Jiuzhaigou

Why Jiuzhaigou is special
The remote Jiuzhaigou is a stunningly beautiful mountain valley. If a place on earth would deserve to be on the vacation list of a heavenly being, Jiuzhaigou would surely be one of them.

Jiuzhaigou tips and insights
How to pronounce
Jiuzhaigou: jiew-jai-gow'oh

Top tourism allures
Top reasons why travelers come to Jiuzhaigou are (alphabetical):

• Clear blue lakes, emerald pools and cascading waterfalls
  
• Idyllic valley setting surrounded by majestic snow capped peaks
• Rich Tibetan culture
• Fresh mountain air and unpolluted skies
• Hiking and horseback riding through dense, green virgin forests
• Photo opportunities
• Relaxing and unwinding

A bonus for going to Jiuzhaigou is your vehicle passes through breathtaking scenery on the way.

Best times to come
The fall foliage period in October is the prime time to visit Jiuzhaigou. The landscape is ablaze with bright red, yellow and orange leaves. From May to September, temperatures are refreshingly mild. In January and February, Jiuzhaigou becomes a winter wonderland.

Layout
The valley is "Y" shaped. The two upper arms are glacial valleys that meet and become one.

Altitude
The altitude of the valley floor ranges from about 2,000 to 3,000 meters (6,600 to 10,000 feet). The mountains reach 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).

Name
Jiuzhaigou derives its name from the fact that there are nine Tibetan villages (stockades) in the valley.

Interesting detour
On your way to or from Jiuzhaigou, make a detour to visit Huanglong (Yellow Dragon), another unspoiled mountain lake scenic area. Huanglong is well known for its horseback trails and its white walled pools (similar to but not as steep as those of Baishui Terrace in Sichuan province).

Nearest major city
By road, Jiuzhaigou is about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. You can also fly between those two cities.