冒险娘之旅 Part 12.1 Jiuzhaigou Valley Day 1

Jiuzhaigou Valley was beauitful even in March when it was supposed to be the low travel season. However my advice would be to visit after May to enjoy its full glory. The snow have melted in March and the withered trees were still recovering from the bitter cold winter. So the forests surrounding the mountainous area were bare, dry and sad. Most of the walking trails along the mountains were closed due to the risk of forest fire.

However the major tourist attractions were opened and the lakes were just as serene and magnificent as ever. The good thing about travelling in low season is that you get to see more of nature then humans. I saw the pictures that my parents took when they travelled here around october and they were always crowded with people.

It had rained the night before so fogs have built-up in the mountains and fresh snow can be found on higher ground. Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic Area 九寨沟风景名胜区 is indeed worthy of its AAAAA tourism classification. The facilities were well maintained. The bus route were well planned and information was readily available in all forms and the major languages. They were honest too and charged half the entrance price at 100rmb for 2 days visit during low season since some areas were closed. You would need to pay for 1 day internal shuttle bus services for 80rmb too. The buses travelled in a loop with fixed stops in the major attractions.

I took the bus on the Ze Cha Wa Valley route to Long lake, one of lake in its highest altitude. The water was a deep blue with view of snow-capped mountains and lush trees. It was beautifully serene. Then I hopped onto the bus which took me to the Five Coloured Pond which was small but indeed colorful. Too bad the surroundings bushes were withered and dry. Along the way I saw the Upper and lower seasonal Lakes which were dried up. Sad.



















Next up I visited the Shu Zheng village with its colour Tibetan cultures and houses.





In the afternoon, I took the bus on the Ri Ze Valley route. Since the Virgin Forests, Swan Lake and Grass Lake were closed to the public, the furthest I can reach is the Arrow Bamboo Lake (Jian Zhu Hai). The water in the lake was clear and reflected its surrounding. The sky have a clear blue and the sun is shinning bright so when I visited Five Flower lake (Wu Hua Hai), I was in awe by its beauty. The lake was a clear turquoise blue, with green algae and fallen trunks.

















The next stop was the Pearl Shoals which is a flat land with green algae and shallow water flowing toward a waterfall. The water rushes to form white foams against the rocky surfaces which glitter in the sun thus the name pearl shoals.

















Mirror Lake.


Nuo Ri Lang Waterfall.


Tiger Lake.