While researching Zhangjiajie it would be hard to not notice the glass attractions that are in the area. One of these is the world's longest & highest glass suspension bridge that stretches over the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon.In the national park we did the glass elevator & glass cable car, it was now time for the bridge!
We met up with a couple who were from Germany & staying at the same hostel as us. Caught a bus from Wulinyuan Scenic area, which took 45 minutes to get to the canyon.
Hot tip- use the smaller shuttle bus's at the station in town & pack lightly! Large back packs, big camera or any large or heavy items such as water bottles won't be allowed in.
Due to the structure of the bridge & the threat of terrorism there is heavy screening and a large list of prohibited items which you will have to leave behind in a locker. This is quite annoying as you will have to pay for the locker & after walking through the canyon, you will need to catch a bus or taxi back up to the top to collect your items. Mobile phones are allowed so you can still get a couple of pics that way.
Thankfully the tourism centre is well organised & lines for tickets & entry weren't too big when we arrived just before 10am. You are given some boot covers to prevent scratching the glass before entering, which are hilarious & badly fitting, standard me.. immediately trips on them before even getting to the bridge. The bridge itself is an amazing structure, I don't think I've walked on a bridge so big before, it offers amazing 360 degree views of the canyon. The crowding on the bridge at times is obstructive, lots of people lying down to take photos. The glass itself is a little bit disappointing. While we were there the glass panels were very reflective as well as scratched & scuffed from the heavy foot traffic resulting in poor visibility through the panels. Some of the panels in the middle were being replaced and were covered over. Worth waiting to take photos on the second half of the bridge. Most people have given up by then and the panels are a little less scratched.
Despite the small dissapointments, it was still an amazing sight to see!
After the glass bridge we walked down the side of the canyon on some extremely vertical stairs. Some of the most extreme stairs I've ever set foot on! Instantly my calves were on fire, especially after the previous days effort in Zhangjiajie national park. Judging by Tom's face, he was also feeling the burn. It took us approximately an hour to descend to the canyon floor which had a giant wooden deck built & what we suspect was a man made waterfall. Following the path from the bridge, along the river through the canyon floor we walked & explored 11km's, it's very scenic. The river has the most fantastic aqua blue colour to it, it's so aqua it looks fake. The canyon also has some caves, rock formations & beautiful plants. About halfway there was a zip line through a small section of canyon & of course we all strap on harness's! This was a great bit of fun & an appreciated rest for our legs. Not scary at all despite going a lot faster than anticipated, there's a mattress at the end to help with your stop. When you get to the end of the walking track there are some small wooden ferry type boats that take you for a 12 minute ride to complete the remainder of your canyon exploration.
Once back on dry land we walked out of the ferry terminal and passed about 50 food & souvenir shops before reaching the exit near the road & a bus terminal. Unfortunately we had to hire a locker for 2 back packs which were back at the bridge entry, nowhere near our current position. After a taxi mission back up the mountain to retrieve our belongings, it was time to bus home & decide on dinner. We also said goodbye to our companions as they set off on the next part of their trip, it was really lovely to have some company to share experiences with.
While staying in Wulinyuan we have become regulars at a restaurant 30 seconds from our hostel. It's been great to eat dinner there every night. The restaurant has outdoor seating in a busy area full of people & a few local street dogs. It's a great place to watch the sun set, drink a few beers, reflect on that days adventure & eat a big tasty dinner. It's always tasty, cheap & mostly in english with a few pictures & funny mis-translations!
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