As with all typical plateau climates, the best time of the year to visit is between May and October, when the average temperature is a comfortable 13 degrees centigrade. Mt. Siguniangshan consists of four snow covered mountains of more than 5,000 meters high and the Four Maiden's Mountain, standing at a height of 6,250 meters, is the tallest of the four. The four mountains stand shoulder by shoulder on the Northwestern Sichuan Plateau, attracting both Chinese and foreign mountain climbers. Because of the thick forests at the foot of the mountains, the verdant grasslands, and the murmuring streams, Mt. Siguniangshan has been called the "Alps of the Orient. "Indeed, traveling in the area certainly does bring to mind certain Alpine destinations of southern Europe.

The main tourist attractions are distributed along the several branches to the north of the Worihe River, to the south of the mountains. These include Shuangqiao Valley, Changping Valley and Haizi Valley, and each has its own charming characteristics. The whole of Shuangqiao Valley is accessible by tour bus, and tourists often visit this valley for a convenient nature sightseeing trip. In Changping Valley, visitors can enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and camping, whereas visiting Haizi Valley is for those with experience in adventure sports and mountaineering. The main Tibetan inhabitants cohabit with people of some several other ethnic groups, including Qiang, Hui and Yi, as well as Han people. Visitors here always appreciate taking in simple local ethnic customs.

In recent years, the government and related departments have reinforced the protection of the natural environment of the Grand Jiuzhai Tourist Region, and returned 400 hectares of farming land for converting back to the original forestry. The local inhabitants "energy resources have changed from coal to electricity and natural gas. With environmentally-friendly sightseeing cars being the only vehicles admitted for use in the region, the air quality is first-class. Among the places first in China to carry out "Restricted Tourism," the region receives no more than 28,000 tourists a day, thus helping to resolve the conflict between the fragile ecological environment and human activity. When discussing the region, Dr. Zhuge Ren, the head of the Green Global 21 representative office in China said, "The Grand Jiuzhai Tourist Region is definitely a source of pride for the Chinese people, and we always present it globally as an exemplary model of China's commitment to environmental protection."

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