Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟)
Jiuzhaigou is the best national park in the china's Sichuan province. It includes various traditional Tibetan settlements and has an alpine scenery. It is composed of three long valleys with its southern end at Minshan Garna Peak and in the north it reaches as far as the Huanglong Scenic Area. Jiuzhaigou has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1992. The park is part of the Min Mountains and features scenic waterfalls, beautiful lakes and snow-capped peaks.
- The Primeval Forest (原始森林 ) is an ancient woodland, surrounded by mountains and cliffs, one of which is the 500 m high Sword Rock (剑岩).
- Swan Lake (天鹅海) was names because of its population of swans and ducks.
- Grass Lake (草海) looks green because of the vegetation that covers it.
- Arrow Bamboo Lake (箭竹海).
- Panda Lake (熊猫海) has blue and green coloured water and empties into the 80 m high Panda Waterfalls.
- Five Flower Lake (五花海) is a shallow lake where you can see ancient fallen tree trunks on the bottom.
- Pearl Shoal (珍珠滩) empties into the 310 m wide Pearl Waterfalls.
- Mirror Lake (镜海).
- Long Lake (长海) is the largest and deepest lake in Jiuzhaigou and is over 100 m deep. Locals believe a monster lives in its depths.
- Five-Color Pond (五彩池) has very clear water and its underwater landscape is very colorful.
- The so-called 'Seasonal Lakes' (季节海) are 3 lakes that are filled only during the spring, when the snow melts.
- Nuorilang Falls (诺日朗瀑布) sits near the junction of the valleys They are 20 m high and 320 m wide.
- The 18 Nuorilang Lakes (诺日朗群海) and 19 Shuzheng Lakes (树正群海) were formed by glaciers that pushed rocks and other material forward and so formed dams that collected melt water.
- Sleeping Dragon Lake (卧龙海) has a calcareous dyke running through it. The name of the lake derives from the form of this dyke, which appears to be a dragon lying on the bottom.
- Reed Lake (芦苇海) is a reed-covered marsh with a turquoise brook that zigzags through it.
Other sites around Jiuzhaigou include the Fairy Pool (神仙池), which is some 40 km (25 mil) to the west lies 42 km (26 mi) west of Jiuzhaigou.
The Zharu Valley (扎如沟) begins at the Zharu Buddhist monastery and ends at the Red, Black and Daling lakes. The valley is excellent for hiking. In the Zharu Valley live some 40% of all the plant species that exist in China. It is also one of the best places for encountering wildlife in Jiuzhaigou.
; "Image 1 - Jiuzhaigou ©Lindy Kazu [240kB]")
; "Image 2 - Jiuzhaigou ©Wenhao Ruan [115kB]")
; "Image 3 - Blue lake ©Say Wah Lee [177kB]")
; "Image 4 - Jiuzhaigou ©Lindy Kazu [204kB]")
; "Image 5 - Jiuzhaigou ©Lindy Kazu [196kB]")
; "Image 6 - Jiuzhaigou ©Thomas Chu [171kB]")
; "Image 7 - Jiuzhaigou ©Sheila C [169kB]")
; "Image 8 - Jiuzhaigou ©Wenhao Ruan [207kB]")
; "Image 9 - Jiuzhaigou ©Terry Zhong [215kB]")
; "Image 10 - Jiuzhaigou ©Wenhao Ruan
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