Jiuzhaigou National Park is hidden in the foothills of Tibet. Getting there from the eastern part of China is quite difficult. Not so long ago the only way to get into national park there was a mountain road leading here from the city of Chengdu, famous for its panda reserve. Such a one-way trip took at least eight hours. Ten years ago, among the mountains at an altitude of about three and a half kilometers, a small airport was opened. Getting to the national park just got easier. Now first you need to fly around three hours from local airlines. When mountains appear in the porthole window, the liner will begin to descend. Finally, diving behind another peak, the plane will suddenly flop onto a small plateau surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Having received your luggage, you need to find a minibus that will take you to the entrance to the national park in an hour and a half. Everything would be fine, but last person who knows at least a word in any language other than Chinese will meet you when boarding a flight back in Shanghai. Further - only the realm of hieroglyphs and incomprehensible glances ...
For some unknown reason, my flight was delayed for a couple of hours. All this time I had to miss the airport. For the next three hours, I enjoyed the incessant turbulence and noises emitted by my roommates. Finally, it began to get dark, and mountains appeared somewhere below.
Soon we landed. Knowing about the inevitable language barrier, I prepared in advance - I printed out a few basic phrases on sheets of paper, which I then showed to the local natives. In about ten minutes, contact was established and soon I was swaying measuredly in the back seat of the bus in time with those running towards the sharp turns of the mountain road. An hour later, I was completely exhausted. Two days later I got to my hotel. It took another half an hour to explain with gestures that I had a room booked here.
All evening I was imbued with the modest charm of the Chinese province. A street food vendor was persistently trying to sell his daughter to me. The waitresses in the hotel restaurant, who for some reason decided to serve me with four of them, did not stint on my request to bring rice to the ordered meat and dragged a whole bucket of it, proudly placing it next to me ...
Despite the location rather remote from civilization, Jiuzhaigou National Park is very popular with the Chinese. But Europeans in this place are infrequent guests: for the whole day I met only four guys from France, with whom I spent a good half of the day. There were an incredible number of visitors that day - up to 12 thousand people come to the park on peak days. Looking ahead, I’ll say that when I returned home and started analyzing photos, I, to put it mildly, went nuts - in some unknown way, all these crowds did not fall into the field of view of my lens, so further in my photo report “Jiuzhaigou” will look deserted and calm. Do not believe this feeling - it is deceptive.
The park area consists of three mountain valleys merged into one capital letter"Y". The entrance is at the bottom of this letter. Since the distances are huge, a string of buses runs non-stop throughout the park, transporting visitors between its different parts. At the entrance, everyone is forced to buy, in addition to the entrance ticket, a bus ticket that allows you to travel around the park all day. All the pleasure costs 310 yuan, which is about 1650 rubles, which, you see, is a lot.
If you use buses, then one day to visit the park is more than enough. I spent exactly 8 hours on the territory and during this time I managed to see absolutely everything I wanted. I started my walk from the upper right point of the letter “Y”, from where I walked to the junction of the valleys, then went up to the upper left point, after which I walked a little around the foot.
Jiuzhaigou Park is famous for its colorful lakes and numerous waterfalls. For his beauty, he was even included in.
Swan lake, or Lake of the Swans. Height above sea level 2900 meters. The average depth is 1.3 meters. Sometimes swans stop here during their flights.
I didn't see the swans. Instead, fabulous gnarled branches of trees hid under the water.
Near the lake, the trail dives into the forest. Everything is in order with the infrastructure in Chinese national parks - convenient paths have been made everywhere.
Periodically on the way there are small but rather noisy waterfalls.
Arrow bamboo lake, or the lake of Bamboo arrows.
Its depth is up to six meters.
Numerous bottom sediments are perfectly visible from the path winding along the coast.
Such landscapes are one of the symbols of the national park. Seeing such photos on the Internet, I decided to get to these lakes, regardless of any difficulties.
The name of the park "Jiuzhaigou" is translated as "Valley of the Nine Villages". Indeed, before the appearance of the national park, nine ancient Tibetan settlements were located here.
The most high point The park is located at almost five kilometers above sea level. But most of tourist routes is located at an altitude of two to three thousand meters.
The next stop is a beautiful waterfall near the lake. Unfortunately, I don't remember its name.
Depending on the season, the water level in the lakes changes. When there is no rain for a long time, some reservoirs dry up completely.
