Zhangjiajie

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Zhangjiajie Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Zhangjiajie Seasons

Almost any time is the year is good for visiting Zhangjiajie.

Spring - As with any temperate zone, spring is filled eith blossoms and fresh scents.

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Summer - The dense foliage and high elevation make the hot Chinese summers tolerable.

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Autumn - The autumn's riot of color is borne through the changing colors of the leaves.

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Winter - Though winter can be cold, snowfall turns the scenic area into a white and crystal wonderland.

Zhangjiajie is a rising tourist city famous for its unique natural scenery and abundant tourism resources. It is located in the northwest of Hunan province, about 400 kilometers away from Changsha, capital of Hunan, covering a total area of 9,563 square kilometers, with 76% mountainous area. Among the total population of 1.62 million, almost 72% people belong to ethic minorities, including Tujia, Bai and Miao nationalities.

Scenic Spots

Zhangjiajie is a prefecture city, consisting of Yongding and Wulingyuan Districts, Cili and Sangzhi Counties. Wulingyuan District is also called Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, listed in the "World Heritage Catalogue" by the UNESCO in 1992, as it is the most beautiful place in respect of natural scenery in China. What's more,it was accredited the title of "the World geological Park" and regarded as "Number-one miracle mountain in the world "and "Original manuscript of Chinese landscape painting,.

The outstanding landscape features in Zhangjiajie consist of Quartz Sandstone Peak Forest and Karst Caves which are rare in the world. Here you'll find yourself with hundreds of grotesque peaks, beautiful waters, towering trees, deep valleys, marvelous caves and exuberant forest, forming a complete primitive ecological environment. She is a perfect combination of the beauty of Guilin, the queerness of Huang Mountain, the peril of Hua Mountain and the magnificence of Tai Mountain. Therefore, She enjoys the reputation of "an enlarged potted landscaping", "a miniature fairyland" as well as "a maze of nature", integrating the characteristics of quietness, wildness, mystery, beauty, grotesqueness and elegance.

Of Zhangjiajie's magnificent mountains, Tianmen might be the most characteristic. A few kilometers south of the city stands a solitary cliff-faced mountain, within which is a huge opening, known as the Celestial Gate, which is itself the name of the mountain. In 1999, a group of international stunt pilots flew their planes through this opening.

It is said that Zhangjiajie has 3,000 peaks and 800 bodies of water, including springs, streams, lakes, waterfalls and pools. They never dry up even in drought years, and remain clear even after a heavy rain. The Yuanyang Waterfalls cascade from a height of 100 meters, their thunder echoing through the mountains. Baofeng Lake is a crystal-clear alpine lake cupped in green mountains.

Culture

Zhangjiajie boasts a unique landscape and human tradition. The area is inhabited by the Tujia, Bai and Miao ethnic minorities, who account for 77 percent of the local population. The mystery of their respective cultures brings still more enchantment to the picturesque scenery.

The Tujia people are native to the area. They live in stilt-frame houses that add a human element to the beautiful natural surroundings. The houses are made of timber, with wooden railings, grid windows and gray tiled roofs. A fenced courtyard generally surrounds the house. Of course, today many of these traditional houses are installed with TV sets and telephones.

The Wave Dance is a Tujia ceremonial group dance performed to the accompaniment of drums, gongs and singing, in which dancers wave their hands and advance in the same direction to a synchronized tempo. Its origins are ancient and unknown, and it became popular during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Back baskets are a common sight in Tujia villages and a primary form of transport for their younger members through the mountains. They come in different shapes and sizes according to their different purposes. Babies spend a large part of their infancy in such baskets, and women also use them to carry their laundry to the stream. In recent years, these back baskets produced by the Tujia people have been traded at the Chinese Export Commodities Fair in Guangzhou and are in popular demand with overseas traders.

Economy

Before Reform and Opening Up, Zhangjiajie's economy was dominated by traditional agriculture and the only industry in existence were the self-sufficient "five small industries." After 1978, when the 11th Party Congress was held, a new focus on regional tourism injected new life into Zhangjiajie's economy and raised its people's standard of living. Since the foundation of the modern city, the municipal government has attached great importance to the development of the tourist industry as the primary moneymaker in Zhangjiajie, and is working hard to bring the town step by step into the global tourist world.

Zhangjiajie Food

Zhangjiajie Dishes

Hunan Cuisine - The local Hunan cuisine is characterized by its aroma and spicy tastes. The noted dishes include bean curd with odor, spring roll, pork leg braised in soy sauce, hot and spicy chicken, slice beef etc.

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Tujia Dishes - Tujia hot pot, deeped-fried bee eggs and tuanniancai are typical dishes. Tuanniancai is traditionally eaten by the Tujia people during the New Year, a time when they would reflect on and pay tribute to their ancestors.

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Featured Zhangjiajie Restaurants

Zhangjiajie Entertainment

Shopping

Minority handicrafts - They include finely woven baskets with black line patterns and intricately [embroideries] (/china-guides/chinese-culture/embroidery/) shoes insteps. Wooden buckets and bamboo cradles are some of the other local specialties.

