A breathtaking glass skywalk set between two large mountain cliffs has opened to the public in China, offering stunning views of the surrounding area for adventurous tourists.

An aerial view of tourists visiting the glass-bottom bridge at Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon during the first trials last weekend. Image by VCG/Getty Images

Stretching 430 metres long with a six-metre-wide walkway, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge hovers above a 300-metre drop. Set into the rock face at the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan province, it is the highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge of its kind in the world.

8,000 tourists tested the glass bridge that stretches across a 300 metre drop in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Image by VCG/Getty Images

Last weekend marked the first trial operation, as 8000 tourists gathered to view and walk across the bridge, stopping to take videos and selfies. Plans are in place for bungee jumping and zip line rides to begin operation in the future.

A brave tourist lies down on the glass walkway for a photograph . Image by FRED DUFOUR/Getty Images

Following an incident where a glass walkway cracked elsewhere at Yuntai Mountain in Henan province, organisers were eager to show the strength of the newly opened Zhangjiajie bridge, inviting people to test the durability of the structure by smashing it with a sledgehammer a few months ago.

Stretching 430 meters long and 6 meters wide, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge is the highet and longest of its kind in the world. Image by VCG/Getty Images