Zhangjiajie is a city in northwest Hunan, in the Wuling Mountains, and its Wulingyuan scenic area is known for thousands of quartz-sandstone pillars rising out of forest. UNESCO listed Wulingyuan as a World Natural Heritage Site in December 1992. The pillars are often linked in popular accounts with the floating mountains in the film Avatar. Most visitors base themselves in the Wulingyuan area or the city and spend two to three days.
| Wulingyuan | about 391 km², core area over 250 km²; 3,103 sandstone pillars and over 800 streams; World Natural Heritage since December 1992; 5A rating in 2007 |
|---|---|
| Pillars | between 500 and 1,100 m elevation, from tens of meters to 400 m tall; 75% to 95% quartz |
| Forest Park | China’s first national forest park, set up in 1982; 130 km² |
| Tianmen Mountain | main peak 1,518.6 m; cable car 7,455 m long with a 1,279 m rise; opened to visitors 6 September 2005 |
| City | 9,534 km²; about 1.52 million residents, over 60% Tujia; renamed Zhangjiajie in 1994 (formerly Dayong) |
Wulingyuan and the sandstone pillars
Wulingyuan combines four areas: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and the Suoxiyu, Tianzishan and Yangjiajie reserves. The name was proposed in the winter of 1984 by the painter Huang Yongyu. “Wulingyuan” was long a poetic name for a hidden paradise, used by the poets Wang Wei, Li Bai and Wang Anshi. Tourism began in the early 1980s, and the first forest park opened in 1982. The pillars are quartz sandstone, 75% to 95% quartz, which gives them their pure, thick form. Chinese Wikipedia counts 3,103 of them, standing between 500 and 1,100 meters above sea level, from tens of meters to 400 meters tall.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
The park covers 130 square kilometers with more than 2,000 peaks and 88% forest cover. Its main routes include Huangshizhai, the Golden Whip Stream, Yaozizhai, Pipa Stream, Shadaogou and others. Plan a full day, and use the park’s buses and lifts to reach the viewpoints; routes and closures change, so check the current map when you arrive.
Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain is in the Yongding district, outside Wulingyuan, and is named for Tianmen Cave, a natural arch 131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide and 60 meters deep. The cave opened in AD 263, when the local official reported it to the Wu ruler Sun Xiu, who took it as a good omen. The cable car is 7,455 meters long with a vertical rise of 1,279 meters, which Chinese Wikipedia describes as the longest of its type in the world. A 10.77-kilometer mountain road climbs from the base. The summit has a 60-meter glass walkway at about 1,430 meters. It opened to visitors on 6 September 2005. Falling rocks and other accidents have occurred at the site, so follow staff instructions and stay behind the barriers.
Planning Zhangjiajie
Two to three days covers Wulingyuan, the Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain. The climate is subtropical monsoon, with an average temperature of about 16 degrees and rain of around 1,400 millimeters a year, so bring rain gear in any season. Zhangjiajie fits into a trip with Fenghuang, Guilin and Chongqing; see Chongqing and our China tours.
Planning Zhangjiajie with Absolute Asia Tours
Absolute Asia Tours has planned private trips in Asia since 1989. For Zhangjiajie that means a hotel in Wulingyuan, a private guide who knows which routes and lifts are running, and a driver for Tianmen Mountain. We’re rated 4.8 out of 5 across about 900 traveler reviews. See our China tours or tell us your dates.
Sources (read in Chinese, Chinese Wikipedia): 张家界市, 武陵源, 天门山, 张家界国家森林公园. Last checked November 2026.
Zhangjiajie: FAQ
Why is Wulingyuan famous?
For 3,103 quartz-sandstone pillars in forest, listed as a World Natural Heritage Site in December 1992.
Was Zhangjiajie the model for Avatar?
Popular accounts link its pillars with the floating mountains in the film. We have not verified a statement from the filmmakers, so treat it as an association.
How tall is Tianmen Cave?
131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide and 60 meters deep.
How long is the Tianmen Mountain cable car?
7,455 meters, with a vertical rise of 1,279 meters.
How many days do you need in Zhangjiajie?
Two to three days for Wulingyuan, the Forest Park and Tianmen Mountain.
Photo: ICOLEF / visualtravelguide.com, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Sandstone pillars of the Tianzi Mountains.
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