Jiuzhaigou valley is a picturesque wonderland with charming natural scenery, colorful lakes, spectacular waterfalls, and mountains. Located in the mountains of southwest China, jiuzhaigou is not as bustling as Beijing and Shanghai. Its quiet environment and fresh air attract tourists who are eager to enjoy a beautiful natural scenic spot.
Jiuzhaigou is the World Natural Heritage, national key scenic spot, national AAAAA tourist attraction, National Nature Reserve, National Geopark, World Biosphere Reserve Network. It is the first nature reserve in China with the main purpose of protecting natural scenery.
Jiuzhaigou Valley, located in the north of Sichuan province, China, is the world heritage site and national park, also called Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve. Getting its name from having Nine Tibetan Fortified Villages, Jiuzhaigou features the awesome sceneries of multi-level waterfalls, crystal waters and colorful lakes. Travel in different season, the water in Jiuzhaigou will present various color patterns of white, blue, green, turquoise and emerald.
Jiuzhaigou National is open now: 1) Opening areas include Shuzheng Valley(except Flaming Lake), Zechawa Valley and part of Rize Valley (from Nuorilang to Five-flower Lake). Most of the highlighting attractions of Jiuzhaigou are located in the opening areas, such as Long Lake (长海), Five-Color Pond (五彩池), Nuorilang Waterfall (诺日朗瀑布), Mirror Lake (镜海), Shuzheng Lakes (树正群海), Double Dragon Lakes (双龙海), etc. 2) The entrance ticket has to be booked in advance on the official website of Jiuzhaigou National Park Ticket Booking. The registration hasn’t been open for foreign tourists yet. You can find a travel agency like China Expedition Tours to book tickets for you. One passport can only book one ticket. 3) 20,000 travelers are allowed to visit Jiuzhaigou National Park each day;
Jiuzhaigou Landscape & Geology
Being the transition zone between Tibet Plateau and Sichuan Basin, the Jiuzhaigou’s landscape is made up of high-altitude karsts and carbonate rock strata, which caused by earth’s crust lifting, glacial and hydrological activity. Due to the glacial effect, Jiuzhaigou has the peculiar waterscape of calcified lakes, waterfalls and travertine beach lands，which forms the beautiful and elegant group lakes, rushing streams, splashing waterfalls, deep forests and rolling snow peaks in Jiuzhaigou. Featuring in colorful lakes with high concentration of calcium carbonate, and water in Jiuzhaigou is so clear that the bottom can be seen at high depths.
Major attractions worth visiting in Jiuzhaigou
Shuzheng Valley
Here you will come across a variety of streams called shuzheng lake. Spreading over 5 km, it consists of Sparking Lake, Shuzheng Waterfall, Tiger Lake and about 19 lakes. One of them is the rhinoceros lake, which is the second largest lake in the world. It is about 2.2 kilometers long, 17 meters deep and covers an area of 200,000 square meters. Visit in Summer, you can view it changing into different green in the different area. There is a saying about its name that a monk riding a rhinoceros was infatuated with the scenery and went to the lake with the rhinoceros. If you are lucky enough, you can see the rhinoceros in the bottom.
Zechawa Valley
It is a tributary of the southeast side of jiuzhaigou, which includes the Long Lake, Five Color Pond. Long Lake is surrounded by mountains and trees, which is the longest and widest lake, located south east of the valley.With its amazing blue water and green color on the lake, it’s the one of the ideal site to take photos.
Five Color Pond is the smallest lake in Jiuzhaigou, Five Color Pond riches most colors, also called Jade Lake. Due to the different mineral concentration, the water in different depths create different color spectrum from pale blue through aquamarine to emerald green.
Jiuzhaigou is a world filled with water, which gives it an enchanting beauty and is its true soul. The lakes in Jiuzhaigou are crystal clear and green all year round, surrounded by ancient trees and flowers.
As the light changes and the seasons go by, the lakes take on different hues and tones. The colorful pools are the result of the cooperation between sunlight, algae, and sediments.
With colors of goose yellow, black green, russet brown, magenta, and emerald green, these lakes are like a stretch of multicolored brocade.
Nuorilang Waterfall
Jiuzhaigou is a world filled with water and is a kingdom of waterfalls. Almost all of the waterfalls there rush out of the dense forest, resembling green looms continuously weaving white silk.
The most amazing of these is the Nuorilang Waterfall.
Nuorilang Waterfall, as the widest calcified waterfall in China, is about 300 meters wide and 20 meters high. This majestic waterfall can be appreciated in different distance. Tumbling down the side of the mountain in great bursts of foam, you’ll feel a sense of coolness when foaming water splashed on your body; overlooked the in the opposite viewing pavilion, it like a white screen pouring down with a gurgling sound.
People say it is the symbol of jiuzhaigou.
Rize Valley
Rizegou scenery line is 16 kilometers in length, between the nuozhilang waterfall and the virgin forest, is the quintessence of jiuzhai scenery line, the scenery is beautiful, changing, is also the most beautiful place of jiuzhaigou landscape. Here, in some places, there are bright colors, like a kaleidoscope; Some places embody the original nature, as if stepping into wonderland; Some places are deep and quiet, like a mirror. Among them, there are waterfall with the biggest drop, beach flow like cornet, primeval forest with towering ancient trees, various scenic spots are arranged in order, giving people a strong sense of beauty, making people excited.
Jiuzhaigou:the heaven of photographer
Known for the stunning nature, Jiuzhaigou is definitely the heaven of photographer. With the eye popping waterscape of various lakes and waterfalls, the most scenic spots for photographing are Long Lake, Five-Color Pond, Mirror Lake and Five Flower Lake.
With a viewing platform close to Long Lake and a sidewalk around Five Flower Lake, it is convenient for photographers finding an advanced point. As for the Mirror Lake’s surface lake scenery and the different colored Five-Color Pond attract thousands of visits to record their beauty through the lens.
Other than that, the Nuorilang Waterfall, great site to present the dynamic charm of Jiuzhaigou, is fascinating to photographers.
Best seasons in Jiuzhaigou
Some people think that autumn is the best season to visit jiuzhaigou, when the small woods around the lake are deep with various colors and the landscape is covered with colorful leaves.
But each season of jiuzhaigou is very beautiful, with a different unique scenery.
In the spring of jiuzhaigou, you can see everything come back to life, the snow begins to melt and the flowers begin to bloom. You can feel the warmth of the spring sun and enjoy the sunshine on the beautiful lake.
In the summer of jiuzhaigou, it is the best time to see waterfalls and green lakes.
In the winter of jiuzhaigou, it will become a snow world. This is the best time to see snow-capped peaks and frozen waterfalls.
Travel Tips
Possible Altitude Sickness
The elevation of jiuzhaigou varies greatly from region to region. For example, the entrance to the canyon is about 2,000 meters, while the airport is about 3,500 meters.
Sensitivity to altitude sickness varies from person to person, so it is recommended that you consult your doctor before traveling. Anyone with heart disease or high blood pressure should be cautious when visiting jiuzhaigou.
There, no strenuous exercise or alcohol is recommended. Keep warm and eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
Carry some daily medicine or a small oxygen tank just in case.
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