Shutter Happy Trip to Sichuan (jiuzhaigou, huangrong, rouergai) from 23-29 May

[AuthmnChoice]

Dear all,

I am looking for about 4 to up to 7 pple to go with me to Sichuan for photo trip coming May.
I don't want to go on package tour coz there is so little time at each destination and the tour guide only interested to earn commission at shopping centres:angry:. So, I'm looking for pple to go with executive van so that we all can spend quality time taking photos. We can stop as and when coz we are the boss .

Duration: a week, 23-31 May
Cost: S$1100 and below for land tour depending on how many pple going.
Land tour includes accomodation (based ib double-sharing), transport and entrance tickets.
This is exclusive of food but food is cheap ~$5 for a good lunch.

Itinerary:
23 May: Fly to Chengdu by Silkair ~ S$600. Stay a night in Chengdu.
(Land tour) 24 May: Van to Jiuzhaigou
(Land tour) 25 May: 1 day around Jiuzhaigou! Imagine my mum only inside for a few hours when she went on a package tour:thumbsd:!
(Land tour) 26 May: Huanglong
(Land tour) 27 May: Rouergai. A not-overly-touristy destination that is getting popular because of its virgin beauty. Not included in package tours. If you dun go now, you may have to wait till next year liao, coz from June, it is gonna be rainy.
(Land tour) 27 May: Riganqiao grassland experience
(Land tour) 28 May: return journey through scenic road back to Chengdu
29 May: You can take flight home. Or you can reserve a few days for shopping or short day trips around Chengdu till .... of course after the weekend.
Note: Airfare, food, accomodation in Chengdu are not included in land tour price.
However, a RMB160 can get you a very good double room.
http://www.luopan.com/h/zh_CN/Y25zY2NkZnd4bg==.html

Please hurry sign up, will only go if there are at least 4 pple to make cost cheaper.

FLIGHT: Air China.
To: 23 May 02:00-06:20
Fro: 31 May 20:00-00:40
The price: ~ S$531
If taking this flight, we can start the journey to Jiuzhaigou on 23 May. This will reduce 1 day stay at Chendgu. If Silkair, we will have to spend 23 May in Chengdu and start the land tour on 24 May.

FLIGHT: Silk Air
To: 24 May 12:20-16:55
Fro: 31 May 17:45-23:00
Price: ~ S$795

DEADLINE OF REGISTRATION: 4 MAY coz pple need time to take leave and so on.
Current registration: 1

 

[AuthmnChoice]

This is the breakdown of cost for land tour if these number of pple going:

4 pax: S$1100
5 pax: S$950
6 pax: S$850
7-8 pax: S$700

Pls note that this is just the 6 days land tour (transport, food and lodging, entrance ticket). So accomodation in Chengdu and airfare is not inclusive.
If it is still not clear, pls feel free to ask questions.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I happen to stumble across Hosea's post in which he posted his photos of the nice places there:
HOSEA'S POST
Jiu Zhai Gou

Mini slide show with music
Music Slide

It was raining and I got hard time to hide my camera from the rain.

HuangLong
It was snowing when I reached the peak of Huang Long. Really damn tired and cold and had no more strength left to do photography

Langmusi
The journey and not only the destination is what I was looking for... the journey to there
bring me back to the nomadic world.

 

[djinn]

I'm doing a trip to Ruo'ergai on 25th this month. Many drivers and agencies are able to quote but unable put forward the trip. This is because the area is still quite sensitive. I heard there will be a lot of checks along the road, but as long as you are not White.

I also heard that you must have a travel itinerary from an agency before you can get through.

I'll keep you update on the situation once I return from Ruo'ergai.

 

[harnamsc]

Jiuzhaigou looks nice, but want to ask though? You mentioned $600 for Silkair flight to Chengdu, but in your last sentence you said "Note: the price is not inclusive of airfare, accomodation in Chengdu, personal expenditures."?

Also for the 24th May, we'll take one day to travel to Chengdu by van? Do we need to convert our driving license or is there a driver with the van?

 

[litechaser]

why not consider budget airline to chendu ?

 

[KHNgEddie]

It seems your information is very confusing.Do you mean the land tour cost is your break down without flight and cost of lodging in Chengdu.Of course personal spending does't count.
Please clarified as I am interested .Other then Chengdu does all basic nessesity provided.Do
we have to get our own flight tickets?WHY DON'T YOU PROVIDE ALL ?single to a room or double with difference.Total cost in estimate.Thanks.

