Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong in Four Days from Luoyang, the Last of the Autumn Colour

A morning departure from Luoyang Longmen, a change at Chengdu East, then a second train north on the Chuanqing line to Huanglong Jiuzhaigou station. Past Mianyang the valley narrows and the river runs beside the track most of the way. A car meets the train and climbs through the pass, where snow already sits in the shade.

Attraction introduction: The station stands beside Chuanzhusi in Songpan county, a little over two hours from Chengdu East by rail. From there the road to the Jiuzhaigou gate takes about ninety minutes and ends at two thousand metres. The valley itself is shaped like a letter Y, with Shuzheng below and the Rize and Zechawa valleys branching off.

Tips: Guests generally find the first night is less about cold than about dry air and altitude, split lips and a wake-up at two in the morning. In practice we put a basin of water in the room, skip the long hot shower, and eat early, because kitchens in Zhangzha close around nine.

Into the park at eight, straight up by shuttle to the head of Rize valley, then walking down stop by stop. Five Flower Lake and Pearl Shoal come first while the light is still low, Nuorilang at midday for the change, then Long Lake and Five Colour Pool in Zechawa, and the lower terraces of Shuzheng on the way out.

Attraction introduction: Five Flower Lake is the most layered water in the park. Sunken logs and travertine split one surface into several colours, and three angles give three different blues. Pearl Shoal is a wide sheet of mineral rock with water running over it, and the falls below spread across the whole valley floor. Long Lake is the highest of the lakes and freezes over in winter, while Five Colour Pool is small and holds the strongest colour.

Tips: Guests generally find the mistake here is trying to cover three valleys and step off at every stop, then discovering it is four in the afternoon and they are still halfway. In practice we give Rize the morning, take only two stops in Zechawa, choose three or four lakes in Shuzheng, and leave room for queues. Nuorilang is the only place inside with food.

Out of Zhangzha at half past seven, two hours on the road toward Songpan to the Huanglong gate. The cable car rises to Wanglongping, then a boardwalk crosses to Five Colour Pool on gentle ground. Down the same way by cable car, or on foot past the terraces for those with the legs, which runs over three hours. Night in Chuanzhusi.

Attraction introduction: Huanglong is a travertine gully about three kilometres long, climbing several hundred metres from gate to head. Basins sit one above another, and the white mineral floor throws light back up, which is why the water reads so bright. Five Colour Pool at the head sits above three thousand five hundred metres and holds the densest cluster of basins.

Tips: Guests generally find the hard part is breath rather than distance, and stop every ten steps. In practice we always ride up and walk down, and if the chest is tight by the middle terraces we take the nearest exit instead of pushing to the top. Ice can form on the upper boardwalk in November, so bring shoes with grip.

Breakfast in Chuanzhusi, then twenty minutes to Songpan old town. The gate tower and the wall stand above the Min river, the streets inside form a cross, and forty minutes covers the loop. Back at the station by half past ten, the train to Chengdu East, and a connection home to Luoyang in the evening.

Attraction introduction: Songpan was once called Songzhou, and the wall that survives is Ming work, its gate stones polished smooth by centuries of wheels. The lanes are paved and lined with shops selling dried yak meat and mountain herbs, with a mosque and a city god temple facing each other across the grid. Chuanzhusi is a small town on the upper Min river, and the rail station was built beside it.

Tips: Guests generally find the last day is where the timetable slips, because the station looks close on a map. In practice we allow two and a half hours for the round trip and the walk, and be back forty minutes before departure. Chengdu East is busy in November, so do not book a connection under forty minutes.