To make the most of northern Sichuan's alpine wonders, combine a full dedicated day in Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park with a second day exploring the high-altitude yellow travertine pools of Huanglong.
Day 1: Enter Jiuzhaigou Valley right when the gates open at 8:00 AM. Board the internal eco-bus and head directly to the highest point of the right fork: Rize Valley. Walk the wooden boardwalks past the crystalline Virgin Forest, Panda Lake, and the jaw-dropping iridescent depths of Five Flower Lake before tour groups arrive. In the afternoon, explore the thunderous Nuorilang Waterfall and descend through Shuzheng Valley to photograph the multi-tiered Shuzheng Lakes.
Day 2: Take an early morning road transfer or high-speed train connection to Huanglong National Park. Ride the cable car to the high ridge and walk along the boardwalks to the multi-hued Five-Color Pond sitting beneath the snow-capped peak of Mount Xuebaoding (5,588 m), descending past terraced golden calcite cascades before your evening train back to Chengdu.
