Xian to Jiuzhaigou Travel Experience: Itinerary Arrangement with Cheapest Option to Go

Xi’an, located at the northwestern China, is the capital of Shaanxi Province. It is one of the most populous cities in western region with the longest history since Zhou Dynasty. Being famous for Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Terra-Cotta Warriors, the Ancient City Wall, and the Eight Strange Folk Customs, Xi’an has welcomed millions of tourists to come every year.

The Ancient City Wall in Xi’an

Jiuzhaigou is situated only 720km away from Xian and famous for its colorful majestic lakes and waters as a “heaven on the earth”, attracting considerable amount of tourists who would love to immerse themselves in the natural beauty after the classic humane and cultural Beijing-Xi’an Tour.

Terra-Cotta Warriors

How to Get to Jiuzhaigou from Xi’an

There are 5 flights commuting Xi’an and Jiuzhaigou every day that just a little bit less than Chengdu which has the most flights (10) to Jiuzhaigou.

If you don’t want to go and come back to Jiuzhaigou through the same route, you can choose to go to Jiuzhaigou from Xi’an and then leave from Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu.

Detailed Day by Day Travel Experience from Xian to Jiuzhaigou

Day 1: Start Your Journey from Xi’an to Jiuzhaigou by Air

There are plenty of flights commuting Xi’an and Jiuzhaigou from 7:05 to 20:20 every day. It is recommended to taking the flight in morning and arriving at Jiuzhaigou in the day time so that you would have more transportation choices to choose from.

From Xianyang International Airport to Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong Airport which is also called Jiuhuang Airport, it takes you about 70 minutes and 1200 RMB. In the peak season like the autumn, the ticket price might raise up because there are so many tourists coming to Jiuzhaigou when in the slack season you can get a discounted price at about 700 RMB. We suggest tourists who have limited budget to avoid the peak season, or book the flight in advance to see if there is any discount offered.

Xianyang International Airport

Arriving at Jiuhuang Airport, you can take the shuttle bus (20-45 RMB) to Jiuzhaigou National Park or Huanglong National Park in 1 hour. Another choice is taking taxi or chartered car at a price of 100 RMB. If you have already booked a hotel/guest house, you can contact them seeing if the pick-up service is available because they always offer a better price.

Taking a taxi at Jiuhuang Airport is another choice

For tourists who don’t join the tourists group nor drive a car finding chartered car too expensive, staying in Jiuzhaigou is better than in Chuanzhu Temple. There is one bus going to Huanglong from Jiuzhaigou every morning and going back to Jiuzhaigou in the afternoon. It is enough that spending half day in Huanglong National Park.

Huanglong National Park

The price of accommodation in Jiuzhaigou varies a lot depending on the seasons. In the peak season, the price is much higher than in winter and spring. The high-end starred hotel is comfortable at a price of more than 600 RMB when the family guests house is friendly and informative in 200 RMB. But in the slack season, some local hostels and guests house will close. You should book a room in advance if you are going there in autumn especially on the 1st week of October.

Day 2: Enjoy a Full Day Tour in Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park

As one of the World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO, Jiuzhaigou’s beautiful view attracts millions of tourists to come annually. If you are staying around Jiuzhaigou Goukou where is 1000m away from Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park, there are plenty of accommodations like youth guests houses and high-end hotels for your choice.

Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Hotel is a high-end hotel

Walking from your hotel to Jiuzhaigou National Park only costs you 10 minutes when some hotels offer shuttle bus service for their customers. If you have already booked a ticket of Jiuzhaigou National Park online, you can get your ticket in the tourist center and the auto-machines near the tourist’s center using your bank card, otherwise you should go to the entrance of Jiuzhaigou National Park which opens at 6:30 am to buy it in the morning. The ticket price varies from seasons that it is 310 RMB in total in the peak season (Apr. – Nov.) and 160 RMB in the slack season.

Jiuzhaigou National Park is in a shape of “Y” and the entrance is located at the bottom of the “Y”.

Jiuzhaigou National Park is in a shape of “Y”

If you are not going to trek in Jiuzhaigou, one-day tour is enough. You can take the electronic bus inside the park to every scenery spot. It is suggested that taking the bus to the top of the right part of “Y” which is the Virgin Forest and then going to Nuorilang which is situated at the forkof the “Y” in the noon. Going to Five Flower Lake and Mirror Lake which is at the left of the “Y” or directly going down back to the entrance is up to you.

Five Flower Lake in Jiuzhaigou

If you want to spend 2 days in Jiuzhaigou National Park,you can choose to go to Jiuzhaigou in the slack season at a price of 160 RMB which allows tourists going back to Jiuzhaigou in the next day by adding 20 RMB. In this way, you can spend one day trekking in Jiuzhaigou touring Nuorilang Waterfall, the Mirror Lake, Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake and the another day on taking bus to the forest which located on the high altitude region of Jiuzhaigou.

Nuorilang Waterfall

You should always bring some medicines and a bottle of oxygen, and wear sunscreen all the time.

Day 3: Visit Huanglong National Park

Huanglong National Park is about 143 kmaway from Jiuzhaigou and there is one bus commuting Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong every morning which takes you about 2 hours for one way. Owing to the high altitude nearly 4000 meters, it will be closed from 16th November to 31st March. The ticket is 200 RMB in busy season and 60 RMB in off season. It is not recommended to visit in April because of dry season, but surrounded by snow-capped mountain and forest, the amazing clarity of the blue lakes even more attractive than in summer. You can take the bus in Jiuzhaigou Bus Station buying a round ticket and go back to Jiuzhaigou in the afternoon at about 3:00.

Huanglong is surrounded by snow-capped mountain and forest in dry season

Going up by cable car and down by foots is the best way to visiting Huanglong. On the one hand, in such a place with an average altitude of 3400 meters, keeping up strength is essential.

Going up by cable car is a good way to visit Huanglong

Free bus is available at walkway exit and entrance and cable car station of Huanglong Park

Day 4: Get to Chengdu from Jiuzhaigou

Taking the bus is the most convenient way to go to Chengdu from Jiuzhaigou. There are plenty of buses commuting Jiuzhaigou and Chengdu every day which takes you 9-10 hours. You can book a ticket online in advance or go to the bus station to buy a ticket one day earlier. The ticket price varies from 140 RMB to 250 RMB for different levels of comfort.

On the other hand, the fastest way of going back to Chengdu is by the plane. you can go to Jiuhuang Airport again by shuttle bus or taxi and fly to Chengdu in one hour. The ticket price is about 1000 RMB.

You can go to Jiuhuang Airport again to go back to Chengdu

How to make a cheaper option from Xi’an to Jiuzhaigou?

First of all, well arrange your schedule. You can save a lot of money if only you avoid the peak season when the plane ticket price and accommodation price and entrance ticket price are all much more expensive. The best thing is that you don’t have to squeeze into a tourist crowd or wait in a line for hours. Secondly, you canfully utilize the public transportation like shuttle bus and public bus. Thirdly, staying in a local ethnic guest house is a memorable unfamiliar experience which only costs you 200 RMB and offers you abundant information and culture about Jiuzhaigou.

Staying in a local ethnic guest house is much cheaper

For more information and suggestion, feel free to contact us.