery, summer gives stunning vegetation and mountain coolness, autumn fascinates with a riot of colors, winter wraps it with fluffy snow cover, turning the park into a fairy tale.

Zhangjiajie: history

Thanks to several photographs in popular publications and paintings by artists that were painted in Wulingyuan, the world learned that a natural pearl is located in the mountains of China. The Chinese government has officially recognized the forested part of the Wulingyuan region as Zhangjiajie National Park. It entered the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1992.

Ten years later, the Ministry significantly expanded this territory, and in 2004 the huge natural geopark entered the worldwide network of national parks.

Description

Zhangjiajie is a national forest park, the territory of which is divided into several large zones, each of which has its own characteristics and picturesque landscape. The park is a huge sandstone pillars located above the tropical forest, a labyrinth of karst caves, majestic waterfalls, amazing travertines, a picturesque lake, powerful rivers.

tianmenshan mountain

Locals often call her Tianmen. Its height is one and a half thousand meters. This mountain is famous for its very high Heaven's Gate Cave. Its height is one hundred thirty-two meters, length - sixty meters, width - fifty-seven. The cave arose as a result of erosion. During the collapse, a huge block of rock broke off from the mountain. Sometimes this cave is called fabulous due to the belief that it is connected with the sky.

"Yellow Dragon"

Zhangjiajie National Park, the photo of which you can see in this article, is famous for its caves. One of the most beautiful in the world is the four-tiered karst cave "Yellow Dragon". Its height is more than 140 meters, and its depth is about fifteen kilometers.

Inside there are thirteen halls, more than a hundred galleries, four waterfalls, two underground rivers and three lakes, thousands of stalagmites, stalactites, stalagmats. The rarest stalagmite reaches twenty meters in height and only ten centimeters in diameter.

yangjiajie

In the northeast, Zhangjiajie National Park is adjacent to this protected area. It includes the Xiangzhi stream, the Longquan and Baihou valleys. These places are known for steep steep cliffs and the Dragon Spring waterfall. It drops streams of water from a high cliff, which is very picturesquely entwined with ivy and amazingly beautiful flowers.

Bailung elevator

Every year more and more tourists are interested in Zhangjiajie National Park. How to get here, we will tell a little later, but for now we will continue to get acquainted with its sights.

For tourists in the park, all conditions are created for a comfortable inspection of the unique reserve. Most tourist routes are connected by funiculars and cable cars, which greatly facilitate the ascent to the peaks.

The glass elevator "Hundred Dragons" (Bailong Elevator) was created to deliver tourists to the three hundred-meter mountain. It is located in the very center of the park and connects the upper and lower levels of the reserve. Before his appearance, tourists were forced to climb the stairs. The road was quite tiring and long. Today, most travelers prefer to quickly take the glass elevator. If you are lucky, you can be in the front rows of passengers, which will allow you to admire the stunning views that open from the observation glass of the lift.

It should be noted that this elevator is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest, highest, with an open view and also the most powerful - it can lift fifty people at the same time.

glass bridge

This unique building was opened in the park in August 2016. Zhangjiajie National Park, whose photos are fascinating, became the owner of the longest and highest glass bridge in the world. The author of the unusual project was the architect Chaim Dotan. The cost of developing and then implementing the project amounted to almost three and a half million dollars.

The structure is located at a height of three hundred meters above a deep abyss. The bridge is four hundred and thirty meters long and six meters wide. The glass bridge in Zhangjiajie National Park connects two cliffs and consists of steel, extra strong structures and ninety-nine slabs of three-layer glass. This building is able to withstand eight hundred people at the same time.

Interestingly, on the day of its grand opening, the number of people wishing to see the structure with their own eyes amounted to a record figure - eight thousand people. Everyone who was lucky enough to visit Zhangjiajie National Park that day left enthusiastic reviews. Nothing compares to walking over a bottomless abyss that can be seen through glass slabs.

Due to the huge influx of people, two weeks later, the park administration temporarily closed the bridge for reconstruction. However, the management assured that this was not due to any damage. After carrying out preventive work to strengthen the structure, the bridge was reopened to the public.

Stream "Golden Whip"

This area is recognized as the easiest to explore, as it is located at the foot of the mountains in the valley and does not have steep climbs. Along the stream, the hiking trail stretches for almost eight kilometers. From this area, you can climb up to Yuanjiajie or take a walk to the Yellow Stone Village.

