Huanglong Scenic Area

The Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area is located in Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. It is the only well-preserved plateau wetland in China, known for its colorful ponds, snow-capped mountains, forests, canyons, and waterfalls. The total area of the scenic region is about 1340 square kilometers, with the core area being 700 square kilometers, and its altitude is above 3000 meters. The area is famous for its colorful ponds, snow-capped mountains, canyons, forests, shoals, ancient temples, and folk customs, known as the 'Seven Wonders'. It consists of several scenic spots including the main Huanglong Valley, Muni Valley, Snow Treasure Summit, Red Star Rock, and Danyun Gorge. The natural and cultural landscapes are integrated, with the main Huanglong Valley featuring terraced arrangements of calcium carbonate deposits, including natural attractions such as the cascading waterfalls, multi-colored ponds, and bonsai ponds. Additionally, the Huanglong area, as part of Yu the Great's flood control efforts, has a rich cultural heritage. Within the scenic area, there is the Huanglong Temple, which is related to the Huanglong mythology and has become an important testament to Yu the Great's water management. The area also retains the religious culture and folk customs of Huanglong, attracting numerous tourists.

Sichuan Province's Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture's Huanglong Scenic Area is a World Natural Heritage site and a national 5A-level scenic spot. The main feature of the Huanglong Scenic Area is the colorful calcium pools, which are intricately structured and brightly colored. The main attractions are concentrated in the approximately 3.6 kilometers long Huanglong Valley, which is filled with deposits of calcium carbonate and also boasts a rich variety of flora and fauna. The Huanglong Temple is located on the side of the road in Huanglong Valley, and it is also a place where tourists can rest midway. Many devotees come here to offer incense and pray with sincerity.

Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area is nestled in the land of Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China. As a world-class natural heritage site, Huanglong is renowned far and wide for its rare geological features and rich biodiversity. The calcite pools within the area are unparalleled, hailed as the 'Jade Pool on Earth', especially the colorful ponds in the main valley of Huanglong, which shimmer under the sunlight, presenting a kaleidoscope of colors, like a dreamy fairyland. 🍀 Must-visit attractions: ① Huanglong's Five-Color Ponds: This is the core landscape of Huanglong, where layered calcified ponds are arranged like terraces, with crystal-clear water that changes colors with the seasons and light. ② Snow Mountain Ridge: From this vantage point, not only can you enjoy a panoramic view of Huanglong, but also gaze at the vast snow-capped mountains, feeling the grandeur of the plateau. ③ Munigou Scenic Area: Adjacent to Huanglong, it boasts calcified waterfalls and forest lakes, a sacred place where natural scenery and religious culture blend. 🍀 Address: Within the territory of Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area. 🍀 Transportation tips: ① Public transport: Departing from Chengdu, you can take a long-distance bus to Songpan from Chengdu Ximen Bus Station, passing through Dujiangyan, Wenchuan, and other places, then transfer to a tourist bus to Huanglong after arriving in Songpan. ② Self-driving: Drive along the G213 national highway, passing through Wenchuan, Mao County, and other areas, with good road conditions suitable for all seasons, but be cautious of road safety in the mountains during winter. ③ Airplane: First fly to Jiuzhaigou Airport, then rent a car or take a shuttle bus to Huanglong, about a 2-3 hour drive. 🍀 Food recommendations: ① Butter tea: The rich fragrance of milk mixed with tea leaves, paired with zanba or local yak meat pie, is the best choice for replenishing energy. ② Songpan Tibetan meals: Try authentic Tibetan hotpot, hand-grabbed mutton, and unique Tibetan yogurt, allowing you to deeply understand Tibetan culture while savoring the food. 🍀 Nearby attractions: ① Jiuzhaigou: Also a World Natural Heritage site, famous for its azure lakes, colorful forests, and majestic waterfalls, only a hundred kilometers away, suitable for a combined tour itinerary. ② Munigou: Not only close to Huanglong but also features the Zhaga Waterfall and Erdaohai, offering a double enjoyment in one trip. ③ Songzhou Ancient Town: With a long history and profound cultural heritage, you can learn about the historical style of an ancient frontier town. Pack your bags and embark on this journey to find a sanctuary for your soul, and let the beauty of Huanglong become an eternal memory in your heart!

