Zhangjiajie: Tianmen Mountain

June 2014 (by Pat) Itinerary Link

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ZHANGJIAJIE CITY

After our lake trip, we took the bus back to Zhangjiajie City, a city of about 1.5 million. Since our flight wasn’t until 10:30, YK had arranged a day hotel room for us.

After settling in to our room, we checked at the front desk for activity and restaurant information. We had noticed that the terminal for the tram to Tianmen Mountain appeared to be right in center of the city. That was the trip that they were suggesting, but we decided we needed lunch first.

At first, when we returned, we were told it was too late to take the tram to the mountain, but, when we weren’t interested in any of their other offerings, we were told we did have enough time. We paid for the tram tickets at the hotel at a small (about 15Y) discount to the usual price and received one of those tissue paper receipts. I asked if we should just show that at the ticket counter and was told we should just go with one of the young desk clerks. She took us to the tram terminal in a cab. We then sat down and waited for someone else to show up. Another woman arrived and asked for our passports. Since I know China is passport happy, I had mine, but yk did not have hers. I thought that was the end of our mountain trip, but the hotel clerk called the hotel and arranged for another clerk to bring the copy of the passport they had taken when we checked in. After she arrived with the copy, a fourth woman showed up and walked off with my passport and the copy of yk’s. Sometime later, she returned with my passport and the tickets.

Clearly the hotel had somehow received a deep discount on the tickets to make it worth the time of at least 4 people plus the expense of three separate cab rides to get us our tickets.

We headed for the tram.

TIANMEN MOUNTAIN

Tianmen means gate of heaven. The mountain is reached by means of a 7.5-kilometer cable tramway from the center of Zhangjiajie City. The trip takes about 40 minutes. After leaving the city, we traveled over a small farm community, then up the mountain. Since we left late, we were the only passengers in the eight-passenger car up the mountain.

There is a temple at the top of the mountain as well as numerous trails, including one that features a section that hangs over the edge of the mountain with a clear glass floor allowing you to look straight down at the 1000 foot drop. Somewhat disconcerting.