Tourists note that a walk here is very pleasant - one feels such a welcome unity with nature. Crowds of tourists are found only in some areas, so you can enjoy the sound of water in the stream, the cheerful chirping of birds, and picturesque views of the mountains.

In this zone, at one of the stops, very insidious monkeys live. Tourists try to treat them with all sorts of sweets. Do not do this. These cute, at first glance, animals are very cunning and dexterous - they can completely unnoticed leave you without wallets, phones and other valuables. In addition, they often show aggression towards humans.

Vegetation

China's Zhangjiajie National Park amazes tourists with a variety of flora and its beauty. Scientists believe that the tropical humid climate and varied terrain contributed to the emergence of dense forests in Wulingyuan. Vegetation here develops much faster than in neighboring provinces of the country.

More than seven hundred and seventy species of plants grow in the park. Among them there are very rare specimens. These include gingko biloba, the softest chestnut (Chinese), pigeon tree, and on the plains travelers can see compact tangerine groves.

But the large white stipules of the pigeon tree swaying in the wind, which resemble a huge flock of white doves, make a special impression on visitors to the park.

Animals in the park

Zhangjiajie National Park has become home to more than five hundred species of different animals. Twenty-eight of them are rare, and therefore are under constant protection. These include:

gigantic salamander;
big panda;
golden snub-nosed monkey;
leopard.

In the 20th century, a waterfall suddenly fell into the gorge from the top of Mount Tianmen. This happened four times. The streams of water broke off for fifteen minutes, and then just as suddenly stopped.
On the stairs, numbering 999 wide steps, you can go to the cave "Heaven's Gate".
Along the top of the massif, at an altitude of 1500 m, a footpath has been laid. Above especially picturesque and steep cliffs, it was made of high-strength glass.

China, Zhangjiajie National Park: how to get there?

If you want to see unusually beautiful landscapes, then you need to visit this unique place. To see the Zhangjiajie National Park, you must first get into the city of the same name, and then get to the small villages located at the entrances to the park. There are several ways to get to the city: by plane, train, bus. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

By plane

If you plan to visit Zhangjiajie National Park and spend as little time as possible on the road, then this option is more suitable for you than others. By plane you can fly from other major cities of the country. The airport is located five kilometers from the city center. Aircraft from Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Tianjin and other cities of the country fly here daily.

You can get from the airport to the city by bus or taxi, which will take you to the entrance to the park for 100 yuan ($15).

By train

Zhangjiajie National Park is of great interest to all tourists coming to the country, so many trains leave here. We want to warn you that this option is suitable for those who have a supply of free time and patience. A little reference: the road from Beijing to the destination takes about twenty-six hours, and the ticket will cost sixty dollars (reserved seat) and one hundred (compartment). Zhangjiajie Railway Station is conveniently located close to the city center and the airport.

By bus

There are several bus stations in the city. They arrive flights from different cities of China. Departure schedule, cost of the trip, travel time must be specified at the bus stations.

When you arrive in the city in a convenient way for you, it remains to find the Zhangjiajie National Park (China). How to get to the territory of the reserve? You need to go to one of the entrances, at which small villages are located. You can stay overnight there.

The nearest entrance to the city is 32 km away and is called Zhangjiajie Village. Forty kilometers from the city is the entrance to the Wulingyuan area. The third one is the furthest from the city. It is located near Mount Tianji and is not very popular with tourists.

Where to settle?

The city of Zhangjiajie offers a good selection of hotels, but settling here will have to spend money and time on the road every day. And that's about two hours a day. It is more expedient to stop in the village at the entrance to the park - you will save time on the road.

In almost all these villages there are several comfortable hotels. If you wish, you can stay in a hotel on the territory of the park, unless, of course, you are not afraid of the Spartan living conditions: there are frequent interruptions in electricity, water, and Internet outages. After the closure of the park, tourists cannot leave its territory, which, you see, is not very convenient.

Opening hours and cost of visiting

Zhangjiajie National Park can be visited throughout the year. Opening hours depend on the season:

in summer - from 7.00 to 19.00;
in winter - from 7.30 to 17.00.

In summer it is not at all hot here, and in winter there are no severe frosts.

Entrance tickets can be purchased in two types:

for seven days - 298 yuan;
4 days - 245 yuan.

