Zhangjiajie Travel Guide

 
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Explore Zhangjiajie

Things to Do  

Hiking in Zhangjiajie

Hiking in Zhangjiajie, Zhangjiajie

 Poling Says:  It is possible to stay in a "Tuo" minority's home inside the park and hence you can explore the whole area in two or three days. I stayed there in 2007 for two days but my guide does not speak English.Hiking in the mountain area is a very pleasant experience. The road is... 

The Emperor's Writing Brushes at Tianzishan

The Emperor's Writing Brushes at Tianzishan, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  Probably the best known single panorama at Zhangjiajie, the Emperor's Writing Brushes at Tianzishan are a breathtaking sight, spread along a valley. They do look like fifty paintbrushes sticking up from the forest floor and the mist creates an eery effect. This area is best... 

Tianmenshan National Park

Tianmenshan National Park, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  Tianmensan has recently opened as a National Park, although there has been access for a long time to the Tianmen archway which lies on one side of the mountain. The new area is the "plateau" at around 1200 metres and reached by the Tianmenshan Cable Car.The mountain is not... 

The Tianmenshan Cable Car

The Tianmenshan Cable Car, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  Opened in December 2005, the ride takes 31 minutes along the 7km up to the Tianmenshan, although not to the peak which is reachable on foor to the north from the top of the cable car.The cable car ride starts in the suburbs of Zhangjiajie City, on the south bank of the... 

Tianmen

Tianmen, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  In December 2005, a 7km long cable-car route replaced the buses that used to wind their way up the "99 Bends" to the Tianmenshan, the huge brooding mountain that hangs precariously above the airport. The mountain is best known for the natural arch, 137m high that became... 

Bailong Elevator

Bailong Elevator, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  This elevator was one of the facilities that has really angered many scientists and tourism specialists who cited it as being one of the most unnecessary tourism facilities in history. The 326 metre elevator runs for two-thirds of its height down the outside of a cliff and... 

Yuangjiajie - Part II

Yuangjiajie - Part II, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  In one or two places, the tourism people have simply runs out of superlatives and have erected signs that say, simply "Amazing View" or "Amazing Scenery". There's something in the Chinese psyche that seems to need to be told how to react to events. Like when Chinese friends... 

Hotels  

Kaitian International Hotel

 1 Review and 3 Opinions  The 4-star Kaitian Hotel is a drab modern hotel in Wulingyuan Village, so most convenient for... 

Restaurants  

De Sheng Lou Restaurant: hot! hot! and exciting!

De Sheng Lou Restaurant: hot! hot! and exciting!, Zhangjiajie

 Dorphineprincess Says:  Hunan cusine is known as spicy , if I may add ,I think , it's heavey as well. Everywhere I went , dishes just can't go without red peppers! Luckily, this Canton belly of mine was diverse enough to handle these, as a matter of fact , I found it amazing. I hit on this little... 

Boiled Potato in Soya Sauce

Boiled Potato in Soya Sauce, Zhangjiajie

 vincentf Says:  This is a delicious snack on a cold wintery day up in the mountains of Zhangjiajie. This snack costs RMB3. 

Nightlife  

Nighttime Fireworks
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Firecrackers

You can purchase extremely cheap firewoiks in China over the Lunar New Year holidays. Prices range from RMB2-20 for a medium size firecracker. You can purchase the RMB200 for a firecracker that is 3' tall!

Written Feb 10, 2004

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Transportation  

Zhangjiajie Airport

Zhangjiajie Airport, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  Very small airport, and most flights to and from Shanghai and Beijing are late at night.The airport terminal building is old, but well laid out, but passengers are all bused to the aircraft.The airport is close to Zhangjiajie city but 40km from the start of the mountain... 

Human Powered Transport

Human Powered Transport, Zhangjiajie

 vincentf Says:  If you're lazy and too tired to walk along the path in Golden Whip Brook, you can hire these guys to carry you along the entire trail for around RMB100-120 (bargain hard!). 

Shopping  

Baishutong Medicine
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Baishutong

This is the famed medicinal shop that originated in Beijing and has opened many branches around mainland China. This particular shop offers free foot reflexology for 1/2 hour.

What to buy: You can buy the special herbal package for soaking your feet for special healing powers for RMB200 (80 packages inside).

Written Feb 4, 2004

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Warnings and Dangers  

Hot spicy foods
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Instant Noodles

If you're not a fan of spicy foods, Hunan province may be not to your liking. People here eat everything laced with hot peppers or sprinkled with black pepper. Even the instant noodles are mostly chilli flavoured!

Written Feb 10, 2004

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Off The Beaten Path  

Fate at the Puguang Chan Temple - Part II

Fate at the Puguang Chan Temple - Part II, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  An hour later, my guide who had defiantly said that she was a total aetheist, received a phone call offering her an opportunity to travel to Beijing, Xi’an and Inner Mongolia as a lead tour guide. She had been talking a lot about how her dream was to travel to other places.... 

Fate at the Puguang Chan Temple - Part 1

Fate at the Puguang Chan Temple - Part 1, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  I am a bit jaded by temples. I have either visited, inspected or assessed more than one hundred of them in the last six months, and like karst scenery there is such a thing as “too much temple”. But no matter how many temples you have visited, you are in for a real treat at... 

Tujia Minority Museum, Zhangjiajie City

Tujia Minority Museum, Zhangjiajie City, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  There is a really fabulous little museum dedicated to the Tujia minority in Zhangjiajie City, in a traditional house, although it was built in 1991. A local philanthropist set it all up and donated his substantial collection of paintings, artefacts, furniture and... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Massage your feet at the end of a long walk!
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At the northern end of the Golden Whip Stream Walk is a short stretch of path which has been designed to exercise other muscles. There is a 50 metre length of path where the visitor is invited to remove their shoes and socks and walk along the cobbles to massage their weary feet. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh......Great!

Written Jul 7, 2006

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Favorites  

Tour Operators in Zhangjiajie - Part II

Tour Operators in Zhangjiajie - Part II, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  There are standard tours which make use of the natural links between places. Tianzishan, Yuangjiajie and Bailong on the eastern side of the park make a natural full day's excursion. You get up by the cable-car and descend later in the day by the world's weirdest elevator. If... 

Tour Operators in Zhangjiajie - Part I

Tour Operators in Zhangjiajie - Part I, Zhangjiajie

 mke1963 Says:  I prefer to guide myself around places in China, but Zhangjiajie is the kind of place where having things arranged for you and having a tour guide saves a lot of time and effort.Local guided tours vary in quality. Tour guides generally know their way around, the names of key... 

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Map of Zhangjiajie