Western Sichuan Travel -- Jiuzhaigou Chapter
🌞Pre-trip Preparation
- Documents: Bring your ID card, discount certificates, etc., for ticket purchase and identity verification.
- Clothing: For summer, bring long-sleeved jackets, long pants, and sun protection; for spring and autumn, a thick jacket is essential; for winter, prepare down jackets, thick sweaters, scarves, gloves, snow boots, etc.
- Medications: Prepare cold medicine, stomach medicine, motion sickness pills, etc. You can also take medication to prevent altitude sickness in advance, such as Rhodiola, and prepare oxygen cylinders.
- Other items: Mobile phone, camera, power bank, charger, umbrella or raincoat, toiletries, skincare products, and some snacks and drinking water.
🌞Transportation Guide
- External Transportation: You can fly directly to Jiuhuang Airport, then take an airport shuttle bus or chartered car to the scenic area; or take a high-speed train from Chengdu East Station to Huanglong Jiuzhai Station, then transfer to a scenic area direct shuttle; you can also take a direct bus to Jiuzhaigou from Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station or Chadianzi Bus Station; for self-driving, depart from Chengdu along the Jiumian Expressway, a journey of about 440 kilometers.
- Internal Transportation within the Scenic Area: There are sightseeing buses operating in a loop within the scenic area, with stops at every attraction. Tourists can get on and off at any time. It's a one-ticket system, valid for one day with unlimited rides. You can also book a VIP Coaster vehicle in advance, which allows you to travel at your own pace without queuing.
🌞Ticket Information
- Peak Season (April 1 - November 15): Entrance ticket 190 CNY + sightseeing bus ticket 90 CNY.
- Off-Peak Season (November 16 - March 31): Entrance ticket 80 CNY + sightseeing bus ticket 80 CNY. After 2 PM, tickets also enjoy a "buy one get one free" offer, which requires booking on the official website.
- Discount Policy: Specific groups such as children, seniors, students, people with disabilities, and military personnel can enjoy ticket discounts or free admission.
🌞Itinerary Planning
✨- One-Day Essential Tour: In the morning, take a bus from the park entrance to Primeval Forest, then visit Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake, and Five Flower Lake in sequence; have lunch and rest at Nuorilang Tourist Center; in the afternoon, head to Long Lake and Five-Color Pond, then return to Nuorilang Tourist Center to admire Nuorilang Waterfall, followed by visits to Rhinoceros Lake, Shuzheng Waterfall, and Shuzheng Lakes.
✨- Two-Day In-Depth Tour: Day 1: Explore Rize Valley and Zechawa Valley. In the morning, start with Rize Valley, from Primeval Forest all the way to Five Flower Lake. In the afternoon, head to Long Lake and Five-Color Pond in Zechawa Valley; Day 2: Explore Zhongzha Valley, experience a Tibetan blessing ceremony, or visit Huanglong Scenic Area.
🌞Accommodation Recommendations
- Near the Park Entrance: Such as Ji Hotel, Hilton Jiuzhaigou Resort, about a 10-minute walk to the scenic area, convenient for travel, prices range from 100-800 CNY/person per night.
- Zhangzha Town: Many Tibetan-style guesthouses, like Abu Lu Zi, where you can experience hearth culture and Tibetan cuisine, prices range from 200-500 CNY/person per night.
- Zhongzha Valley: Recommend The Ritz-Carlton, Jiuzhaigou, where you can enjoy panoramic views of snow-capped mountains, and the rooms are spacious and comfortable, but the prices are relatively high.
🌞Food Recommendations
- Yak Hotpot: Made with local yak meat, which is firm and chewy, paired with various vegetables, cooked in a rich soup, fresh and delicious, 60-80 CNY/person.
- Butter Tea with Highland Barley Cake: Features strong Tibetan characteristics. The butter tea is savory and rich, and the highland barley cake is crispy, both filling and offering a taste of local culture.
- Mushroom Soup Pot: Jiuzhaigou boasts a rich variety of local mushrooms, and the soup pot made from them is delicious and nourishing.