Jiuzhaigou Reserve (Jiuzhaigou Ziran Bao Hu Qu)

Jiuzhaigou Reserve (Jiuzhaigou Ziran Bao Hu Qu) Review

High among the snowcapped peaks of the Aba Autonomous Prefecture of northern Sichuan lies the Jiuzhaigou Reserve, a spectacular national park filled with lush valleys, jagged peaks, a dozen large waterfalls, and most famously, a collection of iridescent lakes and pools. Jiuzhaigou has become one of the country's most popular tourist destinations, with more than 1½ million people visiting every year.

The preserve's cerulean and aqua pools are among the most beautiful in the world, and the park's raw natural beauty has been compared to Yellowstone National Park. Also similar to Yellowstone are the crowds—throngs of Chinese tourists descend daily on this 800-km (497-mi) stretch of lush forests, piercing peaks, languid lakes, and clear pools. UNESCO has awarded the park heritage status for its "Man and Biosphere" program.

Jiuzhaigou is a natural reserve and a collection of villages, mostly of Tibetan and Qinang origin. (The name Jiuzhaigou translates as Nine Villages.) The dramatic increase in tourism has had a great impact upon the locals, many of whom have been removed from their homes in order to "protect" the park.

Management of Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve has been turned over to a private company, so admission is much more expensive than in previous years, but there are also more services available, such as the introduction of an environment-friendly transportation route through the park—plied by so-called green buses that have reduced emissions. For those who want to avoid tour buses and local guides, walkways and signs direct travelers along the way. There are now many hotels around the park, including a five-star resort tucked in the wilderness.

This region is spectacular, with limestone and karst formations, temperate rain forests, and dozens of bright turquoise, orange, and emerald-green pools. The park shelters 76 mammal species, including pandas, black bears, and deer. The climate is wet in the spring and fall, very snowy and cold in the winter, and bright and warm in the summer.