Enter the 'Frozen' Wonderland of Bipenggou: Be the Lead Role

Some say that once it snows in Bipenggou, it becomes a paradise. In winter, Bipenggou is covered in ice and snow, with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, rime, and snowy forests stretching as far as the eye can see. Bask in the sunshine and breathe in negative oxygen ions in nature. When you step inside, the sunlight glistens on the frost, making you feel as if you've entered 'Frozen' and can be the lead role. Walking along the white-covered paths, the snow crunches underfoot, and as you gaze at the peaks, forests, and houses draped in white, you can't help but marvel at the wonders of nature! Yes, that's Bipenggou, a perfect place to fulfill your winter fantasies.

· Route: Chongqing - Chengdu - Bipenggou - Chengdu - Chongqing

· Itinerary:

1 Day | Chongqing — Chengdu

After a busy week, I decided to unwind. The moment work ended on Friday, I immediately booked a ticket and hotel for Chengdu. After booking the hotel, I checked for train tickets, but there were none left, so I set up a rush ticket request. Since it was the weekend, tickets were tight. I wasn't going to give up, so I implemented Plan B: hitch a ride. Once I found a rideshare, I thought the ride would be several hours and the hotel wouldn't be useful, so I canceled it. Just after canceling, the platform successfully grabbed a ticket for me. So I had to cancel the rideshare and took the train instead. (Ps: Dear readers, please don't follow my example. If you want to travel, book well in advance, or you'll end up in my awkward situation.)

I arrived at Chengdu East Station that evening and rebooked the canceled hotel on my phone. The hotel wasn't great value, so I won't recommend it. I just stayed for the night.

2 Day | Chengdu — Bipenggou (Yanziyanwo - Tianji Lake - Shanghai Zi - Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel)

I got up at 6 the next day, checked out, and rode a bike to the meeting point for the bus to Bipenggou. I have to say: I really like Chengdu because they have shared bikes. If you need to go somewhere not too far, choosing a shared bike is not only eco-friendly but also gives you some exercise. I arrived early, so I grabbed breakfast. Just as I finished, the bus arrived. I got on and officially began this pleasant journey.

After a 2-3 hour drive, I finally reached Bipenggou. The ticket price was 60 RMB. The scenic area is large; after ticket inspection, you first take a sightseeing bus (group tour members can go directly) to Shanghai Zi (about 40 minutes). Once there, you can buy a ticket for the electric cart. The route is divided into two sections: the first half from Shanghai Zi to Panyang Lake (4.5 km), and the second half from Tianji Lake to Yanziyanwo (5 km). Depending on your stamina and schedule, you can mix and match:

01 Shanghai Zi → Panyang Lake direct electric cart: 20 RMB one-way/person, 30 RMB round-trip/person, about 15 minutes; along the way are Zhuoma Beach and some small attractions. Walking one-way takes 1-2 hours.

02 Tianji Lake → Yanziyanwo direct electric cart: 20 RMB one-way/person, 30 RMB round-trip/person, about 15 minutes; the Moon Bay and Red Rock Slope along the way are also beautiful. Walking one-way takes 1-2 hours.

I arrived at the Shanghai Zi parking lot in Bipenggou around noon. I had lunch at the Shanghai Zi Tourist Service Center. After eating, I took out my camera and snapped a few random shots. In Bipenggou, you don't need any photography skills or techniques—every shot is a masterpiece. Bipenggou is a magical gift from nature. After taking photos, I bought an electric cart ticket to the first scenic spot, Yanziyanwo.

My play mode was top-down: first go to Yanziyanwo, then slowly work my way down. This saves a lot of time, especially for afternoon visitors. From my previous memory, the scenic area stops electric carts at 5 PM; if you miss it, you have to walk down to the parking lot. (Ps: Due to my busy schedule, it had been three years since my last visit, but every time I come to Bipenggou, there are unexpected surprises. Spring, summer, autumn, winter—each season shows different colors. In spring, the lush green leaves make you feel in a fairyland. In summer, you enjoy nature's natural air conditioner, feeling a gentle breeze. In autumn, red leaves fall like a fairy tale. In winter, experience the life of a Disney prince or princess, entering a frozen wonderland.)

I took the electric cart to Yanziyanwo.

After getting off and walking a bit, I felt uncomfortable. Checking my phone's compass, I found the altitude was about 3,900 meters, the highest point in Bipenggou. Yanziyanwo is a large open valley surrounded by mountains on three sides: snowy peaks, cliffs, waterfalls, streams, grasslands, and forests. It was the warmest part of the afternoon, so sitting on the grass for a picnic was a great experience.

Flying Dragon Waterfall—I didn't climb up due to my physical limits. By the way, if you feel oxygen-deprived, you can buy an oxygen canister at the Yanziyanwo rest center for 35 RMB each. I wandered around, amazed that nature could create something so perfect.

