A brief introduction of Jiuzhaigou  National  Park :

Located deep in the heart of the Aba autonomous prefecture in Sichuan and 400 kilometers from Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou is an impressive spot offering scenery to rival Guilin and an atmosphere and culture that is not dissimilar to much of Tibet. Jiuzhaigou is actually a huge nature and scenery reserve covering approximately 60,000 hectares situated in the Min Shan mountain range.

Ancient Chinese legend has it that the goddess Semo accidentally smashed her mirror here and the pieces which fell down the mountain formed beautiful lakes, streams and waterfalls. Despite official attempts to attract thousands of tourists, Jiuzhaigou remains a surprisingly peaceful and traditional place. Yaks, shrines and prayer wheels are all common sights.

The small villages here are inhabited by Tibetan and Qiang people who conduct their lives in a very traditional manner. The scenery here is pretty spectacular too. Lakes and waterfalls spill down the mountainside, mountains tower above small hamlets and villages and there is an abundance of beautiful wildlife too. Panda, monkey and bison exist here and birds and fish are everywhere, nestled in amongst the pretty bamboo forest.

Although transport and accommodation here are pretty basic, this is a beautiful spot to get away from city life and really see some of the more traditional parts of China. There are excellent hikes here and walkers could easily spend a week just relaxing, hiking and taking in the breath-taking scenery. 

Main scenic spots

Nuorilang:

The road from the entrance to the park splits at Nuorilang waterfalls and hotel. Nuorilang consists of a hotel, restaurant, a couple of stores and the spectacular waterfalls which spill down over the cliffs. From here, you have two options, 17km east to the Primeval Forest or 18km west to Long Lake. Both trips offer impressive scenery, small villages and basic accommodation along the route, although the eastern trip is probably the more interesting of the two with a few gargantuan lakes and waterfalls tumbling down the hillside and the chance to see some rare wildlife along the way.

Suzheng Gully and Stockade:

Suzheng Gully and waterfalls are situated along the main path from the entrance to the reserve and just before Nuorilang. This group of over 40 lakes and spectacular waterfalls are among the most impressive in the park, and with Dege Mountain towering behind, this is a truly beautiful spot. Suzheng Waterfall is close to Suzheng Stockade, a "typical" Tibetan style village, slightly spoiled by the fact that so many travelers have passed through and the villagers now pose for photo sessions. 

The Eastern Trip:

Taking the eastern path from Nuorilang offers some spectacular scenery and great walks.  A full day will allow you to walk the eastern route and back (36km) although you should ensure you have sufficient supplies with you! This great walk takes you past the Pearl Beach Falls which end in Swan Lake, on to Rize Village and ending in the heart of the Primeval Forest, a lush, conifer wood. The scenery along this route is wild and untamed, the air is fresh and if you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of some of China's most rare wildlife including pandas or bison.

The Western Route:

Heading west from Nuorilang, the track passes a few interesting villages, a stunning lake and takes in some impressive scenery. Zechawa stockade is the first small village along the route with a few basic accommodation options, a Tibetan style about the place, and a small village store, where you can stock up on essentials and supplies. The road then passes towering mountains and lush greenery until it reaches Five Colored Lake which is the most beautiful lake in the entire park. The last site along this path is the Long Lake. Less travelers take this route, so it may be more peaceful, although the scenery is less instantly dramatic as that along the eastern route.

Jiuzhaigou Local Features:

Water and Lakes :

Jiuzhaigou offers some of the most spectacular scenery in all of China, and nowhere else is the water so crystal clear and clean as it is here. There are over 118 lakes in this area and numerous waterfalls, with water powering down the mountainsides. Legend has it that long ago, the god of strength, "Dage" made a mirror from cloud and wind and presented it to his favorite goddess "Semo". When Semo accidentally broke the mirror, the broken pieces fell down into the forests below and turned into 118 transparent lakes.  What is most unusual about the lakes and waterfalls here is the reflection of the woods and mountains in the water. The feeling of openness and space that is afforded here is arguably unrivalled throughout China. 

Waterfalls:

The waterfalls of Jiuzhaigou is very charming. People coming here will be attracted by them. Here rivers run across the whole scenic area, water torrent from the valleys forming millions and thousands waterfalls. There are 17 groups of waterfalls, all of them are beautiful and full of power. Moreover, 6 of them are wider and longer than Huangguoshu waterfall (the most famous one of the group in China).

In addition, Luorilang waterfall is more than 100 meters wide and 20 meters high. Water fall down from the tip of the waterfall splashing a lot of beautiful water flowers. Standing in front of it you will feel its strong power deeply. The Shuzheng waterfall is not so wide and about 30 meters high, water flying down to the valley just like two dragons waking up from their dream. Panda sea waterfall is the highest one, about 78 meters high. In Jiuzhaigou waterfalls and trees are mingled together, we call the rare scenery "forest waterfall".

Climate in Jiuzhaigou:

Jiuzhaigou has long enjoyed fame as a legendary Fairyland and Earthly Paradise with its wonderful landscape of impressive mountains and lakes. However, in this little bit of paradise, warm clothing is essential throughout the year and temperatures here are extremely variable! 

The scenery in Jiuzhaigou is impressive all year round but the most popular time to visit is between spring and autumn when the maple leaves are on the trees and the rainfall is minimal. The average temperature in July is 17degree, while the average temperature in January is 3degree although it can drop to as low as minus 4 degrees.

In winter, this place is extremely quiet. Hotels are closed, and lakes, waterfalls and springs are frozen over. Due to the height of the region above sea level, even the summer evenings here can get chilly so make sure you come prepared with warm clothing and a waterproof mac or a brolly never go wasted either! 

Related Tours:

Chengdu Tours

China wildlife tours

China Hiking & Trekking Tour

Camel Riding in Silk Road

October Photo Tour in Sichuan

Fairy Land Photo Tour in October