Bipenggou Valley Travel Guide

Around 198 kilometers northwest of Chengdu, in Piaotou Township of Li County, lies a beautiful, high altitude valley, Bipenggou Valley, that includes virgin forests, plateau lakes, alpine meadows, snow-capped mountains, and year-round glaciers. It sits on the northern face of Siguniang Mountain, between 2,000 and 5,000 meters above sea level, depending on what end of the valley you are in.

Bipenggou Valley Scenic Area

At 45km long and around 4km wide, it is now a big ecotourism resort that is officially known as the Bipenggou Scenic Resort. Famous nationwide for its diversity of landscapes and its uniquely charming natural scenery, this harmonious ecological environment makes it ideal for the modern ecotourism, and integrates hiking, skiing, sightseeing, and adventuring while maintaining the natural environment without interference and damage.

Best Time to Visit Bipenggou Valley

In general, it is good to visit Bipenggou Valley all year round. Throughout the year, there are things to do and see there, and each season has its own attractions. The valley is a truly remarkable place, and is an ideal way to relax and relieve the stresses of everyday life. You can take it easy and enjoy the beautiful scenery at any time of year, and take photos of some of the most amazing sights in the world. Bipenggou Valley is the place that has something for everyone, all the time.

Spring in the region runs from March to May, and the average temperature is around 7 degrees centigrade. With low average rainfall, spring is the perfect time to tour Mount Siguniang to see the early spring blooms in the valley, and get a good view of the snow-covered mountains and colorful ice walls as the spring sun hits them. The air can be fairly dry, and there is a good chance of clear skies with few clouds. Sunscreen and sunhats are a good idea, although down jackets and thermal clothing are a necessity as it can still get quite cold.

Bipenggou Valley is gorgeous with azaleas in Spring.

From June to August are the summer months, and the valley is rich with lush vegetation and the summer flowers, the most prolific being the azalea blossoms. Guozhuangping is hosted by the Tibetans around the beginning of May, and is a festival dedicated to praying their respects to the mountains. Locals dress up in colorful festival clothes, and bring offerings of yak butter tea, barley wine, and ciba (a glutinous rice cake) to the Chaoshanping natural altar to worship the gods of the Siguniangshan Mountains.

Bipenggou Valley is green in summer.

Summer is also the rainy months, and the monsoon rains in the region can make day trips a little wet. With around 160mm of rain on average every month, you will definitely need some wet-weather gear. Temperatures in summer are warm, averaging around12 degrees, but can drop drastically at night to almost freezing, so down jackets are a must if you are going out at night.

The most beautiful season is autumn, or fall, in the area, and is the peak sea son for tourists. The hills and valleys of the whole region are covered in golden yellows, sunburnt oranges and deep reds, as the leaves of the forest trees change color ready to fall. Trekking through the Bipenggou Valley in fall, which includes September, October, and November, you will get a visual feast with the colorful vegetation, and it is a great time for those perfect, autumn photos. For the reddest colors of the leaves, the best time is from mid-October, and once they fall, the ground is like a colorful carpet along the hiking trails.

The colorful leaves of Bipenggou Valley in autumn.

Winter is the coldest time of year, and the one where a lot of fun can be had. There are an abundance of climbing activities that run from December through to February, and the annual Siguniangshan Ice Climbing Festival runs from late December to early January. Mountains are covered in pristine, white snow, and sometimes even the roads in the valley get covered for a while. Skiing is available in the area, and for winter snow-lovers, there are plenty of things to do, as well as visits to the hot springs for a nice, relaxing, warm soak. Temperatures are around -2oC during the day, and can drop dramatically at night to under minus ten. Visitors in the winter need to pack thick down jackets, warm pants, strong, sturdy boots, and plenty of thermals. Sunscreen is essential, as the sun can still be strong, and sunglasses are needed to prevent snow-blindness.

The snow-covered Bipenggou Valley in Winter

How to Visit Bipenggou Valley

Shuttle buses run from the ticket office to Shanghaizi service center in the middle of the valley, and cost around 60 CNY, while the entrance ticket costs 80 CNY. From Shanghaizi, you can get a bus to go sightseeing along the valley, and you can get an electric car to take you up to Moon Bay. Alternatively, you can hike up to Moon Bay from Shanghaizi, a distance of just 4km.

