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At 21:19:46 on August 8, 2017, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou, a paradise on earth. The epicenter was located in Bimang Village, 5 kilometers west of the core scenic area of Jiuzhaigou, causing serious damage to the scenic area.
After more than two years of restoration and reconstruction, Jiuzhaigou reopened to the public on March 31, 2020. What's the scenery like in this reborn Jiuzhaigou? What changes have taken place? Has the earthquake still affected Jiuzhaigou? What's the best way to enjoy Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong now, and how should you plan your trip? Please refer to this latest travel guide.
Today's itinerary:
Chengdu - Wenchuan - Maoxian - Diexi Lake - Songpan Ancient Town - Chuanzhu Temple - Jiuzhaigou Entrance Hotel, the entire journey is about 400km and takes about 8 hours.
We were picked up from our hotel in Chengdu at around 8am, and drove along the Chengguan Expressway, the Duwen Expressway, and got off at Wenchuan. We continued along the G213 National Highway, going upstream along the Minjiang River, passing through high mountains and canyons, and the scenery was all around us.
After passing Maoxian, we arrived at Diexi Haizi at noon. After lunch, we continued our journey, passing Songpan and Chuanzhusi, and finally arrived at Jiuzhaigou Goukou Hotel to check in.
The county seat of Wenchuan is about 1,300 meters above sea level. It belongs to Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is one of the four counties in China where the Qiang ethnic group lives. It is an area where people of various ethnic groups such as Tibetan, Qiang, Hui, and Han converge and integrate. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established Wenshan County, it has a history of more than 2,000 years of counties.
The Qiang people are one of the oldest ethnic groups in China. Many heroes in history, such as Emperor Yan, Dayu, Jiang Ziya, Ma Chao, Jiang Wei, etc., are Qiang people. The hometown of the flood control hero Dayu is in Wenchuan.
Diexi Lake is located at an altitude of approximately 2,300 meters. On August 25, 1933, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Diexi. Within minutes of the tremor, the center of Diexi City collapsed almost vertically, sliding 500-600 meters. Diexi Ancient City and 21 nearby Qiang villages were completely destroyed. Surrounding mountains collapsed, blocking the Minjiang River and forming several barrier lakes. This event is known in history as the "China Diexi Earthquake."
Diexi Lake was formed by this earthquake. Its deepest point is 98 meters and its average depth is 82 meters. Earthquakes can not only destroy but also create new landscapes.
Tips:
You can see the whole picture of the lake at the parking lot and car wash area of Diexi Haizi Observation Deck. There are many white yaks owned by local people here, and you can take pictures of them for a fee. If you want to take pictures of yaks, please ask the price before taking pictures to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
The ancient city of Songpan is about 2,900 meters above sea level. Songpan, formerly known as Songzhou, was historically the border between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo, and the tea-horse trade center between Sichuan and Gansu. It has been a battleground since ancient times. The ancient city wall of Songpan we see now was built in the Ming Dynasty. The blue bricks used at that time were 50 cm long and 12 cm thick, and each brick weighed 30 kg. The mortar used was made of glutinous rice, lime and tung oil. Therefore, the city wall is extremely strong and it is China's premier ancient city wall site.
The tops of the three city gates located in the east, south and north of the city are all crescent-shaped. The large stones at the gate base are engraved with various ingenious reliefs, which are antique and retain the ancient charm.
Chuanzhusi is about 3,000 meters above sea level. Chuanzhusi Town is an important transportation hub on the Jiuzhaigou Loop Line. Jiuhuang Airport is located next to the town. You can go to Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area to the north, Huanglong Scenic Area to the east, and Ruoergai Grassland to the west.
Next to the town, there are thousands of acres of lavender fields planted by local villagers. From July to September every year, the lavender blooms very beautifully. If you want to take pictures in the sea of flowers, you can ask the driver to park on the side of the road and go there to play and take pictures by yourself. The fee ranges from 20 to 30 yuan.
