Jiuzhaigou Travel Guide
Jiuzhaigou County is one of the most popular travel destinations in China, with its natural scenery listed as the UNESCO World Natural Heritage. By virtue of the high-altitude lakes, impressive waterfalls, colorful forests, snowy peaks, and blue ice, the Jiuzhaigou National Park in the county wins titles of “the No.1 Water Scenery Worldwide” and “the Fairy Tale World”. The general comment made by tourists about Jiuzhaigou is that it’s not very photogenic, because what you see is always way more gorgeous than what you photograph.
Jiuzhaigou County further oozes charm through the Tibetan Culture, and actually the county gets its name from nine Tibetan villages here. As you’re dressed in the Tibetan costume, admiring the majestic white towers and five-colored prayer flags, and turning the prayer wheels with your hand, don’t forget to make your wishes for good health and happiness.
It’s worth noting that compared with other natural scenic spots, the Jiuzhaigou National Park boasts quite excellent services and facilities and will bring you a good travel experience. As soon as the park is open, all the tourists in the queue will be driven into the attraction within 15 minutes. At the most sightseeing bus stations in the park, it takes you no more than 5 minutes to wait for the bus. By the way, clean and hygienic public bathrooms are densely distributed in the park.
Given that the fastest journey from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou County takes about 4 hours, tourists usually add viewing giant pandas in Chengdu and enjoying water scenes in Jiuzhaigou into one travel itinerary. The attractions in Jiuzhaigou are mainly situated in the Jiuzhaigou National Park and the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, with the scenery in the Jiuzhaigou National Park the most beautiful. Having seen the fantastic sights in Jiuzhaigou, you’ll find other scenery of its kind all pale in comparison. Green pines, turquoise lakes, and blue sky constitute the most iconic Jiuzhaigou sight. On the viewing platforms, you’ll see the Shuzheng Lakes are like emerald green and dark blue gemstones in the forest valley. Beside the Pearl Shoal, water droplets splashed up by the rapids are just like brilliant pearls.
In addition, the world’s largest multi-colored pond in the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, the emerald lakes and colorful pools in the Fairy Pool Scenic Area, the impressive Zhaga Waterfall in the Mounigou Valley are all waterscapes worth seeing in Jiuzhaigou County and its surrounding areas. Plus, the Four Maiden’s Mountain known as “the Oriental Alps” will amaze you with its continuous snowy peaks.
Jiuzhaigou further boasts the distinctive Songpan Ancient Town in which the millennium-old market is lined with stalls selling Tibetan artifacts and snacks, and the red-lantern-decorated buildings are in a traditional Chinese style. What’s more, standing on the ancient city wall, you can see the Minjiang River flowing through the ancient town.
By High-speed Train - The Most Recommended Way
Chengdu is regarded as the best gateway to travel to Jiuzhaigou County, and thus most tourists head to Chengdu first, and take a high-speed train from there to Jiuzhaigou. To visit the Jiuzhaigou National Park or the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, you’re suggested to take a high-speed train from Chengdu East Railway Station to Huanglong Jiuzhai Railway Station. The journey takes you about 1 hour and 40 minutes, and there’re nearly 20 trains running each day.
If you choose to visit the Songpan Ancient Town or the Mounigou Valley first, please take a high-speed train from Chengdu East Railway Station to Songpan Railway Station. The fastest journey takes about 1.5 hours, and there’re 10 trains daily to choose from.
Please note that high-speed trains also depart from Shuangliu Airport Railway Station under the Shuangliu Airport to the above-mentioned two railway stations. For those who arrive at this airport in Chengdu first, this station will be the most convenient starting point.
By Air - Fast but Unstable Way
The Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport is the closest one to Jiuzhaigou County, and has direct flights to Chengdu and Beijing, which respectively take about 40 minutes, and 2 hours and 40 minutes. Things need to be noted are: the airport is in a high-altitude area featuring frequent strong winds and thick fog, and thus flights may be delayed or even canceled; the flights are infrequent; and the shuttle services here is not so convenient as that at the railway stations. Therefore, flying to Jiuzhaigou is merely a Plan B.
Tourists usually take direct tourist buses, taxies, and chartered vehicles to travel around Jiuzhaigou County.
After you get out of the railway station and walk for a few minutes, you’ll see lines of direct tourist buses. The bus journey to the Jiuzhaigou National Park takes you around 2 hours and costs CNY 51. To the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, it takes about 40 minutes and costs CNY 28.
If you prefer a more comfortable journey, carry lots of luggage, or travel in a small group, it’s better to take a taxi / chartered vehicle to the attraction or hotel.
Read more: To gain a comfortable and smooth Jiuzhaigou tour as much as possible, it’s advised to make a 2-to-3-day schedule.
