Wulingyuan

Wulingyuan scenic area, better known as Zhangjiajie after a neighbouring city, lies in northwest Hunan Province. China's "Yellow Stone Park" can be divided into four regions: Zhangjiajie National Park, Suoxiyu Nature Reserve, Tianzishan Nature Reserve and Yangjiajie Scenic Area. The whole area is a primitive limestone landscape, home to more than 500 species of trees and animals. Rare trees include the gingko, dove tree and dawn redwood; fauna ranges from civet cats and monkeys to game birds and salamanders. It is also home to three ethnic minorities - Tujia, Bai and Miao , which together make up 70% of the local population. Though influenced by China's dominant Han culture, these groups maintain much of their traditional culture, including the language, festivals, clothing and architectural styles.

Almost 100 percent of Zhangjiajie is covered with thick forest. The 130 square kilometre area is an arboretum, home to a vast array of trees, flowers and herbs. Hiking offers you the best chance of thoroughly enjoying the region's treasures, which include Zhangjiajie National Park, Tianzishan Nature Reserve, Suoxiyu Nature Reserve and the Yangjiajie Scenic Area. Paths through the forests are often winding and complex, so be prepared to walk long distances. Take a walking stick and a map with you - they may come in very useful. Huangshizhai is the highest peak in the region and offers the best views of the surrounding scenery. Rafting trips along Mengdong River are a definite attraction. And the nearby Tujia town of Furongzhen is the ideal place to check up on local culture.

These days, the area has been extensively developed as a tourist destination; witness the cap-wearing tour groups that swarm the more popular sites. However, if you want to escape the crowds, there are still plenty of the off-the-beaten tracks to follow.

Zhangjiajie Climate
Zhangjiajie scenic area has a subtropical damp monsoon climate, characterized by plenty of rainfall and sunshine. The January temperature is around 5C and July reaches about 28C. The best time to visit Zhangjiajie is April or October when the valley is at its best. It is safer to avoid climbing the mountain in the rain, since the pathways can be slippery and the summit is often covered by thick fog.

Transportation
By plane: The 1994-opened airport in Zhangjiajie City now operates flights to 29 domestic destinations, including daily connections with Beijing (2hrs), Changsha (40mins), Chengdu (1hr), Guangzhou (1.5hrs), Jinan (1.5hrs), Nanjing (1hr), Qingdao (2hrs), Shanghai, Pudong (2hrs) and Shenzhen (1.5hrs).

By train: Direct trains connect to Beijing (K267, 24hrs), Changsha (K552, 5hrs), Shanghai (1607, 27hrs) and Guangzhou (T358, 15hrs). Alternatives are the K502 from Guangzhou and K525 from Changsha which stop in Huaihua (if you plan to visit) and take additional time. The train station lies 33 kilometres from Zhangjiajie City. Frequent minibuses (RMB10) take you to the downtown area.

By bus: Air-con buses connect the city with Changsha (11 hours, RMB83). There are also express buses to Zhuhai (24hrs), Shenzhen (26hrs), Hankou (11hrs) and Zhuzhou (13hrs). The Long Distance Bus Station is at No.33, Huilong Lu, 14 kilometres from the Railway Station. Buses to Tianzishan and a couple of other tourist sights are also available at the bus station.

Transportation from the city to the scenic area: There are minibuses to Zhangjiajie Village (1hr, RMB10). You can catch the bus at the parking lots in front of the City Railway Station, wait for it to pick up more passengers and move on to the Zhangjiajie Village, which is at the entrance to the scenic area.

Hotel
Finding accommodation inside the Zhangjiajie Scenic Area saves you from multiple entrance fees and means wonderful views each morning when you wake up. There are houses and beds along all the major routes with prices slightly higher than those for hotels in the city.

There are plenty of hotel options in Zhangjiajie Village, among them the Zhangjiajie Hotel (Tel: 0744-5712388), Pipaxi Hotel (Tel: 0744-5718888) and the Xiangdian Mountain Inn (Tel: 0744-5712266) offer the best value.

Staying in Zhangjiajie City is a little inconvenient, but there are still good hotels to be found. The 4 star Dragon International Hotel (Tel: 0744-8226888) on Jiefang Lu is probably the best in Zhangjiajie. Another alternative is the Sino-Australia Tianjiao International Hotel (Tel: 0744-8287550) on Huilong Lu, 10 kilometres from the airport.