After about an 8-hour drive, we arrived at Jiuzhaigou Goukou Hotel around five or six in the afternoon. The hotel is about 1,900 meters above sea level, which is not high, so you can have a good sleep at night.
There are many restaurants next to the hotel, serving Sichuan cuisine, barbecue, and hot pot skewers. It is recommended to eat light food. When you first arrive at the plateau, it is best not to wash your hair or take a bath on the first night.
Tips:
On your first day in the plateau, try to slow down and avoid strenuous exercise and excessive excitement. The altitude difference from Chengdu, 500 meters above sea level, to Gonggangling, 3,600 meters above sea level, is significant, so you may experience some mild altitude sickness, including a slight headache, chest tightness, and drowsiness. These are all normal and not to worry about.
Be sure to drink plenty of water. When you get off the bus to take pictures, remember to wear a hat to avoid the wind blowing on your head. The temperature changes greatly along the way. When you set off in the morning, bring a coat with you and pay attention to windproof and warm to avoid catching a cold and causing altitude sickness.
The ultraviolet rays on the plateau are strong, so you need to be prepared for sun protection, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Today's itinerary:
Shuzheng Valley, Rize Valley, Zechawa Valley, full-day tour of Jiuzhaigou
At around 8 o'clock in the morning, we took a bus from the hotel to Jiuzhaigou Visitor Center and queued up to take the scenic shuttle bus into the scenic area. The scenic shuttle bus operates like a city bus. There are stops at each scenic spot where you can get on and off freely. There are scenic area tour guides on each scenic shuttle bus.
Most of the scenic spots are connected by plank roads, so you can choose to visit them by combining hiking and driving.
We will return to Mizoguchi around 5pm and take the bus back to the hotel. We will stay in the same hotel as last night and don’t need to bring any luggage.
Jiuzhaigou gets its name from the nine Tibetan villages within the scenic area (Shuzheng, Zechawa, Heijiao, Heye, Panya, Yala, Jianpan, Rexi, and Guodu). The Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area is arranged in a Y-shape, with Shuzheng Valley at the lower branch (Zhechawa Valley on the left and Rize Valley on the right). The center of the Y is the Nuorilang Service Center, the only place to eat in the area.
【Important Tips】
In order to divert traffic, each scenic shuttle bus will obey the dispatcher's command and drive to the highest scenic spot in Rizegou or Zechawagou for a tour from top to bottom. Car A may go to Rizegou, and car B may go to Zechawagou, so if several friends go to play together, they must take the same scenic shuttle bus.
After visiting one gully, we returned to Nuorilang Central Station and took the scenic shuttle bus to visit another gully. We visited both Rize Valley and Zechawa Valley, and then took the descending scenic shuttle bus at Nuorilang Central Station. We continued our tour and returned to the gully entrance around 5 pm to gather and return to the hotel.
The route from Nuorilang Service Center to Changhai Lake is nearly 18 kilometers long and is the highest route in Jiuzhaigou. The main attractions are concentrated at the end of the valley. The main attractions include: Seasonal Lake, Five Color Pool, and Changhai Lake.
Changhai Lake is the highest and largest lake in Jiuzhaigou, located approximately 3,100 meters above sea level. Its waters are an inky blue, fed by melting snow from the mountains. Strangely, there are no outlets around Changhai Lake, yet the water never overflows during the rainy summer and autumn seasons, nor does it dry up during the prolonged droughts of winter and spring. Consequently, Jiuzhaigou locals call it a "treasure gourd" that never fails to fill and never leaks.
One kilometer down from Changhai is the Five-Colored Pool, which is 2,995 meters above sea level and 6.6 meters deep. Although the Five-Colored Pool is the smallest among the lakes in Jiuzhaigou, its colors are the most colorful, comparable to Wuhua Lake.