Panda lake, or Panda lake.
About twenty pandas live in its vicinity.
Five-colored lake, or Lake of the Five Flowers is one of the symbols of the national park. Altitude 2400 meters above sea level.
AT different places lakes, the color of the water takes on different shades.
At the bottom there are already familiar tree trunks and other gradually decaying flora.
And more beauty!
I decided to take a taxi back to the airport. I knew that there was an official tariff for the cost of a trip from the national park to the airport, but I still began to bargain. As a result, it was possible to bring down almost a quarter of the official price. The taxi driver rushed me to the airport in an hour and I, pleased with myself, flew to Xi'an.
Jiuzhaigou means "Valley of Nine Villages" or "Gorge of Nine Villages" in Chinese. Indeed, there are 9 Tibetan villages in the valley, in seven of them people still live today. The most famous and visited by tourists villages - He Ye (Heye), Shu Zheng (Shuzheng) and Ze Cha Va (Zechawa). Their inhabitants earn a living by making and offering national souvenirs, trinkets and amulets for sale to tourists. Since 1982, the Jiuzhaigou Valley has become a national park (Jiuzhaigou National Park), and therefore it is forbidden to cultivate the land here.
According to 1997 data, about a thousand people permanently lived in the valley. In general, this remote mountainous region was officially opened quite recently - only in 1972. And in 1992, this place was included in the List of World natural heritage UNESCO.
The beauty of the valley attracts many tourists here. This is not surprising, since the nature of Jiuzhaigou is really unique and unlike anything else. There are a great many streams and more than 100 alpine lakes, the water in which is incredibly transparent. It should be noted that the water in the lakes of the Valley is multi-colored - some lakes are transparent and blue, like sapphires, while others have a green, emerald hue. These colorful waters reflect even more colorful flowers and leaves, hence the name "Kingdom of Flowers".
Giant pandas and golden snub-nosed monkeys are far from being all the inhabitants of Jiuzhaigou, but tourists love to watch them most of all. Vegetable world The reserve is truly unique - endemic species of rhododendron and bamboo are still preserved here.
Spring in Jiuzhaigou starts a little later - usually in April or May. Then the whole Valley consists of a motley flower carpet. The special geographical conditions in which the Valley is located explain that sometimes in spring snowing. This spectacle - snow on bright spring flowers - is unusually beautiful and amazing. Summer in Jiuzhaigou is not too hot. And in autumn, Jiuzhaigou blooms with all colors - from crimson autumn leaves to the blue and green of the water surface. In winter, you can see the so-called "blue ice" here. This amazing spectacle is explained by the content of minerals in the waters, which allow the water to retain its color when it freezes.
In the Jiuzhai Gou Valley, there are three huge lowlands, which are also called valleys because of their size. These are the Rize, Zechawa and Shuzheng valleys. The sights of these places are Ancient Forest, Swan Lake, Grass Lake and Panda Falls, Five Flower Lake, Mirror Lake.
The number of tourists who want to see this exotic place has changed exponentially over the years - from 5,000 a year in 1984 to 2 million in the early 2000s.
In May 2008, an earthquake hit the Sichuan province, disrupting the transport network of this tourist area. A few months after the cataclysm, the number of tourists dropped significantly. However, at present, the entire infrastructure in Jiuzhaigou has been fully restored.
Every year on January 9, the Ice and Snow Festival takes place in the Valley. During the holiday, tourists have a unique opportunity to admire the fabulous winter landscapes in Jiuzhaigou, as well as get closer to the customs and customs of real Tibetan residents.
Jiuzhaigou National Park
(Jiuzhaigou Valley), China
An object world heritage
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
(Landscape and Historical Landmark Area of Jiuzhaigou)
There are miracles in the world! And one of them is the unrealistically beautiful Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve 九寨沟 Jiǔzhàigōu.
It is located in the southwest of China, among the most beautiful mountains Minshan, 330 km north of Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Translated "Valley of the Nine Villages". The territory of the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve covers more than 600 square kilometers.
The park got its name from the nine Tibetan villages found in the valley.
The entire valley is filled with beautiful rivers, lakes, and is surrounded by snowy mountains.
The park is considered such an important natural wonder that it has been classified
as one of the representatives of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves..
