Often called Zhangjiajie, this 243 square mile park is full of stunning karst pillars of sandstone, covered with sub-tropical rainforest. The park is often covered in fog, adding to the mystery but obscuring views.
The park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992
The park covers 3 natural reserves, and contains over 500 tree species, including dawn redwood, believed extinct until it was re-identified in 1948. There are also giant salamanders, rhesus monkeys, and many bird types
There is much fog in the park at times, and summers are very humid. Temperatures greatly between early morning and late afternoon. For example in May, mornings can be a temperate 18 degrees Celsius but rapidly reaching 30 by noon.
Wulingyuan is 155 miles northwest of Changsha. The best way to get in is to take transit from Zhangjiajie City, which has a domestic airport. Buses and trains run to there as well. A 1 hour minibus goes from Zhangjiajie City to the village of Zhangjiajie Cun, in the park
There is a 248 yuan fee to enter the park, which is then valid for two days.
There are two cable cars in the park, one near Zhangjiajie Cun that runs for half a mile up to the top of Huang Shi Zhai, and one a few miles to the east that goes near Suoxiyu Cun another half mile to a road to the north. Many other roads go across the park, and many hiking trails go in between those.
There are two main ticketing gates, one at Zhangjiajie (West side) and one at Wulingyuan (East side). From each of those gates there are buses that take you up to the actual park entrance for free.
Other attractions in the area, about a 10 yuan taxi-ride away (Negotiate with the driver) include:
Breakfast and dinner can be had at your hotel to be on the safe side, and there are restaurants inside Wulingyuan.
Note that Wulingyuan is in the Hunan province, a region known for its spicy cuisine.
There are hotels in both the main villages, Zhangjiajie Cun and Suoxiyu Cun, and there are simple inns throughout the reserve
Hiking is not good here for those with fear of heights, or dropoffs, or generally being near really steep cliffs, but you can always stick to the roads or take a boat cruise