Tours and holidays with added interest
Jiuzhaigou Valley
- Name in Chinese characters: 九寨沟
- Name in Pinyin: Jiǔzhàigōu
General Overview
The name Jiu Zhai Gou is derived from the Nine Villages that originally clustered in the area. When the national park was formed the location of these was not ideal and so one was left out and another inserted in its place so as to be able to keep the name. The villagers had to give up their fields and yak herds but in exchange they received a share of the entrance fee income and, since the site has become hugely popular, that has made the fortunate few very wealthy.
The geography has a different explanation. Legend has it that a young man fell in love with the goddess of the valley. To demonstrate his affection he sought out a very special mirror, one made of wind. He gave this to her but Evil intervened and she broke the mirror. The 114 pieces became the beautiful lakes that we see today.
The park is based on 3 valleys (see map below) though only two are open to the general public. The third, the Zharu Valley, is open to some new eco-tourism options but numbers for this are always likely to be very limited.
The main attractions in the two public valleys are the lakes. These are crystal clear and, since the water contains a high level of mineral deposits, these often appear in different shades of green and blue.
The same minerals have been deposited over the ages to add interest to the many waterfalls and shoals that divide the lakes.
The Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992. It has also received accreditation for other environmental and conservation awards including Man & The Biospehere, IUCN, Green Globe and ISO 14001.
Attractions For Visitors
Many consider Autumn to be the best month for a visit to Jiuzhaigou Valley as that is when the surrounding forests are ablaze with colour. Spring is also popular and a growing number of visitors are choosing a winter visit when prices are lower, visitor numbers are tiny and the park becomes a winter-wonderland.
It helps to understand the park's geography in order to plan a visit. In one day it is possible to visit the whole Y-shape by bus but better to focus on only one of the two valleys in order to include some longer walks. A two-day visit would allow fuller coverage. A special ticket is available out of season, otherwise you will need to pay twice.
Visitors who buy the relevant entrance ticket are entitled to use the park's shuttle bus service inside the park (Those who don't must walk ... everywhere).
This service operates from inside the park entrance and serves the two publicly accessible valleys, Rize Valley and Zechawa Valley. Buses drive up to the Virgin Forests and Long Lake respectively before returning to the park entrance.
Waiting visitors are able to hop-on and hop-off at any stop en-route so long as there is space. Given that there are buses every couple of minutes the waiting is never for too long.
Once off a bus, visitors will find a network of trails taking them to the main attractions and beyond. The key to a more enjoyable visit is to walk out to the far side of the crowds and walk some sections of the trails that connect the main attractions. Very few bother to walk these and so you will be rewarded by more of a wilderness experience as well as a different set of views.
The lakes at the bottom of the valley (below the point where the two merge) have a different character. The terrain is less steep and eventually the series of lakes becomes more like one wide river bed, with lush reed beds on either side. This section is particularly peaceful and well worth a walk at the end of a day sightseeing further up.
Foreign visitors often enjoy crowd watching in China just as much as seeing the sites. The Jiuzhaigou Valley is no exception with all manner of domestic tourists arriving. look out for high-heels and other inappropriate fashion wear, locally bought cowboy hats and 'traditional costumes' for hire at many of the scenic spots; the latter look great ... on somebody else.
In the evenings there is little to do other than dining and shopping. There are some 11 shows every night and, of these, the Zang Mi (Tibetan Mystery) Show is highly recommended.
The following China Journey includes the Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park:
Beyond Chengdu: Mountain Splendour
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Current Comments
4 comments so far (post your own)Pat
The term is one without a generally accepted definition so a little care is required. The key word would be 'sustainable' but, of course, there are many interpretations of that.
Jiuzhaigou manages its large number of visitors well but still it is nice to have an alternative.
Anyone willing to walk within the park will soon get away from the crowds.
Posted by China Journeys on Sun 6 May, 2012
Eco-tourism is a new term for me. Sounds like an ideal solution to the problem of congested attractions.
Posted by PatLang on Sat 5 May, 2012
Hi Owen
Yes - we may have tweaked the saturation a little but, if anything, the true colours are even more vibrant. If you do a search for other images taken in the park you will see that ours are not unusual.
Photos take in Autumn often look unreal in that the yellows and reds of the leaves are truly unbelievable.
Posted by China Journeys on Wed 4 Apr, 2012
What amazing colors. Are they for real?
Posted by Owen on Wed 4 Apr, 2012