The Five-Colored Pool is exceptionally clear, revealing the stone patterns on the rock surface beneath. The contrasting colors of the sediments and the surrounding plants give the originally azure surface a multicolored hue. It is the quintessence of Jiuzhaigou's lakes and its most exquisite, earning it the nickname "The Eye of Jiuzhaigou."
Walking down from the Five Color Pool, you will soon reach the Upper Seasonal Sea. The Lower Seasonal Sea is located below the Upper Seasonal Sea. The two are quite far apart, but each has its own unique characteristics.
The Upper and Lower Seasonal Lakes are relatively unique lakes in Jiuzhaigou. The water volume of the lakes changes with the seasons. The lake water rises in autumn, and at other times due to the change of seasons, most of the time they are embedded in the valley and sleep soundly, revealing the beauty of time and the harmony between heaven and earth.
The Upper Season Lake is adjacent to the Five Color Pool, and its water level fluctuates with the seasons, sometimes filling and sometimes drying up. During the rainy autumn season, the lake rises, creating a deep blue hue. In the summer, the water level is shallow and emerald green. After early winter, the lake dries up, and the lakebed is covered with green grass, turning the lake into a grazing beach.
Rizegou is 18 kilometers long. Currently, the area from Nuorilang Service Center to Wuhua Lake is open. The main attractions include Wuhua Lake, Peacock River, Big and Small Golden Bell Lake, Pearl Beach Waterfall, Mirror Lake, and Nuorilang Lakes.
Wuhua Lake, 2,472 meters above sea level, 5 meters deep, and covering 90,000 square meters, is known as "Jiuzhaigou's unique wonder" and "the essence of Jiuzhaigou." A lake, woven by nature into a dazzling array of colors, a spectacular sight that could never be recreated artificially.
Of the many lakes in Jiuzhaigou, the most famous and beautiful is undoubtedly Wuhua Lake. With its rich variety and diverse forms, Wuhua Lake is truly the essence of Jiuzhaigou. Looking down from the Tiger's Mouth viewing point, Wuhua Lake resembles a peacock with its tail spread out, a dazzling display of colors that is breathtaking. It is a true fairy tale world, a legendary paradise of colors!
The Peacock River runs from the outlet of Wuhua Lake to the Big and Small Jinling Lakes. Strolling through it feels like walking through an oil painting of intense colors. The surrounding scenery, like a peacock's feather, blends the world's most beautiful blues and greens.
The Pearl Beach Waterfall is 2,445 meters above sea level. The waterfall is 21 meters high and 162 meters wide. It is a typical composite landscape in Jiuzhaigou. It is the place where Tang Monk and his disciples waded through water on horseback in the opening of the TV series "Journey to the West".
Pearl Beach Waterfall, like a galaxy descending from the sky, is a majestic sight, sending a thunderous roar through the valley. The vast waterfall rushes into the valley floor, roaring like thunder, creating a thousand waves and sending up mist in the lush valley. It then rushes eastward, creating a thunderous roar and boiling mountain streams, a truly magnificent sight.
Mirror Lake is located at the junction of Shuzheng Valley and Rize Valley, with an altitude of 2390 meters. It is one of the famous attractions in Jiuzhaigou.
Like a mirror, it faithfully reproduces the scenery on the ground and in the sky onto the water's surface. When the dawn breaks and the morning glow paints the eastern sky red, the sea becomes as smooth as a mirror, and the blue sky, white clouds, and snow-capped mountains are all reflected on the surface, presenting a spectacular spectacle of "fish swimming in the clouds and birds flying in the water."
The Nuorilang Lakes are located at an altitude of 2,592 meters and consist of 18 lakes of varying sizes, separated by travertine dikes. The dikes are lush with vegetation, and the lake water levels fluctuate significantly with the seasons.
In spring and summer, the embankment is covered with willows and flowers, and the lake is full of vitality; in autumn, the leaves are red and the fruits are bright, and the sea is also colorful; in winter, the ice on the lake is shining, and from a distance it looks like a string of silver plates.
