Zhangjiajie (张家界 Zhāngjiājiè) is a small provincial city in northwestern Hunan Province, China. It is significant for its proximity to Tianmen Mountain and Wulingyuan.
Located in the Lishui upper reaches, is a Wuling mountains hinterland. It is one of the most important tourist cities in mainland China. Zhangjiajie City has jurisdiction over Yongding District, Wulingyuan District, Cili County, and Sangzhi County. Among them, Yongding District and Wulingyuan District are the two main urban areas. Tourists usually arrive in Yongding District before going to other places to visit.
The city has a recorded history dating back to 221 BC. Its name was Dayong (大庸) until 1994 when it was renamed to link it to the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (itself named after a tiny village now known as Zhangjiajie village or Zhangjiajie Cun), which came within city borders after Dayong had become a prefecture-level city in 1988. This name was adopted to give the city more prominence after this site had been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The name Zhangjiajie is linked to the Han Dynasty general and minister Zhang Liang (died about 189 BCE). By some accounts he lived in seclusion on this mountain after retirement.
Zhangjiajie City has complex and diverse strata, creating a local characteristic landscape. Zhangjiajie is at the junction of the uplift of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the subsidence area of Dongting Lake. There are mountains, karsts, hills, hills, and plains in the landforms. The mountainous area accounts for 76% of the total area. The central part is along the banks of the Lishui River in a north-easterly direction, and the southern mountains are descending towards the Yuanshui River. The rivers in the city are vertical and horizontal, and the water system is mainly Lishui and Lushui.
Zhangjiajie has a typical monsoon humid climate in the middle subtropical mountains, with four distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, sufficient sunshine, a long frost-free period, and a short severe cold period. The average annual sunshine is 1440 hours, the average temperature is 16 degrees, the average annual precipitation is about 1400 mm, and the average frost-free period over the years is 216 to 269 days. Due to the influence of topography, landform, and other factors, the climate in the territory is complex and changeable, and natural disasters such as droughts, floods, strong winds, and hail are also frequent.
Zhangjiajie has a large temperature difference between day and night, and the temperature difference between the four seasons is relatively small. The temperature difference between the core scenic spots in Zhangjiajie and the urban area is about 5-10 ℃, the hottest time is 39 ℃ in the urban area, and about 30 ℃ in the scenic area. In summer, you need to bring sunscreen and sleep with a thin quilt at night, so it is best to bring long-sleeved clothing when staying at the top of the mountain at night. Spring and autumn are the best time to travel to Zhangjiajie.
Zhangjiajie is about 250 km (155 mi) northwest of Changsha.
Line A, in the direction of Nanzhuangping, reaches the Airport Hotel, Ziwu Road, Beizheng Street, the department store, the bus station, the pedestrian street, the railway station, and then back to the airport via Guanliping.
Line B, the direction of Guanliping, goes through the railway station, the pedestrian street, the bus station, the department store, Xianglong International Hotel, Beizheng Street, Ziwu Road, the airport hotel, and back to the airport via Nanzhuangping.
Intercity buses from Changsha take 5 hours and are boarded at the Changsha West bus terminal (a fancy new building that resembles a shopping mall, next to the Wangchengpo subway stop). These buses run approximately hourly with the last bus departing around 19:00. Fare is about ¥120.
Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station operates minibusses that will take you next to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park's entrance. You do not need to buy a ticket at the Central Bus Station ticket window, simply go through security, keep to the left and make your way outside through Exit 1. The bus fare to the park is ¥12, and you pay the driver directly. Keep in mind that these are older minibusses that are used primarily by local commuters to their job sites. Many stops will be made to pick up and drop off people along the route. The terminus appears to be a partially constructed hotel or apartment complex about five minutes on foot from the park entrance. The trip is about 1hr 20min, and the roads are substandard as of Jan 2018. Once you are done in the park, return to the location you were dropped off at. Busses will be waiting to return you to the Central Bus Station. The minibusses depart in both directions about every 20-30 minutes. The first bus leaves the Central Bus Station at 06:30 the last one returns from the park around 18:00.