Jiuzhaigou Valley in China is rich in many beautiful colorful lakes. The locals call these lakes Haiqi, which means Son of the Sea. These lakes also have a glacial origin, the water here is very transparent and visitors to the park can easily see the bottom of these lakes./
The Lake of the Sleeping Dragon, the Lake of the Five Flowers, the Grass Lake - just from the names fanned with oriental mystery and romance, fairy tales of extraordinary beauty begin to appear in the imagination. It is no coincidence that Jiuzhaigou National Park fascinates every traveler who has come here at least once, and beckons again and again. After all, everyone wants to return, even if not for long, to a fairy tale or a beautiful dream.
Due to its inaccessibility, tourism in this region began to develop relatively recently.
Translated from Chinese Jiuzhaigou literally means "Valley of the Nine Villages". This name, of course, is no coincidence, in the valley there are indeed nine villages inhabited by Tibetans and representatives of the Qiang people. Today, seven of these villages are inhabited and two villages are uninhabited. Farming and animal breeding are prohibited in the valley, therefore locals live off government subsidies, and of course, on the tourists who come to the valley. So here it will not be a problem to buy souvenirs, which are products of traditional crafts, or taste local regional cuisine.
Jiuzhaigou National Park is made up of three valleys: Rijie, Zechawa and Shuzheng. The valleys have beautiful and varied nature, broad-leaved virgin forests inhabited by birds and animals, some of which (such as pandas and golden monkeys) are listed in the Red Book, fast mountain streams and majestic waterfalls. But still, one of the main symbols and the main attraction of the national jiuzhaigou park multi-colored lakes are considered to be of indescribable beauty, of which there are more than a hundred.
The legend says that the lakes are nothing more than a fragment of a mirror that the god Dage gave to his beloved goddess Volo Symo. But, by negligence, the goddess dropped it, the mirror broke into many pieces, and now we have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful lakes. However, prosaic science explains the transparency of local lakes by the fact that the water contains a high percentage of calcium carbonate.
The largest lake in the reserve is called Changhai, and is located at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level. Of course, you can endlessly list the beautiful local lakes, but it’s better to come and see everything with your own eyes, namely: Grass Lake, Panda Lake, Sleeping Dragon Lake, Swan or Long Lake (which is more than 2 kilometers long), Five Flower Lake, in which according to legend, the gods wash themselves, and their “make-up” paints the lake in incredible beauty colors.
The beauty that awaits the wanderer who has endured the hardships of the way to the national park is difficult to convey in words or photographic film.
Another lake, Uhuahai, which is shaped like a deer's foot, is also associated with a legend. A long time ago, in these mountains, a deer was hunted by a spirit, and the moment the spirit-hunter shot the beast, it turned into a lake.
Another symbol of the Jiuzhaigou National Park is its clear, swift waterfalls falling down the slopes of the rocks and through the trees. It will be difficult for a tired traveler to resist the temptation to admire the falling streams of water, and forgetting about all worries, plunge into the world of nature, under the mesmerizing bewitching sound of water.
Nuorilan waterfall
Nuorilan Waterfall is the widest waterfall located in a valley called Jiuzhaigou. Its waters fall from a height of 20 m, so the spectacle is truly beautiful. The waterfall is one of the six outstanding waterfalls in China. And its name is translated from the Tibetan language as "great and magnificent."
There is a legend according to which once there was no waterfall at this place, but there was a terrace. And when the famous monk Jarmoda returned from long journeys, he left on this terrace parts of the mechanism that are used for spinning. The girl Royi, who was not only beautiful, but also very smart, immediately understood how to use these mechanisms and began to teach her sisters how to spin.
But the envious Luozha thought that Royi was doing something evil and destroyed the mechanism. But the stream of the spring broke Luozha against the rocks. And there was a waterfall. The Nuorilan waterfall is a truly magnificent sight, because it is located immediately between two gorges. And in the light of the sun, especially at sunrise, the waterfall plays with all the colors of the rainbow, which makes this place a truly magical place.. 
Waterfall Pearl
Getting to Jiuzhaigou is not an easy task. Due to its remoteness and isolation, the park is difficult to access. A traveler who is going to touch the local beauties will have to be patient - the journey by bus or car will take about 10 hours of driving along mountain roads. But this, perhaps, not the easiest journey is worth it - the beauty that awaits the wanderer who has endured the hardships of the path is difficult to convey in words or photographic film.
