Sightseeing Spots within Jiuzhai Valley

Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) is located at Zhangzha Town of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) County in Aba Tibetan Qiang Prefecture in Sichuan Province, composed of three valleys, where all sights are there. Winter there is not so cold, and summer is cool. The scenery in four seasons is different, and is famous for “Six Tops”, including green lake, waterfall groups, colorful mountains, Tibetan hospitalization and blue ice. The followings are famous sights: Shuzheng Lake groups, Nuorilang Waterfall, Wuhua Lake, Rhinoceros Lake, Colorful Pool, and Pearl Beach, etc. Whenever you visit Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), you will feel like stand in fairyland.

Discounted Tickets
The followings can enjoy the half-price discounts (110 Yuan for Peak Season and 40 Yuan for Off Season)
1) Minor people from 6 (less than 6) to 18 years old (including 18 years old)
2) Students under Full-time undergraduate (included) with student cards
3) The same religious believers with conversion cards printed by Religion Groups of Sichuan Province and other provinces
4) Senior people from 60 (included) to 70 years old (excluded)
5) Teenagers traveling to Hongkong, Macao, and Taiwan with student cards, other ID cards and《Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents》《Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents》
6) Sightseeing car tickets (no discounts)

Free Tickets
1) free for children of under 6 years old (included) or height under 1. 2 M
2) Free tickets for active soldiers, disabled, and retired cadres with valid identifications but need buy tickets for sightseeing car tickets
3) Free tickets for senior people with valid identifications over 70 years old (included), but need buy sightseeing car tickets

There are three valleys within Jiuzhai Valley, we will introduce you one by one.

Shuzheng Vally – the First Valley within Jiuzhaigou

Shuzheng Valley(Shuzhenggou, gou means valley) is located at the bottom part of “Y”-like layout (left side is Zechawagou and right side is Rizegou) in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot. It is about 14 KM from the mouth of valley to Nuorilang Waterfall, over 40 lakes in total, about covering 40 percent of all lakes in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot. This is the entrance of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), and you have to pass through Shuzhenggou. In Peak Season, you have to stand in a long line for buying tickets, so you’d better get up earlier. The main sights in Shuzhenggou include: Lotus Leaf Village, Bonsai Beach, Reed Lake, Two Dragons Lake Lake, Huohua Lake, Huohua Lake Waterfall, Wolong Lake, Tiger Lake, Shuzheng Lakes, Mill, Shuzheng Waterfall, Shuzheng Village, Rhinoceros Lake, and Nuoribulang Waterfall, etc.

Tips:
● If you take sightseeing bus at the entrance of jiuzhai valley, you should choose to sit at the left side of the bus, because through the window you can enjoy much beautiful scenery like Bonsai Beach, Reed Lake, Two Dragons Lake, Huohua Lake, Wolong Lake, Shuzheng Lakes……
● During the section from Rhinoceros Lake to Nuorilang Waterfall, it is better to choose to sit at the right side of the bus, because you can appreciate the magnificent scenery of Nuorilang Waterfall.

Shuzheng Lakes
This is the symbol sight of Shuzhenggou. Shuzheng Lakes spread for several kilometers, and the height difference is about 100 meters, composed of 19 big or small lakes, in the form of terrace. Among those lakes, willow, poplar, pine, fir, other trees and bushes grow there. Water flows through bushes from high to low, forms into many flat waterfalls, and presents people spectacles of “trees growing on the water, water flowing through trees”.
The best place to take pictures of Shuzheng Lakes is at the road across Shuzheng Village.

Mill
A long plank bridge among the lakes is above the shoal. Tourists can enjoy the rapids and lakes on the shoal if they wander on the bridge. Near the bridge, there is a Tibetan Mill, and near the mill there is a house of Prayer wheel. The Prayer wheel are always turning due to the push of rapids. Pious Tibetan people always go there to pilgrimage. Some scenes of the movie Little Heroes were shot pictures here.