Wulingyuan (武陵源), Wulingyuan District (武陵源区) (take a bus from either Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station or the bus station at the Zhangjiajie West Railway Station), +86 744 5611109. The natural scenery of Wulingyuan is magical with mountain peaks. Among them, there are more than 3,000 strange peaks, with vivid images,and magnificent momentum. The main scenic spots in Wulingyuan are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve and the Yangjiajie Scenic Area. See the Wulingyuan article for further details. ¥224 2022-10-29
Maoyanhejiutiandong, 29.323941°, 110.120295°. Zhangjiajie Maoyan River Jiutian Cave AAAA Tourist Scenic Spot, starting from Jiutian Cave in Sangzhi County in the west, passing through Kuzhu Village, a thousand-year-old town, to Kuzhu River Grand Canyon known as the mysterious canyon and Maoyan River drifting known as Baili Gallery. The Jade Emperor Grottoes, a group of grottoes ending in the south, are more than 100 km long. 2022-10-10
Zhangjiajie is the entry point for trips to two stunning nearby sites: Tianmen Mountain and Wulingyuan Scenic Area. There are also some less prominent natural attractions in the area.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, 29.123549°, 110.464029°, +867448305599. The general admission ticket for Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area is valid for three days. If you want to play more fully, you can refer to the following route. 2022-11-17
Huangshizhai Scenic Area, 29.330695°, 110.429313°. 08:30-17:00. Famous attractions: Boudoir Gate welcoming guests, Five Finger Peak, Front Garden. 2022-11-24
Yuanjiajie, 29.239538°, 110.522865°. 07:00-18:00. Famous attractions: the first bridge under the sky. 2022-11-24
Golden Whip Stream, 29.337094°, 110.439173°. 7:00-18:00. Famous attractions: Divine Eagle protecting the whip, Golden Whip Rock, Huaguo Mountain, Waterfall Cave. 2022-11-24
Yangjiajie, 29.367528°, 110.407986°. 08:30-16:00. Famous attractions: the world's first wonder waterfall Longquan Waterfall. 2022-11-24.
Tianzi Mountain, 29.402685°, 110.42347°. 08:00-16:00. Famous attractions: Tianzi Peak, Tianzi Cave. 2022-11-24.
Wulongzhai, 29.472174°, 110.53073°. 08:00-17:00. Wulongzhai, formerly known as "Black Dragon", is a newly developed attraction in Yangjiajie, which is only 20% developed in Yangjiajie. The original name of Wulongzhai is "Black Dragon Walled City", which used to be a place where bandits lived. 2022-11-24
People’s Square Commercial Pedestrian Street, 29.124711°, 110.490154°. A more famous snack street with many specialties and local snacks. The People's Cinema is nearby. 2022-11-24
Tianzi Street Ethnic Tourism Mall, 29.345697°, 110.552772°. 10:00-22:00. Shopping Plaza. It mainly sells specialty products, and there are many stores where you can compare before buying. There are supermarkets, movie theaters, and restaurants inside. 2022-11-24
There are limited food options in the park, and what is available is offered at highly inflated prices. It is advised that you bring food and water with you to the park. Here is a selection of food in the city, which can be visited after a scenic tour.
Zhangjiajie berry tea is a specialty of Zhangjiajie's Yongding District.
Accommodation in Zhangjiajie is typically around ¥170. There are many options within walking distance surrounding the train/bus station. There are many hotels and shops outside the Forest Park Ticket Station, which are very lively. Some tourists choose to live here, but it is not as convenient as living in the park.
Though Tianmen Mountain and Wulingyuan are major tourist attractions, perhaps 99% of their visitors are native Chinese. So you will find it surprisingly difficult to change foreign currency. There appear to be no currency exchange stores. Perhaps the only place to change money is a bank, such as the Bank of China (follow the main road north of the bus/train station area, it is at the first major intersection north of the river, about a 15-minute walk from the bus/train stations).
Wulingyuan, however, is rumored to have currency exchange stores.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division