Zhangjiajie: The pinnacle of beauty and awe

　　Zhangjiajie National Forest Park became the first national forest park of China in 1982 and listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage in 1992. [Photo by Meghan Horihan/Chinaculture.org]

　　As we left the big cities behind us and made our way into Zhangjiajie, prefecture city of Hunan province, mountains and hills replaced clusters of skyscrapers, and I started to truly appreciate China for being much more than huge metropolises.

　　The next morning I looked out my window as the sun rose to see the fog engulfed hills near our hotel and I was hit with a surge of excitement, even before my morning coffee, which is not a typical occurrence. Our group was taking a trip to the Wulingyuan Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie, otherwise known for its CGI likeness in the movie Avatar, the perfect pinnacle to our trip in Hunan province.

　　We spent the first few days of our trip in cities, Changsha and Changde, and it was a breath of fresh air, literally, to experience this natural wonder. As our bus followed the winding curves into the park, our group looked out the windows to try to take it all in.

　　The Bailong Elevator, a 326m elevator, is apparently the tallest outdoor lift in the world. [Photo by Meghan Horihan/Chinaculture.org]

　　While I knew enough not to hope for a major day of hiking, I was surprised by just how streamlined the trip up the mountains is. The Bailong Elevator, a 326m elevator, apparently the tallest outdoor lift in the world, was provided to make our trip up the mountains completely effortless.

　　Zhangjiajie National Forest Park became the first national forest park of China in 1982 and listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage in 1992.

　　And it makes sense why it was given these honors. It may be cliche to say that pictures don't do Zhangjiajie justice, but in this case it's 100 percent justified.

　　The unique peaks are natural pillars made of quartz-sandstone. Their eccentric appearance was created over years of physical erosion.

　　We were surprised to hear the guide explain that the houses across a valley are real homes of people that still live in these mountains.

　　Zhangjiajie National Forest Park became the first national forest park of China in 1982 and listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage in 1992. [Photo by Meghan Horihan/Chinaculture.org]

　　There were fewer tourists than I was imagining, as the region inches closer to winter, but I still had to weave around packs of people to get the perfect shot of these beautiful surroundings.

　　The Southern Sky Column, a singular peak jutting out from the green abyss, was the inspiration of Hallelujah Mountain in Avatar, and it's name was officially changed to Hallelujah Mountain in 2010.

　　We also learned that Avatarmay have made Zhangjiajie internationally famous but it was Chinese artists who initially brought its beauty to the outside world. One can see similar foggy peaks and greenery in Chinese art trying to capture its wonder.

　　The only true downside to this excursion was we didn't have much time to explore. We fit it into a half day when some people spend a week exploring the area. I suppose that means I may be coming back for more.

　　Zhangjiajie National Forest Park became the first national forest park of China in 1982 and listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage in 1992. [Photo by Meghan Horihan/Chinaculture.org]