Wulingyuan Scenic Area is made up two smaller scenic areas: the larger Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and Suoxiyu, with Baofeng Lake and Yellow Dragon Cave nearby. It was listed as World Natural Heritage in 1992 and as a World Geopark in 2002.
Features
Wulingyuan Scenic Area has a peculiar natural landscape, which features sandstone mesas, dense forests, and deep ravines. This is the stuff of traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
The five most spectacular sights are the unusual peaks, deep canyons, beautiful waters, thick forests, and mysterious caves.
The scenery of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park- The peculiar peaks refer to the 3,000 or more mountain peaks made of quartz sandstones. The three representative peaks are Camel Peak, Drunk Stone Peak, and Five Finger Peak, which are elegant and magnificent.
- The deep canyons refer to 32 canyons, each more than 2,000 meters in length. The most famous ones are Jinxi Canyon, Shentang Canyon, and 10-Li Gallery Canyon.
- The beautiful water refers to the more than 800 waterscapes in the scenic area, including streams, springs, lakes, pools, and waterfalls.
- Caves of different shapes can be found here. The most outstanding is Yellow Dragon Cave, which contains beautiful stalactites.
- The rural landscapes also attract a lot of visitors. The local farmers are hospitable and you may visit their homes.
Best Times to Visit
The winter scenery of Zhangjiajie National Forest ParkZhangjiajie is picturesque to visit at any time of the year, but April to October is recommended, as winters are cold and the tourist areas are less accessible.
- In the spring, it has green grass and beautiful flowers.
- In the summer, the forest and waters offer a good place to escape the extreme heat.
- In the autumn, the air is dry and the colors of the different plants and fruits make it appear like an oil painting.
- In the winter, snow covers the mountain, and this is the best time for visitors to enjoy the plum blossom.
Cuisine
You may want to try the local Tujia food, such as sour fish, loaches with bean curd, and stewed chicken with Gastrodia elata soup. The fragrant tea in the Wulingyuan area is quite good. Other local specialties include the gyrophora and Chinese gooseberry.
- Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Guilin/Yangshuo – Shanghai
- Beijing – Xi'an – Zhangjiajie – Yangtze River – Shanghai
Travel Essentials
Wulingyuan Scenic Area is a great place to photograph.Wulingyuan is about 40 km north of the city of Zhangjiajie. Catch tourist transport to the area you want to visit. Plan your tour well as the attractions are well spaced out.
Finding accommodations is easy, as there are a lot of hotels at Wulingyuan. See detailed information about where to stay.
China Highlights can help you customize a tour to visit Wulingyuan Scenic Area and other Zhangjiajie Attractions.
- 6 Days Zhangjiajie Tour from Shanghai
- 9 Days Minority Discovery in Zhangjiajie and Guizhou
- 6 Day Essence of Guangzhou and Zhangjiajie Tour
Other Zhangjiajie Attractions
- Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Baofeng Lake
- Yellow Dragon Cavern
- Tianmen ('Heaven's Gate') Mountain
- Zhangjiajie's Bailong Elevator: Do You Dare Ride It?
Touring Zhangjiajie with Us
Our most popular Zhangjiajie Tour for your reference:
- 5-Day Zhangjiajie Hiking and Biking Tour for Any Level
- 4-Day Essence of Zhangjiajie Tour
- More Zhangjiajie Tours
- Or we can help you customize a tour to visit Yellow Dragon Cave and other Zhangjiajie attractions.
