Jiuzhaigou Valley is a nature reserve and national park located in the north of Sichuan, China. Jiuzhaigou Valley is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and stretches over 72,000 hectares (180,000 acres). It is known for its many multi-level waterfalls, colourful lakes, and snow-capped peaks. Its elevation ranges from 2,000 m to 4,500 m.
Jiuzhaigou Valley was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. It belongs to the category V (Protected Landscape) in the IUCN system of protected area categorisation.
This incredibly popular region can get crazily busy with hordes of mainly Chinese tourists thronging to this location. So we had to queue to enter the park and queue for a transfer bus and almost every location was very crowded with rude Chinese tourists making it quite stressful and sometimes difficult for photography. However the stunning beauty and colours we experienced in this incredible valley more than made up for this.
One of the most unique aspects of the Jiuzhaigou Valley are the many waterfalls ranging from small falls through to large multi-tiered cascades. With the nature of the geology and the embedded trees and shrubs there is a unique blend of water and flora creating a mystical “Garden of Eden” like landscape. In Autumn the rich orange, yellows and greens of the trees combined with the exceptionally crystal-clear aquamarine waters create a rich texture of colours as a backdrop.