Then I took the electric cart to Tianji Lake. This is probably the most popular spot for tourists: mountains, water, snow, and amusement facilities. If I had started here, I might have been stuck and forgotten to visit other attractions!

Near Tianji Lake, there are other spots like Panyang Lake (Moon Bay). At Panyang Lake, the scenery changes: in the distance are snowy peaks and glaciers, with a small forest in the middle. The distant snow mountain had a perfect pyramid shape, and the glacier development was clearly visible.

Happy times are always short. Before I knew it, it was around 4 PM. I took the electric cart back from Tianji Lake to Shanghai Zi Service Center, then took the bus down the mountain and checked into Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel.

When in Bipenggou, you must experience the natural hot springs at Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel—no artificial additives. The water is clear and transparent, a sodium bicarbonate spring rich in metasilicic acid, fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, and various trace elements. It has high health benefits, good for digestive system diseases, rheumatism, skin diseases, gallstones, cholecystitis, and also has beauty and skin-care functions. Unfortunately, I didn't bring swim trunks, and I wasn't about to go in my underwear—I still have some dignity.

Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel also offers special foot bath pools. I didn't hesitate and went straight to soak my feet; after all, feet are the second heart of humans, so the effect wouldn't be bad. While soaking, I heard that the foot bath water is flowing water, so no need to worry about hygiene. Also, the temperature rises with the person. When I first started, the thermometer showed about 35°C. After a while, the temperature slowly rose and also dropped—very magical. I strongly recommend to all readers that you must try it; it feels amazing. After walking in the snow on the mountain, if you weren't wearing thick socks or warm shoes, your feet wouldn't feel like your own. Soaking your feet at Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel after coming down instantly relieves all fatigue from the mountain. After soaking, I felt rejuvenated, went back to the hotel to enjoy delicious and nutritious ecological cuisine. After dinner, I returned to the room, enjoyed the underfloor heating, and watched the snowy scenery outside. This winter, I no longer feared the cold. If not for my busy work, I would have stayed here all winter.

3 Day | Bipenggou — Chengdu — Chongqing (Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel — Snow & Ice Playground (opening TBD) — Chongqing)

I woke up at 6:30 AM. After washing up, I went downstairs for breakfast around 7. The hotel offered a wide variety of breakfast items—I was spoiled for choice. I wished I had a huge stomach to eat everything. After breakfast at 7:30, I set off to the Snow & Ice Playground in Bipenggou (opening date to be announced; check the official Bipenggou site for details). You might ask how I got in—I happened to encounter the Bipenggou scenic area's 'wholehearted' launch of the 6th Ice and Snow Hot Spring Festival. Arriving at the Snow & Ice Playground, the first rays of morning sunlight were stunning. I also realized how huge it was! The playground was moved to Zhuoma Beach, which is higher, wider, and more scenic, covering a total area of 31,000 m², accommodating thousands of visitors simultaneously. The site is planned with multiple ski runs according to standard specifications, including intermediate, beginner, and children's play areas, fully meeting the needs of different visitors. Besides standard equipment like electric conveyor belts, snowboards, and poles, there are also exciting activities like snow discs, snowmobiles, and snow tanks. You can also have snowball fights and build snowmen, enjoying diverse winter fun. I wanted to quote Li Jiaqi's catchphrase: OMG, ski it!

At the opening ceremony, professional skiers performed, looking so cool and handsome. Unfortunately, I can't ski, otherwise I would have joined them.

I played until nearly noon, then went back down from the Snow & Ice Playground to Namu Lake Hot Spring Hotel for lunch. After lunch and a rest, I checked out and took the bus back to Chengdu, then from Chengdu back to Chongqing, ending the trip.

Route Guide: How to get to Bipenggou

Option 1: Join a group tour (most common group tour route)

Day1 Chengdu - Taoping Qiang Village (new village) - Ganbao Tibetan Village - Accommodation

Day2 Hotel - Bipenggou - Chengdu

Option 2: Independent travel

You can take a bus from Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station to Bipenggou, departing at 7:30 AM daily, ticket price 80 RMB per person, about 4 hours. Or take the Chengdu scenic area through-train: 8:00-15:00 daily, 8 trips per hour. Departure from Wuhou Shrine Museum at 8:00 (end Bipenggou), 10:00 (end Bipenggou), 12:00 and 14:00, stopping at Taoping Qiang Village. Departure from Chengdu IFC at 9:00 (end Bipenggou), 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00, stopping at Taoping Qiang Village. Daily return from Lixian to Chengdu at 9:00, 10:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. Round-trip comprehensive service fee 136 RMB (round-trip transport + onboard guide). One-way ticket 68 RMB. Also, the Lixian scenic area through-train loop line ticket is 10 RMB.

Option 3: Self-drive

If you have a car, you can drive. Take the route Chengdu—Duwen Expressway—Wenchuan—Lixian—Bipenggou. The road conditions are good, but since Bipenggou is in a mountainous area with many curves and tunnels, drive safely, don't speed, and go slowly.