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📍 Jiuzhaigou · 👁 5659 reads · ❤️ 28 likes

Sichuan is a key junction and transportation corridor for Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, with a very high flow of people. Various conferences are held in Sichuan year-round, and when rooms are tight, it is basically hard to find one. If you are particular about accommodation and want a hotel with a slightly better location, please book in advance. There are many scenic spots in Sichuan, and planning your own itinerary can be overwhelming.

The essence of Sichuan's mountains and rivers is mostly concentrated in the western Sichuan region, like a bright pearl shining with dazzling brilliance. There, a unique beauty will attract you. High mountains, grasslands, forests, snow-capped mountains, lakes, canyons, and peaks stand side by side, not only offering captivating natural scenery but also hiding the ethnic minority customs under vertical landscape belts.

I found Sichuan's top guide, Brother Da, through online web recommendations. The guide customized the entire itinerary for me, covering everything from pick-up to meals, accommodation, transportation, and nearby internet-famous spots. We ate specialty hotpot, stayed in four-star hotels, enjoyed 24-hour concierge service (this deserves a thumbs up), and there was no shopping throughout the trip. The per capita cost was just over 1,000 RMB, which is much cheaper than independent travel. The key was that it was worry-free and we had a great time. To find a guide, just search online: Sichuan Guide Brother Da.

Our specific itinerary in Sichuan:

Chengdu + Huanglong + Chuanzhusi + Jiuzhaigou 6-Day 5-Night Tour

Day 1: Arrive at Chengdu highway exit. Brother Da picked us up and arranged to take us to the hotel for check-in.

Day 2: Chengdu - Huanglong - Chuanzhusi - Jiuzhaigou entrance, stay overnight at Jiuzhaigou;

Enjoy the Chengdu Plain scenery along the way; pass through Dujiangyan City, Yingxiu, Wenchuan, and Mao County. Have lunch at Chuanzhusi. After lunch, take a bus to the "Fairyland on Earth" [Huanglong Scenic Area]. Huanglong is famous for its majestic, steep, peculiar, and wild scenery, earning the reputation of "World Wonder" and "Fairyland on Earth."

Welcome Pool, Flying Waterfall Flowing Splendor, Golden Sand Spread on the Bottom, Competing Color Ponds, Mirror Reflecting Shadows, Suoluo Reflecting Colors, Huanglong Temple, Five-Color Ponds, etc. The ponds vary in size and shape, some reflecting different colors, brilliant and competing in beauty; water flows on the shoals, sunlight shines, sparkling and crystal clear; a layer of fine light yellow moss covers the bottom, stepping into the shoals feels soft and cool.

Day 3: Enjoy Jiuzhaigou, stay overnight at Jiuzhaigou;

Walk 800-1000 meters from Lantian Parking Lot or Minghua Parking Lot to the scenic spot entrance, pick up tickets, and queue in order to take the sightseeing bus into the ditch. Jiuzhaigou is located in Zhangzha Town, Jiuzhaigou County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is a tributary of the Bai River upstream of Baishui Ditch, named after nine Tibetan villages. Jiuzhaigou is over 2000 meters above sea level, covered with virgin forests, and contains 108 lakes.

Jiuzhaigou has charming scenery in all four seasons. It is rich in animal and plant resources, with diverse species, vast virgin forests, and habitats for more than ten rare and precious wild animals such as giant pandas. In the distance, snow-capped peaks stand tall, piercing the sky, covered with snow all year round. Combined with Tibetan wooden houses, drying racks for prayer flags, plank bridges, mill houses, traditional customs, and myths and legends, it is known as a "beautiful fairy tale world"; Jiuzhaigou - Shuzheng Valley, Zechawa Valley.

Day 4: Visit Jiuzhaigou, Chuanzhusi - Tibetan Village - Chuanzhu Ethnic Town, stay overnight in Chengdu;

After breakfast, head to [Featured Tibetan Village] for a visit, then go to [Chuanzhusi Scenic Town] and enjoy a special meal at the spot—Tea Horse Road Banquet.

