Jiuzhaigou Songpan Ancient Town: Travel Guide and Map

Is Songpan Ancient Town worth visiting? Absolutely! It's a convenient spot to rest before or after Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong. In summer, it's also a refreshing escape from Chengdu.

It's a frontier town beneath snow peaks. You'll see stone-and-wood architecture with local ethnic decorative details, and experience a rare mix of Tibetan, Qiang, Han, and Hui cultures. Also, trace back to the historical story of Princess Wencheng.

Altitude sickness: Songpan Ancient Town sits at around 2,850 meters, so altitude sickness is generally not an issue within the town.

However, if you plan to hike, such as in Munigou, where the altitude approaches 4,000 meters, you may experience altitude sickness and should take precautions in advance.

Top Things to Do in Songpan Ancient Town

Songpan Ancient Town, also called Songzhou Ancient Town, is small with few attractions. But you'll feel a more authentic vibe here than in Lijiang or Dali Old Towns.

A quick stroll through the town takes just 1–2 hours. If you want to do more, like horseback riding or mushroom picking, it's worth spending half a day or even a full day here.

1. Try Songpan's Unique Yak Cuisine

Mushroom hot pot and yak skewers in Songpan Ancient Town

We had a Mushroom hot pot and some yak skewers in Songpan Ancient Town

In Songpan, you'll find plenty of dishes featuring yak, such as yak skewers, yak hotpot, and yak yogurt. You can also try traditional Tibetan foods like barley cakes and butter tea, as well as wild mushrooms and other local specialties.

Don't miss the local markets, where you can find various snacks and ingredients. There's also a food street with many restaurants to choose from.

2. Explore Tibetan Charm in Songpan

Songpan Ancient Town

Songpan Ancient Town is full of Tibetan-style buildings and decorations, with snow-capped mountains in the background, perfect for capturing cultural and scenic shots.

There are also many photo studios in the town. You can dress up in Tibetan robes and have makeup done, taking photos yourself or hiring a photographer.

I especially recommend Gusong Bridge. The bridge and lantern decorations are beautiful. And you can catch locals' daily life here.

On both sides of the bridge, theyset up small stalls selling dried mushrooms, fresh fruit, and local produce. It feels like a small neighbourhood market.

Songpan Ancient Town

There are also some worth visiting spots:

City Gate: You'll find the plaque with "Songzhou" and some statues.
Beijie Food Street: Lined with flowers and plants, and filled with artsy shops.
Ancient City Wall: Offers you a close-up, elevated view of the town.
Guanyin Temple: Provides a panoramic view of the town, and in winter, you can see snow-capped mountains. You can reach it by walking along the boardwalk beside the town.

If you'd like a deeper understanding of Songpan's culture and history, a 6-Day Songpan, Jiuzhaigou, and Dujiangyan Tour works very well. You'll have a local guide and private car with you throughout the journey.

3. Do Horseback Riding

Songpan used to be a stop on the Tea Horse Road, so you can still see many horses raised by local Tibetans within the town.

You can spend 1-2 hours, or even half a day, leisurely riding along the ancient city walls or heading up the hills to enjoy the scenery and experience the historic Tea Horse Road.

Or, if you want to experience a grassland vibe, there are plenty of pastures around the ancient town. You can ride there while enjoying the highland meadow scenery.

4. Pick Wild Mushrooms

Mushroom picking

If you prefer a more relaxed activity, you can go mushroom picking in the forests and meadows around the ancient town. This is also a safe and fun option if you're traveling with children.

We recommend hiring a local guide in the town. Besides helping you avoid picking poisonous mushrooms, they can also share plenty of knowledge about the local flora and customs.

5. Visit the Nearby Mounigou Scenic Area

Erdaohai in Mounigou

If you have more time in Songpan, consider visiting Mounigou, with Erdaohai and Zhaga Waterfall.

Erdaohai and Zhaga Waterfall are the mini versions of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong. But they're quite tranquil with a few visitors, so it's best to enjoy the scenery peacefully

However, if you've already been to, or plan to visit Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, Mounigou isn't highly recommended, as the landscapes are quite similar.

For more nearby attractions, you can visit Xuebaoding Viewing Platform to admire the winter snow-capped mountains. The Chuanzhusi Lavender Farm is also a romantic spot to visit from June to September.

