Zhangjiajie
The real-life floating mountains of Avatar — the single most viral Chinese landscape on Western social media.
Best time
April–May and September–October
Suggested stay
3–4 days
Getting there
High-speed rail or fly from Changsha (~2.5–3 h); the national park is ~40 min from the city.
Don't miss in Zhangjiajie
The experiences Western travelers rate highest here.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
3,000 quartz-sandstone spires rising from subtropical forest — China's first national park.
Avatar Hallelujah Mountain
The 1,074-m pillar that inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountain in Avatar — renamed in honor of the film.
Tianmen Mountain
The world's longest cable car (7.5 km) to a 1,519-m clifftop — glass skywalks and the Heaven's Gate arch.
Grand Canyon Glass Bridge
A 430-m glass-bottomed bridge slung 300 m over a canyon — walk it if your knees allow.
Bailong Elevator
The world's tallest outdoor elevator — 326 m up a sheer cliff face in under two minutes.
Keep exploring
More destinations at the same level of the journey.
Beijing
The capital and the single strongest draw for Western tourists — Great Wall, Forbidden City and 3,000 years of imperial history on one subway map.
Xi'an
Eastern terminus of the Silk Road and home of the Terracotta Army — the ancient capital every history-loving Westerner comes for.
Shanghai
China's gateway city and the #1 inbound destination for both American and European visitors — colonial waterfront meets Blade Runner skyline.
Guilin & Yangshuo
The karst landscape on the 20-yuan note — the scenery Westerners picture when they imagine 'China'.