Jiuzhaigou Travel Agent Recommendations?

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  • #48247
    Avatar photoemma741
    Participant

    Hey All,

    Pretty keen to get to JiuZhai one weekend later in October. Are there any local travels agents that you would recommend? Keen to go in a group tour that isn’t full of just Chinese.

    Cheers, Emma

    #48256
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Going to Jiuzhaogou in a group tour strikes me as a Chinese way to do it. I would just go solo or with travel buddies and enjoy some independence in the valley.

    #48261
    Avatar photoemma741
    Participant

    yeah i know but dealing with moving around Jiuzhai to and from the airport and then onto Huanglong by myself is not my idea of fun.

    #48267
    Avatar photoKim Duistermaat
    Participant

    Dear Emma, have you been there before? Before I went I also was worried about how to get around, since there is hardly any practical travel info to find anywhere. But it is actually really straightforward. At the airport, there are many taxis that take you straight into town, from any hotel you can easily find a taxi to the park. Inside the park you don’t need a guide and transport is taken care of by busses included in your entrance ticket. Also at your hotel, it is easy to arrange transport to Huanglong and back to the airport. All is very much geared towards tourists coming to Jiuzhai. Perhaps in stead of joining a tour group (there is really nothing you would need a tour guide for), why don’t you try to find a few other individuals who would like to join you there? I agree that travelling together is more fun!

    #48269
    Avatar photoemma741
    Participant

    Hi Kim,

    Thank you so much. Yes my main concern was getting a taxi from the airport to the hotel since they seem to be an hour away from the airport. I had visions of me stuck without any options but it sounds like it won’t be a problem. In that case i am happy to go solo. 🙂

    Do you have any hotel recommendations?

    Cheers, Emma

    #48283
    Avatar photosquirrel suit
    Participant

    I totally recommend the freedom of doing it “sans-tour group”. Grab a couple friends and make your own tour. There’s enough resources online to help plan it out.

    That area gets tens of thousands of tourists a day (not an exaggeration). And despite the outrageous terrain and distance, they’ve made it very easy to get around. There are tons and tons of taxi cabs and they’re almost all new and in good shape. The drivers are courteous and friendly as they’ve got plenty of competition and their living is predicated on tourists. I had a great time talking to my driver and he was super kind and patient with my laowaihua.

    I went in the spring, and it was pretty simple. Flew into the airport and took a cab from the airport to HuangLong and then to the little town of JiuZhaiGou (this was very long, but kind of the only option). I don’t remember what the rate was, but it’s a fixed rate to do this – ask someone inside of the airport before talking to the cabs, just to be safe.

    The drive is beautiful. there’s a 4000 meter pass that you go over from the airport to HuangLong, and then you’ll go back over it on the way to JiuZhaiGou. JZG is at a lower elevation, so you’ll see some different landscapes as you head there. Lots of yaks and prayer flags.

    Pro-tip. There’s tons and tons of boardwalk that is unused in JZG park and you can find yourself in relative solitude while staying on official, legal boardwalk paths. For some very nuanced cultural reasons, the nai nais in matching floral prints are only interested in going and taking all the same pictures that their friends show off at the majiang table from their trip they took last year and are keen to beat you with their selfie stick if you interfere with that by just being around. SO to avoid that, just go where they dont. When you get off a bus and they all walk down hill, walk up hill and go around to the otherside of whatever lake you find yourself at. you’ll be totally by yourself.

    #48292
    Avatar photoKim Duistermaat
    Participant

    We stayed at Zhou Ma’s ‘homestay’ (look her up on tripadvisor) which is located in a small village outside the town. If you like to be in the outdoors all the time and get some cultural experience you could try it, but you will depend on one of the guys working for them for transport to/from the town (for free). It’s very basic but a good experience. I’ve not stayed in the town but I guess if you’re pressed for time and just want to focus on JZG and Huanglong parks, it is more efficient. There are many hotels in JZG. I don’t think there are hotels in Huanglong. I completely agree with squirrel suit. We had two complete days of walking almost alone. Chinese tourists don’t walk, they stop at the picture stops and then board the bus again. But if the weather is nice you can walk the whole route without seeing many people. However, not every ‘spot’ has a bus stop, so take care how long you plan to walk. There are some points where you can get instant noodles, but better take some lunch and drinks with you. The only part we skipped walking was the stretch between the very top bus stop and the commercial center in the center of the park (the ‘left’ path of the fork), because the paths were closed and the lakes all dried up. Things will be very clear once you get there and see a map of the area.

    #48293
    Avatar photoKim Duistermaat
    Participant

    One day, we walked from the top point on the right path to just below the center. The second day, we walked from the center to the exit. (All downhill). But we had two small kids with us, so perhaps you can do it faster and do most of the route in one day.

    #48303
    Avatar photoWoodWERD
    Participant

    That area gets tens of thousands of tourists a day (not an exaggeration).

    Damn. Does it make a difference if you go during the week versus weekend? I was thinking about squeezing in a trip before the holiday, but will probably wait until the middle of next month instead.

    #48304
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Damn. Does it make a difference if you go during the week versus weekend? I was thinking about squeezing in a trip before the holiday, but will probably wait until the middle of next month instead.

    Yeah, it definitely makes a difference, don’t go on a weekend unless you absolutely have to. And whatever you do, never ever go there on a national holiday. I’ve heard the best time to go is in the winter, when it’s icy. It’s freezing cold but beautiful and there’s no one there, apparently.

    #48305
    Avatar photoemma741
    Participant

    thanks so much for all of your help! Definitely feeling more comfortable that i can tackle it solo now. Unfortunately weekend is my only time i can go so will have to battle some crowds but will definitely take everyones advice and go the opposite way to the crowds!

    One more question? I plan on flying into Jiuzhai airport on early Friday morning and would like to also do Huanglong in addition to Jiuzhai. Would taxi drivers take you to Huanglong, wait for you and then take you to your accommodation? Or is it best to head to my accommodation first?

    Any suggestions of best way to do both parks would be great.

    #48318
    Avatar photoKim Duistermaat
    Participant

    I think taxi drivers would be ready to go Huanglong first, then JZG. However, Huanglong is not on the route to JZG and it will be quite a long day. If you have no travel delays in the morning (this often happens on the JZG flight) I think you will be able to do it. Going to JZG first is not practical, unless you do it the other way around and go to Huanglong on the last day on your way back to the airport. Huanglong is quite high altitude so when in the park, drink plenty and take it very easy. Have fun!

    #48341
    Avatar photosquirrel suit
    Participant

    Emma, yes. I did the same thing. Arrived sometime around midday and hired a cab to take me from the airport to HuangLong to JiuZhaiGou, waiting in HuangLong. It seemed to be the normal thing, and he knew the drill.  He asked us what we planned on doing for food and when I told him we’d just eat noodles at the HuangLong park entrance he was like, “yeah everyone plans on doing that but it’s a bad idea. It’s too expensive and will really suck” or something to that extent, and drove us to a restaurant in the little town by the airport because it would be cheaper and better.  He was right.

    Be prepared for expensive food though. Because of it’s remote location in the mountains, food apparently has to be brought up from the plain and that adds to cost, whereas in the fertile Chengdu plain, it’s just brought in from down the street, or outside of town.

    Charlie, I bet winter would be absolutely beautiful, but outrageously cold. You’d have to have some heavy duty ski clothes and be prepared for some gnarly conditions. It was cold -and even snowed- when I was there the last week of April (which made a really great backdrop at HuangLong and the higher elevations along the drive)

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