China has always surprised and also continues to surprise: with technology and innovation, culture and traditions, nature and diverse colors. If both neighbors and overseas partners can compete with China in technology, then by nature it is difficult to find the same country that could combine so many amazing things on its territory. In this, perhaps, it is difficult to find his equal. And in order to further develop the theme of the uniqueness of the nature of the Celestial Empire, an article will be presented below about another "pearl" of China's nature, Jiuzhaigou National Park.
Readers have already heard about the province of Sichuan from articles about the academy and the reserve. As you might guess, the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve is also located in this central Chinese province. This national park has become famous all over the world. the globe primarily due to the amazing landscape, multi-level waterfalls and colored lakes. And since 1992, Jiuzhaigou has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the category of "protected landscapes".
The reserve is located 330 kilometers from the city of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, on the southern tip of the Min (Minshan) mountain range. Jiuzhaigou takes quite large area in 720 square kilometers, which allows you to accommodate the Kingdom of Bahrain, or the Republic of Kiribati. This national park is high-altitude and it is located at an altitude ranging from 1998 to 4764 meters above sea level.
I can't believe that Jiuzhaigou was opened not so long ago. The area has long been inhabited by Tibetans, but officially opened only in the early 1970s. Intensive deforestation lasted for 7 years in the future reserve, but soon the Chinese government banned this detrimental action for nature and in 1982 the area was declared a national park. Two years later it was opened to tourists, and in 1997 the park became a world biosphere reserve. Every year, Jiuzhaigou began to receive more and more travelers and nature lovers. Since 2004, the number of guests per day has risen to an average of 7,000 people.
Jiuzhaigou means "Valley of the Nine Villages" in the local language. It is associated with nine Tibetan villages located along the valley, seven of which are still inhabited today and are mainly occupied with serving park visitors. Almost half of the territory of the reserve today is occupied by virgin forests, due to which the influx of visitors increases in autumn, when the trees take on yellow, orange and red tones. In addition, many can not wait to meet in wild nature one of the symbols of China. An endangered species of giant panda lives in Jiuzhaigou.
The landscape of the reserve was formed as a result of the work of glaciers, as well as hydrological and tectonic activities. For these reasons, the national park includes the famous dozens of blue, green and turquoise lakes. The water in some lakes is so transparent that the bottom can be seen even on great depth. Reservoirs in Jiuzhaigou vary in color, depth and bottom sediments. Some lakes have natural dams, and in order to avoid damage to nature, tourists are prohibited from touching the waters and other fragile elements of the landscape.
Jiuzhaigou includes three valleys forming a Y-shape. From the north, the Shuzheng gorge stretches to the south, where it diverges into the Zhije and Zechawa gorges. Each of the gorges is amazing, and has many attractions. The most famous southwestern Zhije Valley is 18 kilometers long. Most often, it is visited first, as there are most of the attractions. In this part of Jiuzhaigou you can meet the famous colorful lake Five flowers, the bottom of which is covered with fallen tree trunks. Also here you can see the Primeval Forest, Mirror Lake, Bamboo Arrow Lake, Swan Lake, Grass Lake and Pearl Bank. Another unique body of water is Panda Lake, blue and green, from which multi-level waterfalls flow into several streams.
The southeastern branch of Jiuzhaigou is the Zechawa Gorge, 18 kilometers long. The valley is known for the highest reservoir in the reserve, Long Lake, located at an altitude of 3150 meters above sea level. Northern part reserve - the Shuzheng Valley, 14.5 kilometers long. Famous local attractions: Nozhilan waterfall - the widest mountain waterfall in China with a width of 320 meters, Reed Lake and Sleeping Dragon Lake, at the bottom of which sediments in the form of a lying dragon are clearly visible.
While the small Huanglong Valley can be walked in one morning or one evening, the vast valleys of Jiuzhaigou require at least one day if you decide to walk less and take the bus more. If you want to avoid large crowds, it is better to walk a lot - then it will take at least two days, and only then you will get real pleasure from the beauties.
The Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong valleys have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992. They border on each other and it is better to see them together - however, to get from one place to another, you need to travel 120 km. That's not much, considering that it takes a full day to get here from Chengdu, plus an overnight stay if you haven't opted for air travel.
