Jiuzhaigou + Dujiangyan + Four Girls Mountain + Sanxingdui Museum + Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding · 7 days

Chengdu is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan. With a population of 20,937,757 at the 2020 census, it is the fourth most populous city in China, and it is the only city with a population of over 20 million apart from direct-administered municipalities. It is traditionally the hub of Western China.

Chengdu is in central Sichuan. The surrounding Chengdu Plain is known as the “Country of Heaven” and the “Land of Abundance.” Its prehistoric settlers included the Sanxingdui culture. The site of Dujiangyan, an ancient irrigation system, is designated as a World Heritage Site. The Jin River flows through the city. Chengdu’s culture largely reflects that of its province, Sichuan; in 2011, it was recognized by UNESCO as a city of gastronomy. It is associated with the giant panda, a Chinese national symbol, which inhabits the area of Sichuan; the city is home to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

The Dujiangyan (Chinese: 都江堰; pinyin: Dūjiāngyàn) is an ancient irrigation system in Dujiangyan City, Sichuan, China. Originally constructed around 256 BC by the State of Qin as an irrigation and flood control project, it is still in use today. The system’s infrastructure develops on the Min River (Minjiang), the longest tributary of the Yangtze. The area is in the west part of the Chengdu Plain, between the Sichuan Basin and the Tibetan Plateau. Originally, the Min would rush down from the Min Mountains and slow down abruptly after reaching the Chengdu Plain, filling the watercourse with silt, thus making the nearby areas extremely prone to floods. King Zhao of Qin commissioned the project, and the construction of the Dujiangyan harnessed the river using a new method of channeling and dividing the water rather than simply damming it. The water management scheme is still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 km2 (2,000 sq mi) of land in the region[1] and has produced comprehensive benefits in flood control, irrigation, water transport and general water consumption. Begun over 2,250 years ago, it now irrigates 668,700 hectares of farmland. The Dujiangyan, the Zhengguo Canal in Shaanxi and the Lingqu Canal in Guangxi are collectively known as the “three great hydraulic engineering projects of the Qin.” Planning note: Dujiangyan sightseeing plus Songpan and the onward journey to Jiuzhaigou is a very long travel day. Separate Dujiangyan from the transfer or omit its visit that day; choose overnight bases around your actual connections.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000. It has also been declared a State Priority Protected Site, among the first batch of National Scenic Areas and Historical Sites, and a National ISO14000 Demonstration Area.

zhaigou ([tɕjòʊ.ʈʂâɪ.kóʊ] ⓘ; Chinese: 九寨沟; pinyin: Jiǔzhàigōu) is a nature reserve and national park located in the north of Sichuan Province in southwestern China.The southern end is the Minshan Garna Peak, and the northern end is the Huanglong Scenic Area. It originates from the Baishui River area, one of the headwaters of the Jialing River and a part of the Yangtze River system. A long valley running north to south, Jiuzhaigou was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. It belongs to the category V (Protected Landscape) in the IUCN system of protected area categorization. Planning note: Jiuzhaigou requires real-name reservation and the original identity document used for booking. Confirm the appropriate entrance/bus product rather than assuming an included ticket.^[8]

The Jiuzhaigou valley is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, known for multi-level waterfalls, colourful lakes and snow-capped peaks within diverse forest ecosystems. Visitor routes and surrounding peaks have very different elevations; plan for altitude rather than treating the highest summit as the altitude of every walk.

Huanglong (simplified Chinese: 黄龙; traditional Chinese: 黃龍; pinyin: Huánglóng; lit. ‘yellow dragon’) is a scenic and historic interest area in the northwest part of Sichuan, China. It is located in the southern part of the Minshan mountain range, 370 kilometres (230 mi) north-northwest of the capital Chengdu. This area is known for its colorful travertine pools formed by calcite deposits, especially in Huanglonggou (Yellow Dragon Gully), as well as diverse forest ecosystems, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and hot springs. Huanglong is also home to many endangered species including the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey. In addition, a large population of the endemic orchid species ‘Cypripedium plectrochilum’ was discovered at the site Huanglong was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992 because of its outstanding travertine formations, waterfalls and limestone formations as well as its travertine terraces and lakes rating among the three most outstanding examples in the world. Planning note: Horse riding, Huanglong and a return all the way to Dujiangyan are not a sensible guaranteed day. Make Huanglong an additional high-altitude day if conditions and acclimatisation permit; otherwise use this day for the return transfer. Riding is optional and not included.^[10]