 

[AuthmnChoice]

Ok, this means that the price quoted is only for land tour by van from a travel agency, so we have a chauffeur. Air ticket we consolidate and each buy his own, unless you would like me to do it for u.

Jiuzhaigou looks nice, but want to ask though? You mentioned $600 for Silkair flight to Chengdu, but in your last sentence you said "Note: the price is not inclusive of airfare, accomodation in Chengdu, personal expenditures."?

Also for the 24th May, we'll take one day to travel to Chengdu by van? Do we need to convert our driving license or is there a driver with the van?

 

[AuthmnChoice]

Is there budget airline going there?
I check out Air China.
To: 02:00-06:20
Fro: 20:00-00:40
The price is S$531 for leaving on 23 May and return and reach SIN on 1 Jun 00:40.
If taking this flight, we can start the journey to Jiuzhaigou on 23 May. This will reduce 1 day stay at Chendgu. If Silkair, we will have to spend 23 May in Chengdu and start the land tour on 24 May.

why not consider budget airline to chendu ?

 

[AuthmnChoice]

Thanks for your feedback. The reason why I do not include accomodation details in Chengdu coz some may want high class standard etc. As for air ticket, we can discuss which airline we wanna take when we confirm the people going so we can all buy together. Currently, I have Air China and Silk Air in mind. OK, I will check out some Chengdu accomodation and update this thread.

It seems your information is very confusing.Do you mean the land tour cost is your break down without flight and cost of lodging in Chengdu.Of course personal spending does't count.
Please clarified as I am interested .Other then Chengdu does all basic nessesity provided.Do
we have to get our own flight tickets?WHY DON'T YOU PROVIDE ALL ?single to a room or double with difference.Total cost in estimate.Thanks.

 

[harnamsc]

Erm, there are too many replies and its getting very confusing. Firstly $700 to $1100 is for a land tour by van correct? So that price does not include (a) air ticket (b) food?

Secondly it would be better for all of us to book as a group as then it we would be eligible for group discounts correct? Lastly is there any info regarding the van that we'll be riding in as well as the accomodation at each destination?

 

[Big Kahuna]

Come on guys....give TS a break....total package $700~$1100 you want to include $600 air fare? Common sense right? I will be very scared if it's included :sweatsm:

 

[tomcat]

Do note that you can't drive on your own inside Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong. For Jiuzhaigou, visitors have to take their special electric public buses and for Huanglong, visitors can only walk (or climb, to be more accurate) inside the park.

One day at Jiuzhaigou is really not sufficient especially if you have to take their internal public transport to go from one location to another inside the park and you want to see more scenic areas than those covered by the packaged tours.

At Huanglong, one day is probably enough but you must factor in the stopping and resting time when hiking/climbing the 3km or so route to the top of the Huanglong scenic area. Huanglong is at an altitude of >3,000m and unless you are healthy and fit and acclimatised to the altitude, most people will run out of breath after a short climb and would need to rest before proceeding. Some people could even suffer from altitude sickness and be totally incapacitated with serious headache and nausea... so be warned.

 

[AuthmnChoice]

Thanks. Sorry that my post not very clear. I've clarified in the 1st post that S$700-S$1100 is really just land tour not inclusive of airfare, Chengdu accomodation, and food for land tour.

Come on guys....give TS a break....total package $700~$1100 you want to include $600 air fare? Common sense right? I will be very scared if it's included :sweatsm:

 

[djinn]

At Huanglong, one day is probably enough but you must factor in the stopping and resting time when hiking/climbing the 3km or so route to the top of the Huanglong scenic area. Huanglong is at an altitude of >3,000m and unless you are healthy and fit and acclimatised to the altitude, most people will run out of breath after a short climb and would need to rest before proceeding. Some people could even suffer from altitude sickness and be totally incapacitated with serious headache and nausea... so be warned.

I have been into Sichuan's Tibetan area a few times. That why I prefer to drive up rather than to fly there. You can slow adapt to the height and lower the chance of getting altitude sickness.

To prevent altitude sickness, you can take some 红景天 before you set off. And, also, don't be too excited when you see the scenery.

