Visiting Zhangjiajie (Avatar Mountains) in November

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the place that served as the inspiration for the setting of the movie Avatar, is one of the most popular places in China and for good reason. If you’re in China and have time, take a flight over to Zhangjiajie (airport code DYG). From the airport, take a taxi for about an hour to the park.

The park is rather big and most suggest you dedicate at least 3 days here; I did two and thought it was sufficient. The entry ticket will be 248/145 RMB depending if you visit during the high or low season. Within the park, you’ll need a lot of money for the cable cars you take from place to place, which I suggest because saving 50 RMB isn’t worth the extra hours you’ll spent hiking. What takes 10 minutes could very well end up being 3+ hours on foot.

I recommend bringing your own food as everything in the park is overpriced and not really appetizing to be honest, unless you like street food.

This park is massive, so it’s wise to utilize a map, otherwise you’ll spend the entire day getting lost or miss out on the best parts of the park. I didn’t have a map, but I ended up befriending a German woman who knew her way around the park quite well. The views at the peak are spectacular and so photogenic that I recommend you bring a spare battery for your camera!

When is the Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie? 

Zhangjiajie is probably best seen from April to mid-November. I visited in the beginning of November while the weather was still pleasant. The first day, the skies were cloudy, but the second, it was nearly 100% fog, which I didn’t mind. Somehow, the fog gives the mountains a more mysterious look. Zhangjiajie may not be very popular with foreign tourists, but it is very popular among domestic ones. Unless you come in the middle of the winter, you will likely see herds of tourists. However, you can beat the crowds by entering the park as early as possible.