Located in Nanping County, Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Jiuzhaigou Ravine stretches 80 kilometers in one direction and takes up an area of more than 60,000 hectares. The area consists of six scenic spots--Changhai, Jianyan, Nuorilang, Shuzheng, Zharu and Heihai. It becomes a world renowned scenic spot because of its diversity in natural scenery which includes snowy peaks, double waterfalls, colorful forests and green sea. Furthermore, Tibetan customs are another attraction. It was listed as a world heritage site in 1992 .
The Ravine boasts a number of unique features. The mountains, lakes, natural primeval forest, beautiful flowers all make Jiuzhaigou a fairyland. Mountains ranging 1,980 to about 3,100 meters in height are covered by a variety of trees and plants such as green conifers, luxuriant broadleaf trees and colorful rare flowers and grasses. Scenes change according to the season and the area is particularly colorful in autumn when the wind makes kilometers of tree belt along the lake undulate like a sea wave. Waterfalls, lakes, springs, rivers and shoals add to color and the green trees, red leaves, snowy peaks and blue skies are reflected from lakes and rivers. Trees grow in the water and flowers blossom in the middle of lakes.
The Shuzheng Scenic Spot is one of the central point of Jiuzhaigou''s landscape. With 40 lakes which extend five kilometers along a valley, the spot covers an area of three square kilometers. The lakes vary in color according to their depths, residues and scenery around them. Among which, Reed Lake is an ideal habitat of birds; Spark Lake appears to move while the jade-like Rhinoceros Lake is a good place for rowing, swimming and rafting. There are also the Shuzheng Waterfalls which have a backdrop of trees.
Nuorilang Scenic Area extends from the Nuorilang Waterfalls to Zhuhai, an area of three square kilometers. The 320-meter-wide Pearl Beach Waterfall and the Five-Color Lake which has a richly colored underwater landscape.
The Sword-Shaped Rock Scenic Area consists of Goose Lake, Suspended Springs, Sword Rock,
snow-covered Mountains and primeval forests. Sometimes you can see giant pandas. There is also the 17.8-kilometer Zechawa Ravine, the longest and highest in Jiuzhaigou. At the end of it is the eight-kilometer-long Changhai Lake, the largest in the area. In Haizi there is a Five-Color Pond, the brightest lake in Jiuzhaigou.
Undoubtedly, the magnificent view in Jiuzhaigou will make you reluctant to leave, and don''t forget that the autumn is the best season to visit it.