Shuzheng Waterfall
Shuzheng Waterfall is located at the upstream of Shuzhang Lakes and near Shuzheng Village. The waterfall is 62 meters wide, 15 meters high, and is the first waterfall after you enter the valley, as well as the smallest one of the four waterfalls in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). Though it is small, tourists can still experience the spectacles if they first visit Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). Water of the upstream flows along the shoal, and forms into floors of stairs, where waterfalls fly from there. Among lakes, you can see the waterfall rapids, which is really magnificent.

Shuzheng Village
Shuzheng Village is the most popular village in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). When you enter the village, you will see a beautiful landscape: rows of wooden houses, scripture flags flying in the wind, smokes curling up from the chimneys of old and wooden houses, peaceful and quiet Tibetan Qiang style. You can experience Tibetan style there, or choose some souvenirs with national features of Tibet and Qiang.
Shuzheng Village is also one of the main catering centers, where tourists can enjoy milky melted butter tea, delicious potato cake, and sweet barley wine, etc.

Nuorilang Waterfall
“Nuorilang” means tall and majestic God in Tibetan. The waterfall is 300 meters wide, the top part of the waterfall is really flat, with the height difference of 20 meters. There is a lookout across the waterfall. Standing on the lookout, you can overlook the whole scenery of waterfall: in the morning, under the sunlight, there are always rainbows over the valley, which make the waterfall more glamorous; curtain-like water falls and splashes thousands of sprays, like continuous beads full of everywhere. In winter, the waterfall will become a huge ice, countless icicle hanging on the cliffs, turning into a rare ice world. Nuorilang Waterfall is the widest travertine waterfall in China, as well as the shooting place for the ending of Journey to the West in 1986.

Emerald River
After you buy the ticket and enter the mouth of the valley, there is a road about 7 KM, and you will see a green river rushing at the left side of the valley, which is Emerald River. If you walk up the valley in the direction of counter-current of the river, you will enter a fairy land like a paradise.

Lotus Leaf Village
It is the first village after you enter the valley, and the architecture is Tibetan style. The reason why the village is called “Lotus Leaf Village” is because that the whole village is like an extending and huge lotus leaf if you overlook from the high altitude. Behind the village, there is a pine tree with hundreds of years of history, high and tall, which is regarded as “Guest-Welcome Pine”.

Bonsai Shoal
Ii you keep walking forward after passing by Lotus Leaf Village, you will arrive at Travertine Shoal. The terrain here is low and flat, and there grows full of wild grass, white poplar, pine, cypress, willow, and other kinds of tress. Due to the high and tall trees, and green and emerald water, it is like a beautifully huge bonsai, so it is called “Bonsai Shoal”.

Reed Lake
Reed Lake is the first lake after you enter Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). Reed Lake is a semi-swamp lake, where reeds are everywhere, flying in the wind, which is also the habitat for waterfowl. There is a strip of river winding in the middle of the lake, and it divides Reed Lake in to two half. Water of this river is as shining as jade, so it is called Jade River. It’s said that this river was turned from the waist belt of Wonuosemo, Mountain Goodness of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou).

Two Dragons Lake
Two Dragons Lake is in the woods under Fire Lake. Through deep and clear water, you can see two travertine dikes under the lake, which is like two dragons hiding in the lake.

Rhinoceros Lake
The altitude of the lake is 2315 meters, and waters are wide. It is the second largest lake (Long Lake is the largest) in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), is one of the lakes with the most various scenery, and its reflections are the most beautiful among all lakes. At the end of the north lakeside, there is reed bush, and from there you can gaze afar Semo Goodness Mountain; at the exit of south lakeside, there are woods and waterfalls; in the middle the water surface is so blue and charming. Ethereal fogs, red leaves and green trees are reflected on the blue surface of the lake, partly fake and partly real, which is so glamorous. There are boats for renting, and that is the only water activity in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou).
● It’s said that in ancient time an old Tibetan Lama with a serious disease who rode a rhinoceros passed by here, he drank water from the lake, and he should be cured like a miracle. Then the old Lama drank water here day and night, and he didn’t want to leave. So he decided ride the rhinoceros into the lake and lived there forever. Thus this lake was called Rhinoceros Lake.
● If you walk on the plank bridge over Rhinoceros Lake, you can not take pictures of reflections on the surface because of the lush trees. You’d better walk along the road from Ping’an Bridge. The best time for photoing is from 7: 30 to 9: 00, at that time the wind is soft and the lake is quiet.

