Among Natural Wonders: A Weekend in Zhangjiajie

Camera, hiking gear and other essentials packed, I was ready to trek the natural landscape. February falls in the off-season. Typically, it is recommended to visit this destination between April and October; however, I would highly recommend travelling in the off-season between December and March. While some sights are closed due to inaccessibility in winter, those you do see are absolutely worth it. Some of Zhangjiajie’s main attractions include the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Yellow Dragon Cave, Suoxiyu Nature Reserve, and Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve. During my trip, I visited parts of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area and Tianmen Mountain. Tianmen Mountain is like a winter wonderland, and Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is truly mystifying in winter. An additional bonus is avoiding the crowds that flock there during peak season.

Saturday marked the start of my excursion into Zhangjiajie’s natural landscape. My tour group began at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, home to the famous Avatar Mountains, also known as Hallelujah Mountain or Heavenly Pillar. It’s easy to see how professional photographer Mingfa Zhou has built an entire career from this one location. Standing among the towering pillars that disappear into the atmospheric mist, you can’t help but be in awe. Each day offers a new scene, and the changing seasons surely create picturesque moments.

You can easily spend the entire day in the park—just as we did. It was eight straight hours of being completely immersed in nature. The experience was surreal. The air was clear, the petrichor refreshing, and the sights incredible. The floating mountains are covered in greenery. You could hear the sounds of the forest clearly, especially the rushing streams. Along the trails, we also encountered macaque monkeys, which are far from timid. It would be easy to return day after day, even just for a walk. Although we were there all day, we barely scratched the surface. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is divided into six different areas, and we only visited two—Yuanjiajie Scenic Area and Tianzi Mountain.

Sunday brought the tour to an epic conclusion. The day began at the renowned Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge. There are many glass bridges in China, but this is the one that started the trend. Zhangjiajie is home to the world’s longest glass bridge. Constructed in 2016, the bridge is suspended 300 metres high. The view of Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is jaw-dropping. Of course, the bridge is not entirely made of glass; 99 glass panels line the centre, giving a dramatic view below. Still, that doesn’t stop the nerves and anxiety from kicking in while crossing. The screams of elderly ladies crossing do little to calm the nerves either.

Zhangjiajie is a haven for nature lovers and adventurers alike. If you’re a photography enthusiast, I would recommend a private tour, allowing you to lose track of time behind your lens. For hikers, it’s an excellent group experience—you wouldn’t believe how many steps you’ll accumulate! After exploring Zhangjiajie myself, it became clear why locals describe the city as small but vast in wonders. With attractions that will make you want to return, it’s easy to plan a weekend getaway and strike the perfect balance between work and travel.

The important question: Is it safe? Designed to be bomb-proof, it certainly is; however, I wouldn’t recommend jumping on the glass panels. In a previous incident, the glass cracked after 13 tourists jumped simultaneously on the same panel. Stricter rules are now in place when visiting the bridge. After taking plenty of photographs and soaking up the view, you can relax at a nearby café while still enjoying the scenery.

Following the glass bridge, we arrived at the highlight of the trip for me, Tianmen Mountain. Here, you can ride the world’s longest cable car to the summit. This cable car ride is not for the faint-hearted. It starts off gentle and level, before quickly ascending halfway through. Travelling in winter, you can watch the landscape transform into a winter paradise. You are literally carried up and through the clouds, as though entering heaven. This is the concept behind Tianmen Cave, otherwise known as “Heaven’s Door,” a naturally eroded hole in the mountain that you can see on the way up. At one point during the ascent, nothing was visible except fog—and my heart was racing.

The summit of Tianmen was a winter fairy-tale wonderland. This Florida girl was utterly astonished. Everything was covered in ice and snow. You could hear the ice cracking with each fall and the flutter of colourful birds amongst the ice-coated trees. An eerie calmness filled the mountain heights, contrasting with the exhilaration of crossing the cliff-hanging walkways and glass skywalks. It was the perfect end to a fantastic weekend.