Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, otherwise known as the Avatar Mountains, is one of those iconic spots that has become a China must-see.

About Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is a developed natural park full of different scenes/ stop-off points, dedicated hiking trails and facilities. This includes cable cars and an internal bus route. In fact, the park is so big that most tickets are valid for up to 4 days!

The park is made up of 5 different areas:

1. Yuanjiajie - the most popular and crowded area

2. Tianzi Mountain - photographers looking for inverted clouds, this is the spot

3. Yangjiajie - the tough, steep hiking trails part

4. Gold Whip Stream - chill walking

5. Laowuchang - the least developed area of the park

Yuanjiajie

The most popular part of the national park is Yuanjiajie, largely because of the spectacular views and the presence of the specific mountain named after the movie "Avatar".

While the easiest way up is the elevator, I'd recommend following the hiking trail, otherwise you can easily get caught up in a multi-hour queue

Tianzi Mountain

This is the spot to go to if you're looking for inverted cloud cover as a photographer. Take the cable car up there early and you'll be greeted by stunning views.

Tips:

1. Bring plenty of food and water. There are places to re-stock but you don't want to get caught in the heat without.

2. Arrive early and bring good footwear,