Autumn and Winter Half-Day Hiking Tour in Huanglong Scenic Area (Songpan, Aba)

📀 Location: Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. 📀 Tickets: 1️⃣ Ticket price is 170 RMB, expensive. 2️⃣ Cable car and sightseeing bus require extra payment, I did not take them. 📀 Duration: Entered the scenic area around 11 a.m., left around 5 p.m. 📀 Transportation: 1️⃣ I came from Jiuzhaigou and bought a "Jiuzhaigou—Huanglong" bus ticket online for 62 RMB. 2️⃣ For the return trip, since I couldn't buy an extra bus ticket, I took a carpool with a driver to Songzhou Ancient Town (about 5 km from Songpan Station). At that time, the driver only found me as a passenger but still departed, costing 50 RMB. 3️⃣ There are also online one-day tour tickets for "Jiuzhaigou—Huanglong—Songpan Station" or "Jiuzhaigou—Huanglong—Huanglong Jiuzhai Station," but there were no tickets available at that time, so I couldn't buy them. 📀 Route: The entire route is a hike and does not require special preparation. Just follow the hiking trail next to the visitor center; there are signs along the way. 📀 Scenery: 1️⃣ The whole way is full of beautiful pools, mainly in yellow, green, and blue colors. Under sunlight, at certain angles, you can even see rainbow colors—dreamy and enchanting. 2️⃣ Some water areas freeze in autumn and winter. The frozen areas show white ice and snow, and the ice on the slopes looks like yogurt under the sunlight. 3️⃣ Looking into the distance, snow-capped peaks and the deep blue sky feel open and comfortable. 4️⃣ Chubby birds drinking water alone by the water’s edge, and groups of various colorful, sized, and shaped birds chirping and eating near tourists—cute and interesting. 5️⃣ Around 3:40 p.m., the crescent moon appeared in the blue sky above the snow-covered black peaks—unforgettable. 📀 About Luggage Storage: There is a free luggage storage area next to the visitor center, but you must pick up your luggage within the specified time; otherwise, you have to wait until the next morning. I remember the staff said it closes at 5:30 p.m. I carried my backpack up the mountain and did not store it. 📀 About Altitude Sickness: Some people experience severe altitude sickness. On the way up, I met a foreign tourist who said she had altitude sickness and felt unwell, so she was returning. I told her she could take the cable car down and use a translation app to communicate with staff if needed. I don’t know what happened afterward. But later I thought, if you have altitude sickness, wouldn’t taking the cable car up be the same? It just means less walking and less effort. In short, go by your own condition. If you feel unwell, seek help promptly. If you want to save energy, take the cable car. Date: 2025.11.27