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Jiuzhaigou Valley

A UNESCO-listed valley in the Sichuan mountains famous for lakes of astonishing turquoise and blue, tiered waterfalls and forests, fed by mineral-rich water.

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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.

UNESCO World Heritage

Typenational park

WhereSichuan

Nearest cityJiuzhaigou

Best seasonSeptember to November for autumn colour

Time to allowOne to two days

Getting thereIn northern Sichuan, reached by a long mountain drive or by air from Chengdu

EntryCharged; internal shuttle bus included

Jiuzhaigou, a Y-shaped valley high in the mountains of northern Sichuan, is one of China's most beautiful natural places and a World Heritage Site, celebrated for water of almost unreal colour. Mineral-rich, crystal-clear pools and lakes shade from deep blue through turquoise to green, so vivid that submerged fallen trees and travertine terraces glow beneath the surface, linked by tiered waterfalls and set against forested slopes and snow peaks. Boardwalks and a shuttle-bus system carry visitors up the valley from lake to lake, past the Five Flower Lake, the Nuorilang Falls and the Long Lake at the head. The area is also home to Tibetan villages that give it its name, meaning valley of nine villages. It is at its most magical in autumn, when the reflected colours of the turning forest double the intensity of the water, and after a major earthquake in 2017 the park was repaired and reopened.

What you actually see

The coloured lakes - the turquoise and blue pools with submerged trees glowing beneath.
Nuorilang and Pearl Shoal Falls - the wide tiered waterfalls linking the lakes.
Five Flower Lake - the multi-hued lake, one of the most photographed spots.
The autumn forests - the turning leaves reflected in the water in October and November.

When to go

September to November, when the autumn colour peaks, is the most spectacular but also the most crowded; summer is green and busy, spring gentle, and winter quiet and frozen into ice formations. Numbers are capped, so buy tickets ahead in peak season. The high altitude means cold mornings even in summer.

Honest expectations

It is very popular and, in the autumn peak, extremely crowded, with capped ticket numbers that sell out, so book ahead and expect queues for the shuttle buses that are the only way up the valley; walking the full length is not permitted. The altitude, around 2,000 to 3,000 metres, affects some visitors. It is remote, a long mountain drive or a flight from Chengdu. The colours depend on light and season.