Huanglong National Park Travel Guide: Weather, Hotels, Food, etc.

Huanglong Scenic Area is located in Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, 110 kilometers away from Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area. Huanglong is 1700-5588 meters above sea level and covers an area of 700 square kilometers. It is the only well-protected plateau wetland in China. Huanglong Scenic Area is dominated by large-scale, ingenious structure and colorful surface travertine landscape, and is famous at home and abroad for its rare karst landforms. The water in the calcification pool in the scenic spot can change into different colors according to the surrounding scenery and the angle of sunlight, and enjoys the reputation of "Wonder of the World" and "Jade Pool on Earth". In 1992, Huanglong Scenic Area was included in the "World Natural Heritage List". Huanglong Scenic Area is mainly composed of two scenic spots, Huanglong Valley and Muni Valley, with the main landscape concentrating in Huanglong Valley.

What to see

Huanglong Valley

It is a gentle slope valley with a length of 7.5 kilometers and a width of 1.5 kilometers. The ditch is covered with travertine carbonate deposits and arranged in terrace. The milky-yellow rock looks like a yellow dragon (Huanglong in Chinese) in the jungle and valley from a distance, so it is named ‘Huanglong Valley’. There are colorful ponds, snow-capped mountains, canyons, forests, ancient temples and glaciers in the scenic area. The main attractions are concentrated in the 3.6-kilometer valley.

Entering the Huanglong Scenic Area, the first thing you see is a group of delicate pools with exquisite water quality, called Yingbin Pool. The Yingbin pool group consists of more than 350 colorful pools with exquisite structures and peculiar shapes. The pools are of different sizes, colorful and well-proportioned.

Continue up along the plank road, you will see many attractions, including: Waterfalls, Xishen Cave, Bonsai Pool, Zhengyan Pool, Huanglong Temple, Huanglong Cave and Wucai Pond, etc. The most beautiful among them is the Wucai Pond at the highest point of the scenic spot.

The Wucai Pond is 3576 meters above sea level and has 693 colored ponds. It is the largest group of colorful ponds in Huanglong Valley, and it is also the largest and highest open-air travertine colorful pond group in the world today. The water here is clear and transparent. With the selective absorption and reflection of transmitted light by the gray-white travertine and yellow-green algae at the bottom of the lake, countless large and small pools are like palettes filled with colorful pigments, dazzling in the sun, which is quite breathtaking. So it is named ‘Wucai Pond (or Five-colored Pond)’, Standing by the Wucai Pond, the 5,588-meter-high Xuebaoding, the main peak of Minshan Mountain, stands majestically in front of you. Hundreds of colorful pools scatter in the jungle, like dazzling pearls inlaid in the jungle.

The beauty of Huanglong can't be described in words, so you have to go and see this fairyland in person.

Muni Valley

Muni Valley Scenic Spot is located in the southwest of Songpan County and is a new scenic spot in Huanglong Scenic Area. It combines the beauty of Jiuzhai Valley and Huang Valley, but it is more primitive and pure. The pools in the scenic spot can be compared with the colorful ponds at Jiuzhai Valley and the waterfall of the calcification pool can be compared with those in Huanglong Valley. Muni Valley is mainly composed of Erdaohai and Zhaga Waterfall.

Erdaohai: Located in the north of Muni Valley Scenic Area, it is a 5-kilometer long and narrow ravine with 26 scenic spots such as forests, lakes, sea of flowers, hot springs, stalactites, and karst caves. Going up along the plank road, you can see Xiaohaizi, Dahaizi, Swan Lake, Emerald Lake, Rhinoceros Lake and so on. The lake water changes colors with different seasons, which contrasts with the colorful travertine rock formations on the lakeshore. There are many underground karst caves around the lake, and the lake water is connected to other lakes through the karst caves. The surface seems to be as smooth as a mirror, but the bottom is surging.

