Xi'an - Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong: Water Bluer than Sky - 6-Day Self-Drive Trip

Day 1 (April 24): Xi'an → Hanzhong → Guangyuan, stay in Guangyuan.

Day 2: Guangyuan → Zhaohua Ancient Town (2-3 hours) → near Huanglong Scenic Area, stay near Huanglong.

Day 3: Huanglong (4-5 hours) → Songpan County (Songzhou Ancient Town) → Jiuzhaigou entrance, stay at Jiuzhaigou entrance.

Day 4: Jiuzhaigou (4-5 hours) → Wen County, stay in Wen County.

Day 5: Wen County → Jianmen Pass (4 hours) → Guangyuan, stay in Guangyuan.

Day 6: Guangyuan → Xi'an.

Day 1: Originally we planned to visit Qingmuchuan Ancient Town on the first day, but due to traffic jams on the road we were delayed and canceled the plan on the spot. So on the first day we just drove. Fortunately, the weather was good, so it didn't affect our mood too much.

Day 2: Zhaohua Ancient Town is free to enter, but the attractions inside the town require tickets. If buying online, you need to purchase at least one hour in advance. The attractions in Zhaohua Ancient Town include the Examination Hall, County Office, and Confucian Temple. There are audio guides on the official public account. From Zhaohua Ancient Town to Huanglong, we chose a road with very poor conditions, the Pingsong Road. It is recommended not to take the route from Pingwu to Huanglong, as the road conditions are very bad. If you are traveling and arrive here, it is usually dark. Many sections of the road have subsidence or are damaged by landslides, and you might easily scrape the car chassis. Huanglong is at a high altitude with large temperature differences between morning and evening. It is recommended to bring thick winter clothes. If you are afraid of altitude sickness, you can take Rhodiola rosea for a few days in advance.

Day 3: Huanglong is over 3000 meters above sea level. Climbing may be strenuous. It is recommended to take the cable car up to the Five-Color Pond first, then hike down. If you are driving yourself, you can bring trekking poles to make the descent easier. Also, take sun protection measures when going up, wear a hat and sunglasses. Because of the high altitude, drones consume battery quickly. Since it is the dry season, besides the Five-Color Pond, other scenic spots have almost no water. However, it had been snowing for a week before our visit, so we treated it as a snowscape. Songzhou Ancient Town is quite modernized. Personally, I didn't find it very interesting.

Day 4: On the fourth day, we arrived at Jiuzhaigou, which I had been longing for. I had visited Jiuzhaigou once when I was a child, but I was too young then and didn't have a deep impression. I only remembered that the water in Jiuzhaigou was very beautiful. I had seen news about Jiuzhaigou's post-earthquake reconstruction, and I always thought it was the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Later, I learned it was the earthquake on August 8, 2017. It indeed had a great impact on Jiuzhaigou, and so far, not all scenic areas have been fully restored. The longest valley before has now become the shortest. For the same reason as Huanglong, it is now the dry season, and there are many fewer sights to see. The Upper and Lower Seasonal Seas have no water at all, and the Five-Color Pond only has a pool bottom left, which slightly affects the experience. The original main gate of Jiuzhaigou is also under renovation. The current temporary gate is near the Tibetan King Banquet Dance. After leaving Jiuzhaigou, the bus does not go to the pick-up point. The parking spot is one or two kilometers from the Tibetan King Banquet Dance parking lot, requiring a ten-minute walk, or you can take a local taxi. This greatly affects the travel experience. But overall, it was still good. There is also a highway being built to Jiuzhaigou. When it opens, I will come again to see the winter scenery. I also hope that Jiuzhaigou will be fully restored soon and welcome guests from all directions as before.

Day 5: On the way from Jiuzhaigou to Guangyuan, you will pass through Bikou in Gansu (known as 'Little Jiangnan on the Longshang Plateau'). You can try Bikou's pincer fish, which is a local specialty not found elsewhere. The scenery at Jianmen Pass is quite nice, but the scenic spots overall are somewhat too scattered. If you want to both hike and see the pass tower, it is not easy to arrange. At the various exits of the scenic area, there are private buses connecting them. Tickets and hotels are much cheaper when bought online, so you need to do research and compare prices. During the pandemic, tickets cannot be purchased on-site. Jiuzhaigou also requires facial recognition collection in advance.

PS1: When we went to Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong before, there were intermittent power outages in the area. So local hotels, shops, and restaurants all have generators. To avoid delays or affecting your trip, you should bring a power bank. If you have many devices to charge or bring a laptop, you can also bring a portable power strip.

PS2: Regarding accommodation, you can check the comments below.