Today we are supposed to be ready at 08:30 a.m., we manage, the breakfast in a canteen-like atmosphere was just OK. Markus had opted for fried rice and noodles, which was a good choice. We then went to the bakery, where there was fine coffee.
Then we start on time and a big van drives up, we were amazed when we were there after 800m. The entrance to the Westgate is around the corner from us. Andy, our guide, asks us if we want to afford the VIP service for the elevator that takes us to heaven in 50 seconds. Well, for the equivalent of CHF 11.50 we afford it and walk past the long queue. We are also allowed to get into the elevator first, which means window seat. There was also a bottle of water.
It was already clear at the bottom, today it will be difficult with visibility. It is rainy and the fog covers a lot.
So, according to the local information, we take the highest and fastest open elevator (Bailong elevator) in the world to Yuanjiajie, which is called the “backyard garden” of Zhangjiajie National Park. It belongs to the Zhangjiajie National Park, but is a central viewpoint of the WuLingyuan Nature Reserve with a total area of 1,200 hectares and an altitude of 1,074 meters. It is imposing.
There is also a natural bridge, but we don’t walk any further down because of the fog. Everything is well organized again, first a bus, some walking, then the lift comes, every now and then with the bus and finally with the gondolas into the valley. You have to scan the passport at the first check-in, your face is also scanned and at all other ticket controls only look into the camera and the gate opens.
After a short snack, we continue to Tianzi Mountain. Well, we don’t want to try everything that is offered here.
Tianzi Mountain means “Kaiserberg” in German. The name comes from the leader of the insurgents of the Tujia ethnic minority, Xiang Dakun, and has always enjoyed the reputation of being the “King of All Mountains”. The sea of clouds and fog is particularly impressive when the sky clears up after the rain. Unfortunately, that was not the case today.
What do you all see here? We couldn’t see anything…
We take the gondola and there are still some bright moments, where we still get some Avatar Mountain feeling.
.
The dinner looked promising…. But although we didn’t order so spicy and we can both take a lot just too spicy for us, we had to surrender.
Ohh Schade! Den ganzen Tag im kalten Nass, man freut sich aufs Essen und dann ist es leider zu scharf. Dabei sieht Sylvia so hungrig aus auf dem Foto. Aber beeindruckende Tage habt ihr ja sicher trotzdem schon viele gehabt.