Cable car in china sky mountain. Tianmenshan Park and Tianmen Cave - “Heavenly Gate” of China

The only things better than mountains are mountains. Vysotsky’s famous phrase could end with the words “in which there are caves and arches.”
Both mountains and caves always attract people. Natural arches in the rocks look especially beautiful. This is the famous El Arco in Mexico, and the Azure Window of Malta. But these are all mountain formations located at sea level. Beautiful? Of course it's beautiful.

Now imagine a huge arch high in the mountains. A sort of giant hole in the rock. There is precisely such a “window” in Tianmen Mountain. It is located in the northwestern part of the Chinese province of Hunan, on the territory of the Tianmen Park of the same name. The most famous name of this natural masterpiece is Heaven's Gate.

Heaven's Gate on the map

• Geographic coordinates 29.051227, 110.484696
• Distance from the capital of China Beijing about 1350 km
• The distance to the nearest airport is Zhangjiajie County is approximately 7 km

You can, of course, hear other names for this miracle - the Gates of Heaven, the Gate to Heaven, the Tianmen Cave. And some residents of the Middle Kingdom call it the magical cave of Western Hunan.

The opening appeared a very long time ago, and the reason here is not at all due to rock erosion or the washing out of rocks by thousands of years of water flows. The Chinese have been keeping chronicles since ancient times, so it is absolutely certain that the Gates of Heaven arose in 263 AD as a result of an earthquake. The tremors caused a large piece of rock to simply fall off, creating such an interesting arch.
The opening in the rock is striking in its size.

Heaven's Gate in numbers

• the height of the mountain in which the arch is located is 1519 meters
• the height of the arch itself is 131.5 meters
• length only 60 meters
• maximum width about 57 meters

The charm of Tianmen Mountain and its surroundings is capped by a majestic and fairy-tale arch. The impressions from contemplating it are unreal. Since ancient times, local residents have endowed both the mountain and the arch with supernatural properties. An aura of mysticism accompanies you on the way to the Gates of Heaven. Especially when clouds of fog float through the opening, and you climb 999 steps up. Yes, that’s exactly how many steps lead to the top of the mountain directly to the arch.

This landmark of China attracts many tourists from all over the world. There are several ways to get to the Gates of Heaven, and those same 999 steps are only the final stage of the journey.

So, the fastest and easiest way to the arch is a 7455-meter long cable car. The elevation difference along this path is exactly 1279 meters, the maximum angle of ascent is 37 degrees, and the length of some road spans is about 500 meters.

This path is recommended for lazy people who value their time and love to contemplate the incredibly beautiful views of the surrounding area. By the way, the Guinness Book of Records considers it the longest high-altitude cable car on Earth. At the very top of this road is a Buddhist temple built during the Tang Dynasty.

The second path is longer and more difficult. It is 11 kilometers along the Tongtian Road, which is also called the “Road of 99 Turns”. This path is recognized as one of the steepest mountain serpentines in the world. And it actually has exactly 99 turns.

Tourists can also walk along an interesting path that encircles the mountain, in some sections of which there are glass decks, just like the famous glass bridge of Heroes. But if you are afraid of heights, it is better to avoid this trail.

Have you noticed how often the number 9 is mentioned? This is not without reason: in Chinese Taoist philosophy this figure is considered the highest and last that a person can understand and accept. The number 9 is also a symbol of the Emperor.

To comprehend at least a small part of Chinese philosophy and your inner world, you need to go all this way from the beginning to the very end, and preferably on foot. Not everyone can do this.

