Chengdu, Day 20 ( Jiuzhaigou, Part 2 )

Entrance to Jiuzhaigou Valley

 

The whole of the second day was spent in the Jiuzhaigou Valley.  The Jiuzhaigou Valley is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and spans over 180,000 acres. It is known for its many multi-level waterfalls, colorful lakes, and snow-capped peaks. Jiuzhaigou Valley was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. Simply by looking at the whole valley, with its lakes and waterfalls, it easy to understand why.

                                                                    Journey up the valley 

 

Everyone started off together from the entrance and soon separated into respective group even before we reached the first stop in the trail. The trip in the shuttle bus was enough to awe the visitor as the breath-taking views past us, one after another. Every new mountain range was a new sight and experience that I have never encountered.

The first stop is at the Arrow Bamboo Lake. The many small waterfalls cascading into the pure and clear pond was like a scene in the old kungfu movies. The cool and clear water is enough to keep us engaged in the atmosphere of the valley.

 

The next stops were at the Swan and Panda lakes. Although we were not fortunate enough to witness any of the animals in their natural habitats, we were lucky enough to experience a small part of their lives as we walk around the lake sides.  Although the walk around the area was a long and somehow dangerous, many did not even notice it as we were all too engrossed in the surrounding views.

 

 

The snow-capped mountains in the distance caused me and my group to try travel to the highest peak of the valley to get a better view of them. Though the bus rides were enjoyable, getting on the bus was a whole other story. Everyone, even the elderly, showed no mercy to anybody else when the buses arrive, as everyone scrambles to get on. My patience was truly tested at those times as, my character of respecting the elderly became my own weakness.

The Long Lake in Jiuzhaigou was one of the last stops in the valley. Although it was not totally covered with snow as we initially thought, the partly frozen lake is already quite an amazing sight to behold. The snow-capped mountain background and half-frozen lake was an astounding setting to the day.