The biggest festival in Jiuzhai Valley ( jiuzhaigou ) is the Lunar New Year called " Losar" in the Tibetan .Family members who have been living away come home and lots of food is prepared and ready to be served whenever visitors come. One of the most visible signs of the New Year festivals in the dragon and more traditional flion dances that can be seen along the streets. Each village will make a lion or dragon and visit each home in their own village before visiting other villages to wish good luck for the new year. 

        In Zechawa and Shuzheng Villages, the local vilagers still pratice an ancient new year ritual where they invite the mountain God to inform them of the fortunes of the village as well as each individual villager for the coming year. This festival is called Tumoni in local Tibetan and involves two female villagers taking hold of a Y-shaped stick and swinging it back and forth towards the sacred mountain until the mountain God how their luck will be for the coming year. If the stick points towards the sacred mountain in the East it will be good but if it points towards the West it will be bad. At least one member from each family, usually yonger adults, will attend teh ceremony and will be required to give a full report of the mountain God's predictions to their family afterwards. There are also various festivals celebrated in the local monasteries each year        

       2 hours drive from Jiuzhai Valley, Songpan is the closest big town to Huanglong National Park and the Jiuhuang airport which services both Huanglong and Valley National parks 

       The ancient city of Songpan was built during the Tang Dynasty( 618-907 AD) and it was later rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty( 1368-1644). Songpan was an important military post and economic and trading center for house and tea exchange between Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai and Tibet. in 1935, led by Chairman Mao and Prim minister Zhou, the retreating Chinese Communist Army marched through the plateau of Songpan to advance to the North Western province 

      As well as the history and scenery of Songpan, the cultural diversity is fascinating. Because of its location, three ethnic groups are resident in Songpan namely Tibetan, Hui( Muslim ) and Han( Chinese)．this contributes to the unique cultural style of this ancient town. This multi-cultural medley of the different cultural elements in this historical town makes for a rare example of cultural history in China 

     Walking along the bustling ancient streets in the town, some exquisite objects and ornaments can be found in the old stores, such as silver jewellery, enthnic costumes and even yak horn hair combs. such cultural diversity gives rise to many unusual and tempting culinary delights.

      While the ancient city of Songpan itself has plenty to keep you busy , the countryside surrounding the city offers a variety of tourist attractions. The Minshan mountain range surrounding the city provides such sights as Tibetan yak and goat herders leading their livestock over rolling grasses and endless valleys

     The best way to view this quthentic side of minority mountain likfe is through one of Songpan's many horse trekking excursions . 

36km west of Songpan is another of the Aba Prefecture's aquatic marvels, Muni Vaalley. Muni Valley consists of two side valleys, over 100 lakes, natural hot springs with the most spectacular sceneries being Zhaga Waterfall and Erdao Lake. It is possible to reach Muni Valley by road or horse trek from Songpan. The altitude ranges from 2,800 m at the entranec to 4,070 m on the mountain peaks. Muni Valley, also high in calcium carbonate formations boasts similar colors to those of Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park. It also contains China' s largest stalatite. 

        Historically China's ancient tea and horse trading routes passed though the Muni Valley area.

Altitude : 2,140m ,area : over 100,000 square meters 

The Reed Lake is a semi-swamp lake with thick reeds everywhere except where the blue and green "  Jade Ribbon " dissects it. In spring and summer the reeds are green with an azure blue stream, said to be like a Tibetan lady's cloth belt, running through it. In autumn and winter when the reeds turn a golden yellow the " ribbon" is a more emerald coloured stream that runs through, down towards the valley entrance. 

Bonsai Shoal

altitude 2,240 m 

The Bonsai Shoal is a stretch of travertine beaches, on which shallow water slowly sweeps through reeds, poplars,azaleas, pines, cypresses, willows and other shrubs. The water runs through woods that stand in various poses. It is believed that the mountain 

Ganbao Tibetan Village is a representative village of Tibetan style.Ganbao means"villages on the hills"in Tibetan language.This village is the largest and best preserved Tibetan Villages in Sichuan Province.The entire village is built on the mountainside,house by house.The architecture is unique,simple and natural.

The history of this village dates back to 2500 years ago.In the earthquake in 2008,Ganbao Village was partially destroyed,but with the financial help by both the local and central government,it was rebuilt and the Tibetan culture was restored.Nowadays,the village is attractive to tourists with its unique dance,songs,dresses,customs as well as its religious,stone and farming cultures.

Jiuzhaigou in Chinese means nine villages, inside the park , there are nine Tibetan villages. 3 of them are open to tourists: Shuzheng Village, Zezhawa Village and Heye Village. 

the Tibetan guesthouse is located in the first village if you take sightseeing bus from the entrance , about 15 minutes drive from the entrance. 

Tibetan family guesthouse is wooden structure. the ground floor is for the Tibetan family , there are the kitchen , bedroom and dinning room. the 1st floor ( which in China we call it 2nd floor ) is used as guesthouse. one room has 2-3 beds . 

the local Tibetan people are very nice and folksy, they provide dinner ,which is very delicious and Qingke wine( high-land barley) is really nice . many of them have business inside the park such as shops, they hold share of the only one restaurant in Nuorilang Center. 

by staying one night in Tibetan guesthouse inside Jiuzhaigou, you have the chance to see their daily life , sometimes if you are lucky enough, you can go to their wedding party. 

Mount Siguniang National Park lies 220km west of Chengdu is a great place for mountaineering ,climbing, hiking,sightseeing(plants and flora). It's the home town for Jiarong Tibetan.

The best time for visiting is May-Jun, when the temperature is warm and flowers are on blossom ,but during July to August is the rainy season,and also full of tourists,so avoid

visiting at that time.

Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong airport is short  for Jiuhuang Airport.  It was first time used in 28th Sep. 2003. because it is located in Chuangzhusi Town, it is also called Chuangzhusi Airport.

Aititude: 3448 above the sea level

Airport code:   IATA— JZH；ICAO —ZUJZ

12 km away from Chuangzhusi Town, about 20 minutes drive.

90 km away from Jiuzhaigou  1.5-2 hours drive.

52 km away from Huanglong . about 1 hour drive

45 minutes from Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong Airport.

the mountain peak  was  cut to make this airport.