• legend says that a person who has completed all 999 steps to the Heavenly Gates is able to achieve enlightenment and become closer to God
• the arch is the highest cave on the planet
• There are known cases when in the twentieth century water began to flow from Mount Tianmen for no apparent reason. There are no waterfalls as such on the mountain, nor are there snow caps on the top. Despite this, waterfalls appeared at an altitude of 1.5 kilometers and lasted no more than 15 minutes. And, what is most interesting, the overthrow of the water occurred in significant years for China. For example, the waters subsided in 1949, when the People's Republic of China was formed. Also, waterfalls were recorded on the eve of the death of Mao Zedong, and before the terrible flood of 1998
• Until 263, the mountain in which the Heavenly Gate is now located was called Songlian. After the earthquake and the formation of the arch, the mountain began to be called Tianmen
• There are still legends about the enormous wealth of the Ming Dynasty, hidden in the local mountains. But not a single treasure hunter managed to find them. The search continues to this day
• The cable car with funiculars was designed and built by the French company Poma. This railway consists of 98 funicular cars.
• Jeb Corliss (American base jumper) was the first to fly through the Gates of Heaven wearing a wing suit of his own design. So that you understand, like Batman, he jumped out of a helicopter at an altitude of about 1.5 km and, skillfully gliding, at a speed of more than 120 km/h he was able to get into the “eye of the needle” of this arch

Address: China, Hunan Province
Height: 1519 m
Main attractions: glass trail, cable car, Heaven's Gate Arch, Tianmenshan Temple
Coordinates: 29°03"04.3"N 110°29"02.3"E

China has always attracted the attention of not only travelers from all over our vast planet, but also historians, archaeologists, geologists, linguists and other scientists.

Northern Gate to Tianmen Mountain National Park

This is not surprising: a huge number of attractions built by human hands and created by nature itself, a lot of mysteries, myths and legends that envelop this mysterious country, simply cannot but arouse the interest of an educated person. In China at the moment there is a huge number of architectural structures that, for one reason or another, are included in the legendary Guinness Book of Records. If a tourist is brought to the Celestial Empire, he should definitely try to set aside time and visit the small, of course, by Chinese standards, town of Zhangjiajie, more precisely, Tianmen Mountain, which is located only eight kilometers from the village.

Anyone who has visited Mount Tianmen has touched heaven. These are not just beautiful words from a tourist brochure, the purpose of which is to draw attention to the sights of China: on Mount Tianmen there are the real “Gateway to Heaven”! By the way, the “Gateway to Heaven” is a cave formed as a result of the fall of a huge piece of rock. This real natural miracle was formed relatively recently, “only” in 263 AD. Most Chinese do not like the name “Gateway to Heaven” and call their place, permeated with an atmosphere of mysticism, “the magic cave of Western Hunan.”

General view of the road "Heavenly Highway"

Of particular interest is the fact that Tianmen Mountain, which is crowded almost every day of the year, is considered the first mountain in the National Park, starting just outside the Zhangjiajie city limits, officially measured by scientists. Its height is determined to the nearest centimeter: 1,518 meters and 60 centimeters. Such an accurate measurement was made possible thanks to the painstaking work of many specialists and special measuring equipment.

If anyone thinks that Tianmen Mountain itself is the main attraction of the National Park, he is, of course, right, but only partly. The thing is that on the mountain itself there are several objects built by human hands, and which can safely be called the very best. The longest, the most winding and even the most terrible! However, Tianmen Mountain and its attractions deserve special attention, and each of them should be discussed in detail.

View of the serpentine

Many tourists who are just planning a trip to China and an excursion to Tianmen can conclude from the beginning of this material that the mountain, 1,518 meters and 60 centimeters high, is ready to be conquered by anyone. However, this opinion is wrong, and the height of the mountain has nothing to do with it: climbing the mountain near the city of Zhangjiajie is a real test for physically resilient and strong-willed people. This already becomes clear the moment Tianmen can be seen from the window of a car or a tour bus.

Tianmen Mountain - legends, myths and stubborn facts

“Why is Tianmen Mountain famous throughout the world?” a tourist who has never been to the Celestial Empire or simply has not visited Zhangjiajie may ask. Naturally, its height cannot be compared with the snow-capped Alps or the mighty Everest. However, its popularity is still inextricably linked with height. The thing is that it is on Mount Tianmen that there is an amazingly beautiful cave, which is currently recognized as the highest in the world. We are not even talking about its size, but about the height above sea level at which it was formed as a result of erosion. As mentioned above, thanks to the Chinese habit of keeping chronicles, it is reliably known that the cave was formed in the year 263, when a huge piece of rock fell off from Tianmen. The length of this cave is 60 meters, the width is about 57 meters, and the height is 131 and a half meters.

