Written by Clementine |
Located in the southern section of Minshan Mountain Range in the northwest of Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou (Nine Village Valley or Jiuzhai Valley) covers a total area of 74,132 hectares with a forest coverage rate of over 80%, and it is high in the south and low in the north with many deep valleys and rivers.
Jiuzhaigou National Park is a masterpiece of nature, which is surrounded by lofty snow peaks, clear lakes, cascading waterfalls and green trees. The blue sky, bright sunshine and fresh air, the ancient villages and charming natural scenery constitute a beautiful picture which has been regarded as “sacred mountain and holy water” by local Tibetans.
Jiuzhaigou Valley is a World Natural Heritage site, a national nature reserve, a famous national geopark, and one of World Network of Biosphere Reserves. It is also the first nature reserve in China with the primary purpose of protecting natural scenery. Nowadays, Jiuzhaigou has become a popular tourist destination attracting a great number of people to visit during their Chengdu travel every year.
Essential Travel Information
- Chinese Name:九寨沟
- Location: Zhangzha Town, Jiuzhaigou County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, SichuanProvince
- Altitude:The main valley of Jiuzhaigou is about 30 kilometers long with the great difference of elevation. The elevation of the north margin is only 2,000 meters, and the middle part of mountain peaks is more than 4,000 meters, and the south margin is more than 4500 meters. Most scenic spots are concentrated within a safe range of 2000-3100 meters above sea level.
- Tickets:April 1st – November 15th: RMB190 for entrance ticket + RMB90 for sightseeing vehicle ticket. November 16th – March 31st next year: RMB80 for entrance ticket + RMB80 for sightseeing vehicle ticket.
- Opening Hours:Admission time is 8:00-14:00 (peak season) / 8:30-14:00 (off-season), and closing time is 18:00.
- Naming Origin:Jiuzhaigou Valley got its name from the nine Tibetan villages located in alpine lakes (shuzheng village, zechawa village, heijiao village, heye village, panya village, yala village, jianpan village, rexi village and guodu village) which are also known as “heyao jiuzhai”. It is called Jiuzhai Valley because these nine villages have a long history.
What Makes Jiuzhaigou Valley Unique?
- JiuzhaigouValley is known as the “Fairy Tale World” and “King of Waterscape”. Clear lakes, multi-layer waterfalls, dense forests, snowy peaks, Tibetan culture, and frozen waterfalls are regarded as its “six wonders”.
- Itis rich in biodiversity, which is of high ecological protection, scientific research and aesthetic tourism value. There are more than 80 kinds of rare plants, and more than 20 kinds of national-protected animals such as giant panda, golden monkey, as well as a great number of ancient fossils and ancient glacier landforms.
Major Attractions in Jiuzhaigou Valley
“People don’t desire to enjoy the beauty of other waterscape after paying a visit to charming Jiuzhaigou Valley.” This is the best praise and real interpretation of Jiuzhaigou’s scenery. Many springs, waterfalls, 108 lakes and dense forests form a colorful wonderland on earth.
Lakes
The lakes in Jiuzhaigou is crystal clear all year round, and presents different colors and water rhymes with the change of light and seasons. In a lake, various colors form irregular geometric shapes that are intertwined with each other. More than 100 Lakes are connected by rapids and waterfalls, each with its own unique features.
Five Flower Lake
Five Flower Lake has an altitude of 2472 meters, a depth of 5 meters, and an area of 90,000 square meters. The same water area presents different colors such as goose yellow, emerald green, dark blue, full of vitality.
Waterfalls
Nuorilang Waterfall
The majestic Nuorilang Waterfall is about 24.5 meters high and 320 meters wide, ranking first in China in terms of width. The surging water comes from Nuorilang Lakes, pouring down from the trees on the top of the waterfall. The water is massive and the sound shakes the valley.
Pearl Shoal Waterfall
With an altitude of 2433 meters, a height of 21 meters, and a width of 270 meters, this waterfall in Jiuzhaigou is a famous filming location for the TV drama “Journey to the West”.
Blue Frozen Waterfalls
In winter, blue frozen waterfalls hang huge natural art ice sculptures on steep rock walls, which are peculiar and colorful. There are also huge ice columns, ice balls, ice pendants, and ice curtains, forming a dazzling world of ice crystals.
In Jiuzhaigou, visitors can not only enjoy the picturesque scenery and mysterious Tibetan culture, but also try some featured entertainment activities, such as visiting a Tibetan family, tasting roast sheep, dancing with Tibetan people, eating Tibetan hotpot and so on, which will surely leave a meaningful travel experience on you.
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How to Visit Jiuzhaigou?
Jiuzhaigou National Park has a large scenic area, and the scenic spots are mainly distributed in a “Y” shape by three main valleys: Zechawa Valley, Rize Valley and Shuzheng Valley.
How Many Days Are Needed?
You’re advised to arrange 1-2 days to visit Jiuzhaigou so that you can enjoy its natural beauty more leisurely, take photos, and experience some local special activities.
One Day Essence Tour
Due to the relatively tight schedule, it is recommended to depart early in the morning to enter the scenic area. The entire journey must be conducted by sightseeing vehicle and walking.
