This 10-day journey will take you through Northwestern Sichuan, offering you great chances to appreciate the beauty of nature and culture in the Minshan mountains. From this trip, you will gain a great variety of travel experiences, such as observing giant pandas up close in Dujiangyan Panda Valley, exploring the Taoist sanctuaries hidden in Qingcheng Mountain, and looking for rare endemic plant species in Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong National Parks, which were selected as UNESCO World Heritage sites as early as 1992. Through carefully crafted activities, we will show you the ultimate natural beauty and rich cultural heritages held by ethnic minorities who have been living in this area for hundreds of generations. You’ll have ample opportunities to hike through lush landscapes, visit ancient towns, and experience the vibrant traditions of the Qiang people, regarded as one of the oldest ethnic minorities in China and found only here. For nature enthusiasts and cultural explorers, this trip provides stunning photography opportunities with a deep dive into Sichuan’s rich history and diverse ecosystems.

This 10-day journey features the stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage in Northwestern Sichuan, including Taoist mountain sanctuaries and other UNESCO World Heritage sites, with a blend of nature exploration, cultural immersion, and wildflower photography.

We begin our journey in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, and one of the few cities in China that has never changed its name. In Wenchuan, we will visit the Wenchuan Botanical Garden to learn about rare endemic plant species. We start our trip by visiting the Dujiangyan Panda Valley to observe the giant pandas up close in their enclosures covered with trees and lush plants. After that, we will explore Qingcheng Mountain, an important Taoist site inside the garden. In Maoxian County, we will visit the Ancient Qiang City to understand the unique Qiang architecture, where you will have the chance to interact with Qiang people in their traditional costumes.

As we go further northwestern in Sichuan, we will spend two days appreciating the ultimate natural beauty provided by Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou National Parks, two UNESCO World Heritage sites due to their unique geological formations and extreme beauty. These two places are also home to a great variety of alpine plants, a diverse flora system, and breathtaking landscapes. In the final leg of the journey, we take you to the Tangjiahe Nature Reserve to encounter wildlife, regarded as a paradise for observing wildlife in forest habitats in China. We will also visit Yaowang Valley, literally meaning the "Valley of Herbal Medicines," and then head to the Sanxingdui Museum to uncover the mysteries of a unique local civilization created by people in Sichuan's history 3,000–5,000 years ago.

This trip is designed for those who love both nature and culture and hope to capture the beauty through their camera. At the same time, it caters to those keen on discovering endemic plants, the diverse flora system, and cultural heritage sites in Northwestern Sichuan.

Trip Highlights

1. Giant Pandas at Dujiangyan: Visit the Dujiangyan Panda Valley to observe these beloved creatures in their natural habitat.

2. Qingcheng Mountain: Explore the Taoist temples and immerse yourself in the serene atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage site.

3. Ancient Qiang City: Experience the rich culture of the Qiang people with a visit to their historical city and cultural ceremonies.

4. Huanglong Nature Reserve: Enjoy a cable car ride to the top, then hike to the stunning Five-Color Pool surrounded by alpine flora and breathtaking landscapes.

5. Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area: Explore the colorful lakes and lush forests of Jiuzhaigou, famous for its diverse wildflowers and pristine natural beauty.

6. Tangjiahe Nature Reserve: Hike in this biodiverse reserve, spotting rare plants and wildlife in the lush mountain landscapes.

7. Yaowang Valley: Admire the beautiful magnolia flowers in full bloom and experience the tranquil atmosphere of this remote valley.

8. Sanxingdui Museum: Visit this ancient archaeological site to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Sanxingdui civilization.

The cost includes the following:

The cost does not include the following:

D1: Arrival in Chengdu. Meals: D
We arrive at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, where we meet our guide. After transferring to our hotel, we check in and relax. In the evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner and a briefing by your guide to help you gain a better understanding about the upcoming journey.

Overnight: Chengdu Jiuyanqiao Yue Shang Licheng Hotel

D2: Chengdu – Dujiangyan. Meals: BLD

In the morning, we visit Dujiangyan Panda Valley to observe giant pandas. After lunch, we tour the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the evening, we visit Dujiangyan Blue Tears.

