Logistics
Cost Includes:
- All land transfers on best-in-class local transportation, as noted in the itinerary
- All accommodations based on double occupancy
- All admission fees, activity expenses and presentations, as noted in the itinerary
- All meals, featuring local cuisine, as noted in the itinerary, and drinking water
- Services of National Tour Leader, wildlife expert and local expert guides; gratuities for the local guides and drivers
Cost Does Not Include:
- Domestic and international airfare to and from Chengdu
- Pre-trip and post-trip extensions to Beijing, Shanghai or other parts of China
- Chinese Tourist Visa, which is required for most foreign passport holders
- Meals not included in the itinerary and alcoholic or imported beverages during meals
- Expenses of personal nature (e.g. mini bar, personal telecommunications, laundry, etc.)
- Excursions and activities not included in itinerar
Domestic Air INCLUDES:
- Air ticket from Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu
Trip Expectations
How strenuous is this trip?
This journey is considered rigorous touring with moderate hiking, with long days of activities.
The longest drive is to Wanglang Nature Reserve, at 6-7 hours. In Wanglang Nature Reserve, you spend full days hiking and tracking wild panda routes. You take hikes of up to 6 hours on narrow dirt paths and through forests and bushes. The lengths and difficulty of your hikes can be customized according to clients’ preferences and physical conditions.
What kind of hotels are you staying in?
Shangri-La Hotel (Chengdu): A 5-star international hotel located on the Jinjiang River.
Pingwu Hotel: The first hotel to serve international guests in this small city. Facilities are simple but clean.
Wanglang Eco-lodge: An eco-lodge located in a quiet mountain valley at the headquarters of Wanglang Nature Reserve. The lodge can accommodate 50 people (10 triple and 10 double rooms). One triple and one double room share a bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower.
Sheraton Hotel (Jiuzhaigou): A 5-star international hotel and the best and most conveniently located accommodations in the area, only 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) away from Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve.
What types of meals are included?
Throughout your journey, you will have local Sichuan cuisine, well known for its spiciness. You will also enjoy picnic lunches in Wanglang. We can accommodate guests who prefer meals of varying degrees of spiciness, upon request.
Ample bottled water, tea and snacks will be provided throughout the journey. We also ensure that cereal and fresh coffee and tea are available for breakfasts.
Can you accommodate allergies and food preferences?
Vegetarian options are provided at every meal.
We request restaurant chefs to not add MSG to dishes; however, since many sauces and other ingredients may already contain MSG, some meals may contain small amounts of MSG.
We request guests with severe allergies to consult their physicians prior to traveling and to bring all necessary medicines with them. Guests are highly encouraged to inform us ahead of time of specific allergies, such as to peanuts, fish, etc., so that our guides can ensure these items, including peanut oil, are not used in restaurant meals.
What types of vehicles are used and how much driving is involved? What are the roads like?
Throughout the tour, you will be driven in a private vehicle that is safe, comfortable and spacious and driven by experienced local drivers. Depending on group size, you travel in small or medium sized, well-maintained vans.
This journey includes a 6-7 hour drive from Chengdu to Pingwu; a 2.5 hour drive from Pingwu to Wanglang Nature Reserve; and a 4 hour drive from Wanglang to Jiuzhaigou.
Most of the roads are well-paved; however, one portion from Chengdu to Pingwu is under construction following Sichuan’s devastating May 2008 earthquake. Travel along this portion, which will be dusty and bumpy, can take up to 1 hour.
What do you need to carry yourselves? Is there luggage assistance?
Luggage assistance is included for all parts of this journey. For all hikes, we recommend guests bring a small daypack to carry one bottle of water and personal items (e.g. camera, extra layer or two of clothing, parka, hat, sunglasses, extra pair of socks, sunscreen, etc.).
What will the weather be like?
For spring departures, the average temperature is 16°C (60.8°F); for fall departures, the average temperature is 14.8°C (58.6°F).
The mountain weather is changeable, and it can be much colder and rainier at Wanglang than at lower elevations. We recommend guests to bring rain gear and extra clothes for warmth and to wear comfortable, waterproof walking shoes. We also recommend bringing sunscreen for sunny days.
How do I get to the starting city? How do I return home?
The Chengdu airport has daily flights arriving from and departing for major gateway cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai.
How do I get a visa? What kind of visa should I get?
Nearly all foreign visitors to China will need a tourist visa.
Travelers must apply for a tourist visa in person at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in their jurisdiction. If the traveler cannot go in person, someone else must visit the embassy on behalf of the traveler to submit the application; in some countries, this can include representatives from third party visa service companies, such as Zierer Visa Service (http://www.zvs.com/).
Typically, it takes about 5-7 business days to process the visa. Please note that the requirements might change from time to time without notice and that the requirements may differ depending on nationality.
Please visit your country’s Chinese Embassy website for visa forms and specific requirements for tourist visa applications.
Visa applications should usually be submitted at least 60 days prior to departure.
What inoculations should I get before visiting China?
Please contact your local international travel clinic for information regarding inoculations and other relevant health-related information. You may also wish to refer to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides a comprehensive list of recommended immunizations prior to traveling in China: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/.
Do I need travel insurance?
We highly encourage travelers to purchase travel insurance, including coverage of trip cancellation through our travel insurance partner www.csatravelprotection.com. Our agent code is W8000402.
Tour Leader: Fan Na
With a passion for travel, Fan Na has worked across various sectors of the tourism industry both in China and the United Kingdom, including at hotels, attractions, tour operators and in tourism consulting.
Fan Na was in Sichuan during the devastating May 2008 earthquake, when she was traveling with a group of experts researching eco-tourism development at nature reserves. She was trapped in Jiuzhaigou for two days and then traveled through some of the most remote areas of northwest Sichuan to eventually reach Chengdu.
Since then, Fan Na has become even more committed to Sichuan and has conducted guide training for nature reserves, including at Wanglang Nature Reserve. She has helped local staff build awareness of how to run low-impact hiking programs, use toilet tents and deal with rubbish disposal.
Fan Na has traveled extensively across China as well as internationally and enjoys exploring new cultures and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. She graduated from Oxford Brookes University in the UK with a Master’s degree in International Travel & Tourism Management.