On the first day, you travel from Chengdu to Huanglong Jiuzhai by high-speed train. If you arrive in the morning, please seize the afternoon to visit the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, and then take a direct bus to the hotel near the Jiuzhaigou National Park. For those who arrive in the afternoon, it’s notable that the last direct bus in a day departs from the station no later than 21:10, so please properly arrange your itinerary to ensure you can smoothly get to the hotel.
It’s highly recommended to book the hotel near the entrance to the Jiuzhaigou National Park, to minimize the impact of traffic congestion on your tour. On the second day, you can spend the whole day visiting the park, because the attractive scenery here makes it completely worth doing so.
On the third day, you can visit the Songpan Ancient Town and the Mounigou Valley, and come back to Chengdu from Songpan Railway Station. Alternatively, you can directly come back to Chengdu and transfer to your next stop in China.
Jiuzhaigou Valley has a humid plateau climate which is generally cool but features large temperature differences between day and night and also strong ultraviolet rays. Thus, it’s necessary to bring enough clothes to keep warm and take effective sun-protective measures. The coldest month of Jiuzhaigou is January, with the lowest temperature being about only -5°C (23°F), and July is the hottest month during which the temperature can reach around 35°C (95°F). As for the rainfall of Jiuzhaigou, it mainly happens between July and August, mostly in the form of showers.
The Jiuzhaigou National Park is renowned for its fabulous sights throughout the year, and the best time to visit it is from mid-September to early November, except for China’s crowded National Day Holiday from October 1 to 7. This period is the colorful forest season of Jiuzhaigou, during which lush forests on the mountains are in crimson red, glittering gold, and dark green, and the unparalleled waterscapes are in turquoise blue. Multiple colors interweave perfectly in late October, making the scenery in this period the best all year round.
The authentic nightlife in Jiuzhaigou County starts with a delicious dinner, no matter a hot pot with mushroom soup and yak meat, accompanied by highland barley wine, or Tibetan snacks like barbecued yak skewers and highland barley milk cakes. After that, it’ll be a good idea to join in the local campfire party. As you dance and walk slowly around the campfire with others, you are not only experiencing a typical Tibetan activity, but also immersing yourself in the warm and joyful atmosphere among all the people here. Or you can attend the grand banquet featuring a Tibetan feast and traditional Tibetan songs and dances, and this will definitely be a wonderful travel experience.
Read more:
Jiuzhaigou Travel Tips
Jiuzhaigou Shopping
10 Best Places to Visit in China for Return Visitors
15 Spectacular Natural Wonders of China
 |
| Impressive Long Lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park |
Jiuzhaigou County further oozes charm through the Tibetan Culture, and actually the county gets its name from nine Tibetan villages here. As you’re dressed in the Tibetan costume, admiring the majestic white towers and five-colored prayer flags, and turning the prayer wheels with your hand, don’t forget to make your wishes for good health and happiness.
It’s worth noting that compared with other natural scenic spots, the Jiuzhaigou National Park boasts quite excellent services and facilities and will bring you a good travel experience. As soon as the park is open, all the tourists in the queue will be driven into the attraction within 15 minutes. At the most sightseeing bus stations in the park, it takes you no more than 5 minutes to wait for the bus. By the way, clean and hygienic public bathrooms are densely distributed in the park.
Given that the fastest journey from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou County takes about 4 hours, tourists usually add viewing giant pandas in Chengdu and enjoying water scenes in Jiuzhaigou into one travel itinerary. The attractions in Jiuzhaigou are mainly situated in the Jiuzhaigou National Park and the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, with the scenery in the Jiuzhaigou National Park the most beautiful. Having seen the fantastic sights in Jiuzhaigou, you’ll find other scenery of its kind all pale in comparison. Green pines, turquoise lakes, and blue sky constitute the most iconic Jiuzhaigou sight. On the viewing platforms, you’ll see the Shuzheng Lakes are like emerald green and dark blue gemstones in the forest valley. Beside the Pearl Shoal, water droplets splashed up by the rapids are just like brilliant pearls.
In addition, the world’s largest multi-colored pond in the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, the emerald lakes and colorful pools in the Fairy Pool Scenic Area, the impressive Zhaga Waterfall in the Mounigou Valley are all waterscapes worth seeing in Jiuzhaigou County and its surrounding areas. Plus, the Four Maiden’s Mountain known as “the Oriental Alps” will amaze you with its continuous snowy peaks.
Jiuzhaigou further boasts the distinctive Songpan Ancient Town in which the millennium-old market is lined with stalls selling Tibetan artifacts and snacks, and the red-lantern-decorated buildings are in a traditional Chinese style. What’s more, standing on the ancient city wall, you can see the Minjiang River flowing through the ancient town.