Cable car to Tianmen Mountain

The fact that this cave is located so high above sea level and the fact that it is impressive in size does not at all explain its popularity among the thousands of tourists who come to Zhangjiajie every year to see one of nature's greatest wonders with their own eyes. The climate in the National Park, in which Tianmen Mountain itself rises, contributes to the constant formation of clouds. As mentioned above, the cave is located very high, so it is constantly shrouded in clouds. Even the most inveterate skeptic who ascends to this mysterious and mystical place gets the impression that he is about to go to... heaven. It is for this reason that the cave on Mount Tianmen got its name “Heavenly Gate”.

By the way, many Chinese consider this mountain to be almost the most sacred place in their country. According to legend, the mountain is truly connected with the sky and has enormous power. She is able not only to influence the destinies of people, but also to predict significant events in the country and show real miracles to everyone. The chronicles more than once describe mysterious phenomena that occurred on the mountain at different periods of time. These ancient documents can be viewed with skepticism and even a bit of irony, but, as they say, facts are stubborn things.

View of the cable car cabins

Already in the 20th century, four inexplicable miracles occurred on Mount Tianmen at once, which plunged the specialists observing them into a state of stupor. In 1949, when the People's Republic of China appeared on the world map, a powerful waterfall gushed from the top of the mountain, which lasted only 15 minutes. “This is probably some kind of coincidence,” a person who does not believe in the world of the supernatural might think. However, exactly the same miracles occurred just before the death of Mao Zedong, during the suppression of a student rally in the capital of the Celestial Empire and before the devastating flood of 1998. When something happens only once, it can be called an accident, but when manifestations of the supernatural occur with enviable regularity, it cannot even be called a coincidence. By the way, numerous scientists observed the last three events, all of them, without exception, threw up their hands and came to the consensus that it is impossible to explain the phenomenon of Tianmen Mountain from a scientific point of view.

The mysterious natural phenomena occurring on the mysterious mountain are not the only thing that excites the minds of researchers and tourists. There is a legend, not even a legend, but a legend that is passed down from generation to generation: it says that a priceless treasure is hidden on the mystical Tianmen.

View of the Heaven's Gate Arch

A huge amount of gold, silver, precious stones, ancient tomes were hidden on the mountain by one of the peasants during the uprising against the atrocities committed in the Celestial Empire by the Ming Dynasty. Numerous archaeological expeditions did not bring results. More precisely, during the research the treasure was not found, but scientists practically managed to prove that the treasures on Tianmen were indeed hidden in ancient times. By the way, these days on the mountain you can often meet numerous “fortune hunters” who are trying to find countless treasures that previously belonged to the powerful Ming dynasty.

Tianmen is famous not only for the cave called “Gateway to Heaven”, supernatural events and the legend of hidden treasures. There is also a Buddhist temple on the mountain, where pilgrims come to venerate the sacred relics. This temple is called the same as the cave: “Heavenly Gates”. The area on which the amazingly beautiful temples and service premises are located is neither more nor less - 10,000 (!) square meters. This place has been considered sacred since the Ming Dynasty.

Walking path along the mountain range

Perhaps it is on the territory of this Buddhist temple that priceless treasures are hidden? The answer to this question, most likely, will not be found in the near future. All attempts by scientists to conduct research and excavations on its territory ended in failure. Monks prohibit any work on land sacred to every Buddhist. By the way, the Chinese government will also not allow research to be carried out in the monastery just because it is located on the territory of the National Park.