Huanglong
The name of the Huanglong Nature Reserve is translated from Chinese as the Yellow Dragon. From 700 sq. km, only a small part can be viewed. The main feature of these places is amazing travertine (from limestone tuff) landscapes, including numerous lakes, waterfalls, springs, rapids, caves. Small lakes are colored by algae and bacteria in various colors. The higher you climb, the more varied game colors, to which the sky, clouds, foliage reflected on the surface of the water contribute. The landscape complements the view of the "Top of the Snow Treasures" (Xuebao Ding), which sparkles in the direction of the visual axis of the valley with its eternal snows.
Arrival
Even those who arrive by plane will be able to enjoy the view of the mountains: from small town Chuanzhusy, where the road to Huanglong branches off from the road to Jiuzhaigou, the path first leads through a snow-covered pass 4200 m high, with a distant view of the surroundings, and then along serpentines more than 1000 m down to a small hotel village with large parking lots and the entrance to the main zone of the reserve.
Inspection
Up and down you have to walk a total of about 8.5 km, most of the distance on paved wooden paths, so that in any weather the feet will remain dry. The entire inspection area is well maintained, equipped with signs with inscriptions in three languages; it is almost impossible to get lost here. You need to take some provisions with you. There are several toilets, and those who cannot walk far can order a stretcher.
waterfalls
It is necessary to walk a short distance through the forest, then a cascade of ponds begins. They are green in color due to the natural excess of minerals that promote algae growth. This first group of ponds ends with the green Feibulyukha waterfall, 60 m wide and 10 m high. Above the ponds, you will pass under the sign yellow color and you will get to the ocher-yellow Xishendong waterfall, which falls from the grotto from a height of 7 m. They say that a certain virgin, having spent the night in this grotto, came out pregnant the next morning. Despite China's "one-child policy", the entrance to the grotto is not closed.
Ponds Bonsai
On the east side of the waterfall (to the left if going uphill) Can you get to Bonsai ponds? (Pengjingchi) with a predominance of exclusively dwarf trees and shrubs.
yellow dragon
The mentioned travertine surface of the valley, which ends with an ocher-yellow waterfall, is called the yellow dragon. Its length is 2.5 km, and its width is from 50 to 100 m. Thanks to a chemical reaction rocks with water, saturated with carbonic acid, an endless sequence of miniature rapids is formed: this is the scales on the back of a yellow gigantic animal. Because the Chinese dragon lives in the water, it is quite natural that the whole valley bears his name.
Zhengyancaichi
The ponds, competing with each other in their diversity at the southern end of the valley of the "yellow dragon", do what their name says. This third group of spacious travertine terraces surpasses the previous ones in its colorfulness.
temples
This is followed by a long distance without travertine sections, after which you get to the Buddhist Temple of the Yellow Dragon (Huanlungus), where you can pay your respects to the "Immortal Yellow Dragon". According to the Tibetans living in these parts, once a sage had a dream that this area was threatened by a flood. He warned all the inhabitants to move to a safe place. Indeed, a devastating flood followed. It became clear that the sage was the "immortal Yellow Dragon" and then this Temple was dedicated to him as the human incarnation of the water miracle beast, bringing both happiness and ruin. Five colors? This is not an exaggeration. Here at the Pond of Five Flowers ("Ucaychi"), right at the Temple of the Yellow Dragon, the sorceress-nature shows her gift as a playwright and writes the culminating scene of your walk: the ponds glow either turquoise, then white, then icy blue, then poisonous yellow, then green light: according to the estimates of the park administration, six hundred ninety-three color options. It's unbelievable how colorful it can be pure water! Opening hours: daily 7.00-18.00 (working hours shortened in winter).
Jiuzhaigou
It seems that in this remote, karst mountainous region, nature wanted to show its best. More than a hundred lakes and ponds, partly pure, partly colorful, waterfalls and rapids, travertine patches, floating islands, almost more species of plants than in all of Europe - amazing phenomena both in the big and in the small they know no bounds.
