Natural rock formations at Zhangjiajie, China

The majestic 'Avatar' mountains at Zhangjiajie, China

The first I ever heard or saw about this place was from an advert for Range Rover which showed the electric vehicle going up the winding slopes of the scenic mountains, and then climbing up a long series of steps to ascent into a big hole in the mountain - 'Heaven's Gate.'
A bit of reading up told me this place was stunningly beautiful and I made plans to get there with the help of a Chinese friend of mine.
The Wulingyuan Scenic Area is a protected area in the Hunan province in China, and comprises multiple breathtaking locations, including the mountains in the photo. Because these mountains were also the location for the floating mountains in the hugely popular movie, Avatar, they are also called the Avatar mountains.
Oh yes, if you're going there, try and make sure you have an English-speaking guide. I ended up with a Chinese tour group and a guide that spoke absolutely no English. My friend ended up translating everything for me.

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