Let Me Tell You How to Visit Jiuzhaigou on a Budget and Avoid Crowds!

I really wanted to travel during the Chinese New Year this year. After looking at many destinations, I finally settled on a trip to Jiuzhaigou. Since it was hard to buy tickets for various modes of transport during the Spring Festival, I started grabbing tickets on the first day they were available. Based on the ticket times, I finalized the following plan:

Day 1: Xi'an to Chengdu by bullet train, 4 hours, stayed near Chengdu Xin Nan Men Bus Station that night;

Day 2: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou, from Chengdu Xin Nan Men Bus Station to Jiuzhaigou Bus Center (scenic area), 8 hours, stayed at a hotel in Jiuzhaigou that night;

Day 3 and Day 4: Visit Jiuzhaigou;

Day 5: Jiuzhaigou Bus Center (scenic area) to downtown Chengdu, 8 hours.

If you have enough budget, you can take a flight from Chengdu to Huanglong, but you still need to rent a car to transfer to Jiuzhaigou. Also, there is now a high-speed train from Chengdu to Zhenjiangguan, about 1.5 hours, but after arriving at Zhenjiangguan, you still need to take a bus for 3 hours (without traffic) to reach Jiuzhaigou.

As someone with a lot of luggage and a bit lazy, I chose the simplest point-to-point scenic area direct bus.

Let me share my impressions of Jiuzhaigou!

1. Road Conditions

I visited Jiuzhaigou once before the earthquake. The roads were not as good as they are now. The current roads are higher grade, wider, and easier to drive on. The driver himself said it's much easier and less tiring to drive now than before. Moreover, the current roads pass many scenic spots. If you are driving yourself, you can stop and play along the way. The driver stops three times for everyone to rest, use the restroom, and visit the supermarket. Things in the supermarket are very expensive. I suggest buying only what you need. I recommend buying more fruit—the fruit here is delicious, especially the bagua oranges, which are very sweet.

2. Ticket Discounts

I thought the Chinese New Year period would be off-season for Jiuzhaigou, but when I arrived at the scenic area, it was extremely crowded!!! It might be because Jiuzhaigou had a promotion this year: two people go and one gets a free ticket. However, the bus ticket within the scenic area cannot be waived, and it's still off-season pricing, so two people only need to pay 240 yuan. Also, some online sources mentioned a second-entry ticket, but it actually does not exist! However, if you buy tickets on the Aba Tourism WeChat official account with online payment, each ticket is reduced by 40 yuan.

I went alone and stayed for two days, so the two-day ticket cost was 240 yuan (120+120). Calculated this way, it's almost the same as a second-entry ticket!

I don't know how long this discount will last, but it's really great!!! The tourism bureau finally got it right! Thumbs up to them!

Because of this, the scenic area staff said they had never seen so many people during the New Year before. The scenic area almost reached its visitor limit!

3. Accommodation Recommendations

Jiuzhaigou has many accommodation options, including guesthouses and hotels. I recommend choosing a hotel. I stayed at the Lotus Hotel near the scenic area entrance. It's a 3-minute walk to the ticket gate. The hotel has underfloor heating, which is very friendly for winter visitors. The hotel's interior is exquisitely decorated, the rooms are clean, and the facilities are complete! The hotel has its own restaurant, with free breakfast and paid dinner at reasonable prices with generous portions!

4. Less-Crowded Routes

I suggest that if you have time, you should definitely choose to visit for two days, because Jiuzhaigou is huge, and it opens at 8:30 AM, but after 3 PM, the scenic area buses only take people out, not in.

Many friends have written about what it's like inside the scenic area, so I won't go into detail. Let me just share how I did it!

Since I'm from Xi'an, I have a habit of wearing Hanfu wherever I go, haha. The weather forecast said the first day would be sunny and the second day rainy. So I decisively wore Hanfu into the scenic area on the first day for selfies.

There are several ticket gates at the entrance. When there are many people, the scenic area automatically diverts them, so the moment you queue, you determine your route for the day! I queued on the far left. After entering, the bus took me to Shuzheng Gully (Shuzheng Qunhai Station). After getting off, the staff told everyone to walk up to Rhinoceros Lake and then transfer to a bus going to Long Lake or Primeval Forest. I decisively turned around and walked back. Haha, there was no one on the road!!!

So I walked and took photos, never taking the bus, all the way to Penjing Beach. I took the bus from Penjing Beach to exit the scenic area. The walk was 4 kilometers. I walked from 10 AM to 4 PM, resting for half an hour to eat something.

The scenery along this route was excellent, especially Sparking Lake. The color of the water was indescribable! So beautiful! You must walk through Reed Lake. At 4 PM, the setting sun shone on the reeds, creating a beautiful scene! It was perfect for taking portraits! After walking 4 kilometers, I was quite tired. I exited the scenic area at 5 PM, and luckily, I was at the hotel in 3 minutes!

The second day was cloudy. I chose to queue on the far right. Sure enough, I was taken to Arrow Bamboo Lake. In winter, the Primeval Forest is closed for management. But along the way, I found that Arrow Bamboo Lake and Panda Lake were extremely crowded. So I asked the driver to take me back and drop me at Five Flower Lake. Due to the bad weather, the scenery at Five Flower Lake looked a bit dull. There were many people taking photos in ethnic costumes, but you need to check if you have enough time!

Since the weather was bad today, I didn't hike. Buses here operate on a same-stop boarding and alighting system, so I got off at Mirror Sea. However, it's not as beautiful as it was before the earthquake. The surrounding mountains have many anti-slide piles and retaining walls, which look a bit incongruous. The original wooden walkways along the mountain have many collapses and damages, and now walking along the mountain is not allowed. The wooden walkways were newly built after the earthquake!

Downhill buses only go to Nuorilang Visitor Center, where you need to transfer! The visitor center is very crowded and things are expensive. I suggest bringing your own food to save money and time!

Since Long Lake was frozen in winter and Five Color Pond gets smaller each year, I gave up on that area and directly transferred to Rhinoceros Lake Station. I waited for the sun there, and when it came out, the scenery was stunning!

Since I had plenty of time (just 12 PM), I chose to walk from Rhinoceros Lake to Sparking Lake (2.5 km) and then take the bus from Sparking Lake to exit the scenic area.

After the sun came out, Rhinoceros Lake was beautiful and super blue! Today's sunlight wasn't very strong, so Sparking Lake showed a gentle blue color, making me want to just quietly gaze at it!

I think most people were guided to Long Lake and Arrow Bamboo Lake area. Both days I walked backwards and encountered very few people. You can try this too!

5. Tips

1. Many people there recommend buying Rhodiola rosea. It depends on your needs. I've been twice and didn't feel any effect, but you can buy it just in case.

2. The UV rays are strong even in winter. I used sunscreen but still got sunburned!

3. The temperature difference in the scenic area is huge. It's freezing in the morning and scorching at noon. So wear layers and you can take off clothes as you walk!

4. There is only one service point in the scenic area, which is Nuorilang Center. So bring water and food! There are restrooms along the way, and I suggest using them whenever you see one, because they are not many!

5. Buses depart frequently, so make sure to keep your belongings with you!

6. You don't need a guide; there are commentators on the buses!

7. If you really get lost, open Amap (Gaode Maps). Haha, all bus stops within the scenic area are marked!

Finally, a big thanks to Ctrip. I originally booked special-rate hotel rooms without breakfast, but Ctrip gave me free breakfast. The hotel in Jiuzhaigou also gave me fruit, haha! The better your service, the better our experience. I hope you keep improving!