Overnight: Dujiangyan Center International Hotel

D3: Dujiangyan – Wenchuan Botanical Garden – Mao County. Meals: BLD

We begin the day early by visiting Qingcheng Mountain, hiking along the left trail to explore Taoist temples and immerse ourselves in Taoist culture. In the afternoon, we take the cable car down and drive to Maoxian County, passing through Wenchuan Botanical Garden to see a variety of unique Epimedium and Asarum species.During this trip, we may encounter species such as Davidia involucrata, Bletilla striata, Deutzia pilosa, Dichocarpum auriculatum, Euphorbia esula, Fuchsia hybrida, Malus halliana, Arisaema wattii, Asarum sieboldii, Asarum chinense, Asarum delavayi, Asarum porphyronotum, Asarum pulchellum, Asarum splendens, Epimedium leptorrhizum, Epimedium mikinorii, Epimedium myrianthum, Epimedium ogisui, Epimedium flavum, Calanthe discolor, Holboellia latifolia, Sauropus androgynus, Stachyurus chinensis, Stachyurus himalaicus, and Yulania liliiflora etc.

Overnight: Minshan Yinli Hotel

D4: Mao County – Songzhou Ancient Town – Huanglong. Meals: BLD

We start the day early with a visit to Ancient Qiang City and its opening ceremony to experience Qiang culture. In the afternoon, we visit Songzhou Ancient Town before continuing our journey to Huanglong.

Overnight: Huanglong Selcsa International Hotel

D5: Huanglong – Jiuzhaigou. Meals: BLD

In the morning, we take a cable car to the top of Huanglong Nature Reserve and hike to the Five-Color Pool. We pass through coniferous forests, searching for and photographing wildflowers. In the afternoon, we descend along the travertine stream, continuing to look for more flowers before heading to Jiuzhaigou.During our hike, we may encounter species such as Calypso bulbosa, Adonis coerulea, Rhododendron decorum, and Berberis amurensis etc.

Overnight: Jiuzhaigou Licheng Huating Resort Hotel

D6: Jiuzhaigou. Meals: BLD

We enter Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area early in the morning, starting with the left line and then exploring the right line. We visit various lakes and valleys, looking for wildflowers along the way.On our way, we may see Zelkova sinica, Zehneria bodinieri, Zabelia dielsii, Viola variegata, Viola hancockii, Viola grypoceras, Viola philippica, Viola dissecta, Viburnum glomeratum, Rhododendron augustinii, Rhododendron oreodoxa, Rhododendron concinnum, Ostryopsis davidiana, Michelia chapensis, Gentiana pseudoaquatica, Kerria japonica, Cypripedium plectrochilum, Daphne tangutica, Stachyurus himalaicus, Ribes takare, Ribes glaciale, Prunus szechuanica, Primula kialensis, Helleborus thibetanus, Calypso bulbosa, Arisaema lobatum, and Cymbidium hookerianum etc.

Overnight: Jiuzhaigou Licheng Huating Resort Hotel

D7: Jiuzhaigou – Tangjiahe. Meals: BLD

We drive to Tangjiahe Nature Reserve in the morning, where we hike the Motiangling Trail to admire the wildflowers and wildlife. In the evening, we stay at the reserve.Along the way, we may see Cercis chinensis, Cercis glabra, Chaenomeles speciosa, Fagus longipetiolata, Ginkgo biloba, Epimedium brevicornu, Litsea pungens, Rhododendron racemosum, Primula moupinensis, Prunus polytricha, Pleione bulbocodioides, and Tarenaya hassleriana etc.

Overnight: Tangjiahe Grand Hotel

D8: Tangjiahe – Beichuan. Meals: BLD

We explore the Tangjiahe Monkey Valley in the morning, observing both wildflowers and wildlife. In the afternoon, we drive to Yaowang Valley to enjoy the magnolia flowers in full bloom and taste the local specialty, fried magnolia petals.

Overnight: Wujian Mountain Guesthouse

D9: Beichuan – Sanxingdui – Chengdu. Meals: BLD

We visit the Sanxingdui Museum in the morning to explore the Sanxingdui archaeological site, a significant ancient site. In the afternoon, we return to Chengdu for free time to shop and explore the city.

Overnight: Chengdu Jiuyanqiao Yue Shang Licheng Hotel

D10: Departure from Chengdu. Meals: B

After breakfast, we transfer to Chengdu Tianfu International Airport for our departure, based on the flight schedule.

We will arrange one of our WildFloraTour experts for this trip based on the focus of this trip. All our experts have rich experiences of guiding tours in this region. The following are some of our best local guides for your references.