Zhaga Waterfall: At an altitude of 3270 meters, the waterfall is 93.2 meters in height and 35 meters in width. It is the largest calcified waterfall in China. The upstream is a lake, and the downstream is a series of stepped riverbeds. The lake water falls rapidly from the huge calcified stair, and descends through the three travertine steps, with a majestic momentum and a sound of waves.

Festival Activity

Huanglong Temple Fair is held every year from June 12 to 15 of the lunar calendar. Endless stream of Tibetan, Hui, Han and other ethnic people around hundreds of miles would wear festival costumes; bring tents, cooking utensils, food, etc., to the Huanglong Scenic Area. Some people go there for party, some for sightseeing, some praying for good luck, some for get-together with friends and relatives and some for love and romance. Tibetans from faraway Qinghai and Gansu provinces, Mianyang and Aba also come from afar to attend the temple fair.

When is the best time to visit

Recommended Season: All year around, but summer (June to August) and autumn (September to November) are the best times to visit. At this time, it is in the wet season, waterfalls and streams are at their fullest, and the travertine pools shimmer like gradient-colored sapphires, making the scenery especially vibrant and breathtaking.

How to tour

Cableway plus hiking is suggested:

Suggested Tour Route (from top down): Entrance Gate of Huanglong – Cableway up the mountain (approx. 5 minutes) – Electric shuttle to Wucai Pond Entrance (approx. 10 minutes) – Wucai (Five-Color) Pond (1,000m walk) – Huanglong Temple – Zhengyan Pond – Bonsai Pond – Xishen Cave – Waterfalls – YingbinPond – Exit of Huanglong Scenic Area (closest to Parking Lot No. 2).

After taking the cable car up the mountain, it is recommended to take the electric sightseeing car directly to the area near Wucai (Five-Color) Pond, the highest point of the scenic area. This can save about 40 minutes of walking. From there, walk down to the Huanglong Scenic Area exit (closest to Parking Lot No. 2), which takes about 2 hours.

Half/One day tour suggestion

• Half Day Tour: Huanglong Valley
• One Day Tour: Huanglong Valley + Muni Valley

If there is no suitable tour for you, contact us and create your own Chengdu tour!

How to get to

Chengdu to Huanglong

• Flight: It takes an hour from Chengdu to Jiuzhai Valley by flight. Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport is about 40 km away from Huanglong Scenic Area, an hour drive.
• High-speed train: It takes about 2 hours  from Chengdu to Huanglong-Jiuzhai Station. The station is approximately 27 km from the Huanglong Scenic Area, around 30 minutes by taxi. Alternatively, you can transfer to shuttle bus, which takes about 1 hour. The fare is RMB 28.
• Coach: Take the coach from Chadianzi Bus Station in Chengdu to Songpan County. The coaches depart at 6:30, 7:30, 9:30, and 13:30. The coach fare is RMB109, about 7 hours. Upon arrival in Songpan, transfer to a shuttle bus to Huanglong; the fare ranges from RMB 25 to 29.

Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport to Huanglong

• Shuttle Bus: There are shuttle buses from airport to Huanglong Scenic Area and Jiuzhai Velley. It will stay in the main valley of Huanglong for about 4 hours for tourists. The fare is RMB100. The shuttle bus is privately operated and has no fixed departure time. During the off-season, the shuttle bus stops running.
• Taxi: It costs about RMB150-200 from airport to Huanglong by taxi.

Jiuzhai Valley to Huanglong

• Coach: 7:40 Am Jiuzhaigou Bus Station- Huanglong Scenic Area; 3:00PM Huanglong Scenic Area-Jiuzhaigou about 2.5 hours, the fare is about RMB 47.
• Taxi or charter car: Tourists can rent a private car, and the round-trip price is around RMB400.

Songpan County and Chuanzhusi Town to Huanglong

• Shuttle Bus: There are shuttle buses passing by Huanglong at 06:00, 07:00, and 14:00 every day (the time will vary) (the shuttle bus to Mianyang, Jiangyou and Pingwu. Remember to ask if you can get off at Huanglong in adavance), the fare is about RMB30. The above-mentioned shuttle buses also pass by Chuanzhu Temple, you can get on the bus here, and the fare to Huanglong Scenic Spot is about RMB22.