We recommend some popular Jiuzhaigou tours. You can add Songpan Ancient Town, as all your interests can be customized.

How to Arrange A Songpan Itinerary

This itinerary is ideal for starting from Chengdu, combined with Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong:

Day 1: Chengdu to Songpan (explore the ancient town, mushroom picking, horseback riding)
Day 2: Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area
Day 3: Huanglong National Park (Optional: Lavender Farm), departure

We recommend starting with Songpan because the roads to Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong go above 3,500 meters, and Huanglong Jiuzhai Station is also at a high altitude, making altitude sickness more likely.

Songpan Ancient Town, at 2,800 meters, can help you gradually acclimate to the highland environment.

After exploring Songpan on the first day, you can stay overnight at a hotel in Jiuzhaigou, so you can start early the next morning. After visiting Jiuzhaigou on day 2, you can also rest without rushing for travel.

On the third day, you'll pass the Lavender Farm on the way from Jiuzhaigou to Huanglong. If you're interested, you can make a short stop there before continuing to Huanglong.

If you want to combine Songpan and Munigou in one day, you can arrange your time like this:

9–10 am: Zhaga Waterfall→11 am–2 pm: Erdaohai→3–5 pm: Songpan Ancient Town

For more Songpan Ancient Town and Jiuzhaigou itinerary ideas, you can check out our Jiuzhaigou Tour.

How Do I Get to Songpan Ancient Town

From Chengdu, it takes about 1.5 hrs from Chengdudong or around 2.5 hrs from Chengduxi Railway Station to Songpan.

Songpan Station is about a 20-minute drive from Songpan Ancient Town, and you can easily find a bus or taxi right outside the station.

If you're coming from Jiuzhaigou, you can take a bus from Jiuzhaigou Bus Station to Songzhou Bus Station, or simply take a taxi. The journey takes about 2.5 hours.

If you're coming from Huanglong, you can catch a bus, taxi, or shared ride right outside the Huanglong scenic area. The trip takes about 1 hour.

Best Time to Visit Songpan Ancient Town

Visit in the Daytime for the Best Views

We recommend visiting during the daytime when it's livelier, the lighting is better for photos, and you can even capture the snow-capped mountains and the ancient town in the same frame.

Also, nightlife in Songpan Ancient Town is quite limited. Many shops close around 9 pm. Plus, the temperature at night can be about 10℃ (50℉) cooler than in the daytime.

But if you'd like to see the night view, it's best to visit the ancient town between 5 and 7 pm. This way, you can experience both its daytime and evening charm, enjoy dinner in the town, and the weather is still not too cold at that time.

Summer is Best with Cool Weather and Best Scenery

Songpan Ancient Town in summer, quite refreshing.

Summer is cool and verdant in Songpan, around 20℃(68℉), making it the best season to escape the heat.

You can enjoy the most beautiful forests, lakes, waterfalls, and lavender in summer, and it's also the perfect time for mushroom picking. Just remember to bring the umbrella and a light jacket as Songpan is cooler when it rains.

In autumn and winter, the scenery around the town is also beautiful, with golden leaves or snowy mountains. But it's cooler, and can get very cold in winter (-7 to 9℃/19 to 48℉). And in spring, the mountains are bald

What's the History of Songpan?

Statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng

Songpan has been an important military and trading hub for over 2,000 years.

During the Tang Dynasty, the Songzhou Prefecture was established, and Songpan Ancient Town was built more than 1,000 years ago, which is why it's also known as Songzhou Ancient Town.

At the town entrance, you'll see statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng.

This area was once a battleground between the Tang Dynasty and the Tibetan Empire. Later, Princess Wencheng's marriage to the Tibetan king helped ease tensions. The statues symbolise peace and the beginnings of multi-ethnic coexistence.

The Songpan Ancient Town you see today largely dates back to a Ming Dynasty reconstruction. Many features, including the city walls, were preserved from that period.

Because different ethnic groups settled here over time, the town features a mix of architectural styles, such as Tibetan buildings, a City God Temple, and a mosque. All these offer you a vivid glimpse into Songpan's diverse cultural heritage.