3 Days 2 Nights Autumn Tour in Heishui County, Sichuan

📍Destination: Heishui County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
🗓Travel Time: Late October to Early November (Peak Colorful Forest Season)
💰Total Budget: About 2480 RMB/person (including transportation, accommodation, tickets, meals)
🚗Travel Mode: Recommended 4-person carpool self-driving for better cost sharing

🌄Why choose to visit Heishui in autumn?
Vast colorful forests: The colorful forests along Dagu Glacier, Naizi Valley, and San'ao Snow Mountain stretch for tens of kilometers, with red leaves, golden leaves, and yellow birch interwoven like an oil painting.
Fewer crowds, beautiful scenery: Compared to the tens of thousands crowding Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, Heishui has few tourists, making every shot a masterpiece.
Diverse landscapes combined: Snow mountains + colorful forests + Tibetan villages + glaciers + canyons, check in multiple landforms in one trip.
Authentic culture: Rich Tibetan and Qiang ethnic customs, genuine village life, perfect for cultural photography.

✅Itinerary｜3 Days 2 Nights, Highlights Without Detours

Day 1: Chengdu → Maoxian → Heishui County (about 260km, 5 hours drive)
Depart from Chengdu at 7:00 AM, via Du-Wen Expressway and National Highway G213
Pass through Wenchuan and Maoxian, with early autumn colors visible in the river valley forests along the way
Simple lunch in Maoxian (Recommended: Potato glutinous rice cake + Sauerkraut noodles)
Arrive in Heishui County in the afternoon (altitude about 2300m), check into hotel and rest
Evening stroll in the county town, feel the peaceful Tibetan village atmosphere, photograph Anqu Qiang Village under sunset light

🏨Accommodation recommendation: Heishui Impression Boutique Hotel / Snowy Region Grand Hotel
Price: About 260 RMB/night for a double room (room sharing available)

📸Highlights:
Colorful forest layers along G213 highway
Scattered wooden houses in Anqu Qiang Village, ideal for slow-paced cultural shots

🍽Meals:
Lunch (Maoxian): 35 RMB
Dinner (Heishui County): Tibetan-style earthen hotpot + Highland barley wine, about 60 RMB

🚗Transportation:
Car rental (SUV 4WD, 3 days): 1200 RMB (4 people carpool, 300 RMB per person)
Fuel + tolls: about 400 RMB (100 RMB per person)

Day 2: Heishui Highlights One-day Tour｜Naizi Valley Colorful Forest + Dagu Glacier (Full day)

This is the highlight of the trip!

Morning: Explore "Asia's Longest Colorful Forest" — Naizi Valley Eighty-Mile Gallery
8:30 AM depart for Naizi Valley (about 20 minutes from the county town)
Drive slowly along the winding mountain road inside the scenic area, with mountains on both sides dyed in layers of color, maples, birches, poplars, and pines shining together
Recommended check-in spots:
Luolicao Viewing Platform: Overlooking colorful forests and their reflections in clear water
Yangronghade Tibetan Village: Known as "the place where immortals live," white stone watchtowers hidden among red leaves, extremely exotic beauty

🎫Tickets: Naizi Valley is free to enter (currently no main gate fee)
📌Tips: Go early, 9-11 AM has the best light, avoid backlighting

Afternoon: Ascend the world's lowest modern glacier — Dagu Glacier
1:00 PM arrive at Dagu Glacier Scenic Area (about 1 hour drive)
Take the world's highest altitude cable car (about 15 minutes one way) to the summit at 4860 meters
Walk on the millennia-old glacier, enjoy views of continuous snow peaks, and below your feet, the colorful forest and blue ice lake meet in a spectacular scene

🎫Ticket + shuttle bus + cable car combo: 258 RMB (buy online in advance for discounts)
🧥Tip: The summit is windy and cold, be sure to bring down jacket, sunglasses, oxygen bottle (available for sale in the scenic area or bring your own)

📸Photography tips:
Glacier sea of clouds often appears in the morning; if weather permits, it’s recommended to visit Dagu Glacier early on Day 2
But considering road conditions and stamina, most people choose to go in the afternoon as well