Day 5: From Chengdu to Leshan, stay overnight in Mount Emei;

Enjoy the beautiful pastoral scenery of the Sichuan Plain along the way, passing through Shuangliu, Xinjin, Pengshan—the Land of Longevity in China, Meishan—the hometown of Su Dongpo, to Leshan, then visit the national 5A-level scenic spot—Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area. As the saying goes, different waters nurture different temperaments; an ancient city leads the trends of the ages. The giant Buddha was carved during the early years of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, taking 90 years to complete. The Buddha is 71 meters tall, 18 meters taller than the world's largest Bamiyan Buddha in Afghanistan (53 meters), and has been known as "the mountain is a Buddha, the Buddha is a mountain."

Visit the confluence of the Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River. Walk the ancient plank road from the Tang Dynasty—the Nine-Bend Ancient Plank Road, while admiring the grandeur of the Leshan Giant Buddha and experiencing the feeling of "the Shu roads are harder than the road to heaven." After taking in the full view of the Buddha, head to the restaurant and enjoy a vegetarian meal that embodies Buddhist characteristics.

Continue to visit Leshan Lingyun Temple, one of China's three ancient temples with a thousand-year history. Then head to the Buddhist holy land and leisure paradise—Mount Emei.

Day 6: Mount Emei - Leshan, stay overnight in Chengdu;

After breakfast, participate in experiencing Mount Emei's thousand-year health culture and learn about Emei martial arts. Then visit the World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, national AAAAA-level key scenic spot—[Mount Emei]. At Huangwan Gate, transfer to a scenic spot bus to Leidongping, go to the restaurant to enjoy a local specialty—Emei Nine Bowls. After the meal, walk (30 minutes) to Jieyin Hall, take a cable car, then walk (10 minutes) to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei.

The Golden Summit area is a world-renowned high-altitude Buddhist pilgrimage center, including Copper Hall, Huazang Temple, Gold Hall, Silver Hall, large viewing platforms, and many other attractions. Standing on the Golden Summit, you can see the world's highest golden Buddha—the Four-Sided Ten-Direction Samantabhadra Gold Statue (48 meters high, total weight 660 tons), and visit the steep, majestic, sheer cliffs and resplendent Buddhist temples.

Main tourist attractions in Sichuan:

Jiuzhaigou: This magical stream displays different colors every year, surrounded by large tracts of virgin forests, mountains, and snow-capped peaks. It would be a pity not to see such a wonder.

Mount Emei: With its particularly strong Buddhist culture, it is a famous Buddhist holy site in Sichuan and China. The Golden Summit of Mount Emei is renowned throughout history, and various Buddhist rituals will dazzle you.

Leshan Giant Buddha: At the foot of the Leshan Giant Buddha lies the Three Rivers. Taking a boat cruise offers a unique flavor.

Dujiangyan: This man-made weir was built during the pre-Qin period, calming the Min River and keeping floods away from the Chengdu Plain. Today, the Li Bing Museum is located at Dujiangyan, where you can appreciate the great wisdom of the ancients.

Huanglong Scenic Area: Located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, this area features a mix of landscapes including forests, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, canyons, and large tracts of virgin forests. Visiting here will make you marvel at the great power of nature.

Two special snacks we enjoyed in Chengdu:

Dandan Noodles: A famous traditional noodle snack in Sichuan Province. The noodles are thin, the sauce is crispy and fragrant, salty, slightly spicy, and aromatic, very flavorful. It is a popular food enjoyed by men, women, old, and young in Sichuan, loved by everyone. It is easy to digest and absorb, and has benefits such as improving anemia, enhancing immunity, and balancing nutrient absorption.

Sichuan North Cold Noodles: The crystallization of centuries of wisdom from the simple and hardworking people of northern Sichuan. Originally a farmhouse snack, it has a history of over 90 years. With its red chili flavor, mellow spiciness, fresh and refreshing taste, it has gained popularity in Bashu and remains popular to this day. In some ways, Sichuan North Cold Noodles can be seen as a microcosm of Nanchong culture.