Lying Dragon Lake
Small and delicate Lying Dragon Lake is the representative of blue lakes. The rippleless water is quiet and peaceful, like a smooth, flat, glittering and translucent blue gem, which is really attractive. Under the lake there is a creamy travertine dike, just extremely like a dragon hiding there.

Sparkling Lake
Sparkling Lake is between Two Dragons Lake and Lying Dragon Lake, and you can arrive at Fire Lake lookout by passing the plank bridge over Sparkling Lake Waterfall. The water of Sparkling Lake is blue, and there grows lush trees. Every morning, when sun sheds its light on the surface, you will see the golden and rippling water like thousands of fires jumping on the surface, which is really beautiful; or if you enjoy Sparkling Lake in the evening, you’d better appreciate it back light, because you can also see rippling water. Near Round-hill Road here are 51 stone steps directly to Sparkling Lake, and you can see Sparkling Lake Waterfall if you go down along the steps. The waterfall is over 50 meters wide, and 8 meters high. Two waterfalls near each other parallel and never meet each other, so it is also called “Acacia Waterfall”.

Photoing Tips for Shuzheng Valley
You’d better take pictures in the morning, because sun rises around 8 AM. With sunlight sheds on woods gradually, back mountains are covered in darkness. At that time, you should test the light according to the sunlight so that back mountains will be hid in darkness. Sparkling fires are combined with dark mountain body, which looks more mysterious and gorgeous. Water birds at that time are the most active (you should use full-length shot over 300 mm).

Rizegou (Rize Valley) – the Second Valley in Jiuzhaigou

Located at the right side of layout of “Y” shape in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot, Rizegou is 18 KM long from Nuorilang Waterfall to original forests, and is the best part of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), where the scenery is magnificent and changing.

The main sights in Rizegou include: original forests, Jianyan Hanging Spring, Swan Lake, Grass Lake, Talon Cave, Fargesia Lake, Panda Lake, Five Flower Lake, Peacock River, Gold Ring Lake, Pearl Beach, Pearl Beach Waterfall, Mirror Lake, and Nuorilang Lake, etc.

Five Flower Lake
Five Flower Lake is located at the end of upstream of Peacock River in Rizegou. Due to the different colors of travertine deposition, algae, and submerged plant, there are light red, light yellow, dark green, dark blue and other colors in same waters, like a huge baldric bedecked with many gems, which is really resplendent with jewels, dignified and graceful. Five Flower Lake is regarded as “one Top Sight in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)”.
In autumn, colorful trees are reflected on the surface of water, forming into a world of color, combined with colors under the lake. The rich colors are even beyond painters’ imagination.

Tiger Mouth
Tiger Mouth is the best place to enjoy the panorama of Five Flower Lake. You can overlook it from the window of the bus, and the whole lake is as gorgeous as the shape of Peacock.
Tiger Mouth is the necessary part if you want to enter into Rizegou. However, Tiger Mouth is both the bend and the uphill, so the bus driver will not stop the bus, but you can get off at Five Flower Lake and walk up towards Tiger Mouth, or you can visit Tiger Mouth first and then walk down the slope.

Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake is 2390 M of the altitude, about 1 KM long, averagely 11 M of water depth, the deepest of 24.3 M, in a long and narrow shape, surrounded by trees. Located in Rizegou, its upstream is adjacent to the valley of Mirror Lake, and its downstream is near Nuorilang Lakes. Mirror Lake is as flat as a mirror, so it is called Mirror Lake. Every morning when sunlight or rosy down sheds on the ground, blue sky, white clouds, and mountains are all reflected on the lake. You can easily distinguish the reflections in the surface and the colors are very charming.