🍽Meals:
Lunch (farmhouse near Naizi Valley): Butter tea + Tsampa + stir-fried wild vegetables with cured meat, about 50 RMB
Dinner (return to Heishui County): Yak meat hotpot, about 70 RMB

🏨Stay again in Heishui County

Day 3: Easy Hiking Exploration｜Quiet Village at the Foot of San'ao Snow Mountain → Chengdu (Return)
8:00 AM depart for San'ao Snow Mountain area (about 40 km from the county town)
No climbing the main peak, choose easy hiking routes: Sigula Sacred Mountain Trail or Wabo Township Primitive Forest Path
Walk along forest boardwalks, listen to the babbling streams, see fallen leaves covering the path, occasionally meet Tibetan herders and cattle
Optionally visit Mushugou Village or Se'ergu Town to experience authentic Tibetan family life

📷Highlights:
Dappled light in the forest, perfect for nature portraits
Village smoke curling, full of life atmosphere
12:00 PM lunch on the way back in Maoxian or Yingxiu Town
2:00 PM depart for Chengdu, arrive around 6:00 PM in the city

🍽Meals:
Lunch (Yingxiu Town): Rice bowl + drink, about 40 RMB

💰Total Expense Breakdown (per person)

Item Cost
------ ------
Round-trip car rental share (including fuel and tolls) 400 RMB
Accommodation (2 nights, room sharing) 260 RMB × 2 = 520 RMB (actual share 260 RMB)
Meals (6 main meals + 2 breakfasts) about 350 RMB
Dagu Glacier ticket + cable car + shuttle bus 258 RMB
Oxygen bottle and emergency supplies 50 RMB
Other miscellaneous (parking, snacks, etc.) 62 RMB
Total ≈ 2480 RMB

✅Note: If traveling with 4 people, carpooling + room sharing can keep the cost stable under 2500 RMB per person; if traveling alone, it’s recommended to find travel companions on travel platforms to reduce costs.

🎒Recommended Packing List
Must bring: Windbreaker/down jacket, thermal underwear, hiking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen SPF50+, thermos
Optional: Camera + tripod (for star trails), portable oxygen bottle, altitude sickness medicine (e.g., Rhodiola)
Note: Mountain area signal is unstable, download offline maps in advance (recommended Gaode "offline package")

⚠️Precautions
Altitude adaptation: Heishui County altitude about 2300m, Dagu Glacier up to 4860m, move slowly and avoid strenuous exercise.
Unpredictable weather: Large temperature difference between morning and night in autumn, possible sudden light snow, keep an eye on weather forecasts.
Respect customs: Do not take photos of residents or prayer flags in Tibetan villages without permission, do not touch religious items without consent.
Eco-friendly travel: Please take all your trash with you to protect this pure land.
Safe driving: Some mountain roads are narrow and winding, beginners drive cautiously, recommended to drive during daytime.

📸Recommended Photo Spots Summary

Location Theme Best Time
------ -------- ---------
Naizi Valley Luolicao Colorful forest reflection on lake 9:00-10:30 AM
Yangronghade Tibetan Village White tower, red leaves, Tibetan houses Early morning mist or warm evening light
Dagu Glacier Cable Car Exit Glacier and snow mountain panorama Clear sunny days
Glacier Summit Viewing Platform Rolling sea of clouds Around sunrise
San'ao Snow Mountain Trail Forest leaf-covered path Midday side light

🌟Words from an Experienced Traveler

“Many only know the saying ‘After Jiuzhaigou, no need to see other waters,’ but they don’t realize Heishui is the soul of western Sichuan in autumn.”
Here, you don’t have to squeeze in crowds for a shot; just quietly walk in the mountains and forests to meet the season’s most brilliant confession.
— From a traveler who never wants to leave

If you are tired of the crowds at popular spots and yearn for a true escape into nature and culture this autumn, then Heishui County in Sichuan is definitely the secret answer you shouldn’t miss this year.

🍁While the colorful forests still hold and the snow on the mountains is fresh, come for a spontaneous western Sichuan rendezvous!