How to Get to Jiuzhaigou County?
By High-speed Train - The Most Recommended WayChengdu is regarded as the best gateway to travel to Jiuzhaigou County, and thus most tourists head to Chengdu first, and take a high-speed train from there to Jiuzhaigou. To visit the Jiuzhaigou National Park or the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, you’re suggested to take a high-speed train from Chengdu East Railway Station to Huanglong Jiuzhai Railway Station. The journey takes you about 1 hour and 40 minutes, and there’re nearly 20 trains running each day.
If you choose to visit the Songpan Ancient Town or the Mounigou Valley first, please take a high-speed train from Chengdu East Railway Station to Songpan Railway Station. The fastest journey takes about 1.5 hours, and there’re 10 trains daily to choose from.
Please note that high-speed trains also depart from Shuangliu Airport Railway Station under the Shuangliu Airport to the above-mentioned two railway stations. For those who arrive at this airport in Chengdu first, this station will be the most convenient starting point.
|
|
By Air - Fast but Unstable WayThe Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport is the closest one to Jiuzhaigou County, and has direct flights to Chengdu and Beijing, which respectively take about 40 minutes, and 2 hours and 40 minutes. Things need to be noted are: the airport is in a high-altitude area featuring frequent strong winds and thick fog, and thus flights may be delayed or even canceled; the flights are infrequent; and the shuttle services here is not so convenient as that at the railway stations. Therefore, flying to Jiuzhaigou is merely a Plan B.
How to Get Around Jiuzhaigou County?
|
|
After you get out of the railway station and walk for a few minutes, you’ll see lines of direct tourist buses. The bus journey to the Jiuzhaigou National Park takes you around 2 hours and costs CNY 51. To the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, it takes about 40 minutes and costs CNY 28.
If you prefer a more comfortable journey, carry lots of luggage, or travel in a small group, it’s better to take a taxi / chartered vehicle to the attraction or hotel.
Read more: How to Plan a Jiuzhaigou Tour?
On the first day, you travel from Chengdu to Huanglong Jiuzhai by high-speed train. If you arrive in the morning, please seize the afternoon to visit the Huanglong National Scenic Reserve, and then take a direct bus to the hotel near the Jiuzhaigou National Park. For those who arrive in the afternoon, it’s notable that the last direct bus in a day departs from the station no later than 21:10, so please properly arrange your itinerary to ensure you can smoothly get to the hotel.
 |
| Arrow Bamboo Lake in Jiuzhaigou |
It’s highly recommended to book the hotel near the entrance to the Jiuzhaigou National Park, to minimize the impact of traffic congestion on your tour. On the second day, you can spend the whole day visiting the park, because the attractive scenery here makes it completely worth doing so.
On the third day, you can visit the Songpan Ancient Town and the Mounigou Valley, and come back to Chengdu from Songpan Railway Station. Alternatively, you can directly come back to Chengdu and transfer to your next stop in China.
Jiuzhaigou Valley has a humid plateau climate which is generally cool but features large temperature differences between day and night and also strong ultraviolet rays. Thus, it’s necessary to bring enough clothes to keep warm and take effective sun-protective measures. The coldest month of Jiuzhaigou is January, with the lowest temperature being about only -5°C (23°F), and July is the hottest month during which the temperature can reach around 35°C (95°F). As for the rainfall of Jiuzhaigou, it mainly happens between July and August, mostly in the form of showers.
|
|
The Jiuzhaigou National Park is renowned for its fabulous sights throughout the year, and the best time to visit it is from mid-September to early November, except for China’s crowded National Day Holiday from October 1 to 7. This period is the colorful forest season of Jiuzhaigou, during which lush forests on the mountains are in crimson red, glittering gold, and dark green, and the unparalleled waterscapes are in turquoise blue. Multiple colors interweave perfectly in late October, making the scenery in this period the best all year round.
The authentic nightlife in Jiuzhaigou County starts with a delicious dinner, no matter a hot pot with mushroom soup and yak meat, accompanied by highland barley wine, or Tibetan snacks like barbecued yak skewers and highland barley milk cakes. After that, it’ll be a good idea to join in the local campfire party. As you dance and walk slowly around the campfire with others, you are not only experiencing a typical Tibetan activity, but also immersing yourself in the warm and joyful atmosphere among all the people here. Or you can attend the grand banquet featuring a Tibetan feast and traditional Tibetan songs and dances, and this will definitely be a wonderful travel experience.
|
|
Recommended Tours
Read more:Jiuzhaigou Travel Tips
Jiuzhaigou Shopping
10 Best Places to Visit in China for Return Visitors
15 Spectacular Natural Wonders of China
- Last updated on Sep. 07, 2026 by Alex Jin -