Nuorilang Waterfall is 2,365m above sea level, 24.5m high and 320m wide. It is the widest travertine waterfall discovered in my country so far.
"Norilang" in Tibetan means a male god, and also means tall and majestic. The surging water flows from the Norilang Sea, pouring over the embankment through the trees at the top of the waterfall, like the Milky Way, with a mighty force and a roar that shakes the valley.
The 14-kilometer-long lake boasts over 40 large and small lakes, representing approximately 40% of all the lakes in Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area. It is known as the epitome of Jiuzhaigou. Major attractions include Rhino Lake, Tiger Lake, Shuzheng Lake, Reed Lake, and Bonsai Beach.
Rhino Sea is a natural lake about 2.2 kilometers long, 17 meters deep, 2,400 meters above sea level, and its deepest point can reach more than 40 meters.
Rhino Lake is the largest lake in Shuzheng Valley and one of the lakes with the most varied scenery in Jiuzhaigou. Rhino Lake is the second largest lake in Jiuzhaigou and its reflection is almost the best among all the lakes.
Every morning, when the mist clears, the reflections of the clouds are so ethereal that it's hard to tell which is the sky and which is the sea. The colorful leaves around the lake are also vibrant and colorful, surpassing all others in their beauty.
Located at an altitude of 2,298 meters above Shuzheng Waterfall, Tiger Lake is a profound and tranquil lake, its silence harbouring a fierceness and tranquility concealing a rebellious spirit. The Shuzheng Waterfall, like a cascading cloud and snow, embodies its sudden burst of energy and passion, its roar resonating like thunder and a tiger's roar.
The Shuzheng Lake Group consists of 19 lakes of different sizes. The 19 lakes are like 19 pieces of emerald green jade, inlaid in the deep mountains and valleys. They are connected by green trees and silver waterfalls in the middle, just like a beautiful jade necklace for Shuzheng Village.
Located at an altitude of 2,140 meters and 2.2 kilometers long, Reed Sea is a semi-swamp lake. Reeds grow thickly in the sea, water birds fly, and clear streams flow, rippling green and winding through the sky, creating a truly marshy landscape.
In the "sea of reeds", reeds sway in the air, creating a verdant scene. A gentle breeze brings the reeds to and fro, and the rustling sound is gentle and lyrical, making people feel relaxed and happy.
Currently, about 85% of the scenic spots in Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area are open, and one day is plenty of time for a visit. The impact of the earthquake on the lake is almost invisible. Some traces of landslides caused by the earthquake can still be seen on the mountains in the valley, but it has little impact on the scenery. After all, the essence of Jiuzhaigou is in the water.
Before the earthquake, it was hard to get a ticket to Jiuzhaigou. Now, the number of tourists entering the valley every day is less than half of the limit. There are fewer people, the scenery is beautiful, and there is no need to queue. The travel experience is actually better than before, with more time and more freedom to explore!
Today's itinerary:
Jiuzhaigou Valley Entrance Hotels - Chuanzhu Temple - Huanglong Scenic Area - Chuanzhu Temple / Songpan Ancient City Hotels
Depart from Jiuzhaigou Entrance Hotel at 8:00 am and drive to Huanglong Scenic Area, the distance is about 110km, and it is expected to arrive at Huanglong Visitor Center after 10:00 am.
The visitor center is about 3200m above sea level, and the highest Five-Colored Pool is about 3600m above sea level. There are cable cars and plank roads in the scenic area. The cable car goes up for 80/person and goes down for 40/person. You can choose to go up the plank road and down the plank road, up the plank road and down the cable car, or up the plank road and down the cable car according to your physical strength.
The scenic area is at a high altitude, so tourists from low-altitude areas are advised to take the cable car up and the plank road down, and play while walking.
The Huanglong Scenic Area is famous both at home and abroad for its rare karst landforms, with its main scenery being the large-scale, ingeniously structured and colorful surface travertine landscape. It can be called a fairyland on earth.