Morning
Take sightseeing vehicle at entrance → Virgin Forest → Grass Lake, Swan Lake → Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake → Five Flower Lake → Mirror Lake → Nuorilang Lakes
At noon
Dining at Norilang Restaurant and admiring Norilang Waterfall
Afternoon
Long Lake → Five Colored Pool → Rhinoceros Lake → Shuzheng Waterfall → Lying Dragon Lake → Bonsai Shoals → Entrance
2-Day Comfort Tour
Day 1
Take sightseeing vehicle at entrance → Long Lake → Five Colored Pool → Norilang Center → Norilang Waterfall → Rhinoceros Lake → Shuzheng Waterfall → Reed Lake → Bonsai Shoals → Exit
On the first night, you can experience Tibetan home-stays outside the scenic area, not only tasting authentic cuisine, but also full of fun.
Day 2
Tourist Center → Virgin Forest → Grass Lake, Swan Lake → Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake → Pearl Shoals → Five Flower Lake → Nuorilang Center → Nuorilang Waterfall → Rhinoceros Lake → Shuzheng Waterfall → Reed Lake → Bonsai Shoals
After the Jiuzhaigou tour, you can watch the large-scale Tibetan-style song and dance performance “Tibetan Mystery”.
Best Time to Visit Jiuzhaigou National Park
Jiuzhaigou Valley has a picturesque scene all year round:
- In spring, it presents a vivifying scene of seasonal change. The snow on the mountainhas not yet thawed, but the flowers have bloomed and the trees have turned into green at this
- Summer in many places ofChina is sizzling hot, but the weather in Jiuzhaigou is cool and pleasant with the green shades and placid lakes, where it is also a great summer resort.
- Autumn is the most romantic seasonhere. The forest not only turns into the golden, but also red, and when they reflect on the glistening water, the scenery looks like a classical oil-painting.
- In winter, almost everything in Jiuzhaigouis frozen, where it shows tranquility and purity of nature.
Every autumn (July – September) is the best time to travel to Jiuzhaigou Valley, especially the middle and late October is the most eye-catching time. You will find that the color of every day, every moment and every place in the valley is changing. Visiting the park during this season will definitely impress you a lot.
Tips: It is recommended to avoid China public holidays, especially the extreme peak of “National Day”, as crowds of tourists will greatly reduce the quality of your Chengdu tour to Jiuzhaigou.
How to Get to Jiuzhaigou Valley?
By Air
Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport, as a plateau airport, is the air transportation hub for Jiuzhaigou Valley. It is 88 kilometers away from the entrance of Jiuzhaigou, which takes about 1.5 hours by car. After arriving at the airport, you can take shuttle bus directly to the scenic area. At present, Jiu-Huang Airport has opened direct flights to cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Mianyang, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, and Wuhan.
Generally speaking, 99% of tourists arrive in Chengdu first. Then get from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou National Park:
By High-Speed Train
From Chengdudong Railway Station to Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station, there are dozens of high-speed trains every day, with the fastest reaching in 1 hour and 39 minutes. Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station is about 93 kilometers away from Jiuzhaigou, about 1 hour and 40 minutes driving.
By Bus
There are shuttle buses from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station and Xinnanmen Bus Station directly to Jiuzhaigou Valley, which takes about 10 hours.
By Self-Driving
Jiuzhaigou is more than 400 kilometers north of Chengdu, which takes 6-8 hours by car via Mianyang, Jiangyou, Pingwu and Jiuzhaigou County to Jiuzhaigou Valley.
Accommodation in Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China, and there are various styles and grades of hotels and home-stays around. The following are some recommended hotels:
- Five-star: Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Resort, Hilton Jiuzhaigou Resort, Howard Johnson Tianyuan Jiuzhaigou Resort, Banyan Tree Jiuzhaigou, etc.
- Four-star: Gesang Hotel, Mingya Hotel, QianHe International Hotel, etc.
- In addition, there are many traditional Tibetan inns & home-staysthat offer visitors an affordable and unique experience.
Note: Visitors must leave the scenic area before 18:00. Accommodation is strictly prohibited within the valley. Besides, accommodation is tight during September – October every year, so it is necessary to book hotels in advance.
Tips for Jiuzhaigou Adventure
- Entrance tickets and sightseeing vehicle tickets are valid only on day of issueand are only for personal use.
- Swimming and flyingUAVs are strictly prohibited within the nature reserve.
- Jiuzhaigou Valley is athigh altitudes, so it is not suitable to take strenuous exercise and drink too much alcohol to prevent altitude
- When walking in mountainous areas, please try to prepare anti-slip shoes, especially for the elderly and children.
Nearby Attractions
- Huanglong Scenic Area: Located in Songpan County, at the foot of Minshan Mountain, it is famous for “four wonders” of colorful ponds, snow-capped mountains, canyons, and forests. About 105 kilometers away from Jiuzhaigou.
- Fairy Pool Scenic Area: About 58kilometers away from Jiuzhaigou, with an altitude of only 2000 meters. Its characteristics lie in the fusion of clear high-mountain lakes, well-developed large-scale calcified landscapes, vast primitive forests, etc.
Recommended Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Tours