Useful Info

• Admission Ticket of Huanglong: Peak Season (1st April to 15th November): RMB170; Slack Season (16th November to 31st March): RMB60. Huanglong Cableway: Up: RMB80; Down: RMB40.
• Electric shuttle ticket: RMB 20 (operating hours: 7:30–17:00); Ticket sales stop at 16:30.
• Admission Ticket of Muni Valley: Peak Season (1st April to 15th November): RMB100; Slack Season (16th November to 31st March): RMB60
• Address: Pingsong Road, Seerzhai Village, Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
• Tel: 0837-7249188; 0837-7249958
• When is it opened: 08:00-17:00; Ticket sales stop at 16:30
• Recommended Time: Half to One day
• Recommended Season: All seasons, summer and autumn are the best. At this time, it is in the wet season, the water area is large and the scenery is gorgeous.
• Huanglong Specialties: Yak meat, highland barley wine, dairy products (cheese, milk residue, skin on boiled milk and yogurt), mushrooms, Chinese herbal medicines, etc.

Recommended Restaurants nearby

• Dicos (branch at Huanglong Scenic Area): Add: 1st Floor, Hualong Villa, Huanglong Scenic Area. Tel: 0837-7249209
• Rhododendron Forest Restaurant: Add: Rhododendron Forest Rest Station in Huanglong Scenic Area. Tel: 0837-7249456

Recommended hotels nearby

• Huanglong Sercuo International Hotel:Add: Opposite the cableway of Songpan Huanglong Scenic Area. Tel: 0837-8759222
• Hualong Villa: Add: Songpan Huanglong Scenic area gate. Tel: 0837-7249025

Nearby Attractions

• Chuanzhu Temple: 23km
• Songzhou Ancient City: 38km
• Muni Valley Scenic Area: 50km
• Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area: 110km

Huanglong travel notes

• The altitude of Huanglong Scenic Area is about 3070 meters to 3900 meters. During the tour, it’s best to avoid strenuous activity and drinking too much alcohol to reduce the risk of altitude sickness. You can prepare some drugs to prevent altitude sickness in advance. The elderly and infirm, those with high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and heart disease should not travel to high altitude areas.
• Small oxygen cylinders can be prepared in advance for the elderly and children. Oxygen cylinders can be purchased in pharmacies and shops near the entrance of the scenic spot.
• Huanglong Scenic Area is humid and cold throughout the year, with strong sunlight and intense ultraviolet rays. It is recommended to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a sun hat for skin protection. Even in summer, wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers is advisable to stay warm.
• The plank road in Huanglong and Muni Valley is long with many steps. Please prepare comfortable sports shoes.
• The best way to enter Muni Valley in winter is to ride horses. On horseback, you can savor the beauty of Muni Valley while watching the scenery.
• There are few places for dinning in the scenic area, so it is recommended to bring your own food and water.
• The local Tibetans are absolutely forbidden to eat donkey, horse and dog meat, and some areas do not eat fish. Note to respect local customs.

Customize Your Unique Chengdu Tour

Alternatively, if you would like to customize your Chengdu tour, please visit our Chengdu Tour Customized Center. We assure you that you will receive a reply within 24 working hours.

Informative Articles for Your Chengdu Trip

Jiuzhaigou Valley

• Chengdu Travel Guide: attractions, weather, food, culture, tours, etc.
• Chengdu Culture: rich and unique
• Travel itinerary: various itineraries for your reference
• Weather: the best time and seasons to visit Chengdu
• Attraction: well-selected top attractions
• Activities: Chengdu cultural immersions
• Where to Visit: top places to visit in Chengdu
• Unique Perspective: top things to do in Chengdu
• Food and Restaurants: what and where to eat while traveling in Chengdu
• Accommodation: handpicked hotels for you
• Chengdu Tours: tailor-made Tours for your reference