Panda Lake
Panda Lake is 2587 M of the altitude, 14 M deep, adjacent to Five Flower Lake. It’s said that pandas in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) like to play, drink and forage there, so it is called “Panda Lake”. The texture of rocks near Panda Lake is very unique, combined with the white rocks in the shape of panda under the lake. Panda Lake is the lake that has the most fish in lakes of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), and also you can see High Mountain Naked Carp. Naked Carp grows slowly due to the high mountain and cold water, and other kinds of fish cannot survive here.
From the plank bridge northern Panda Lake to the end, along the steep plank steps down the mountain, you can see at right side a waterfall falls directly down the deep valley. The waterfall is cut in the middle by huge rocks under the cliffs, to form into sections of waterfall. This is Panda Waterfall, which is the waterfall with the biggest height difference in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou).

Fargesia Lake
There are a great number of fargesia surrounding Fargesia Lake. Fargesia is the food which pandas like most, and Fargesia Lake is near Panda Lake, so it is called Fargesia Lake. This lake is wide and boundless, the water here is emerald and clear, and also the reflections on the surface are very famous. When there is no wind, you will enjoy the beautiful scenery like the reflections of mountain on the surface of lake, or like the mountain submerging into the lake. In winter, many lakes will freeze into ice on the surface in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), but you still see green water in Fargesia Lake. Near Fargesia Lake, some dead wood of calcification become coral trees with unique features. And new trees will grow on dead wood. This is called “Rotting Wood Regrow”, “Dead Wood Regrow”, or “Regrow Tree”. Water from Fargesia Lake flows into the forest, divided into several streams by the dam formed by collapsed action, falling along the dam, and forms into Fargesia Lake Waterfall. The waterfall expands very wide, but the height difference is small, in the shape of arch. There are green lakes, white waterfall, flying flowers, which form into a green and white landscape of a combination of static and dynamic state.

Pearl Shoal
This is one wide stone shoal of many lakes in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). There is a plank bridge over Pearl Shoal, full of bushes at southern plank bridge. Water rapids rush through under the bridge, and stir up countless jumping pearls. The rapids flow toward about 200 M along the shoal, rushing into the deep valley under cliffs, and forms into splendid Pearl Shoal Waterfall.
Pearl Shoal is 2433 M of altitude, about 160 M wide, and is a huge fanshaped travertine shoal. Clear rapids splash countless drops on rugged light yellow travetine shoal, which are like pearls in a huge seashell.
Water falls along the cliffs from Pearl Shoal, to form into a waterfall of the new moon shape. If you walk down the plank bridge of Pearl Shoal, you can enjoy this splendid waterfall. The top of waterfall is 310 M wide, and the biggest height difference is 40 M. Waterfalls hit the bottom of the valley, in a deafening roar, forming a splash of wild rapids, and roll away all along the way. This rapids, is the most beautiful rapids with the most dangerous rapids and the most deafening roar among most rapids in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). Walking on the plank bridge, keeping walking eastward with the companion of rapids, you can arrive at eastern Pearl Shoal. The angle of the slope is bigger, the shoal is more rugged, and the scenery is more magnificent.

Virgin Forests
Virgin Forests are on the top of Rize valley, at the altitude of 3060 M. Sunlight is covered by lush tree leaves there. When you are in the forests, walk on the thick and soft moss leaves, smell the flagrant and moist air, listen to the sound of pine trees and birds singing, you will feel very relaxing.
Attention: this sight is closed in winter, permitting to visit after May 1.

