CHINA 5A TRAVEL
A Y-shaped valley of 114 terraced lakes in colors no photograph quite believes - turquoise, jade, sapphire - strung together by waterfalls and wrapped in autumn color-stained forest. UNESCO World Natural Heritage and undisputed 'King of Water Scenery'.
Jiuzhaigou is a forested high-mountain valley in northern Sichuan, named for the nine Tibetan villages scattered along its floor. Its fame rests on the lakes - 114 of them dammed by ancient landslides and calcite terraces, water so mineral-clear and algae-tinted that each pond shifts through turquoise, emerald and sapphire in a single glance.
The reserve, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site and biosphere reserve, organizes itself into three gorges in a Y shape: Rize Gorge (the classic lakes and waterfalls), Zechawa Gorge (Long Lake and Five-Color Pond) and Shuzheng Gorges (the lake chains nearest the gate). Nuorilang, the wide waterfall at the junction, anchors the visitor center where all shuttle lines meet.
Locals count 'Six Wonders': alpine lakes, waterfalls, autumn color forests, snow peaks, blue winter ice and Tibetan village culture. Spring brings blossom meltwater; summer cool escape; mid-October the valley's famous fire-red birch and gold larch; winter frozen blue icefalls. Since 2024 a high-speed rail line has cut the trip from Chengdu to about 1.5 hours plus an hour's shuttle - ending the era of the 10-hour mountain bus.
Highlights
Five-Flower Lake (Wuhuahai)
The valley's poster child: a shallow lake in five distinct color bands, with drowned calcium trees visible through glass-clear water.
Nuorilang Waterfall
China's widest travertine waterfall - a 320-meter silver curtain at the Y's junction, best in morning light.
Five-Color Pond (Wucaichi)
Small but the valley's most saturated pond - impossible blues ringed by white calcite in Zechawa Gorge.
Mirror Lake (Jinghai)
On windless mornings the lake doubles snow peaks and forest so perfectly the reflection is the attraction.
Shuzheng Lake group
Stepped terraced lakes strung like beads below Tibetan village stacks and prayer-wheel houses - the walkable lower valley.
Pearl Shoal Waterfall
Water sheeting across calcite ripples before dropping 21 meters - the wide-screen location filmed in 'Journey to the West'.
Photo Gallery
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