Hiking in Jiu Zhai Gou

Jiuzhaigou is a nature reserve and national park located in the north of Sichuan province, China. Jiuzhaigou Valley is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, known for its many multi-level waterfalls, colorful lakes.

It attracts a lot of domestic visitors. The first day we visited Jiu Zhai Gou, the park reached its daily max at 41000 people. Thousands of tourists crowded the entrance. It took about one hour to get in and another half hour to get on the shuttle to get to vistas.

the crowd at entrance

the crowd at colorful pond

The crowd, the noise just totally destroyed any mood one has to appreciate the wonder of nature. 

The problem can be easily solved if we hike. That was what we did partially the second day. The hiking trail is at the other side of the valley from the shuttle route. Note that domestic tourists don't hike! They take shuttles to get to a location, take pictures and move on to next location to register their presence. 

Rhino Lake

The whole trail in the park is wood boardwalk!

What a difference it made - the crowd disappeared and noise evaporated after we hiked away from a major junction for about half mile. Everywhere we went, we essentially had the whole place to ourselves. We could hear the sound of rushing water in the valley, the chirping of birds in the woods and our own footsteps on the boardwalk!

water falls

a finch on a fallen tree branch

The sun came out to reveal the changing colors of water at Jiu Zhai Gou. Flowers swung in the light wind, and butterflies flew by and rest on flowers.

We hiked at a leisure pace, chatted now and then. We had a picnic lunch on the trail without blocking anyone. We enjoyed the tranquility and beauty of the wonder of nature at Jiu Zhai Gou in its "natural" state. It was one of the best day I had in China!

Note - if I go to Jiu Zhai Gou again, I would do the following

1) stay at a hotel in walking distance  to the entrance (within 2~ 3km , to beat the traffic in town)
2) hiking up the mountain on the wooden board walk (avoid crowds, no lines!)
3) cross the valley via board walk to have better views of some vistas, but will hike on the trail side 
4) go to the primitive forest side first
5) take shuttle downward
6) best to spend 2 days at the park 

Jiu Zhai Gou - by Nicholas

In my two weeks at China, I was able to experience both the fast-paced aggressive city life and the beautiful countryside. These two completely unique experiences both had their own charm, but I definitely preferred my time in China’s premier national park, Jiu Zhai Gou (i.e. Nine Village Gullies) . As one of the most famous scenic destinations in all of China, there was no way our trip would be complete without our 2 day stop.

Five Color Pond on a Rainy Day

Rhinoceros Lake 

When we first arrived in Cheng Du, Sichuan, China, we were greeted by many family members from both sides of the family tree. From my mom’s side, my aunt and her family, and from my dad’s side, both his sister and brother, along with my cousin Xinyi. From thereon, our trip would consist of long, tiresome bus rides, only alieved by the chance to stretch one’s legs and fall in love with the beauty of Jiu Zhai Gou, a sharp contrast from the few smoggy Beijing days. Of course, Jiu Zhai Gou is most famous for its lakes. An unbelievably bright blend of green and blue, they were the cornerstone of the Jiu Zhai Gou experience. It is said that once you have seen the waters of Jiu Zhai Gou, all other water seems dull and uninteresting. How could it not, having experienced such a wonder? Based on this foundations, the waterfalls of Jiu Zhai Gou stand as a delightful change of scenery. The chaos of the huge, pounding waterfalls provides a fresh change from the serenity of the ponds. I am especially lucky to have seen Jiu Zhai Gou in her two moods, a testament to how fickle she is.

Pearl Shoal Water Fall

 On our first day in the park, we were forced through seas of people, rain dripping down our ponchos, slowly seeping into our shoes. Brief, infrequent staccato bursts of thunder could be heard, and the rain, while light and misty, obscured the high mountains in mist. Waterfalls raged stronger than ever while we tramped up the mountain. The Pearl Shoal Waterfall was the highlight of this day, a massive series of waterfalls stretching several hundred feet. In the security of the trees, we were able to capture the waterfall in its full strength. The second day, however, was the complete opposite. Arriving early at Jiu Zhai Gou, the atmosphere was bright, sunny, and delightful. Climbing down the mountain, the lonelier path we took had much less people than before. Lakes sparkled, illuminated by sunshine, and everything was at peace. Our leisurely stroll led us past marrying couples, a variety of different shades of butterfly, and other excited families, only adding to the joyful atmosphere.

Raging Water at Jiu Zhai Gou

Jiu Zhai Gou is a really amazing experience; one can fully enjoy the beauty of nature simply by walking the wooden paths.