Grass Lake
Grass lake is under the steep cliffs, belonging into the scope of semi-swamp lake. The downstream of Grass Lake is adjacent to Swan Lake. The lake is long, peaceful and quiet. The mountain is high and the valley is deep, sunlight comes later, so it is a little mysterious.
Grass Lake is famous for a great number of flowers and grasses on the surface of lake—-where grasses are combined into their reflections, water birds are among grasses. It will be more interesting if you visit there in raining days.

Swan Lake
Swan Lake is 2905 M of altitude, adjacent to the downstream of Grass Lake. Most area of the lake is deposited for a shoal, partly as a swamp lake. On the shoal there are grass shoals of different colors: light green, dark green, gray, light purple, light yellow; wild grass like velvet divides the surface into zones of pictures. The clear surface of the lake is decorated with alga floating there, which is really beautiful.
Due to plump water plants, swans like to stay there and take it as their habitat, so it is called Swan Lake. However, now it is very hard to find swan, but you can find wild ducks playing in the lake.

Talon Cave
Talon Cave is at the road near Swan Lake. The reason why it is called Talon Cave is because that there are over 50 talon scratches on the walls inside the cave. It is said that the talon scratches were left by King Geasar when he fought with the monster. However, the legend is not real, and the talon scratches actually are the result of differential weathering of rocks.

Peacock River
From the plank bridge at the exit of Five Flower Lake, you can climb to the round-hill road, walk down the slope along the road, and you will see Peacock River at the left side of the deep valley. Peacock River is 310 M long, long and narrow river flowing through the forests. On both sides of the river there grows flowers and trees, and birds sing happily.
There are many colors of the water: dark green, blue, golden yellow, etc. Overlooking from the high place, you can see rapids with a colorful world, like the gorgeous tail of peacock when it opens the screen.

Bell Lake
Bell lake is 2435 M of altitude. A big lake and a small lake are adjacent to each other, like two bells, so it is called Bell Lake. The small lake is 103 M deep, as one of the deepest one among lakes in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). Overlooking Bell Lake, you can see the blue water, lush trees surrounding the lake, which makes the bell-shaped lake more attractive.
It’s said that the ancestor of mountains rang the bells and left them there in order to conquer devils and monsters. Later the gold bells turned into two lakes, so it is called Bell Lake.

Zechawagou (Zechawa Valley) – The Third Valley

Zechawagou is located at the left side of the “Y” shaped layout in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot, 18 KM from Nuorilang Service Center to Long Lake. It is a tour route at the highest altitude inside Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), and all sights are at the end of the valley.
The main sights in Zechawagou include: Down-Season Lake, Middle-Season Lake, Up-Season Lake, Five Color Lake, Long Lake, etc.

Long Lake
Long Lake is at the end of Zechawagou, in the shape of “S” layout. Across Long Lake, there are snow-mountains, cirque, “U” shaped valleys and other glaciers sights, and lush trees grow beside the lakeside. There is no exit surrounding Long Lake, and the water source is originated from melted snow water from high mountain. Strangely, Long Lake will never die or never overflow, so Tibetan people call is as a Treasure Gourd which “cannot be fulfilled and will never finish leaking”. Long Lake is dark blue, surrounded by mountains. It is the lake with the highest of the altitude, the widest of the surface, the deepest of the water in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). In early autumn, the lake will be covered by snow. In winter, the ice of the water is as thick as 60 CM, and a car can drive over it.
Long Lake can be taken as the mother of all lakes in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), because Long Lake has no exit, only can drain water by evaporation and underground river. And these underground rivers are the source of other lakes.

Five Color Lake
Walking from Long Lake down the mountain about 1 KM you can arrive at Five Color Lake. It is deeply located at the valley near the mountainous road. At the altitude of 2995 M, Five Color Lake is the smallest lake in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), but its colors can compare with Five Flower Lake. The water in Five Color Lake is so clean and clear that you can see the texture on the stones under the lake through water. Due to the different colors between the deposit under the lake and plants beside lakeside, the green water becomes colorful. It’s said that if a couple walk down the steps til Five Color Lake, make a wish, then walk up 189 steps, and they will be in love forever.