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Chinese medicinal herbs - Also plentiful in this region are Chinese medicinal plants and herbs. Many diffrent kinds of mushrooms are for sale. Ask for advice from local experts before buying.

Zhangjiajie Map

Zhangjiajie Location Map

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Zhangjiajie Attraction Map

Click to view larger map

Zhangjiajie Transportation

Get In

As a newly-rising tourist city, the transportation of Zhangjiajie has been developing dramatically.

Air - The Zhangjiajie Lotus Airport is 10km weat of downtown. There are shuttle buses into the city. It has connections with most major cities in China.

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Railway - Train service has greatly improved cutting the trip from Changsha to a mere a hours. there are also trains to [Zhengzhou] (/china-guides/china-city-guides/zhengzhou-henan/), [Guangzhou] (/china-guides/china-city-guides/guangzhou-guangdong/) and other regional centers.

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Get Around

Bus - There are 10 bus routes in Zhangjiajie now. The average fee for the bus is either 0.5 or 1 RMB per trip. These bus routes cover most parts of the city proper.

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Taxi - The starting price is 3 RMB. If you go to the railway station or the Lotus Airport by taxi, 15 RMB is enough.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - As the first state-level forest park in China, the park is clad with a vast expanse of primitive sub-tropical forests. Majestic, eccentric, tranquil, delicate and wild...

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Suoxi Valley - As the largest valley in Wulingyuan scenic zone, this area has over 100 scenic spots with charming waters and mountains.

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Mt. Tianzishan - It is noted for its peak forest, cloud sea, sunrise and winter snow. Enjoy splendid vistas of bizarre rock formations, precipitous cliffs, misty clouds and cascading waterfalls.

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Phoenix Town - A famous historical and cultural town which has a history spanning 1,300 years. Upon entering the town, visitors will be impressed by its air of mystery, elegance, and primitive simplicity, just like a phoenix.

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Zhangjiajie Highlights List

Natural Scene

• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
• Suoxi Valley
• Mengdonghe River
• Mt. Tianzishan
• Huangshi Village
• Jinbian Stream

Historical Site

• Phoenix Town
• Huanglongdong Cave
• Furong Town

Nightlife

• Charming Xiangxi

Zhangjiajie Highlights

Zhangjiajie FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. How are the four seasons in Zhangjiajie?
2. When is the best time to go there?

  Food

1. What can I buy there, is there any local specialty?
2. How does Zhangjiajie cuisine taste? Is it spicy?

  Travel

1. What to pack for a trip to Zhangjiajie?

  Customs

1. Are there any ethnic minority groups?

• How are the four seasons in Zhangjiajie?

  It's necessary for you to know something about your destination such as weather, the good time to travel there.

  Zhangjiajie is subtropical moist mountain climate, so the temperature is mild, rainfall is abundant, and frost period is short, the annual average temperature is 16C. Zhangjiajie is attractive all year round.

  In spring, all the flowers on mountains blossom, it is really a good time to do some hiking. In summer the forests flourish and are strongly fragrant, Zhangjiajie becomes a perfect place to spend summer. Autumn is a romantic season with the painting-like scenery, tourists have a lot to do here, like tasting fruit, hiking mountain. Winter provides tourists amazing scenery with snowy landscape, very suitable to admire plum blossoms in the snow.

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• When is the best time to go there?

  Generally speaking, Spring & Autumn is more suitable for traveling here, so, April, May, September, and October is the best time. However, please avoid coming here during golden week time as much as possible, then tourists are crowded and you have to pay much more for your food and accommodation.

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• What can I buy there, is there any local specialty?

  Zhangjiajie is also famous for local specialties, especially Chinese gooseberry fruit, Qingyan (green rock); Mingcui (tea green) Tea and Longxia (lobster) Tea. Don't worry; they don't cost you a lot.

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• How does Zhangjiajie cuisine taste? Is it spicy?

  Cuisine of Zhangjiajie is a little bit strong and spicy, but don't worry about it; we will try to provide proper food according to tourists' taste. Please tell us in advance if you have other requirements, we will try to make it for you!

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• What to pack for a trip to Zhangjiajie?

  • It rains a lot here, so bring umbrella or buy disposable raincoat, and wear comfortable clothes, light sports shoes if you plan to do hiking.

  • Also, don't forget to bring more clothes to keep warm in case of cold weather.

  • You'd better bring less carry-on baggage, but the things like sunscreen, medicine for insects' biting, cooling ointment should be included.

  • And bring more film to take photos, or you get to pay more for it here.

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• Are there any ethnic minority groups?

  There are mainly Tujia, Bai, Miao, Hui and other minority groups living in Zhangjiajie. No less than 7,000,000 minority peoples make up 50 of the total people there. Among them, Tujia ethnic minority people top first, next are Bai, Miao, and Hui. Other minority peoples include Man, Dong, and Yao. So, you definitely have a chance to enjoy distinctive ethnic folklore.
  

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