Cory Li      WildFloraTour plant expert

Cory Li,co-founder, and general manager of WildFloraTour is a super fan of nature, especially for flowers. His passion for nature grows from the beauty of greens in the little boys' eyes. As a native of Sichuan Chengdu, he has spent a lot of time exploring nature in the mountains nearby his hometown. During his study at Sichuan University, he began to take lots of outdoor activities like hiking and mountain climbing and started to study knowledge about flora by himself. After graduation, he even spent more time in the wild than office exploring wildflowers in Sichuan and nearby provinces with other nature lovers and photographed about two thousand wildflower species. He even found several new distributions of some endemic species and even some new species of plants along with some other nature lovers. He loves to share his findings and stories behind the photos with other nature lovers on the internet and became a “flora idol” in southwest China. He never expected becoming famous out of this, he just enjoys sharing the beauty of those lovely flowers with others.

Ray      WildFloraTour plant expert

Ray graduated from Leshan Normal University, majoring in plant science. As an expert at WildFlora, Ray is responsible for the daily operations of WildFloraTour. He possesses a profound passion for nature, which prompted him to resign from his job in his hometown of Deyang and relocate to Chengdu to pursue his dreams and join WildFloraTour. Having specialized in botanical studies during his university years, Ray has acquired a distinct advantage in his work, affording him opportunities to discover endemic species and make thrilling new findings. Additionally, Ray is an avid photographer who captures the ephemeral beauty of nature, preserving invaluable moments that inspire others to appreciate the wonders of the natural world. At WildFloraTour, he collaborates with a team of plant specialists to design customized tours that cater to the individual interests of each traveler who has keen interests in plants. Whether it involves botanical exploration, cultural immersion, or wildlife safaris, Ray and his team strive to provide a comprehensive and immersive experience that fosters a deeper connection with nature.

Bella      WildFloraTour bird and mammal expert

Bella, the director of AlpineBirding, was graduated from Sichuan Agricultural University with a Bachelor's Degree. She joined AlpineBirding in early 2016 and became the director of AlpineBirding in 2018. She was born and grown up in a Bai ethnic family in Yunnan Province which boasts of the largest number of bird species in China. Her interests toward birds started with her observation of a Long-tailed Minivet in her mom’s garden at a very young age. As she grows up, the interests and love toward birds become stronger and stronger. Because of that, she found AlpineBirding before graduation and joined the company for further learning of birds. Bella has guided a number of birding trips in cooperation with AlpineBirding guide in the past years, her passion, readiness to help and detail-oriented attitude have won her lots of praise from our clients. She takes great pride in the work she is doing, now she is ready to help you plan your best birding trip in China in cooperation with her colleagues.

Karen       WildFloraTour Logistic Expert

Karen Lin is a native of Chengdu, Sichuan province. She loves and knows the culture of her hometown well, such as ancient Shu civilization, folk customs and ancient Chinese poetry.She has over 14 years' experience in foreign affairs service and tourism. She is familiar with the whole process of group operation. She is always good at thinking and full of ideas, and always gives the guests a warm experience with the special attention and consideration.Karen loves birds and enjoys go out for birding with the team, sometimes, she works as assistant for the group. She likes nature and is good at parent-child natural activities and education. In addition, she has long devoted herself to public welfare, especially caring for the elderly and disabled people, environmental protection, and reading promotion. She organizes and participates in a number of related volunteer work. She is a passionate and intelligent member of our team.

Philip      WildFloraTour plant expert

As a half Kangba Tibetan, Philip is the founder of WildfloraTour and is native of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He has a deep love for his Kangba Tibetan heritage and the land where he was born and raised. Philip's career has gone from mining technician to teacher, to translator, and finally to a guide and tour operator. Along the way, Philip discovered his passion and love for helping tourists understand the beauty and history of his people and homeland. Philip is known for his ability to plan and execute unique and exciting adventure trips exploring the sights off the usual tourist routes. He is active, open-minded, and adventurous and always ready to share interesting and useful information with his clients. As a travel professional working in this field for more than 15 years, Philip believes travel is an art and a process of learning and discovery. Each trip is a unique artistic work created with knowledge and expertise based on the resources available and the interests and tastes of travelers. To help more people to understand the unique resources in panda habitats and neighboring areas, he established Wildflora to bring his educational fun-filled tours to more people eager to explore and learn about China. Besides, Philip is an active and knowledgeable birder and a dedicated photographer.

Besides, one of WildFloraTour's local guides in Southeast China will participate in this trip to ensure a high-end traveling experience.