Best Time to Visit Zhangjiajie

April to June, September to November

Months to avoid: July to August (extreme heat, peak Chinese domestic tourism, queues for everything), Chinese National Golden Week (first week of October: avoid at all costs)

Recommended stay: 3-5 days

Plan Zhangjiajie for April to June, September to November. Give it 3-5 days. The window to avoid is July to August (extreme heat, peak Chinese domestic tourism, queues for everything), Chinese National Golden Week (first week of October: avoid at all costs).

What the season gets you

• Yuanjiajie plateau at dawn, when cloud fills the valleys below the pillars and the first light hits the canopy: this is what every photo was trying to show you
• The Golden Whip Stream trail follows a river through the base of the columns for 7km. Flat, forested, far fewer people than the summit viewpoints
• Tianmen Mountain's cliff-face road has 99 hairpin turns and ends at a natural arch carved into the peak, accessible by the world's longest cable car