It is better to come to the park early, then you will have the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauties in relative silence.
If you want to use the Bailong elevator, then it is also better to do it in the morning and go down before 16:00. Otherwise, you can spend about four hours in line.
There will be a lot of walking in the park, so prepare comfortable shoes so that they do not rub. The same can be said about clothing: it should be comfortable.
To save energy for longer to explore the park, combine walking with the use of cable cars and a lift.
When going to the park, be sure to take a map (you can buy it at the entrance), sunscreen, cash, water and food. You can buy food in the park, but the prices are excessively high. The most affordable in these shops are fruits, corn, fried potatoes (about 10 yuan).
Chinese and international students studying in China can purchase tickets at half price. But this applies to young people under 24 years old. When buying discounted tickets, you must present your passport.
Keep purchased tickets separate from those of friends or relatives. The fact is that each of them has a number to which fingerprints are attached. If you take the ticket of your husband, friend, the system will refuse to let you through the turnstile.

Remember the place called Pandora with its fabulous mountains from the movie "Avatar" by James Cameron? It turns out that it really exists, and all the sketches for the film were made right here, in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park 湖南张家界国家森林公园. You won’t find a movie here either, but these stunning landscapes will stick in your memory for a long time, and the photos will amaze friends and acquaintances.,

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 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 cliffs, which reach a height of 800 meters, and the highest peaks of the Wulingyuan massif reach a height of more than 3 kilometers. The mountain peaks are covered with dense crowns of trees, many of which are more than one century old.

Photo 1.

The national park was opened in 1982. And 10 years later it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The area of the park is 13,000 sq. km. Over 500 different species of animals live in this territory, as well as quite rare plant species. Among them there are such as gingko, pigeon tree, mahogany, and the animal world is 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 with visiting an exhibition of traditional Chinese paintings, only all the beauties 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, which make up 70% of the local population. Despite the fact that Han culture had a huge impact on their traditions, they managed to preserve the national language, as well as traditional costumes, holidays, and even a special architectural style.

Photo 2.

So, after a long 26 hour drive from Guilin to Zhangjiajie, I finally made it to the park.

Entrance to the park is paid, it is possible to buy a two-day ticket for 245 yuan and a subscription for a week for 298. Tickets include domestic bus transportation (yes, the park is large, you can’t walk up here on foot). As it turned out later, they were not included in the price : lifts, escalators and a train that runs through the park. The fee for them is separate, the prices are about 50 yuan one way.

If you are under 24 and have your student ID with you, there is a substantial discount on entry.

Tickets are checked only at the entrances to the park, no one checks tickets in the park itself, so you can easily “live” there for a month with a two-day ticket. But due to the relatively high prices in the park itself, you will most likely have to go out to withdraw money or buy provisions.

Accommodation in Zhangjiajie

There are two accommodation options:

In the town near the park there are many hotels and guesthouses for every pocket.
In the park itself.

But there is a small nuance here. Living in the city and entering the park in the morning, you will have to wait out huge queues every time, especially during the summer holidays and the celebrations of the Chinese New Year.
Living in the park itself, you can walk along it from the moment the buses start running in the morning, but the quality of housing there leaves much to be desired.

Photo 3.

I chose to stay in the park, it was important for me to be there from morning to evening. I stayed at the guesthouse of the Yoth International hostels network (phone 0744-5713568), you can book places through Hostelworld. In order not to get confused, these guest houses in Zhangjiajie are 2-one in the park itself , and the second is near the railway station.

This is very convenient, because you can come, check in at a guest house near the railway station, from there check if there are free rooms in their branch in the park and the coolest thing is that you can leave large backpacks or ask them to be delivered to a hostel in the park and then you won’t You will need to carry all your luggage with you. Of course, I learned about all this only a few days later, dragging all the luggage on me to the park.

Price:

40 yuan per dorm (several beds in a room)
120 yuan for a double room (dhusroom room)

Photo 4.

To find a hostel, I recommend visiting these guys http://backpacker-ru.livejournal.com/36853.html, they even have a map on their website that they filled out with useful information.
Bus drivers do not understand English, out of the four respondents, only 1 understood where I wanted to go, despite the fact that I had a map in Chinese and the hostel was marked with a circle, so it’s better to ask questions to the guides that came to hand.

Nuance: The walking road to the hostel is very long, about two hours, and you need to overcome a huge number of steps (600 m up). So it's better to pay 50 yuan and take the elevator.

While I was running around the park with a backpack on my shoulders, local residents approached me and offered to stay with them for the night, so besides this hostel, there are apparently other affordable housing options.

Photo 5.

During the day, the park is crowded..better to come early or closer to closing
Buses run until 7 pm, roads in the park are not lit at night, walking is not recommended
If you come for 2-3 days, use the buses, visit the main viewpoints
If you come for 3+ days, get off the main route there and it's quieter and much more beautiful
If you save money, you have to walk a lot

Photo 6.