Inspection
The Jiuzhaigou Valley inhabited by Tibetans consists of three independent valleys, the two upper ones together with the lower one form something similar to latin letter Y. Territory of 600 sq. km has lower absolute heights than the territory of the Huanglong Reserve. Entrance to this area (i.e. out of the valley) lies at an altitude of 1990 m; from there, the bottom of the valley rises relatively gently to a height of more than 3000 m. The peaks of the mountains reach 4600 m. All three valleys are provided with asphalt roads with a total length of 55 km. Apart from random expensive cars belonging to the bonzes (i.e. officials), exclusively belonging to the park run buses, for which it is worth buying a day ticket. The park administration has laid in all the valleys on the side where there are no roads, comfortable and well-maintained boardwalks, which are not crowded, because Chinese tourists come to Jiuzhaigou, as a rule, only for one day and they do not have time on the hiking. Opening hours: daily 7.00-18.00.
From November 16 to the end of March, the Zhijegou upland valleys (from Tianehai Lake) closed to visitors.
Shuzhengou Valley
This is the main valley with a length of 14 km with a wide entrance area. (sale entrance tickets and souvenirs, squares, parking lots), where thousands of visitors already crowd with the sunrise. The first section to Penjingtan is best taken by bus.
Baojingyan Rock
The first attraction of Jiuzhaigou is a completely smooth rocky wall 400 m high, which visually encloses the edge of the valley like a giant "spirit wall" - Treasure Mirror Rock. As the locals say, the "spirit-ancestor of the mountains" through this magic mirror forever drove an evil demon down the mountain. At one time, a monster pursued a mountain fairy of indescribable beauty. The unfortunate creature had to suffer for ten thousand years under the rule of a brute, until the ancestor spirit was able to defeat the villain. At the same time, however, the fairy's precious mirror cracked and split into one hundred and eight parts - one hundred and eight lakes of Jiuzhaigou.
Penjingtan
The first water attraction in a long line of its counterparts: the travertine zone, in which dwarf plants grow due to lack of nutrition. At the lower end of the zone, near the Tibetan watermill, you can cross to the other side of the valley and walk the next few kilometers along the boardwalk.
four lakes
Above the Penjingtan zone, there is a lake covered with reeds, Shuanglonghai, 2 km long. Even higher is the Lake of the Two Dragons: it owes this name to the meandering limestone reefs. According to one legend, they were evil dragons that constantly sent hailstorms to Jiuzhaigou until one Tibetan king managed to defeat them and chain them forever deep at the bottom of the lake. Above the next threshold is Lake Spark - Hohuahai. When the morning sun drives away the mists, its light makes the waves sparkle. On the next lake, you will meet the dragon again: in the "Sea of the Reclining Dragon" - Volunhai there are also limestone deposits.
Nineteen Ponds of Shunzhengcunhai
And now you are approaching a five-kilometer series of travertine dams, in which water forms rapids; moreover, these dams are overgrown with vegetation, through which water flows. In two places, wooden decks lead across the dikes to the other side. Tibetan water mills are visible near one of the ponds. The upper end of this composition forms the 15 m high Shuzhengpubu waterfall, which feeds the thick layers of moss on the rocks with its foaming wave.
Xinyuhai and Laohuhai (Tiger and Rhino) Lakes
The next two lakes in the Jiuzhaigou Valley have somewhat strange names. The upper one, at an altitude of 2315 m, with an area of 20 hectares, is the largest in the Shuzhengou Valley. Its name reminds of another legend: once a certain Tibetan lama appeared here riding a rhinoceros. This lama was mortally ill, but after he drank the water from this lake, he was immediately healed.
Nojilanpubu waterfall
Here, at the Nozhilanpubu waterfall, both upper valleys merge. It falls from a height of 20 m. Western of the two upper valleys (Zhijiegou Valley) open to visitors for 17 km.
From Jinghai Lake to Wuhuahai Lake
Above the Nozhilanpubu waterfall there are eighteen more travertine cascades, they are fed from the "Mirror Lake" - Jinghai, which is protected from all sides and sometimes fully justifies its name. At its upper end, a boardwalk begins, along which you have to walk. The first stop is Zhenzhutanpubu Waterfall, 200m wide and 21m high, which plunges into a narrow gorge. Past the waterfall, the path leads up. The water rushes down the travertine area, which the Chinese called the "Pearl Coast". A wooden flooring is also laid through its surface. If you step on it, you immediately understand where the poetic name came from: the water that runs down through the area overgrown with dwarf shrubs and algae is sprayed into drops that shine like pearls. That which is in the middle white water, which washes away any humus, in general long time plants can exist, refers to the features of the area - all over the world this can be observed only in rare places. If you then return to the original path and follow further up, you can reach the Lake of five colors - Uhuahai, which the algae painted in various colors - best review opens from a road passing on a hill, to which you can return here.