 

[tomcat]

I have been into Sichuan's Tibetan area a few times. That why I prefer to drive up rather than to fly there. You can slow adapt to the height and lower the chance of getting altitude sickness.

To prevent altitude sickness, you can take some 红景天 before you set off. And, also, don't be too excited when you see the scenery.

Yes it is best to drive or take the coach there to acclimatise. But is the road opened yet? It was damaged during the Sichuan earthquake and everybody going to Jiuzhaigou last year were forced to fly there.

I have been to Jiuzhaigou twice already... the last time was in end Oct last year to catch the best of the autumn colours. Absolutely stunning ! We had to fly there that time. There were still aftershocks which cause rocks to fall off the mountains onto the roads (and any vehicles on those roads) leading there.

I took 红景天 for more than 2 weeks before that trip and true enough, I wasn't out of breath (I am not prone to altitude sickness, thanks goodness) at Jiuzhaigou unlike the first time 3 years ago when I didn't take any. But I was still out of breath at Huanglong due to the higher altitudes... and old age and lack of stamina. :embrass:

 

[djinn]

Yes it is best to drive or take the coach there to acclimatise. But is the road opened yet? It was damaged during the Sichuan earthquake and everybody going to Jiuzhaigou last year were forced to fly there.

I have been to Jiuzhaigou twice already... the last time was in end Oct last year to catch the best of the autumn colours. Absolutely stunning ! We had to fly there that time. There were still aftershocks which cause rocks to fall off the mountains onto the roads (and any vehicles on those roads) leading there.

I took 红景天 for more than 2 weeks before that trip and true enough, I wasn't out of breath (I am not prone to altitude sickness, thanks goodness) at Jiuzhaigou unlike the first time 3 years ago when I didn't take any. But I was still out of breath at Huanglong due to the higher altitudes... and old age and lack of stamina. :embrass:

The road is opened. However the route via Wenchuan is still quite dangerous. This time round I'm going via Pingwu. The driver told me this route is safer but the journey is longer.

I had been to Jiuzhaigou once in winter. The scenery is really stunning. Because I was on package tour, I had to little time to appreciation the scenery and compose my pictures. I think it is better to go there on your own.

 

[wkcheah]

Ups for this trip!

 

[stanycjw]

I have been into Sichuan's Tibetan area a few times. That why I prefer to drive up rather than to fly there. You can slow adapt to the height and lower the chance of getting altitude sickness.

To prevent altitude sickness, you can take some 红景天 before you set off. And, also, don't be too excited when you see the scenery.

Sorry guys , just interupt.
I am leaving HuangShan next week to 黄山 and was told it's abt 2000m something do I need to take 红景天 before you set off. I encounter breathless in Shangri-la before.

Thank in advance for you advise.

 

[tomcat]

Sorry guys , just interupt.
I am leaving HuangShan next week to 黄山 and was told it's abt 2000m something do I need to take 红景天 before you set off. I encounter breathless in Shangri-la before.

Thank in advance for you advise.

Don't think you would need to take 红景天 for Huangshan. I've been there before too. There is a lot of hiking and climbing at Huangshan and whether you would get breathless or not probably depends more on your state of physical fitness and stamina. Shangrila is much higher in altitude than Huangshan and even walking briskly could make some people breathless.

 

[djinn]

I just returned from Ruo'ergai. The scenery is stunning especially at the Yellow River bends. When the sun rose behind the mountain, all we could say were "wow".

But before you go on this trip, there are a few things to take note of.

1. You really need 红景天 there. You get breathless by walking alone.
2. Get some training before setting off. There will be a lot of walking and climbing.
3. Do not travel through Wenchuan. Heavy traffic as heavy vehicle is now allow into Wenchuan and most parts of the road are still under repair. We caught in the jam for more than 4hrs.
4. Don't expect yourself to get to Ruo'ergai smoothly. There a few check points along the way. We nearly got turn back at 川主寺. Therefore, do have alternate plan.
5. Food and lodging are not cheap. Do bring more cash. Things cost 3 times more than Chengdu.
6. Weather change very sudden in Ruo'ergai. We have sunny day from morning till afternoon. Suddenly it become cloudy and windy in the evening (seem like going to have a snow storm). Therefore make sure you prepare enough clothing.