Jiuzhaigou Favorites

Favorite thing: JiuZhaiGou (JZG) actually means a valley with nine tribal villages and it is a world heritage spot. It is accessible by road if you can tolerate a 12 hour bus journey and by air if you pay for the 45 minutes flight from Chengdu airport. The beauty of JZG is that it offers all the alpine scenery typical of the Swiss or the Canadian mountains but with enhanced colours due to its mineral rich waters in shallow cuscading pools. Whilst you can also have a flavour of Tibetan culture, most of the local population relies on tourism rather than farming for a living.

At the time of writing, JZG area just recovered from the earthquake near Chengdu so the road access was blocked due to landslide in May 2008. Access by air is via the HuangLong airport in the mountains using a breath-taking landing strip some 3000 m above sea level. Most tourists are on group tour but it is possible to use public transport to go up and down the valley. Typical journey time is about 2 hour between airport and JZG valley hotels. Flights are reduced from almost 30 per day in the warmer months to only about 5 per day during NOV15 to MAR15 when most high viewpoints are closed except for JZG valley itself.

Most people will have some form of altitude sickness when first arrived at the airport level so be prepared to move slowly if you spend first day in Hualong viewpoints. There is a series of blue cuscading pools near the approach to the ice cap mountains near Hualong. A cable car will take you up to the pool level but some uphill walk around is still necessary and will be demanding for people who get altitude sickness

JZG valley is at a lower altitude so there is less risk of altitude sickness or fatigue set in. However, the views are plentiful and one is in danger of getting eye-fatigue due to the many beautiful views (see photos). Apart from rolling hills and mountains covered with lovely tress which changes colour with the season, the pools in JZG have the famous blue hue due to minerals inherent in the ancient ponds. All the pools are named "sea's" as the locals have never seen the sea in this land locked province. You should plan at least one full day to enjoy all the key sights in JZG and longer if you want to appreciate it more.

Transportation within JZG park, a protected area, is by "green buses" which are maintained by the authorities in part sponsored via park entrance fees. these buses run on LPG so are non-polluting and you are free to hop on and off wherever there is dedicated bustop area comleting with toilet facilities. No private cars or buses are allowed in the park but you may charter a LPG bus to be used privately if you have own big group or somewhat disable visitors. Most of the viewpoints are not that wheel chair friendly as it involves going down steps and I did not see that many ramps around.

Hotels are plentiful in JZG area up and down the mountains. There is a huge variety ranging from very cheap and basic to the splendid JiuZhaiGou Paradise hotel. The people in JZG are now desperate for more tourists as numbers are really down since the May08 earthquake in Chengdu area. Only up-market visitors can afford to come in by plane so the park lost almost all the local visitors who come in by road normally.

Fondest memory: Warm tribal people and pretty scenery

Favorite thing: If you can't speak Chinese then please go with a guide. English is not widely spoken there in the tourist spots. Go with a guide eliminate the chance to be cheated and waste money on unnecessary things.

Fondest memory: Water, the most beautiful water I’ve never seen.

Favorite thing: One day tour in Jiuzhaigou National Park

c. 3 days tour by air

D1: Anyplace--Jiuzhaigou by air, arrive Jiuhuang Airport in the afternoon or evening, take a airport shuttle to Jiuzhaigou, accormadate by the entrance of the park, or on Zhang Zha Town.

D2: Visit Jiuzhagou National Park, accormadate at Jiuzhaigou.

D3:Take a bus in the early morning from Jiuzhaigou to Huanglong, visit Huanglong and complete the tour by 4-5pm, then take a bus to Jiuzhaigou which makes a stop at Chuanzhusi, then call a taxi(RMB50+) from Chuanzhusi to the airport; or simply take a taxi(RMB100+) from Huanglong to the airport. Late evening flight to Chengdu.

d. 4 days tour by bus

D1:Chengdu--Jiuzhaigou by bus, accormadate by the entrance of Jiuzhaigou National Park or on Zhang Zha Town, 2-6km from the entrance.

D2: Visit Jiuzhaigou, accormadate at Jiuzhaigou.

D3: Take a bus in the early morning from Jiuzhaigou to Huanglong, visit Huanglong and complete the tour by 4-5pm, then take a bus to Chuanzhusi, accormadate at Chuanzhusi.

If you miss the early bus to Huanglong, you have to pay RMB200+ for a taxi going there;
if you miss the late bus from Huanglong, it's better to take a taxi going to Chuanzhusi or Songpan, RMB100+.

D4: Chuangzhusi/Songpan--Chengdu by bus.

To be continued by other tips.

Favorite thing: Most of the tourists visit Huanglong as well when they go to Jiuzhaigou, you may combine two destinations as follows:

One day tour in Jiuzhaigou:

a.2 days tour by air

D1:Anyplace--Jiuzhaigou by air, have to arrive Jiuhuang Airport before noon, taking a taxi(RMB100+) to Huanglong, visit Huanglong then take a bus to Jiuzhaigou, accormadate at Jiuzhaigou.

If you miss the late bus from Huanglong to Jiuzhaigou, have to take a taxi to Jiuzhaigou(RMB200+), or take a taxi for RMB300+: Jiuhuang Airport---Huanglong---Jiuzhaigou, never pay your full fare before taking the taxi at Huanglong, negotiate with driver first in advance.

D2: Visit Jiuzhaigou National Park, then take a taxi(RMB200+) to Jiuhuang Airport for your evening flight.