The Tianmen Mountain Climb or Challenge is not for the faint of heart

There are three ways to get to the Gate to Heaven cave. The first of them is the least tiring: the tourist is invited to cover the distance to the natural wonder of the world on the “most ordinary” cable car. By the way, it is ordinary only in that it has all the components that are typical for any cable car. And almost all of its parts are made not in China, but in France, so it is absolutely safe. However, it is worth considering that traveling in a cabin will take quite a long time: The Tianmen cable car is considered the longest in the world and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Its length is almost 7.5 kilometers. It is also worth considering that most of the path will lie over the abyss. Scary? Scary only for those who have not climbed to the top of the mountain along a hiking trail and a motorway!

Glass trail

The road has its own name: “the road of 99 turns.” By the way, you can also walk along it. It is 11 kilometers long and actually has 99 turns. This road, which will take almost all the strength of even a physically resilient traveler, was built by the Chinese in 8 years, which can safely be called a feat. The same feat as climbing Mount Tianmen on foot. Those tourists who climbed to the top of the mountain without a car face another challenge: to approach the “Gateway to Heaven” cave they will have to climb another 999 steps. It is worth noting that the number 9 constantly appears on Tianmen Mountain. By the way, “nine” is sacred to every Chinese; according to Taoist teaching, this is the last number that the human brain is able to understand, comprehend and perceive.

After hiking to the “Gateway to Heaven,” travelers usually no longer have the strength to descend. Enterprising Chinese have solved this problem: buses constantly run from the top along the “99 turns” road. Traveling by bus or car, by the way, also turns into a difficult test; the distance between sharp turns in some places on the road does not exceed 200 meters! True, after visiting the highest naturally formed cave in the world, you should not rush to leave Tianmen Mountain. There is another test here that is recommended only for people with a stable psyche and a strong nervous system.

Glass Trail of Tianmen Mountain

For those travelers who want to get another huge dose of adrenaline after climbing the mountain, the Chinese offer a walk along the Tianmen glass trail. Its length is about 70 meters, but it has long been called the “trail of horror” among tourists. The “bridge”, located at an altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level, is made of... real glass. A glass floor, a glass side, a sheer cliff on one side, and a bottomless abyss underfoot. Looking at the photo of the Tianmen glass trail, many claim that they could easily pass this test. However, such bravado quickly ends when the tourist has to go through this “attraction” and prove his fearlessness. Many people try to walk along the glass path right next to the rock, although it is so smooth in this place that there is nothing to grab onto. Only a few dare to approach the side. Some daredevils, having barely stepped on the glass, which is only 6 centimeters thick, immediately abandon the idea of ​​looking into the abyss under their feet. The Chinese constantly monitor the legendary trail and clear it of dust. Therefore, any person has the impression that he is walking through the air and could fall down at any moment. Certain problems are also caused by the fact that you can walk along the glass path only in special shoe covers made of fabric. This rule exists in order to avoid the appearance of stains and dirt on the glass floor, but the fabric slips so treacherously...

Tianmen Mountain is popular thanks to the unusual and amazing “Heavenly Gate” cave - the highest in the world. Heavenly Gate, also known as the "Magic Cave of Western Hunan", was formed naturally through erosion processes. Suddenly, a large piece of the mountain fell away, creating a huge cavity 131.5 m high, 57 m wide at its widest point and 60 m long. Shrouded in clouds, the “Heaven’s Gate” is quite impressive: after passing through it, it seems that you really will find yourself in heaven . There is a belief among local residents that Tianmen is connected with the sky and has supernatural powers. Since time immemorial, there have been rumors in China that countless treasures were hidden in the mountain, brought here by one of the leaders of the peasant uprising during the Ming Dynasty.

Tianmen Mountain, whose height is 1518.6 m, is 8 km away. from the city center of Zhangjiajie, China. The longest and highest cable car in the world (7455 m) leads to the top of Tianmen Mountain. You can also take the Tongtian Road (Heavenly Highway) with 99 turns. Tongtian is one of the most impressive serpentines in the world and took 8 years to build. The length of the route is less than 11 km, and the distance between turns is from 200 to 1300 m. In some places, the road rises sharply at an angle of 70 degrees, suddenly crashing straight into the clouds.