Mount Siguniang (Chinese: 四姑娘山; pinyin: Sìgūniang Shān; lit. ‘Mountain of the Four Maidens’), or Mount Skubla (Tibetan: རི་བོ་སྐུ་བླ་, Wylie: ri bo sku bla, lit. ‘Mountain of the tutelary deity’) is the highest mountain of Qionglai Mountains in Western China. It is located in the bordering area of Siguniangshan Town, Xiaojin County and Wenchuan County in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Planning note: Siguniangshan is a separate mountain excursion, not a small detour on the Jiuzhaigou route. Add dedicated travel/rest time or omit it from a seven-day version; visiting an open valley is different from attempting a summit.^[11]

Mount Siguniang is renowned for its beauty. Mount Siguniang National Park was identified as a UNESCO Heritage Site as part of Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries in 2006. The park comprises Mount Siguniang and the surrounding three valleys, namely Changping Valley (长坪沟), Haizi Valley (海子沟) and Shuangqiao Valley (双桥沟), covering an area of 2,000sq km.

Tips：The itinerary will pass through the core area of ​​the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (or simply Chengdu Panda Base) is a public non-profit breeding and research institute for giant pandas, red pandas, and other rare animals, located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Planning note: The Panda Base and Sanxingdui have separate timed reservations and are not adjacent. Choose one for an unhurried day or obtain compatible slots and a realistic transfer before attempting both.

Chengdu Panda Base was founded in 1987 by the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government. It started with 6 giant pandas that were rescued from the wild. The original account recorded 124 births and a captive population of 83 by 2008; these are historical figures, not current population counts.

Its stated goal is to “be a world-class research facility, conservation education center, and international educational tourism destination.”

Chengdu, as the capital of Sichuan Province, is the cultural and culinary center of Western China. On the last day, you can fully savor the flavors of Sichuan cuisine. Chengdu’s cuisine is famous for its numbing spiciness, fragrant heat, and delicious taste. Here is a summary of some Chengdu delicacies:

1. Hot Pot: Chengdu hot pot is known for its numbing spiciness and fresh fragrance. It is a classic representative of Sichuan cuisine, usually using beef tallow as the base, paired with various meats, seafood, and vegetables.
2. Skewers: A street snack where various ingredients are threaded on bamboo sticks, cooked, and then dipped in a specially made chili sauce.
3. Dan Dan Noodles: A traditional Sichuan snack, famous for its spicy and numbing taste and unique peanut or sesame sauce seasoning.
4. Wontons in Chili Oil: Similar to wontons from other places, but Chengdu’s wontons are known for their thin skin, large filling, and delicious soup base.
5. Couple’s Lung Slices: A cold dish mainly made from beef and beef offal, with a specially made spicy and numbing sauce.
6. Mapo Tofu: The main ingredients are tofu and minced beef, with Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers added, making it spicy and numbing and widely loved.
7. Kung Pao Chicken: A classic Sichuan dish made with chicken, peanuts, and chili peppers, with a fresh and slightly spicy taste.
8. Sweet Noodles: A type of sweet noodle, usually with brown sugar and sesame paste, a traditional snack from Chengdu.
9. Rabbit Head: A specialty snack from Chengdu, the rabbit head is boiled and then marinated with spicy and numbing seasonings, with a delicious taste.
10. Fat Intestine Rice Noodles: Made mainly from sweet potato flour, with fat intestines and a spicy soup base, it is a very popular breakfast in Chengdu.
11. Baked Bread: A type of baked pasta with a crispy skin and soft inside, which can be paired with various meats or vegetables.
12. Three Cannons: A dessert made of glutinous rice, named for the sound it makes during the production process.