Huanglong Scenic Area 黄龙Huánglóng

Why go to Huanglong Scenic Area

Huanglong is a narrow valley in the Minshan mountains where calcium-rich water has built thousands of terraced travertine pools, tinted turquoise, jade and gold. A boardwalk follows the 3.6-km travertine flow past cascades and pool fields up to the Five-Colour Pool at 3,576 m. It makes a natural pairing with Jiuzhaigou, a couple of hours away.

The story

Seen from above, the golden ribbon of travertine looks like a dragon winding down through the forest, and legend says a yellow dragon who helped Yu the Great tame the floods retired here to become an immortal. A temple near the top, first built in the Ming dynasty, honours him, and a temple fair is still held in the sixth lunar month.

What to see at Huanglong Scenic Area

• Welcome Pools 迎宾彩池: The first terraced pools on the boardwalk, where the travertine begins.
• Flying Waterfall 飞瀑流辉: A cascade of water spilling over a travertine ledge.
• Golden Sand Plain 金沙铺地: A broad golden-yellow stretch of travertine flowing over the valley floor, the sight that gives Huanglong ('Yellow Dragon') its name.
• Huanglong Temple 黄龙寺: A small temple above the main pools, with the best-known pools around it.
• Five-Colour Pool 五彩池: The highest and best-known pool field at 3,576 m, with the most vivid colours at the head of the valley.

How to visit Huanglong Scenic Area

Most visitors take the cable car up and walk down: from the upper station a gently descending path of about 2.5 km leads to the Five-Colour Pool, then you go back down past the temple and the pools. Allow about three hours for the descent. Fit walkers can hike the whole route from the gate, which takes longer.

How to get to Huanglong Scenic Area

Trains from Chengdu East reach Huanglong Jiuzhai station at Chuanzhusi in about 1.5–2 hours; shuttle buses and taxis cover the last 26 km in 30–40 minutes. Jiuzhaigou is about 2–2.5 hours away by road.

Where to stay

Stay in Songpan old town or at Chuanzhusi, closer to the park gate, where hotels are practical for an early start. Staying overnight in the area before climbing helps with the altitude.

What to eat

• Yak hotpot 牦牛肉火锅: Yak meat and vegetables in a hot pot, offered near the gate and in Songpan.
• Highland barley bread 青稞饼: A flat bread of highland barley, eaten with soups.
• Songpan beef offal soup 松潘牛杂汤: A warming bowl of beef offal soup sold in Songpan.

Tips for visiting Huanglong Scenic Area

• Tickets are sold online in advance with real-name booking (use your passport) through the official Huanglong and Aba tourism channels; book early for autumn and holidays.
• The top pools are close to 3,600 m, so most people ride the cable car up and walk slowly down the boardwalk; coming straight up from Chengdu on the same day raises the risk of altitude sickness.
• In winter many pools freeze, the boardwalks get icy, and the cable car may close for maintenance for a spell around Nov–Dec, leaving only the walk up.

Nearby

• Songpan Ancient Town 松潘古城 20 km
  A walled market town of the old tea-and-horse trade, and a base for horse treks
• Jiuzhaigou Valley 九寨沟 60 km
  Lakes so clear you can count the fallen trees lying on their beds

Also within 30 km: Long March Memorial Monument, Songpan 红军长征纪念总碑 (20 km).

Trips with Huanglong Scenic Area

• Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong: a week in the Aba mountains 6 days · Chengdu, Songpan and Jiuzhaigou

On the map

Open Huanglong Scenic Area on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• UNESCO World Heritage
• Wikipedia (Chinese)