Zhangjiajie Travel Tip: Do Look Down
Updated 11:08, 28-Jun-2018
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By CGTN’s Tianran He and He Yingjie
Zhangjiajie has always been famous, and after the success of Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar", it’ll forever be known in the West as "the place with the floating mountains". In reality, Zhangjiajie is home to several scenic areas, and for thrill-seekers there’s no better place to visit than the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park.
Tianmen Mountain Cableway/ CGTN Photo

Tianmen Mountain Cableway/ CGTN Photo

At nearly 7.5km, the world’s longest passenger cableway takes you direct from the heart of Zhangjiajie city to the lush summit of Tianmen Mountain. The views are undoubtedly breath-taking (but don’t forget to inhale – it’s a 30-minute-ride) as you rise above dramatic limestone cliffs and burst through swirling mist banks to arrive in what feels like the heavens themselves. For those worried about safety, the cableway was built and is maintained by POMA, a French company specialising in ski and cable lifts since 1936. So, all that needs to concern you, is getting those jaw-dropping shots on your DSLR.
Cliff-hugging Walkway/CGTN Photo

Cliff-hugging Walkway/CGTN Photo

If you’ve not been fazed by the cable-car ride, try making a loop around the mountain via its cliff-hugging walkway, and if that doesn’t give you wobbly knees, a stroll along the 100-meter-long glass skywalk on “Coiling Dragon Cliff” may just do the trick. There’s a drop of 1.4km here, and you don’t even have to peer over the railings to imagine yourself hurtling towards a misty abyss – you just have to look straight down past your feet.
999 Steps to Tianmen Cave/CGTN Photo

999 Steps to Tianmen Cave/CGTN Photo

Fittingly, Tianmen translates as “Heaven’s Door”, and the 130-meter-tall gaping hole in the mountains that is Tianmen Cave does indeed look like a gateway to another world. You won’t be alone in thinking how cool it must be to fly through that hole. The World Wingsuit League held its first and second championships here, and many times stunt pilots have barrel-rolled and twisted through this yawning cleft. We might not all be daredevils, but there is definitely something addictive about the adrenaline rush you can get at Tianmen Mountain.
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park/CGTN Photo

Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park/CGTN Photo

1315km