Deep Crossing of Naizigou

"99% of people don't know, there's a place in China where autumn is even more magical than Jiuzhaigou"

> 🍁 Best season: Mid-October to early November (peak period only 12 days)
> 🕐 Recommended duration: 4 days 3 nights
> 💰 Per capita budget: ¥2800-4200 (departing from Chengdu)
> 📍 Core experience: 80 km colorful forest corridor, Tibetan village smoke, stream reflections, almost no crowds

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🌫️ 1. Why is Naizigou called the "20-year-hidden autumn ceiling"?

You've seen the turquoise waters and colorful forests of Jiuzhaigou,
and the misty wooden cabins of Kanas,
but you probably haven't heard of—

Deep in Aba, Sichuan, lies an 80-kilometer-long colorful forest canyon,
layers of red, yellow, orange, and green,
like a palette spilled by God,
or a flowing oil painting scroll.

This is Naizigou Colorful Forest,
the name sounds wild,
but the beauty is extremely "fairy-like"—
few people, wild scenery, no entrance fee, every shot is wallpaper-worthy.

Even more amazing:
It shares the same latitude and geology as Jiuzhaigou,
but was forgotten for 20 years because it was "too remote,"
only recently revealed by photographers in the past couple of years.

Some say:
> "If Jiuzhaigou is a delicate fine brush painting,
> then Naizigou is an expressive ink wash landscape."

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🗺️ 2. 4 days 3 nights in-depth itinerary
Day 1: Chengdu → Lixian → Heishui County (6-hour drive)
- 🚗 Recommended self-driving or carpooling (road conditions good, SUV more stable)
- 🛣️ Stunning scenery along the way:
- Miyaluo Red Leaf Area (short stop recommended)
- Eagle Beak Rock Viewing Platform (overlooking canyon autumn colors)
- 🏡 Stay: Tibetan-style hotel in Heishui County (recommend "Eye of the Colorful Forest")
- 🍲 Must-eat: Tibetan fragrant pork, pickled vegetable noodles, barley wine

Day 2: Full-day deep crossing of Naizigou (80 km colorful forest corridor)
- 🍂 Core section:
- From Kalonggou entrance to Dagu Glacier fork, total 80 km
- No scenic spots, no tickets, no commercial areas, pure natural wild scenery
- 📸 Must-shoot spots:
- "Colorful Forest Tunnel": red leaves drooping on both sides of the road, like passing through a painting
- "Stream Reflection": find a small stream to capture reflections of the colorful forest and blue sky
- "Tibetan Village Smoke": scattered Tibetan villages along the way, morning shots look like a fairyland
- 💡 Tips:
- Hire a local guide (about ¥200/day) to avoid road construction areas
- Bring a drone! Aerial shots show the colorful forest like a giant carpet spread across the valley

Day 3: Dagu Glacier day tour (colorful forest + snow mountain + glacier)
- 🚡 Take the world's highest cable car (4860 meters) directly to the Glacier Eye
- 🏔️ Dagu Glacier:
- Autumn glacier coexists with colorful forest, red leaves reflect on white snow, unique in China
- Experience glacier hiking and drink butter tea made with snow water
- 📸 Must-shoot:
- Overlooking the panoramic colorful forest from below the glacier
- Wearing Tibetan clothes standing at the "Tear of the Earth" viewing platform

Day 4: Heishui → Mao County → Chengdu (return trip)
- 🛍️ Stop by Songpinggou or Munigou on the way to discover lesser-known autumn scenery
- 🎁 Souvenir recommendations:
- Heishui Tibetan incense
- Handmade yak butter
- Colorful forest-themed postcards

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💡 3. Nine major travel blind spots & mistakes (90% of people have made these!)

1. ❌ Thinking "Naizigou" is a scenic area?
✅ Wrong! It’s a free-access canyon road with no gates or tickets!

2. ❌ Only taking the highway and missing the best sections?
✅ Must take provincial road S213; the highway bypasses the core colorful forest area!

3. ❌ Wearing high heels or sneakers in the forest?
✅ Ruins the experience! The ground is covered with thick, slippery fallen leaves; wear anti-slip hiking shoes

4. ❌ Not bringing warm gear?
✅ Altitude 2500-3500 meters, near 0°C in mornings and evenings; down jacket + hat are essential

5. ❌ Wanting to stay inside the scenic area?
✅ No accommodations! Must stay in Heishui County or Serxu Town

6. ❌ Starting the trip only during the day?
✅ Wrong! Start before 7:00 AM, light is soft, less backlight, no tourists

7. ❌ Only photographing landscapes, not culture?
✅ Wrong! Tibetan villages, prayer flags, and elderly spinning prayer wheels along the way are the soul

8. ❌ Can't go without driving?
✅ You can join small group carpools departing from Chengdu (about ¥800/person including car)

9. ❌ Missing the best time?
✅ Around October 20th is peak; one week earlier it's green, one week later it's bare!

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📸 4. Photo tips (5 shots guaranteed to get tons of likes on social media)

1. "Colorful Forest Tunnel": low-angle shot of the road stretching forward, red leaves arching like a gate
2. "Stream Reflection": find calm water to capture reflections + fallen leaves
3. "Tibetan Village Smoke": at 5:30 AM, shoot smoke rising from wooden houses with golden forest background
4. "Glacier Eye": at the top of Dagu Glacier, capture colorful forest and snow mountains in one frame
5. "Prayer Flags Fluttering": when the wind blows, shoot colorful prayer flags flying in the autumn forest

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✈️ 5. Transportation & budget reference (departing from Chengdu)

| Item | Cost (per person) |
|------|-------------------|
| Round-trip transport (self-drive/carpool) | ¥600-1000 |
| Accommodation (3 nights) | ¥600-900 |
| Food + tickets (Dagu Glacier) | ¥500 |
| Guide / local transport | ¥200 |
| Total | ¥2800-4200 |

❤️ Final words: Some beauty should not be hijacked by traffic

In Naizigou,
there are no internet-famous check-in spots,
no queues for photos,
only the sound of wind passing through the treetops,
and your soul finally quieting down.

It shouldn’t be overexposed,
but—
this autumn elopement is one you deserve.