Jiuzhaigou Winter Travel - December, January, February Weather

updated on January 2, 2024

Jiuzhaigou is beautiful in every season, but most beautiful in Autumns when the leaves turn to golden and red, the lakes are tranquil and the sky is purely blue. That. That’s true for most travelers. But for photographers and travelers who prefer a less-crowded Jiuzhaigou, winter might be the best time as well as the most beautiful time when the park looks like a romantic fairy tale world. More importantly, the costs of hotel, flights and other fees of Jiuzhiagou tour is much cheaper than summers and autumns. Let us tell you how good it is to go to Jiuzhaigou in winter!

Jiuzhiagou Winter

Some misunderstandings you may have about Jiuzhaigou winters

It snows a lot in winter, and Jiuzhaigou will be blocked by heavy snow?

The truth is - Jiuzhaigou indeed snows a lot during winter, but it is usually not closed. The park is open all year round, but after mid-November, the neighboring Huanglong National Park is usually closed during winters.

The water is dry in winter, and what else scenery can I go to see?

It is not correct that the water in Jiuzhaigou dry out in winter. Actually the lakes and ponds never dry out. They are beautiful all year round.

In the winter, the Long Lake and the Panda Sea may freeze, but the water in Jiuzhai is still clean and blue. The most beautiful lake is Five Flowers Sea which is not only rich in color, but in the morning there will be steaming upwards on the water, like a dream land! The treetops on the sea side are covered with white snow, reflected in the tranquil water, which is unparalleled romantic. When the temperature is very low, the lake will be frozen, and the blue ice layer on the lake will change colors under sunlight. Compared to the summer, the lakes are more quiet and elegant. In the winters, waterfalls also freeze. Nuorilang Waterfall is half-frozen, and there are even white snow piles under the feet. At this time, don't miss out the blue ice of Nuorilang Waterfall. It is a must-see highlight in winter in Jiuzhaigou. Tell the truth, you can really see many beautiful sights that you can't see during summers and autumns.

Jiuzhiagou Winter

Jiuzhaigou is extremely cold in winter?

Many friends think that Jiuzhaigou is a hail in winter . Is it too cold to visit? In fact, compared to the summer rainy season, Jiuzhaigou snows a lot, but it is almost sunny every day, which make the daytime visit warm and comfortable. But the temperatures difference between day and night is relatively huge. The temperatures in the night time is very low, but at that time we are all indoors and most hotels provide air-conditioners. So it will not be a problem. However, you still need to bring warm clothes especially for morning and late afternoon.

When can I go to Jiuzhaigou to see the snow?

Snow can be seen from November to April. Most of the snow occur in December, January and February. At the beginning of November, it is still in the yellow-leaf period when you can still see the colorful forest wrapped in silver. At the end of March, the spring blossoms and the ice and snow start to melt.

Jiuzhiagou Winter

Jiuzhaigou is cheapest in winters

Benefit one: save money!save a lot!

Compared the possible costs in summers and autumns, the costs of a Jiuzhaigou tour in winters is much cheaper. You can save money for many things:

1.Tickets: The entrance ticket of Jiuzhaigou in peak season (April 1 to November 15) is 220 yuan, sightseeing bus is 90 yuan, but in off-season (November 16 to March 31), the entrance ticket is only 80 yuan and sightseeing bus is 80 yuan.

2.Transportation costs: The flights prices are usually very low in winters. One-way flight from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou costs only around 500, while in summers and autumns, it costs more than 1000 yuan usually. If you don’t want to take the long-distance bus, flight is really a great option.

3.Hotel costs: There are a lot of hotels in Jiuzhaigou area. Although some of them will be closed during the off-season in winters, but there are still a lot of hotels not closed in winters. And the hotels rates of winter are usually 1/3 of the hotels rates in summer and autumns.

Useful Tips: 1. The high altitude and strong wind may causes flight delays at Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport; 2. It is recommended to book the hotel in advance.

Jiuzhiagou Winter

Benefit 2: Less people! a lot less!

In the peak season, Jiuzhaigou is usually very crowded especially during holidays. Even your photos are full of people. It is also difficult to book tickets and hotels! While in the winter days, the park is not crowded at all. You don’t have to wait in the queue to enter the park. You can take beautiful photos wherever you want and whenever you want. Without the hustle and bustle of crowds, the whole world is quiet. You can enjoy the beauty of snow leisurely.