Heaven's Gate Cave on Tianmen Mountain is one of the most impressive attractions of the surrounding national park in Hunan Province, China, near the city of Zhangjiajie. An equally breathtaking road leads to it, called the “Great Gate Road”. The cave is famous for being the highest naturally formed cave in the world. However, this important advantage pales in front of its stunning appearance: at an altitude of 1,500 meters, visitors see a grandiose gate 131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide at its widest point and 60 meters long. This earthly beauty, shrouded in clouds, makes a truly indelible impression on anyone who finds itself here - it seems that just one more step, and you will truly go to heaven. The numerous legends associated with it add to the charm of the place. Local residents believe that the mountain has supernatural powers; it is believed that several phenomenal cases of an unexpected fall of a waterfall from the top of the mountain are inextricably linked with certain important events in the life of the country. Another legend comes from the distant past, from the time of the Ming Dynasty - they say that participants in the uprising that broke out then hid countless treasures somewhere nearby. Since then, numerous treasure hunters have searched for them for centuries, but have never found them...

Mount Tianmen or Tianmenshan “Heavenly Gate” - Tianmenshan 天门山

This attraction does not belong to either Wulingyuan Nature Reserve or Zhangjiajie National Park, although it is located in the city of Zhangjiajie, just 45 minutes drive from the Avatar Mountains. To better understand what’s what, I advise you to first read ours.

Entrance to the mountain costs some money, and the walk takes several hours, so if you need to come here, take a separate day to the mountain and spend the night nearby, in the city of Zhangjiajie, not far from the station.

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Logistics and cost:

The entrance ticket costs 258 yuan and includes the climb to the the world's longest cable car. In any case, this is what the Chinese say, for whom it is a matter of national pride - so that they have everything that is the longest, the highest, the widest and the deepest. But I digress.

The funicular's operating hours are 8:00-18:00, and it is within walking distance from the station. You check into one of the hotels nearby and go to the funicular. If you can’t find it, show the Chinese the characters 天门山索道, and they will direct you in the right direction. Buy a ticket and go up.

* In February, the park is closed for a couple of weeks for maintenance.

** Important! If from below it seems to you that there is hellish fog above, then there is a chance that visibility is zero. The Chinese will just as vigorously sell and buy tickets for the cable car, don’t let this fool you. Try to catch someone who came down the mountain or, as a last resort, ask at the ticket counters “shangshan candedao ma?”

上山看得到吗？(is anything visible above) eloquently pointing to the eyes and the mountain. If they tell you “kakndedao”, it means OK, if “kanbudao” means it’s not OK and it’s better for you today to refrain from senselessly spending $50 and go to or to the yellow dragon’s cave. There will definitely be no fog in the cave.

Here is a wonderful map of Tianmen Mountain, three-dimensional and visual.

The procedure is as follows:

— The longest cable car in the world stops halfway up. More precisely, sometimes it stops, sometimes it doesn’t, depending on the season and workload, apparently. In principle, there is no point in going out here.

— At the top, many paths and suspended walkways await you, 60 meters of them are glass. To go around the entire mountain, you need to walk a total of about 7 km. Those who are lazy can pay an additional ¥25 and ride part of the ride on a lift with hanging chairs, but it is not necessary.

— Having walked around the mountain or cut off part of it on the lift, you reach the Tian Men arch “Heavenly Gate” and see it from above. From there you have two options: take the escalators down to its foot or return to the world's longest funicular and take it back to the city.

If you take the escalators down to the foot of the arch, you are faced with a symbolic staircase of 999 steps. You have to go down on foot very carefully, the steps are very narrow and uncomfortable. As an option, you can use a couple more escalators on the left slope of the mountain.

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If you get motion sickness, grab some herbal medicine or something similar, it’s a waste of time to suffer.

If you take the escalators down to the foot of the arch, you are faced with a symbolic staircase of 999 steps. You have to go down on foot very carefully, the steps are very narrow and uncomfortable. As an option, you can use a couple more escalators on the left slope of the mountain.

