Songpan Old Town, Muni Valley, Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong
Acclimatize in Songpan and explore Muni Valley, then travel via Huanglong to Jiuzhaigou at an unhurried pace.
Enter through Songpan Station and exit through Huanglong-Jiuzhaigou Station, with no backtracking. Spend the first two nights in Songpan Old Town, strolling the city walls and old streets; then visit the less crowded, low-intensity Muni Valley for Zhaga Falls and Erdao Lake. On day three, travel through Huanglong to the Jiuzhaigou entrance; on day four, tour Jiuzhaigou; on day five, leave after a morning visit to Zharu Valley. Altitude rises gradually, making this route ideal for travelers who want to see more of the Tibetan and Qiang old town scenery but are concerned about altitude sickness.
Access to Muni Valley and Zharu Valley changes from year to year; please confirm before setting out.
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrival in Songpan and Exploring the Old Town
Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong（Songpan Ancient City）
Take a high-speed train to Songpan Station, then about 20 minutes by taxi into the old town; in the afternoon, walk the city walls and old streets.
Try the halal dishes and yak beef in the old town.
Stay: Songpan Old Town
Day 2 · Zhaga Falls Hike in Muni Valley
Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong（Munigou Valley）
Charter a car from the old town for about 40 minutes to Muni Valley; each of the two scenic areas takes about 2 hours on foot; return to Songpan in the evening.
A combined ticket is available. The boardwalks are relatively gentle, making this a good day to acclimatize.
Stay: Songpan Old Town
Day 3 · Huanglong's Pools, Then On to the Valley Entrance
Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong（Huanglong Scenic Area、Red Army Long March Memorial）
Take about 1 hour in the morning to Huanglong and sightsee for about 4 hours; in the afternoon, about 2.5 hours via Chuanzhusi to Zhangzha Town.
The Huanglong cable car stops selling tickets early in the afternoon, so enter in the morning.
Stay: Zhangzha Town (Jiuzhaigou Entrance)
Day 4 · Full-Day Tour of Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong（Long Lake、Five-Colour Pond、Five Flower Lake (Wuhua Hai)、Pearl Shoal Waterfall、Nuorilang Waterfall、Shuzheng Lakes）
Take the sightseeing bus to the top of Rize Valley first, then head downhill, getting off at each stop to walk; about 8 hours for the full day.
Book entry tickets and the sightseeing bus in advance; entering early helps you avoid crowds.
Stay: Zhangzha Town (Jiuzhaigou Entrance)
Day 5 · Early Morning Walk in Zharu Valley and Departure
Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong（Zharu Valley & Zharu Monastery）
Spend about 3 hours in the morning exploring Zharu Valley near the entrance; then about 2 hours by direct shuttle in the afternoon to Huanglong-Jiuzhaigou Station.
Zharu Valley's ecological tour requires a separate reservation; if you cannot get one, you can explore Zhangzha Town instead.