Natural sceneries at the lakes are already pristine wonders of the world. If a tint of rainbow is added to the sceneries, the already scenic wonders become exquisite diamonds to the eyes. Jiu Zhai Gou natural park offers such wonderful retreats with multiple sceneries for us to appreciate. Jiu Zhai Gou Valley is originally on glacial land, at the southern end of the Minshan mountainous areas.
Right atop the unstable tectonic plates, the valley is often subject to earthquakes. Nature has an amusing way of teasing human kind. Precisely the instability of the land is also the reason for the picturesque sceneries available along the land.
My visit was a while ago in 2010, of which since one major earthquake in 2017 has ravaged the valleys, rendering an almost complete stop to the booming tourism. The landscape continues to change amidst restoration efforts.
Landing in the nearest airport of Jiu Huang Airport, the views from the airplane is fantastic with mountainous sceneries out of ancient myth. As the valley is on high elevated ground ranging from 2,000 m to 4,000 m, acclimatizing is essential for an enjoyable trip which will otherwise be bogged down with high-altitude sickness. Previously, there are some medicinal herbs that can be consumed to help with high-altitude sickness which must be consumed 1 – 2 days beforehand. Otherwise, take a good rest and relax while at the valley.
The access to the valley is through the grand entrance of the National Park, with buses loads of tourists transported from the entrance to the various attraction spots. Spending a full day here in the national park may not be adequate for nature lovers. There are trails that you can also take, but the not-so-outdoor me has taken the easy route via the tourist buses with specific focus on the key attractions. Main attractions include the Arrow Bamboo Lake, 5-Coloured Lake, the waterfall.
Generally, water is clear & translucent. The particles and organism in the different lakes will provide the multiple colour that are visible to our eyes. The blue and green hues are soothing to the tired eyes, enlightening visitors. In fact, the 5-Coloured Lake is very similar to hues at the Blue Pond, Shirogane, Hokkaido. Two lakes separated by lands & sea, but brings about similar feelings.
Access
Shaped in Y, Jiu Zhai Gou consists of mainly 3 main valleys – Rize, Zechawa, Shuzheng. Accessing Jiu Zhai Gou Valley takes a bit of patience. Nearest air access is via JiuHuang Airport, of which it is said 90% of arrivals and departures are delayed due to its erratic climate & visibility.
Another route departs from the main city of Chengdu via long distance bus, taking approximately 8 to 10 hours. The bus route does go through some winding roads but will slowly climb up the mountainous areas, and assist with the altitude acclimatization.
Take a trail along the beautiful national park of scenic Jiu Zhai Gou valleys to fully immerse in the wonderful & colourful landscape!
How will a walk without an accompanying music be complete? Sharing Enya’s Amarantine to accompany the trail.
Please note the music sheet is personally arranged & shared for educational & personal entertainment purposes. Please use these personal shared items responsibly and not to use these commercially.
Cheng's Musings 