Additional tourist attractions on the mountain:

• elevator rising from the tunnel at the main funicular to the Tianmen Heavenly Peak Pavilion
• lift (with chairs) connecting the pavilion and the temple of the same name 天门山寺 Tianmenshan temple
• vertical tunnel with escalators to the foot of the arch, that's all

And finally: a diagram of the entire mountain, this time turned upside down (click to enlarge).
At the top you see a long funicular from the station to the very top and below it a brown serpentine snake that returns you back to the city at the end of the walk. The colored part is for walking. The short dotted line is an optional lift to the stairs and arch. Also marked are toilets, pavilions and food. On the territory of the reserve there are signs in Chinese and English, it’s not difficult to understand.

Have a nice trip!

Tianmenshan National Forest Park (天门山森林区) is characterized by huge limestone mountain plateaus with sheer cliffs and jagged peaks covered in dense greenery. Despite the fact that the famous vertical mountain peaks of Wulingyuan are not visible from Tianmen Mountain, this place amazes with its beauty and majesty no less than Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

Read also about other places in Zhangjiajie:

Mount Tianmen

A visit to Tianmen Park is essentially a multi-hour walk along Tianmen Mountain. Translated from Chinese, Tianmen means “Heavenly Gate”.

There is a belief among local residents that the mountain is connected with the sky and has supernatural powers. It is even called the “magic mountain of Western Hunan.”

View from Tianmen Mountain

Tianmenshan National Forest Park

So, in the 20th century, four times a waterfall 1500 m high unexpectedly and for inexplicable reasons collapsed from the top of the mountain. Streams of water fell for 15 minutes, and then suddenly disappeared. This phenomenon was observed in 1949 (the formation of the People's Republic of China), 1976 (the death of Mao Zedong), 1989 (the suppression of student protests in Beijing) and 1998 (the largest flood). Superstitious Chinese believe these coincidences are not accidental.

But the mountain became most famous thanks to its unusual “Heavenly Gate” cave.

Cave "Heavenly Gate"

Heaven's Gate Cave (Tianmen Cave | Tianmen | Heaven's Gate Cave | Tianmen Cave) is the highest cave in the world. It was formed naturally due to soil erosion. It is claimed that in 263, a large piece of the mountain simply fell away, creating a huge cavity 131.5 m high, 57 m wide and 60 m long. Shrouded in clouds, the "Heaven's Gate" is impressive. There is a feeling that after passing through them, you will really find yourself in heaven.

Recently, the site has become popular with skydivers, who parachute through the cave despite the mortal risks. This, of course, is already super-extreme, but it makes the mountain even more popular.

A staircase of 999 steps leads to the foot of the cave from the top of Tianmen. The number “9” in this case is not accidental. In the Taoist tradition, this number is a symbol of the emperor (son of heaven) and the highest number available to man. The meaning of this number once again emphasizes the mystery of this place, located on the border of the human and divine worlds.

Road "Heavenly Highway"

You can go down the mountain by bus along the “heavenly highway” road (Tongtian Highway | Tongtian Avenue | 通天) with 99 turns. The name of the road is not an exaggeration; it is one of the most impressive serpentines in the world. The length of the route is about 11 km, and the distance between turns is from 200 to 1300 m. The road is so popular that some consider it the main attraction of the park.

Walk along the glass path

The Glass Sky Walk is a 60-meter stretch of road with a glass floor and walls above the abyss.

To make it easier to keep the glass floor clean, all tourists are required to wear special fabric slippers, which can be rented right there for 5 RMB.

To be honest, I’m not too afraid of heights, especially knowing for sure that the path is safe. By the way, slippers don't really help keep the glass truly transparent. And below there are only mountains, the scale is faintly felt. Therefore, I was not too impressed by the walk along the famous “heavenly path”. However, I have seen people who literally held onto the rock away from the glass walls and almost fainted from the intensity of their emotions. So a lot here depends on impressionability and past experience. But it’s still worth a walk, if only to experience everything first hand.

