Original source
Cant Believe This is China (Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie)
Zhangjiajie's Avatar Mountains: A Family Adventure in China
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Hi, we are Stephen, Jess, Hunter and baby Koa - an Australian...
Hi, we are Stephen, Jess, Hunter and baby Koa - an Australian family who have had quite the journey. After travelling the world as a couple in 2020 we had our very first baby, we then spent the following year self-converted a van before moving into it full-time to drive around Australia. Cut to 2023 we welcomed our second child Koa into the world before resuming full-time travel around the world.
0:00 Intro
Embark on a breathtaking journey to Zhangjiajie, China, where the Avatar mountains rise majestically. Witness the surreal beauty of these floating peaks, mirroring the iconic landscapes of Pandora. Explore the stunning Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, and experience the thrill of the glass bridge and zip line. This family adventure is filled with wonder and unforgettable moments, showcasing the magic of China's natural wonders.
Hi, we are Stephen, Jess, Hunter and baby Koa - an Australian family who have had quite the journey. After travelling the world as a couple in 2020 we had our very first baby, we then spent the following year self-converted a van before moving into it full-time to drive around Australia. Cut to 2023 we welcomed our second child Koa into the world before resuming full-time travel around the world.
0:00 Intro
Stephen, Jess and their children visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park for two days. They enter with passports, board park buses and take a cable car into the mountain area, stopping at viewpoints among the sandstone pillars. Their guide helps them navigate the large park, which they describe as spread across several sections and reached by multiple forms of transport. They visit the Avatar-style pillar viewpoints and take an 88-second elevator down the mountain instead of hiking for two hours. The family says the park is very large, busy and involves many buses, stairs and long walks. The next morning they take an electric boat on Baofeng Lake, then travel by taxi to Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. They walk across the glass bridge, watch a bungee jump, and take an elevator, zipline and glass slide as part of the route through the canyon. They describe the canyon walk as a roughly 7-kilometer loop with waterfalls, a cave and a final boat ride. The family visits in May, the week after Golden Week, and says it was quieter than the holiday period. They also note that mountain weather can change quickly and that heavy rain disrupted their guide’s plans the day before.
Stephen, Jess and their children spend two days exploring Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, including its sandstone pillars, cable cars, bus routes, viewpoints and a mountain elevator. They also take a boat on Baofeng Lake and visit Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon for its glass bridge, zipline and slide. The family describes long walks, crowds and the value of having a guide to help navigate the large park.
A family explores Zhangjiajie’s Avatar-style mountains, Baofeng Lake and glass bridge.
Zhangjiajie Avatar Mountains and Glass Bridge Family Guide
1:49 Stephen says visitors need passports to enter and that the park uses them as tickets, scanning their faces at entrances. Bring the required identification for your visit and check the current admission process before arriving.
2:03 Their guide helps them find the correct bus and cable car in a large park with Chinese-only signs. Stephen says translation apps can help, but a guide saved them time navigating the route.
6:32 The family visits the week after Golden Week and finds the park much quieter than the holiday period. They compare it with a two-hour wait for a boat during the holiday, so timing outside peak travel dates may reduce queues.
15:38 To descend from the mountain, they choose an 88-second elevator instead of a two-hour hike. The elevator has two levels; Stephen advises waiting for the next car if you are stuck at the back and cannot see.
18:16 At Baofeng Lake, the family says the boat experience lasts about 30 to 40 minutes and that visitors are advised to go early or in the evening when it is quieter. They found the morning ride cool and pleasant.
20:36 Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is about a 40-minute taxi ride from where the family is staying, according to Stephen. The glass bridge route includes elevators and optional zipline and slide activities, so allow time to move through the canyon.
17:49 Stephen says the park day involved crowds, buses, many steps and extensive walking with children. They arrived around 10 a.m. and were still exploring near 7 p.m., so plan a full day and comfortable footwear.
1:49 Stephen says visitors need passports to enter and that the park uses them as tickets, scanning their faces at entrances. Bring the required identification for your visit and check the current admission process before arriving.
2:03 Their guide helps them find the correct bus and cable car in a large park with Chinese-only signs. Stephen says translation apps can help, but a guide saved them time navigating the route.
6:32 The family visits the week after Golden Week and finds the park much quieter than the holiday period. They compare it with a two-hour wait for a boat during the holiday, so timing outside peak travel dates may reduce queues.
15:38 To descend from the mountain, they choose an 88-second elevator instead of a two-hour hike. The elevator has two levels; Stephen advises waiting for the next car if you are stuck at the back and cannot see.
18:16 At Baofeng Lake, the family says the boat experience lasts about 30 to 40 minutes and that visitors are advised to go early or in the evening when it is quieter. They found the morning ride cool and pleasant.
20:36 Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon is about a 40-minute taxi ride from where the family is staying, according to Stephen. The glass bridge route includes elevators and optional zipline and slide activities, so allow time to move through the canyon.
17:49 Stephen says the park day involved crowds, buses, many steps and extensive walking with children. They arrived around 10 a.m. and were still exploring near 7 p.m., so plan a full day and comfortable footwear.
0:00 Arriving at Zhangjiajie National Park
1:49 Using passports and park buses
2:53 Taking the mountain cable car
5:34 First mountain viewpoints
6:32 Visiting after Golden Week
10:53 Entering the Avatar mountain area
12:11 Pillars and the world’s bridge
15:38 Taking the mountain elevator
18:16 Morning walk and Baofeng Lake
20:36 Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
21:47 Walking across the glass bridge
23:36 Watching a bungee jump
24:32 Zipline and glass slide
26:34 Walking through the canyon
28:07 Cave and boat ride
0:00 Intro
How do visitors enter Zhangjiajie National Forest Park?
The family says they used their passports as tickets and had their faces scanned at park entrances.
How do you get around the mountain park?
The family uses park buses, a cable car, walking routes and an elevator. Their guide helps them choose the correct bus and connections.
How long is the Baofeng Lake boat ride?
The family describes it as a 30- to 40-minute ride and says mornings or evenings are quieter.
What activities are at Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon?
The family walks across the glass bridge and sees a bungee jump; they also use an elevator, zipline and glass slide on the canyon route.
How long is the canyon walking route?
Stephen describes the route through the canyon as about 7 kilometers, including waterfalls, a cave and a boat ride.