There were 7 days in Zhangjiajie, a ticket for this period costs 301 yuan. They left for the National Park through the central entrance in the morning (8-9 am) and returned in the evening (4-5 pm). There are many routes inside the park that you get on (from the central square inside the park) on free buses. You reach a certain place, then - at will: on foot or, after visiting one place, you change to another bus and go further. Inside the park, you can also move around on cable cars (2 closed, 1 small - open), on an elevator located in the rock (from it you can take pictures through the glass), on foot.

The park is located in the mountains, the weather is often rainy and foggy, so you need appropriate shoes (possibly changeable with you), raincoats. You can’t seriously eat in the park, so either snacks (fried potatoes, chestnuts, fish, etc.) or take it with you. Water (drinking) is everywhere, however, it is cheaper to take it with you from the city (village). There are 5 entrances to this "complex" (since the national park is only one of the 5 territories). On one of these territories there is a lake, on the other - a cave (these are separate entrances for a fee). It is better to live in a tourist village, which is close to the main entrance. From the city of Zhangjiajie, you need to get to the entrance to the park by bus (11 yuan) or by taxi, the journey time is about 40 minutes. Huge opportunities for filming with a camera and / or camera, even if there is fog. Worth visiting: Cave (Soxiyue Park), Baofeng Lake, Nat. park - repeatedly, on its territory it is obligatory to drive on all cable cars, the Bailong elevator, take a short trip on the funicular train (round trip), walk along different paths along the Golden Whip Stream (you can take a rickshaw, about 300 yuan), walk along path with a glass floor: unforgettable, because there is an abyss under your feet, and there are rocks all around, and from the city itself on a cable car (7 km) climb Mount Tianmen, where the Heavenly Gate is located, 999 steps lead to it, which must be walked (up / down), down to the entrance then take the bus down the serpentine road.

Stunning impressions! It is also necessary to visit the Huanglong Cave (an underground lake on which they ride a boat, many stalactites, stalagmites, the largest is 19.4 m, everything is highlighted, it turns out well in photographs). So, to travel around the park, you need to have: a camera and / or a camera, shoes (including interchangeable ones), waterproof clothes, food and drink with you in a backpack (optional), it’s better to live on a tour. village near the entrance to the nat. park, get ready for the fact that almost no one SPEAKS ENGLISH, the inscriptions inside the park are in Chinese and English, there are also maps with routes inside the park, but it is desirable to have a skill in order to understand them, a little bit of desire and ability walk (a lot!), and also - GREAT DESIRE TO SEE ALL THIS! You need to prepare to either study everything in advance (Internet forums, testimonials from those who have visited), or take a guide-interpreter with knowledge of English (at least!) Language, and also - if you can find - texts in Russian (English) with a number written in Chinese characters denoting a particular place or name, so that you can show what exactly you need.

And one more note: if you are not too fond of national Chinese food, then it will be a little difficult, then you can eat in small cafes where you can show what you specifically want to eat (chicken, rabbit, fish, vegetables), they will immediately cook for you , not bad, or eat fast food in Chinese, we found only one burger. But this is all about living in the countryside, and not in the city, where there is McDonald's and, I think, many other restaurants and cafes. Good luck! Go - you won't regret it!

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Feelings that you experience while in the mountains of Zhangjiajie National Park or the Wulingyuan place are indescribable in words and photos. These protected places in the Hunan province of southeast China must be seen with your own eyes. Mysterious mountain paths, the abyss along the edge of which you walk in search of fantastic landscapes, clouds leaving from under your feet and rocks surrounded by subtropical forests, the intoxicating air of the Suosi Valley, the magic of Baofeng Lake…

You can fly to Zhangjiajie from almost any major city in China, you can also come by train. It is more convenient to settle in the village of Wulingyuan or in the village at the entrance to the Zhangjiajie National Park. Entrance to the park for 3 days costs 245 yuan. The territory of the reserve is huge, it is worth downloading a map in advance and exploring the area, you can buy a map at the entrance to the park, you should take a compass with you, secluded tempting paths can lead to unexpected places. Tourist buses run around the park, a cable car has been built, and even a Bailong elevator with a transparent cabin that lifts through the rocks to the very top. If you get hungry, you can have a bite of fried potatoes, fish, chestnuts, flatbread, cooked in the old fashioned way in the fresh air by locals, and again on the road for impressions.

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