Trekking From Changpinggou to Bipenggou – Popular Hiking Route in Sichuan

For those who love trekking, you can take a 3-day trek from Changping Valley to Bipeng Valley, hiking through the scenic Siguniangshan range. It takes three days to climb up the Changping Valley to the mountain pass, at 4,668 meters above sea level, and then descend to the famous Bipeng Valley. On this trek you get to experience the stunning scenery of this Sichuan mountain region as well as the culture and hospitality of the local Tibetan villagers. The area around Bipeng Valley and Siguniang Mountain is the most popular trekking area in Sichuan Province, and very popular with tourists.

The first day takes you from Siguniangshan Town to the campsite at Muluozi, and covers around ten kilometers. The trek can take around five hours, as the altitude reaches as high as 3,760 meters, and trekking at altitudes is very tiring. The route takes you past the stunning peaks of Mt. Siguniangshan, Mt. Pomiu and Mt. Luotuofeng, and you will make a visit to the Lama Monastery. Further along you can see the glacial landforms of the Changping Valley at Lianghekou, before delving into the densely forested mountainside. At Muluozi, you will camp for the night, ready for the second day’s trek.

Muluozi Campsite

The second day’s trek covers just 7km, but takes around 7 hours due to the higher altitudes. The route takes you up to the far end of Changping Valley, through the villages of Dashuibai, Wuguishi and Yangmantai. As the landscape becomes more beautiful, so the terrain becomes more rugged, and the trekking is hard going to the day’s end at Chazigou, at the end of the Changping Valley.

Camping at Chazigou Valley

On the last day you will cover a lot more distance, and the day’s trekking is around 8 hours. Climbing up to Yakou Pass is easy at the start, but the climb gets steeper as it gets higher up, and is the most challenging part of the trek. At 4, 668 meters, you reach the top of the pass, and can begin the trek down to Bipeng Valley. However, the first part of the descent is as hard as the ascent to the pass, with rocks and snow covering everything, and a fairly steep slope. AS you get lower, the slope gets easier, and once through Sankeshu you will reach the edge of the Bipeng Valley.With winding streams, beautiful cedar forests, and grand, snow-capped mountains, you can continue the trek to the main road, where a car will take you to Putou to stay overnight.

Trekking through the Yakou from Changpinggou to Bipenggou

How to Get to Bipenggou from Chengdu

Getting to Bipenggou Valley from Chengdu is just a bus ride from the Chadianzi Bus Station to Li County, which costs around 60 CNY. There are three buses a day, which leave at 7:10am, 8:10am, and 9:00am. From there you can get a local bus up to Bipenggou for around 20 CNY per person, and then it is a ten-minute walk up to the Tourist Service center.

Where to Stay in Bipenggou

There are several places where you can stay in Sinungianshan Town, which range from beautiful local hotels and hostels to listed four-star hotels. All hostels and hotels have complete facilities, with Wi-Fi, hot water, good food, and competitive prices. Prices do vary depending on the season, but are fairly reasonable most of the year. Peak months are more expensive.

Inside the Bipenggou Scenic Resort area there is only one place to stay, the Bipenggou Hotel, in Putou Town, not far from the entrance to the valley. The hotel has all the facilities one would expect, and caters for individuals and families alike. Prices are very reasonable all year round, although booking in advance in the more popular months is required.

Attractions near Bipenggou

Miyaluo Scenic Area

Located at the upper end of the Min River, the Miyaluo Scenic Area is the perfect place to see trees with beautiful red leaves in autumn. The best time to visit is between late October and early November, when the leaves are almost ready to fall.

Colorful Leaves of Miyaluo in Autumn

Guergou Valley

In Lixian County of Aba Prefecture lies Guergou Town, where you can find a huge variety of hot spring resorts. Just 30km from the Miyaluo Scenic Area, these hot springs are a great way to relax and feel refreshed after a hard few days trekking around Bipeng and Changping Valleys.

Guergou Valley Hot Spring

Mengtun River Valley

The Mengtun River Valley is around 200km from Chengdu, and is the home to the Jiarong Tibetan and Qiang ethnic tribes. There are a few campsites in the valley, and these are some of the best camping grounds in the region of Chengdu.

Camping in Mengtun River Valley

Taoping Qiang Village

This small village is situated in Li County, 163km from Chengdu, and has the most well-preserved architecture of the Qiang people. The village has a history of over 2,000 years, and retains the traditional primitive cultures of the Qiang tribes.

Taoping Qiang Village

Ganbao Tibetan Village

One of the largest Tibetan villages in Sichuan Province, Ganbao village was an important military fortress in the Qing dynasty. Today, you can still see the remains of the military training grounds and the podium, and the village is filled with dozens of amazing statues of ancient soldiers.

Ganbao Tibetan Valley