Cable car to Tianmen Mountain

The longest and highest cable car in the world, Tianmen Mountain Cableway or Tianmenshan Suodao, leads to the top of Tianmen Mountain, the spans of which reach 500 m! In some places the road rises sharply at an angle of 70º, suddenly crashing straight into the clouds. Unforgettable experience!

There was a Chinese couple sitting in the booth with us. The poor girl was so scared that she sat with her head buried in her knees and covered with her hands. As soon as she stood up to look at the road, she immediately gasped and buried herself in her knees again. In general, this is not just a cable car, but a real adventure.

Buddhist Temple "Heaven's Gate"

Tianmen Mountain Temple was built during the Tang Dynasty as a center of Buddhism in the western Hunan region. The modern temple is a renovated building on the site of the original temple on an area of ​​more than 10,000 square meters. m. The temple is located in an intermountain depression with a wide view. If you look at the temple from the southeast, the surrounding hills seem so small that the temple looks like a ruler - the son of heaven. This temple is one of the main pilgrimage sites in Hunan Province.

How to plan a day in Tianmenshan Park?

I want to offer the most convenient plan for visiting the Tianmenshan Nature Reserve. Unfortunately, we were not able to do everything described, because it took us a long time to get to the ski lift, then we walked along the mountain for a long time and were late for the escalators that lead to the Heavenly Gate cave. But we have nothing to regret, because the most beautiful thing is the magnificent views of mountains buried in fog, and the feeling that you are standing on a steep cliff in the clouds, surrounded by natural beauty and peace.

We were very lucky because it rained almost all day. I am not kidding. Firstly, it discouraged many people from climbing the mountain. And on Chinese holidays (May 1-3), this literally saves the situation. And, secondly, there was a complete feeling that it was as if we were not on earth at all, because clouds were everywhere!

1. We take the Tianmen Mountain Cableway to the very top of Tianmen Mountain.

The lift has a stop somewhere in the middle of the route. So, there is no particular point in going out here, it is better to go to the very top, and then gradually descend.

2. We walk along the numerous paths at the top of the mountain.

Walking along the top of Tianmen Mountain is enough for a whole day. To go around the entire mountain you will have to walk at least 7 km. Many paths are balconies on rocks, under which there are clouds and steep mountains going down, some of the paths pass through the forest, which is part of the reserve, and some in the mountains. There are many options for getting around the mountain; we chose the path along the outer edge. All the most interesting things are along this path. In principle, there is no particular need for a paper map; signs and maps on the ground will suffice.

Those who want to move faster or are simply tired from walking can travel part of the way on the Forest Sightseeing Cable Car (25 RMB), which takes you directly to the Tianmen Temple. I think this was done specifically for quick transportation to the temple.

While walking around the mountain, do not forget to do the following:

• Admire the views from the glass floor of the Glass Sky Walk. There is no point in going to it specifically; you will get to it one way or another by going around the mountain.
• Look at the Buddhist temple, which we took to the monastery, because it occupies a truly huge area.
• View Heaven’s Gate Cave from the top point. Despite its gigantic size, in an even larger mountain it looks like a small hole.
• And, of course, take a million beautiful photos with mountains in the clouds.

3. We go down the escalators to the Heaven’s Gate Cave.

The main thing here is not to waste time. The escalators operate until 16.30, and long distances do not always give a correct idea of ​​how long the journey will take, which, moreover, is not always a flat road; it is, after all, a mountainous area. We made a mistake at this point and did not have time to go down to the cave.

4. We go down from the foot of the Heavenly Gate cave down the stairs with 999 steps.

Those for whom 999 steps are an insurmountable obstacle can use the lifts on the left slope of the mountain.

5. We go down the mountain by bus along the famous serpentine “Heavenly Highway”.

If you usually get motion sickness, it would be a good idea to take some pills in advance to make the trip more enjoyable.