Zazhu Temple
At the Treasure Mirror Rock, a path leads to the neighboring Zazhu Valley. There on the right is the most significant Tibetan temple in all of Jiuzhaigou.
Xiongmaohai Lake and Xiongmaohaipubu Waterfall
If you are not transferring to the bus, you need to use the hiking trail on the other side and on. It leads to the highest waterfall of Jiuzhaigou - Xiongmaohaipubu; The 78 meter height of the waterfall is divided into three steps. True, most visitors do not see water here at all: the waterfall manifests itself only in the summer rainy season. At other times, it seeps in small streams from above from the Pandy Lake located above - Xionmaohai (2587 m above sea level). They say that panda bears were actually seen near this lake in the 1970s.
Jianzhuhai Lake
Further hiking trail leads along the other side of the valley that is not facing the road, to the lake of lancet bamboo - Jianzhuhai with beautiful waterfall, below which you can walk along the wooden deck. At the upper end of the lake there is again access to the road. The next 9.5 km are not so interesting, so here again the bus is at your service.
Grass lake, primeval forest
The upper end of the round dance of lakes is formed by two more interesting reservoirs: Lake Tianehai ("Swan") and Caohai Lake ("Herbal") Both are densely overgrown with aquatic vegetation, and entire grassy islands float on the waves. Finally, the road ends at a primeval forest, where you can go a little deeper and marvel at the exceptional diversity of species.
Zechawagou Valley
The eastern of the valleys is characterized by its erosive karst surface, so in some areas it is poor in water. The frequency of attractions, over 18 km, is much less than in the other two. At the entrance to the valley on the left is a complex of buildings: a tourist center with restaurants and shops. It is recommended to take a bus from here to the end of the valley, and then walk part of the way.
Changhai lake
As you drive up the valley, you pass two lakes - or two large dry depressions: the water here is only in summer and early autumn, when it rains a lot. The water then seeps into the soil. In the upper reaches of the valley, at an altitude of 3060 m, is located bordered by dense coniferous forests"Long Lake" (Changhai), the largest in Jiuzhaigou. Many rivers and streams flow into it, but there is no runoff, according to at least, elevated, as a glacial moraine, densely dams it. The surface of the lake, often shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, gives it something mysterious. Tibetans say that sometimes monsters emerge from the water. In winter, a layer of ice up to 60 cm thick forms on the lake.
Lake Ucaychi
A skilfully laid footpath from here leads down into the valley to the last wonder of nature in Jiuzhaigou - the "Five-Colored Lake": its dimensions are 40 x 25 m and a depth of 6 m. the water was not completely clear.
- Arriving in Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong by plane means losing sight of a lot. A train ride through the gorges in the valleys, higher into the mountains, getting to know ancient villages, unique peasant architecture and a visit to the fortified city of Songpan is a wonderful prelude to seeing the local sights, and it would be a pity to miss it, even for reasons of comfort.
- In Huanglong, you can avoid the crowds only if you arrive early at the opening of the gates. In Jiuzhaigou, this will not help either. This will only save time so that you can wander along the best boardwalks away from the main roads.
- It is not recommended to spend the night in Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou due to the poor level of the hostels there. It is better to leave Songpan or Chuanzhusy early in the morning.
How to get there
Thanks to the airport located between Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, today you can quickly get to these parts, so the whole trip from Chengdu takes only two and a half days if you spend a whole day in Jiuzhaigou. The one who stays for two days and is going to go ground transport, must plan for the entire trip five days. Due to difficult traffic conditions, especially from Huanglong, it is highly recommended to book the entire Chengdu tour (Chengdu, Sichuan International Travel Service S. 172). From Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou, the distance is 460 km. It is best to spend the night in Songpan or, if necessary, in Chuanzhusy (near the airport), on the way back to Maoxiang if you leave in the morning. The road leading to Huanglong through the pass may be temporarily closed in winter.
Excursions to nearby places
A true adventure, but well organized: multi-day horseback rides in the picturesque mountains of northern Sichuan.
Contact Shun Jiang Horse Treks, office in front of the north gate in Songpan.
Tel.: 08 37/723 11 61, 723 12 01.
The manager Guo Shan speaks English.
