Stunning Things to Do in Jiuzhaigou
Visiting Jiuzhaigou
A colorful fairytale wonderland, Jiuzhaigou is a massive protected biosphere, home to unique animals, ancient Tibetan villages and some of the most beautiful and diverse water features in the world. The lakes, waterfalls, travertine structures, entombed, submerged trees and shoals are the most iconic features of the valley. Water changes from pure white to neon blues throughout its journey in the valley.
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Information on Jiuzhaigou
Cost of Entry into Jiuzhaigou is 110 Yuan ($18.00 USD). If you are also bringing an Eco-Friendly Car it costs an additional 90 Yuan ($15.00 USD). This is in the High Season (April 1st to November 15th). The Low Season (November 16th to March 31st) is only 40 Yuan ($7.00 USD). The price of vehicle entrance remains the same year round. There are discounts for people under 25 years old entering with a student ID.
It is possible to hike a fair amount of Jiuzhaigou in two days on foot. With a vehicle, the entire park can be experienced in two or three days. There are buses that operate within the park that help reach the more distant features, such as the Primitive Forest. Overall, I would recommend at least 2 days for the biosphere.
Jiuzhaigou is an exceptionally delicate natural setting. Excessive foot traffic, touching the calcium carbonate water or calcium carbonate structures may cause irreparable damage.
The only way to get to Jiuzhaigou from Chongqing, Beijing or Chengdu is by long distance bus or plane. In all cases, there are no direct train lines. There are regular shuttles from the airport to the villages outside of Jiuzhaigou on route S103.
Altitude sickness is common in Jiuzhaigou. Due to the differences in elevation at the airport, the low valley and higher Primitive Forest (or even snow capped mountains) it’s important to be prepared for altitude adjustment. Remember, eat lots of carbs, drink lots of water, practice yoga breathing several times throughout the day, sleep lower than the highest altitude you reach and consider giving yourself a day or more of rest to adjust to the change in elevation.
Things to do in Jiuzhaigou
Regional Points of Interest
Sichuan Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport – A quaint airport and the main entry and exit point to visit Jiuzhaigou. The airport is atop a stark and beautiful plateau with somewhat unpredictable weather and bright skies. Unfortunately, the airport doesn’t have many food options, so it’s wise to eat before arriving. This terminal has direct flights from Chongqing, Chengdu and Beijing, though times change throughout the year.
Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Valley – Hunglong Valley is far to the south of Jiuzhaigou, but it is a popular stop for people on bus tours or driving the biosphere. The valley is 7.5 kilometers long rising up to the Xuebao Snow Mountain Peak. The lowlands of the region curve into the shape of a dragon. The defining features of the region are travertine banks, waterfalls, standing pools and a series of caves. The sheer walls of mineral buildup making endless organic pools make this location a popular attraction in its own right. It is a worthy stop on the way to Jiuzhaigou.
Jiuzhaigou – A famous and gorgeous biosphere which boasts several traditional Tibetan villages, some uniquely colored lakes, a wealth of waterfalls, an extremely diverse series of plants and animals and ancient, never-logged mountain forests.
Lower Shuzheng Valley (Park Entrance)
Heye Village and Restaurant – One of the first sighted and most accessible Tibetan Villages along the main, central valley. It is a popular information and culture stop for new arrivals.
Bonsai Lake (Shoals) – A unique lake with patches of islands supporting small trees which give the lake its name.
Reed Lake – A long and shallow lake with many reeds. It is a popular area to spot wildlife since the foliage and flora cover is sparse.
Double Dragon Lake – One of the most iconic lakes in the area, the Double Dragon Lake is fed by a series of breaking waterfalls over rounded stones. The lake is an impossible blue color and surrounded by deep woods, particularly impressive in the autumn.
Sparking Lake – A large, vividly colored lake complete with a boneyard of calcium carbonate deadwood resting at the bottom. It is the most accessible lake from the central valley public parking center.
Crouching Dragon Lakes – A lake with a unique hiking peninsula and views of overlapping mountains in the distance.
Shuzheng Tibetan Village and Overlook – A slightly elevated Tibetan Village with good tourism amenities. It overlooks prayer flags, the nearby valley and is seasonally surrounded by wildflowers. The mountain is at a perfect angle to look down the valley in both directions.
Shuzheng Waterfalls – The most famous waterfall of the valley, these waterfalls exist in multiple streams over wide, moss-coated boulders.
Shuzheng Lake – A large, multi-tiered lake in the valley. The lake’s waters are separated by lines of trees which have water moving through their lower roots.
Tiger Lake – A deep, small and placid lake within the valley.
Rhinoceros Lake – Similar in scale to Tiger Lake, Rhinoceros Lake is famous for views of the surrounding mountains looking down the valley.
Zharu Valley (Offshoot Valley)
Zaru (Zharu) Temple and Valley – The site of a large Bonpo (Followers of Bon) Temple, the local religion of the region for hundreds of years. The area is somewhat off the main path, so it is quiet with few tourists. Bonpo is a religion which predates Buddhism in the area. It cultivates household gods alongside a temple pantheon.
Treasured Mirror Cliff – An imposing and sheer mountain which serves as a landmark for the biosphere. The walls of the mountain are too sheer for vegetation, so plants and trees only grow at the peak.
Lower Rize Valley
Mirror Lake – Filled with perfectly still water and somewhat sheltered from the wind, Mirror Lake is one of the most reflective, vividly colored lakes in the valley.
Pearl Shoal – A fast-moving series of shoals which create white-water rapids down cliff faces.
Multi-Colored Lake (Five Flower Lake) – One of the most visually stunning bodies of water in the valley, this lake changes vividly with the seasons and boasts a whole spectrum of colors in its depths thanks to varying water levels, deadwood, seasonal reflections and weather.
Panda Lake – A lake with unique high points creating calcium carbonate sandbars and peninsulas.
Panda Waterfall – A series of curved, low waterfalls feeding into Panda Lake.
Arrow Bamboo Lake – A lake with a large amount of beautiful deadwood resting in patterns at the bottom.
Upper Rize Valley
Swan Lake – A vividly green lake noticeably alive with fish and green reeds. Most of the lakes don’t have much life moving within them due to the chemical composition of the water.
Grass Lake – Technically a shallow and wide moving river, the lake is interspaced with wide patches of bright green grass.
Primitive Forest – An amazingly old, quiet and large series of mountain woodlands never logged by humans. The trees are incredibly large and covered in multiple layers of moss. The woods absorb sound completely, giving the area an unusual stillness.
Zechawa Valley
Zechawa Valley Village – Home to the Zechawa Tibetan Village population and their temples, this valley town has numerous pools of interspaced water lines nearby.
Lower Season Lake – A bright lake with dual colors, it’s center being slightly higher than the edges. The effect shifts depending on seasonal water levels.
Upper Season Lake – A lake overseen by tall, grey cliffs and vivid trees.
Colorful Pond – A tiny, radioactive-green pond surrounded by grey stones.
Long Lake – The largest lake in the entire biosphere, this lake gives unfettered views to the distant snowcap mountains in the distance
Want to read about my firsthand hike through the region? Click here to read the Leftfade Trails Travel Blog
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