Many people advised against visiting Huanglong in winter before I came. I took a trip to Jiuzhaigou and made a detour to see it. Honestly, climbing the mountain is really tiring! But I think the scenery is quite worth it. Probably because the weather was particularly good, or maybe because there were very few people in the scenic area. The crystal-clear colorful pools, the world's rare high-altitude cold water calc-sinter landscape, like a giant dragon with shimmering scales, lying quietly under the main peak of Minshan, Xuebaoding. Taking photos is really too beautiful! Friends who are going to travel during the Spring Festival, look here for tips. - 🎫Ticket From November 16 to March 31 of the following year, off-season tickets are buy one get one free, 40 yuan per person. 🚠Cable Car 80 yuan per person for the ascent, 40 yuan per person for the descent. If you usually like to hike and are in good physical condition, you don't need to buy a cable car ticket at all; because after getting off the cable car, you still have to walk a long way, which is very unreasonable in design. - 🕙Entrance Time It is recommended to enter the scenic area before 10 am, you can reach the colorful pools by 12:30 pm, just when the midday sun is shining directly, and this is when the colorful pools look the best. - 🏔️Winter Recommended Spots The good parts are in the first 2 kilometers and the last part near the colorful pools, the middle part is relatively dull. 🔸Welcome Pool - Washing Body Cave The several large-scale calcified pools at the entrance, the water does not freeze in winter, and it is very beautiful when it is sunny. The calcified pools in the middle are basically frozen and have no water. 🔸Pengtai Waterfall In winter, the spring water freezes to form ice waterfalls, which is quite spectacular. 🔸Colorful Pools Located halfway up the mountain in the scenic area, at an altitude of 3576 meters, it is the largest group of calcified pools in Huanglong, and it is very spectacular when viewed from above against the backdrop of Xuebaoding. In winter, most of the colorful pools are covered with a thin layer of ice, and the yellow, green, and blue water shines brightly among the broken ice. The sunlight shows different colors from different angles, plus the blessing of white snow, the colors are dreamy. - ⚠️Transportation ✈️Plane Huanglong Airport, then take a bus for 1H. 🚗Self-driving 7H from Chengdu. 🚌Bus Take a direct bus from Jiuzhaigou for 2H. 🚄High-speed train Zhenjiangguan Station, then take a bus for 1 hour and 50 minutes. - 📝Notes 1️⃣The round trip in the scenic area is 7KM, and the round trip on foot takes at least 4 hours. Elderly and children should not consider climbing the mountain, and should act according to their abilities. If you still want to see it, you can take the cableway up and then walk down slowly. 2️⃣For hiking, wear soft-soled sports shoes, you don't need to wear too thick clothes on sunny days, but you need to be windproof, as it will be very tiring and easy to sweat when climbing. 3️⃣In the off-season, except for the entrance of the scenic area, there is no food for sale inside, so be sure to prepare dry food in advance.

Before coming, I saw many people dissuading a winter visit to Huanglong I took a trip to Jiuzhaigou and took a detour to see it Honestly, climbing the mountain is really tiring! But I think the scenery is quite worth it Probably because the weather was particularly good Or maybe because there were very few people in the scenic area The crystal clear colorful pools The world's rare high-altitude cold water calc-sinter landscape Like a giant dragon with shimmering scales Lies quietly under the main peak of Minshan, Xuebaoding Taking photos is really beautiful! Friends planning to travel during the Spring Festival, check out this guide 🎫Ticket From November 16 to March 31 of the following year Off-season tickets are buy one get one free, 40 yuan/person 🚠Cable car 80 yuan/person for the ascent, 40 yuan/person for the descent If you usually like to hike and are in good physical condition, there is no need to buy a cable car ticket; because after getting off the cable car, there is still a long way to walk, and the design is very unreasonable 🕙Entrance time It is recommended to enter the scenic area before 10 am, and you can reach the colorful pools by 12:30 pm, just when the midday sun is shining directly, and this is when the colorful pools look the best 🏔️Winter recommended attractions The good-looking parts are in the first 2 kilometers and the last colorful pools, the middle section is relatively dull 🔸Welcome Pool - Body Cleansing Cave The several large-scale calcified pools at the entrance, the water does not freeze in winter, and it is very beautiful when it is sunny, the calcified pools in the middle section are basically frozen and have no water 🔸Pengtai Waterfall In winter, the spring water freezes to form ice waterfalls, which is quite spectacular 🔸Colorful Pools Located halfway up the mountain in the scenic area, at an altitude of 3576 meters, it is the largest group of calcified pools in Huanglong, and it is very spectacular when viewed from above against the backdrop of Xuebaoding In winter, most of the colorful pools are covered with thin ice, and the yellow, green, and blue waters shine brightly among the broken ice, presenting different colors from different angles in the sunlight, and with the addition of white snow, the colors are dreamy ⚠️Transportation ✈️Plane Huanglong Airport, then take a bus for 1H 🚗Self-driving 7H from Chengdu 🚌Bus 2H direct bus from Jiuzhaigou 🚄High-speed rail Zhenjiangguan Station, then take a bus for 1 hour and 50 minutes 📝Notes 1️⃣The round trip in the scenic area is 7KM, and it takes at least 4 hours to walk back and forth. Elderly and children should not consider climbing the mountain, and do so according to their ability. If you still want to see it, you can take the cableway up and then walk down slowly 2️⃣For hiking, wear soft-soled sports shoes, you don't need to wear too thick clothes on sunny days, but you need to be windproof, as it will be tiring and easy to sweat when climbing 3️⃣During the off-season, there is no food for sale inside the scenic area except at the entrance, so be sure to prepare dry food in advance

Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong have always been renowned, and this Qingming holiday, unable to return home due to the distance, I chose to travel to pass the time. For college students, making travel plans can be troublesome. To save time and effort, we opted for a group tour. Despite some negative comments about group tours online, we went ahead without hesitation, believing that the essence of life is to experience. On the first day, most of the time was spent on the road, and the guide patiently explained the history and local customs of the land, making the dull journey interesting. With the guide's humorous speech, I learned about the unique marriage system of the Tibetan people and some simple everyday phrases. On the second day, we officially started our trip to Jiuzhaigou, the most anticipated part. After arriving at Jiuzhaigou around eight in the morning, the guide let us explore on our own until five in the afternoon. The ample time allowed us to wander leisurely. The bright and clear blue lakes were a sight to behold, and the endless mountain peaks reflected in the lakes created a stunning landscape. Renting traditional Tibetan attire, we took photos in the beautiful blue waters, creating our own memories. The sightseeing cars everywhere, and the awe-inspiring Pearl Shoal Waterfall, these scenes are forever preserved in our phones. Even the most eloquent language cannot describe the impact of Jiuzhaigou. Only by being there can one truly understand its wonderful taste. On the third day, we followed the group to Huanglong. It was raining outside, and snowing in Huanglong. Before even arriving at Huanglong, the snow scenes outside the window were breathtaking. As a child who grew up in the south, seeing snow has always been a luxury. When we arrived at Huanglong, the snow on the ground was like a thick plush blanket, pure white as far as the eye could see. We rolled in the snow, had snowball fights, and created memories unique to our youth. At this time, Huanglong was dressed in silver, with thick snow covering the branches. We then reached the colorful ponds of Huanglong, where a unique phenomenon occurs - travertine. Its formation is a natural marvel. Shocked and amazed at every turn. At the best age, we saw the best scenery and left footprints of our youth. No matter when, go out more, those images from textbooks can only be understood through personal experience.

Sichuan Province's Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture's Songpan County Huanglong Scenic Area is a World Natural Heritage site and a national 5A-level tourist attraction. At the foot of the mountain, you can take a cable car to reach the mountainside, and then follow the plank road all the way up. The main attractions of Huanglong Scenic Area are within Huanglong Valley, where the calcified pools nestled among the green mountains are the biggest highlight of Huanglong Valley. The pools are crystal clear and colorful, with various shapes of calcified pools, and every step offers a view. The plateau sunlight is strong, so it is necessary to take sun protection measures. Visiting Huanglong Scenic Area in summer usually does not result in altitude sickness, and the temperature is not too hot.

Getting There - Jiuzhaigou Aiport or bus from Chengdu. Attractions - Huanglong National Park Hotels Ajimu Guest House   Food & Restaurants - Local Restaurants Second National Park visit after Jiuzhaigou. Absolutely terrific. The pools are amazing. A good walk round taking the cable car up as we had to save time with arriving late. Worth it to do both national parks in North Sichuan. #summervacation#urbanexplorer