Jiuzhaigou, the "Valley of the Nine Villages" (Sicadegu in Tibetan), earns its name from the Tibetan settlements that for centuries were the only significant human presence this once-remote region. The Tibetans long shared the valley with small groups of Qiang, one of the PRC's 56 officially recognized ethnic minorities, but little trace of the Qiang remains in Jiuzhaigou today. A landscape of pristine alpine lakes, waterfalls and meadows sprinkled throughout a forested valley on the northern border of present-day Sichuan and home to nine traditional Tibetan villages, Jiuzhaigou is now a carefully managed tourist attraction that, during the high season, sees over ten thousand visitors a day. The Nature Reserve has largely preserved the beauty of Jiuzhaigou's multicolored lakes, dramatic waterfalls and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests while also making a priority of access and accommodation, with hotel rooms for around 20,000 visitors in the vicinity. The days of getting away from it all may be gone—it's no longer permissible to go backcountry camping, leaving regulated day visits the only legal option—but you can still get away from most of it, and there are few places on earth as stunningly beautiful as this.
A couple of wrenching hours on the mountain highway from Songpan, Jiuzhaigou is "doable" in a long day, though you'll miss a lot on a quick guided tour. If you can manage a weekend or more, it's nice—if not particularly cheap—to stay in one of the numerous hotels that have sprung up outside the park boundaries. Budget options are somewhat limited, as the humble "Valley of the Nine Villages" (the rough translation of "Jiuzhaigou") has become a high-end destination for China's burgeoning leisure class as well as growing numbers of foreign travelers. Be sure to book ahead in July and August when the high season peaks. Check out our Jiuzhaigou hotels and Jiuzhaigou transportation pages for details on where to stay how to get around.
Park entrance fees include bus tickets, which are a must for day-trippers trying to squeeze as much as possible into a limited time. It's common practice to take a bus from the entrance gate to Long Lake and work your way down. You'll be going against heavy foot traffic if you choose to start at the bottom and work your way up. A bus change is required at Nuorilang, which involves a lengthy line wait—a good time to apply liberal amounts of sunscreen. Buses go towards Long Lake or the Primeval Forest leave frequently from Nuorilang. There are also restroom facilities and an overpriced restaurant at this half-way point.
