China's First National Forest Park, Filming Location for 'Avatar', Tickets Costing 225 for 4-Day Visit
National Forest Park is the highest-level forest park in China, with abundant natural and humanistic landscapes. The establishment of National Forest Parks is not only for visitors to enjoy, but also plays an important role in the ecological protection of forests. Currently, there are nearly 900 National Forest Parks, and the first one to be listed as a National Forest Park is ‘Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’, with a history of 38 years.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located in Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province. When it was first established as a National Forest Park, it was called ‘Hunan Dayong Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’. Later, Dayong City was established due to tourism, and Wulingyuan District was added. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is located within Wulingyuan District, which is a national 5A-level tourist scenic area, namely Wulingyuan Scenic Area.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has a very large scale, with a total area of more than 4800 hectares. Most people are probably familiar with it. Especially the towering stone peaks, deep valleys and dense forest landscapes. The forest coverage rate is as high as 98%, which makes you feel like you are in a natural museum and a natural botanical garden. The scenery of mountains and rivers is breathtaking and unforgettable.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is also known for its beautiful and quiet natural scenery and original ecological environment, which has attracted many film and television dramas to shoot here. For example, the exterior shooting locations of the 1986 version of ‘Journey to the West’ were all shot here, and now there is a stone tablet to commemorate it.
However, the most peculiar thing in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is its unique sandstone peak landform landscape. Therefore, in 1992, it was listed by UNESCO in the ‘World Natural Heritage List’, and in 2004, it was listed as a World Geopark, attracting many domestic and foreign tourists to visit it.
There are more than 3000 towering peaks in this National Forest Park, and their shapes are like people, animals or objects, which are very realistic. When you stand on the viewing platform at the top of the mountain, you can see a very magnificent and grand view. That's why it has the reputation of ‘Three Thousand Strange Peaks and Eight Hundred Beautiful Waters’.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a national 5A-level tourist scenic area with many attractions, including Yuanjiajie, Huangshiqian, Jinbianxi, Yangjiajie, Shendao Gorge, Pipa River, Qizhaizhai, etc. Huangshiqian is the most famous attraction in the scenic area, with the saying ‘Without visiting Huangshiqian, it’s pointless to visit Zhangjiajie’.
Besides the shooting locations of ‘Journey to the West’ in this place, James Cameron’s science fiction blockbuster ‘Avatar’ has also been shot here. For film enthusiasts, especially those who like ‘Avatar’, they must be familiar with it.
Under blue sky and white clouds, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is not the most beautiful time. If it rains and the mist lingers between the mountains, the Zhangjiajie in that scene looks like a fairyland, a sight that can only be experienced by being there. It's a natural wonder.
There are buses to and from the scenic area from Zhangjiajie Railway Station, which takes about 40 minutes to reach the entrance of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The ticket price is 225 yuan per person. The ticket price is relatively expensive, but all the attractions are included, and the environmental protection vehicles are also included, with a validity period of 4 days. However, the Bailong Elevator, the small train and the cableway need to be purchased separately.
Do you have any experience visiting Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan? What impression do you have of the landscape there? Do you think it's worth visiting? Welcome to leave a comment.
