Zhangjiajie, in China’s Hunan Province, is famous for its towering sandstone pillars, ethereal mist-shrouded landscapes, and the dizzying climbing routes on Mount Qixing, which stands 1,528 meters above sea level.
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The sky ladder at an altitude of 1,500m on Mount Qixing, Zhangjiajie, China. Photo by Zhangjiajie Tour Guide |
According to Travel China Guide, visitors can choose one of two routes for the climb depending on their physical capability.
Most choose route 1 (1.2 km long, taking about 3 hours to experience) because it is easier and features the sky ladder.
The ladder measures 168 meters, the “longest ladder in the world” according to Guinness, and hovers 1,500 meters above the ground.
Standing at the starting point and looking up at the rope ladder, one can see climbers looking like tiny ants clinging to each step.
Yan, a local tour guide and the owner of the “Little Chinese Everywhere” channel, took Flo, a foreign tourist, to the spot to experience the ladder in July.
Although she had mentally prepared to join him in the climb, she backed out at the last minute after looking down at the abyss below.
Flo experiencing the climb up the sky ladder in Zhangjiajie. Video by Minh Trang
The first part of route 1 is not too difficult as visitors walk up cliff faces.
Visitors are given a piece of traditional Asian betel quid to chew to help warm the body and stay alert. It consists of a betel leaf smeared with slaked lime wrapped around slices of areca nut, and sometimes tobacco.
The biggest challenge lies at the end of the route with the suspended ladder, stretching horizontally across a wide open space with an abyss right beneath it.
This rope ladder constantly sways and vibrates strongly whenever someone moves.
In addition, water dripping from the mountain cliffs makes the ladder slippery, forcing visitors to concentrate intensely on every movement.
“My knees were trembling, and I kept asking myself what I was doing there,” Flo said after a few minutes on the ladder.
He said it shook violently, forcing him to cling tightly with both hands, and he not dare look down.
At the end of the journey, instead of walking, visitors can choose to take high-speed slides down to the foot of the mountain.
The feeling of rushing down amidst the grand and majestic natural scenery brings a thrill to those who experience it.