Jiuzhaigou Valley: How to Book, What It Costs, When to Go and the Route Through the Three Valleys

Jiuzhaigou Valley, in northern Sichuan, is a UNESCO World Heritage site of turquoise lakes, travertine shoals and waterfalls spread along three valleys that meet in a Y. In peak season (1 April to 15 November) entry costs RMB 190 plus RMB 90 for the sightseeing bus, booking is real-name, and only 41,000 people get in each day, so October weekends and holidays sell out: book 7–14 days ahead. You can now book with a passport. Plan at least one full day, sleep near the gate, and come from Chengdu by high-speed train plus a two-hour transfer.

What is Jiuzhaigou?

UNESCO inscribed the valley in 1992. It covers 72,000 ha of Nanping County and rises to more than 4,800 m, with clear blue, green and purplish pools, lakes, waterfalls and limestone terraces among the forest; around 140 bird species live here, and the wider area is habitat for the giant panda and the Sichuan takin. The part visitors use lies between about 2,000 and 3,100 m.

Jiuzhaigou tickets in 2026

• The three valleys are long, so most visitors buy the bus ticket with the entry ticket.
• The bus ticket is valid only inside the valley: if you leave and come back in, it no longer works.
• Concession and free tickets must also be booked in advance, and you must show the original qualifying document at the gate.

How to book, including with a passport

• Booking is real-name only, through the scenic area’s official WeChat mini-program, “九寨沟旅游官方平台” (Jiuzhaigou Tourism Official Platform), or its “九寨沟” WeChat account.
• Peak-season capacity is 41,000 people a day. The scenic area posted sold-out notices on 26 and 30 September and 2 October 2026, and asks autumn visitors to book 7–14 days ahead.
• If your date is sold out, the mini-program offers a waitlist; if it fails, the payment is refunded.
• Passports: in August 2026 Xinhua reported that the scenic area now sells tickets online with passport details, foreign visitors scan their passports at the gates, and major international cards are accepted.
• Enter the name and number exactly as in your passport, and carry the passport itself.

Opening hours

Last entry is 14:00 and the valley closes at 18:00. The summer 2026 notice gave entry from 08:00; for the National Day holiday it opened at 07:30. Go in as early as your booking allows: the scenic area’s one-day route fills the whole day.

The one-day route through the three valleys

Shuzheng Valley runs up from the gate to Nuorilang, where it splits into Rize Valley, rising to the Primeval Forest, and Zechawa Valley, rising to Long Lake. This is the scenic area’s own one-day plan:

1. Morning: bus to the Primeval Forest at the top of Rize Valley, then work down past Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake, Five Flower Lake, Pearl Shoal and its waterfall, and Mirror Lake.
2. Midday: lunch at the Nuorilang visitor centre.
3. Afternoon: bus to Long Lake and Five-Colour Pond in Zechawa Valley, back to Nuorilang, then down Shuzheng Valley past Nuorilang Falls, Rhinoceros Lake, Tiger Lake, Shuzheng Falls, Shuzheng village and Reed Lake to the exit.

On the buses, sit on the left in Shuzheng and Zechawa valleys and on the right in Rize Valley for the views.

How many days?

• One full day covers the route above if you enter early.
• Two days let you take the scenic area’s two-day plan, with Mirror Lake’s morning reflections on the second morning. Remember a new bus ticket each day.
• The scenic area’s own advice for independent visitors is three days, one valley a day.
• Huanglong, the usual second stop, is a separate scenic area with its own ticket; most people visit it on the way back towards the station.

When to go

The scenic area recommends mid- to late October for a first visit, when the forest turns, and suggests avoiding the National Day holiday in early October. Summer is cool and green; winter is off-peak, cheaper and quieter. Mountain weather can close parts of the valley: after a debris flow on 26 July 2026 the area reopened in full on 30 July. Check the latest notice before you travel.

Altitude

At 2,000–3,100 m most visitors feel fine, but the scenic area advises against strenuous exercise, suggests going easy on alcohol, and recommends carrying any medicine you need. Days are warm and nights cold, with occasional showers, so bring layers and grippy shoes. Huanglong climbs higher, so pace yourself there.

Getting there from Chengdu

The fastest high-speed train from Chengdu East to Huanglongjiuzhai station takes 1 hour 39 minutes. From the station, the official transfer platform, Jiulü Yuexing (九旅悦行), meets every train and reaches the scenic-area gate in about two hours; book it in advance on WeChat. Jiuhuang Airport is about 88 km from the valley entrance. Our Chengdu-to-Jiuzhaigou guide compares the options.