Jiuzhaigou is composed of three valleys arranged in a Y shape. The Rize and Zechawa valleys flow from the south and meet at the centre of the site where they form the
Shuzheng valley, flowing north to the mouth of the valley. The mountainous
watersheds of these gullies are lined with of roads for shuttle buses, as well as wooden
boardwalks and small pavilions. The boardwalks are typically located on the opposite side of the lakes from the road, shielding them from disturbance by passing buses. Most visitors will first take the shuttle bus to the end of Rize and/or Shuzheng gully, then make their way back downhill by foot on the boardwalks, taking the bus instead when the next site is too distant. Here is a summary of the sites found in each of the gullies:
Rize Valley is a 310-metre-wide curtain of water The Rize Valley (日则沟,
pinyin: Rìzé Gōu) is the south-western branch of Jiuzhaigou. It contains the largest variety of sites and is typically visited first. Going downhill from its highest point, one passes the following sites: • The
Primeval Forest (原始森林 Yuánshǐ Sēnlín) is a preserved ancient woodland. It is fronted by views of the surrounding mountains and cliffs, including the 500-metre-high, blade-shaped Sword Rock (剑岩 Jiàn Yán). •
Swan Lake (天鹅海, Tiān'é Hǎi) is a 2250-metre-long, 125-metre-wide lake named for its visiting swans and ducks. •
Grass Lake (草海, Cǎo Hǎi) is a shallow lake covered in intricate vegetation patterns. •
Arrow Bamboo Lake (箭竹海, Jiànzhú Hǎi), covering an area of 170,000 m2, is a shallow lake with a depth of 6 m. It lies at an elevation of 2,618 m, and was a main feature site for the 2002 Chinese film
Hero. •
Panda Lake (熊猫海, Xióngmāo Hǎi) features curious color patterns of blue and green. Giant Pandas were said to have come to this lake to drink, though there have been no sightings for many years. The lake empties into the multi-stream, multi-level Panda Waterfalls, dropping 78 m in three steps. •
Five Flower Lake (五花海, Wǔhuā Hǎi) is a shallow multi-colored lake whose bottom is criss-crossed by ancient fallen tree trunks. •
Pearl Shoal (珍珠滩, Zhēnzhū Tān) is a wide, gently sloping area of active calcareous
tufa deposition covered in a thin sheet of flowing water. It empties into the famous
Pearl Waterfalls, where the
shoal drops 28 m in a 310-metre-wide broad curtain of water. A scene of the television adaptation of
Journey to the West was filmed there. •
Mirror Lake (镜海, Jìng Hǎi) is another quiet lake casting beautiful reflections of the surroundings when the water is calm.
Zechawa Valley The Zechawa Gully (则查洼沟, Zécháwā Gōu) is the south-eastern branch of Jiuzhaigou. It is approximately the same length as Rize gully (18 km) but climbs to a higher altitude (3150 m at the Long Lake). Going downhill from its highest point, it features the following sites: •
Long Lake (长海, Cháng Hǎi) is crescent-shaped and is the highest, largest and deepest lake in Jiuzhaigou, measuring in length and up to 103 m in depth. It reportedly has no outgoing waterways, getting its water from snowmelt and losing it from seepage. Local folklore features a
monster in its depths. •
Five-Color Pond (五彩池, Wǔcǎi Chí) is one of the smallest bodies of water in Jiuzhaigou lakes. Despite its very modest dimensions and depth, it has a richly colored underwater landscape with some of the brightest and clearest waters in the area. According to legend, the pond was where Goddess Semo washed her hair and God Dage came daily to bring her water. • The
Seasonal Lakes (季节海, Jìjié Hǎi) are a series of 3 lakes (Lower, Middle and Upper) along the main road, that change from empty to full during each year.
Shuzheng Valley The Shuzheng Valley (树正沟, Shùzhèng Gōu) is the northern (main) branch of Jiuzhaigou. It ends after at the Y-shaped intersection of the three gullies. Going downhill from the intersection to the mouth of the valley, visitors encounter the following: •
Nuorilang Falls (诺日朗瀑布, Nuòrìlǎng Pùbù), near the junction of the valleys, are 20 m high and 320 m wide. They are reportedly the widest highland waterfall in China, the widest travertine-topped waterfall in the world, and one of the symbols of Jiuzhaigou. •
Nuorilang Lakes (诺日朗群海, Nuòrìlǎng Qúnhǎi) and
Shuzheng Lakes (树正群海 Shùzhèng Qúnhǎi) are stepped series of respectively 18 and 19
ribbon lakes formed by the passage of
glaciers, then naturally dammed. Some of them have their own folkloric names, such as the Rhinoceros, Unknown, and Tiger lakes. •
Sleeping Dragon Lake (卧龙海, Wòlóng Hǎi) is one of the lower lakes in the area. With a depth of 20 m, it is notable for the clearly visible calcareous dyke running through it, whose shape has been compared to a
dragon lying on the bottom. •
Reed Lake (芦苇海, Lúwěi Hǎi) is a 1375-metre-long, reed-covered marsh with a clear turquoise brook (known as the "Jade Ribbon") zigzagging through it. The contrast is particularly striking in the autumn when the reeds turn golden yellow.
Others • The
Fairy Pool (神仙池, Shénxiān Chí) lies west of Jiuzhaigou and features
travertine pools very similar to those of the nearby
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area. ==Tourism==