Make sure you complete your tour in the park 3 hours prior to your flight.

b. 3 days tour by air+bus

D1:Anyplace--Jiuzhaigou by air, have to arrive Jiuhuang Airport before noon, taking a taxi(RMB100+) to Huanglong, visit Huanglong then take a bus to Jiuzhaigou, accormadate at Jiuzhaigou.

If you miss the late bus from Huanglong to Jiuzhaigou, have to take a taxi to Jiuzhaigou(RMB200+), or take a taxi for RMB300+: Jiuhuang Airport---Huanglong---Jiuzhaigou, never pay your full fare before taking the taxi at Huanglong, negotiate with driver first in advance.

D2: Visit Jiuzhaigou National Park, accormadate at Jiuzhaigou.

D3: Jiuzhaigou--Chengdu by bus, the station is near Jiutong Hotel east to the entrance of the park.

To be continued by other tips

Favorite thing: Jiuzhaigou, renowned for its snow-capped mountains, colorful flowers and lakes, forests, waterfalls and tibetan villages.

It's suitable for visiting all year round,

Flowers Blossom in the spring,

Escaping from the heat of the summer,

Appreciating the ice waterfalls in the winter,

But autumn is the only season for tourists to view the variety of the color in the same time.

The best time to visit Jiuzhaigou valley is:

The last two weeks in October!

Favorite thing: The second day's admission is free except the three national long holidays, so you may enjoy the beauty of this fairyland for extra time especially in the autumn.

Tourist has to inform the staff of your sencond day's admission when purchasing/picking your ticket, and have your photo taken & printed on the ticket.

D1:

Entrance---Nuorilang Transit Center by bus

Nuorilang Transit Center---Long Lake by bus

Long Lake---Five Color Pond by bus

Five Color Pond---Upper Season Lake

Upper Season Lake---Lower Season Lake

Lower Season Lake--Zechawa Village

Zechawa Village---Riinoceros Lake

Riinoceros Lake---Tiger Lake

Tiger Lake---Shuzheng Waterfalls/Shuzheng Lakes

Visit Shuzheng Village

Shuzheng Village---Wolong Lake

Wolong Lake---Twin Dragon Lake/Sparking Lake

Twin Dragon Lake/Sparking Lake---Entrance

Completed first day tour in the valley.

D2:

Entrance---Nuorilang Transit Center by bus

Nuorilang Transit Center---Mirror Lake by bus

Mirror Lake--Forest by bus

Forest---Swan Lake/Fangcao Lake by bus

Swan Lake/Fangcao Lake---Bamboo Lake by bus

Bamboo Lake---Panda Lake

Panda Lake---Panda Waterfalls

Panda Waterfalls---Five Flower Lake

Five Flower Lake---Peacock Lake

Peacock Lake---Golden Bell Lake

Golden Bell Lake---Pearl Beach(Shoal)

Pearl Beach(Shoal)---Pearl Beach(Shoal) Waterfalls

Pearl Beach(Shoal) Waterfalls---Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake---Nuorilang Waterfalls

Nuorilang Waterfalls---Reed Lake by bus

Reed Lake---Entrance by bus

Completed your second day tour in the park.

Favorite thing: For one day tour to Jiuzhaigou national park, it's recommended the following route,

Entrance---Nuorilang by bus

Nuorilang---Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake--Forest by bus

Forest---Swan Lake by bus

Swan Lake/Fangcao Lake---Bamboo Lake by bus

Bamboo Lake---Panda Lake

Panda Lake---Panda Waterfalls

Panda Waterfalls---Five Flower Lake

Five Flower Lake---Peacock Lake

Panda Waterfalls/Five Flower Lake/Peacock Lake---Pearl Beach/Pearl Beach Waterfalls by bus

Pearl Beach/Pearl Beach Waterfalls---Nuorilang Transit Center by bus

Nuorilang Transit Center---Nuorilang Waterfalls

Completed tour in Rize Gou(Valley) in the morning and have your lunch at Nuorilang Tourist Service Center.

Nuorilang Transit Center---Long Lake by bus

Long Lake---Five Color Pond by bus

Five Color Pond---Nuorilang Transit Center by bus

Visit Zechawa Village

Completed your tour in Zechawa Gou(Valley)

Zechawa Village---Riinoceros Lake(or by bus)

Riinoceros Lake---Tiger Lake(or by bus)

Tiger Lake---Shuzheng Waterfalls/Shuzheng Lakes

Visit Shuzheng Village

Shuzheng Village---Wolong Lake

Wolong Lake---Twin Dragon Lake

Twin Dragon Lake---Reed Lake by bus

Reed Lake---Entrance by bus

Completed your tour in Shuzheng Gou(Valley) as well as your tour in Jiuzhaigou.

Which lakes/waterfalls must see:

Mirror Lake, Panda Lake/Waterfalls, Bamboo Lake, Pearl Beach Waterfalls, Five Flower Lake,

Five Color Pond, Shuzheng Waterfalls/Lakes, Tiger Lake, Wolong Lake.

Fondest memory: Enjoyed walking along the Lakes.

4 more images

Favorite thing: A visit to the Tibetian Village will let you understand the culture of the Tibetian. This is strongly displayed at the Mill House and Jiuzhaigou Cultural Centre.

You could join the optional tour where a "Transdimension Drama - Dreamland Journey " is shown at Jarpo Grand Theater of Jiuzhaigou. It is a drama of singing and dancing by the Tibetan (Qiang Zu) wearing colourful costumes and thick makeup. Ticket are priced at RMB180 for VIP Seats.