If you are not particularly impressed by the views of the arch (cave) from below or your vestibular apartment prefers not to be shaken on a bus along Chinese mountain roads, then you can go down in the same way as you went up - on the main lift of the Tianmen Mountain Cableway.

Here is a diagram of Tianmen Mountain Park, which gives a fairly accurate idea of ​​what it is and helps to think through a suitable route.

What is the best time to visit Tianmenshan Park?

1. Avoid days with heavy fog. Even if it’s foggy below, there is a risk of not seeing anything at all at the top. Tickets will be bought and sold. However, don't be afraid of rainy days without heavy fog. If you don’t have a raincoat with you, you can buy one in the lift station building.
2. Avoid Chinese holidays(May 1-3, October 1-7) and the Chinese holiday period (July and August). There will be not just a lot of tourists, but an awful lot. You may have to stand in line for hours at the lifts.
3. It's very cold in winter, and in February the park may be closed for reconstruction.
4. April to June is a good time, but high humidity and high chance of rain. If this doesn’t scare you (and I advise you not to be afraid of a little rain), then this is a great time.
5. High season from May to October. Accordingly, prices are higher and there are more tourists.
6. September and October are the best time to visit the park. It’s still quite warm, but this is already the low season, and therefore there are no queues and the prices are not high.

How to get to Tianmen Mountain?

Tianmenshan Park is located 7 km from Zhangjiajie City. Lower cable car station to Tianmen Mountain (Tianmen Mountain Cableway | Tianmenshan Suodao) is within walking distance from Zhangjiajie Station and Bus Hub Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station. If you can’t find it on the map, you can ask the locals, showing them the hieroglyphs 天门山索道 or a picture of a cable car and repeating Tianmenshan.

In Zhangjiajie city to the Tianmenshan Suodao lift station you can get there by bus number 10. But I recommend a metered taxi. In the city it will not be expensive at all.

You can get to Zhangjiajie by plane or train from any major city in China.

Which hotel to stay at?

Most tourists go to Tianmen Mountain immediately after visiting. And in the evening they leave or fly out of the city of Zhangjiajie. In this case, it makes sense to stay in the town of Wulingyuan, next to Zhangjiajie Park, and not in the city of Zhangjiajie.

Wulingyuan Hotels

• . One of the best hostels in Zhangjiajie. Prices from $5, rating 9.2. Clean, tidy, great location.
• — 3*, the best combination of price and quality and the highest rating of 9.6! Prices are below $30.
• — The best quality hotel in Wulingyuan, a real Pullman. Of course, 5* and a swimming pool.

However, if you want to visit Tianmenshan National Forest Park earlier in the morning, or if you are leaving Zhangjiajie not in the evening of the same day, then it makes sense to stay a night or two in hotels in Zhangjiajie, which are generally better than in Wulingyuan and is surrounded by good city infrastructure.

An excellent hostel within walking distance from the ski lift to Tianmen Mountain with a high rating and a price of $5.

• Queues. There are a lot of Chinese. And during the holidays there are even more of them. You can spend 2-4 hours (as we did on May 1) in line for an elevator or an hour in line for a bus. Therefore, more walking, less transport.
• Get to the park early. It's better to sleep early in the evening. The bulk of tourists arrive after 10, and the park opens at 7.
• If you are traveling on your own, then learn the most important phrases in Chinese better. In China, almost no one speaks English.
• Must be able to pronounce the hotel name and address, taxi drivers often cannot read and do not always know the area well.
• Cash money (yuan, of course) will save you always and everywhere. Currency and Visa, Master Card may not be accepted. Don’t be surprised, China uses its own banking system.
• Buy a raincoat You can go to the Tianmen Mountain lift station building.

basic information

• Place: Tianmenshan National Forest Park (天门山森林区).
• Nearest city: Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, China.
• Height: 1519 meters
• Tourist area: 10,000 sq. km.
• Ticket price: 258 RMB
• Opening hours: 8.00-18.00
• Time for inspection: 1 day
• Number of visitors: not too much
• Best time to visit: September, October.
• We were in Park: May 3, 2014

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