Jiuzhaigou National Park

Jiuzhaigou is a national park in the northern part of Sichuan province. It is famous for its multi-tiered waterfalls and multi-colored lakes. The territory was listed as the world heritage of UNESCO in 1992. Total area occupied by 1320 km park², 600 of which falls on the buffer zone.

This remote area was inhabited by Tibetans and the Tsiang people centuries ago, but officially opened only in 1972. Until 1979, there was an increased felling of trees, not caring about the restoration of the number of trees. In 1982, the Chinese authorities proclaimed the area as a national park and already in 1984 it was opened for tourists. There are 9 Tibetan villages in the park, hence the name of the Jiuzhaigou Park, translated as "Valley of Nine Villages".

Approximately 300 km2 of the park is covered with pristine forests. In autumn, Jiuzhaygou is especially beautiful, forests are covered with yellow, red, golden colors, which attracts many tourists here. The park has a very rich flora, many of the plants are unique and are nowhere else to meet. Of the animals, it is worth noting the large panda and the golden black-bearing monkey, the number of which is very small. Also, 140 representatives of the birds found shelter here.

The main feature of Jiuzhaygou is its lakes of emerald, turquoise, holobugo color. Tibetans living here call them "Haize", translated as "son of the sea". Lakes arose under the influence of melting glaciers and rocks that block them. The water in the lakes is very clean, to such an extent that you can see at great depths. According to legend, the heavenly goddesses washed in these lakes and their blush painted the water. Rumor has it that sometimes they see mermaids here. Perhaps this is due to bottom deposits of calcium carbonate, sometimes taking unusual forms of people and dormant dragons. In some places, natural dams strengthen additionally, since they are very fragile. Travelers are even forbidden to touch the water.

In addition to lakes, there are other attractions, for example, the Mec wedge-shaped rock, more than 500 meters high.

But the lakes are still of most interest.

• Swan Lake is a magnificent lake where you can see many ducks and swans.
• Herbal Lake is a shallow lake on which algae and aquatic plants paint wonderful patterns.
• Bamboo Lake for Arrows - the action of the Hero film, released in 2002, unfolds on it. Its territory is quite large - 170,000 m2, and the depth is 6 meters.
• Lake Panda - it attracts emerald water, and the lying Panda waterfall, which has several tiers with a total height of 78 meters, also flows into it.
• Lake Five flowers - a multi-colored and shallow lake, at the bottom of which there are many fallen trees.
• Mirror Lake is a calm lake, in it you can see the reflection of the nearest area.
• Long lake - it is located at high altitude and has huge dimensions - 7.5 km in length, and the depth reaches 103 meters. He lacks runoff and is fed only by melting glaciers. Local legends assure that a monster lives at the bottom of the lake.
• A five-tone pond - although it is small, it is more noticeable from the rest of the Zujaygou lakes. He has chic colorful underwater landscapes.
• Seasonal lakes are a priority of three lakes on the main road, annually appearing and disappearing.
• Ozer Nozhilan and Ozer Shujen - a chain of 18 and 19 lakes that appeared at the gathering of glaciers, and then endowed with natural dams.
• The Lake of the Sleeping Dragon - it was called so because the lime drain at the bottom is close in shape to the dragon lying at the bottom.
• Reed lake - inherently a swamp overgrown with a zigzag duct.

Pearl sandbank - a spacious, slightly inclined terrace with calcium deposits. An eminent Pearl Waterfall flows from it, which is the curtain of water 28 meters high and 310 meters wide.

The waterfalls of Nozhilan, located next to the gorges, and has no less impressive dimensions - 20 meters in height and 320 in width. This is the symbol of Jiuzhaygou and the widest mountain waterfall in China.

Ecotourism is developing well in the Zaju Valley. It has recently been opened for a limited number of tourists. One-day and multi-day routes are provided for them, and experienced guides will talk about the flora and fauna of Zazhu. Here 40% of all plants in China grow - this is one of the best sites to admire the wildlife of the national park.

Every year the flow is growing, in 1984 5,000 tourists visited the Tszyuchizhou Park, in 2000 their number exceeded one million. An average of 7,000 travelers visit the park daily, and during the tourist season it reaches 13,000.