The Five Color Pools are located at an altitude of 3,576 meters, with a pool area of 21,000 square meters and 693 colorful pools. It is the largest group of colorful pools in Huanglonggou and also the largest and highest-altitude open-air travertine pool group in the world.
The banks of the Five-Colored Pool are low and staggered, and the water overflows. From a distance, the colorful pools look like pieces of emerald jade plates. Under the sunlight, they are white, purple, blue, and green in different shades, colorful and extremely beautiful.
Even in the depths of winter, the pool remains a turquoise blue, a scene of mysterious wonder, framed by the vibrant blossoms of the trees. Its dams, in various shapes—curved, fan-shaped, and even skirt-shaped—are arranged in a staggered pattern, cascading upwards, resembling a three-dimensional oil painting of a fairyland on earth. The waters themselves take on a variety of colors, influenced by the sediments, the color of the dams, the refraction of light, and the depth of the pool.
Due to the various changes in light, the pool water has the same source and is a colorful "five-color scene", which has become a beautiful landscape in Huanglong Scenic Area.
Huanglong Hou Temple has a long history of more than 600 years. It is a Taoist temple covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters and backed by the Five-Colored Pond. Huanglong Ancient Temple is an important site for studying the evolution of Taoist culture in ethnic minority areas, and is also an important evidence for tracing the history of Dayu's flood control at the source of the Minjiang River.
Zhengyan Pool covers an area of 20,000 square meters and consists of 658 colorful pools. It is the second largest colorful pool group in Huanglong Valley. It is 3,454 meters above sea level, 1,011 meters above Huanglong Zhongsi Temple and 311 meters below Suluoying Pool. It is the colorful pool group with the richest and most beautiful pool embankment forms among the colorful pool groups in Huanglong Scenic Area.
The depth of the water in the pools varies, and the vegetation on the banks is different. Under the sunlight, the pools are a touch of gold, a touch of emerald green, a touch of wine red, a touch of bright orange... competing with each other in beauty, each with its own charm, which is a feast for the eyes.
Whether viewed from different angles, such as shape, color, and texture, each pool has its own unique and dazzling features, creating a sense of competition and splendor. The underwater world within the pools is even more colorful and refreshing.
The Jinshapudi is 3,305 meters above sea level, about 1,300 meters long and 40 to 122 meters wide. It is the best-preserved, largest, longest, and most colorful surface travertine beach flow of its kind discovered in the world, and is one of the three greatest in the world in Huanglong.
Because the carbonate here has lost the geographical conditions for solidification into pools, the waves spread over a ridge-like slope about 1.3 km long, and condensed into layers of golden travertine beaches on the bottom of the water, like pieces of "scales", gleaming golden light under the sunlight, which is another rare wonder of Huanglong.
The widest part is about 122 meters, and the narrowest is about 40 meters. Scientists believe that the Jinsha Pavement is the best-preserved, largest, longest, and most colorful surface travertine beach flow of its kind discovered in the world.
At around 5 pm, we will return to the Huanglong Visitor Center to gather and board the bus to go to Chuanzhusi or Songpan Hotel to check in. There are many restaurants in Chuanzhusi Town or Songpan Ancient City. After putting your luggage, you can find food freely.
Today's itinerary:
Chuanzhusi/Songpan - Maoxian - Wenchuan - Chengdu, 320km, about 6-7 hours driving time
We will get up early and embark on our return journey, sailing down the Minjiang River from the northwest Sichuan Plateau back to the Chengdu Plain. We will then proceed directly to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport for our departure. Tourists who are not leaving that day will be transferred back to their city hotels.
Please note that the mountain roads in western Sichuan are prone to traffic jams, and it is difficult to guarantee the time to return to Chengdu. Please book a return flight after 22:00. It is recommended to book a flight for the next day during holidays to avoid missing the flight.
