Huanglong, Sicuan, China

Tourists who come to visit Jiuzhaigou most probably will do a detour to visit Huanglong as well. In the past, tourists had to take long distance buses to come to Jiuzhaigou from Chengdu. It is an 8-hour road trip. With the completion of Jiuzhai-Huanglong Airport in 2003, the flight time is only one hour.

Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport built at an elevation of +3,448m AMSL (11,310 ft) is one of the high altitude airports in the world. According to our tour guide, many flights are frequently delayed because of bad weather. Our flight on 13 September 2016 landed on schedule.

The initial stretch of the road from the airport to Huanglong is downhill and winding until it reaches a town at the valley. From then on, the road ascends uphill in a zigzag winding manner until the peak at just over +4,000m AMSL. It then descends downhill all the way to Huanglong. The view along the drive was spectacular!

The landscape and geology of Huanglong is markedly different from Jiuzhaigou. Over millions of years, the glacial effect, tufa water and climate condition created this travertine landscape in Huanglong. Travertine is a form of sedimentary rock, formed by the precipitation of carbonate minerals from solution in ground and surface water and or geothermally heated hot spring. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exist in white, tan, cream-coloured and even rusty varieties.

Zig-Zag winding road with multiple hair pins to Huanglong

Guest Welcome Pond at elevation 3,230m AMSL 

Guest Welcome Pond

Guest Welcome Pond at elevation 3,230m AMSL

Marvelous Flying Waterfall at
 Elevation 3,245m AMSL

Washing Cave at elevation  3,280m AMSL

Lianyan Pond at elevation 3,251m AMSL

Lianyan Pond at elevation 3,251m AMSL

Flying Waterfall on Lotus Platform at elevation
 3,260m AMS - a good example of travertine
 in rusty colour.

Golden Sand Pavement at elevation 3,305m AMSL

Bonsai Pond at elevation 3,320m AMSL

Bonsai Pond at elevation 3,320m AMSL

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Unfortunately, we were not given enough time to climb to the very top at +3,576m AMSL where the Multi-Colour Pond is situated. There are 693 ponds in this cluster of ponds.