Attraction & Sightseeing In Jiuzhaigou
 After
the long bus journey from Songpan, the entrance to Juzhaiguo
National Park is something of a disappointment. This area (including
Juzhaiguo town) is basically the starting point for the nature reserve
and largely consists of facilities and amenities to prepare travelers
before they enter the reserve. It is not worth hanging around here,
although you may wish to book your return bus ticket as these
can be hard to come by when there are a few travelers around.
The fee to enter the park itself is a
whopping RMB220 although this does include one night's accommodation
in either Heye Village, Suzheng stockade or Zechachwa
stockade. On entering the park, you are faced with a long path
stretching some 5km to Heye Village where there are a few basic
hotels, 12km to Suzheng
stockade and 14km to the point where the road breaks at Nuorilang.
From here you can head east to the
Primeval Forest and Rize village, or west to Long
Lake and Zechawa stockade.
There are basically two options as to how
this part of the journey is covered. Walking is a really pleasant way
to cover the distance, traffic is limited and the scenery including
waterfalls, mountains and lush bamboo forest is spectacular.
Alternately, you may wish to save your strength until you get deeper
into the reserve. Drivers with cars and jeeps will take
you into the reserve for a fee! From the entrance of the park to the
Nuroliang Hotel should cost approximately RMB20-30 (per person) in a
car, although you will have to bargain to get this price! Jeeps
generally cost approximately RMB100 for an hour (including the
driver). To hire a van and a driver for the day should cost
approximately RMB300-400. Again, some hard bargaining is needed to get
this price!
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The road from the entrance to the park
splits at Nuorilang waterfalls and hotel. Nuorilang consists of a
hotel, restaurant, a couple of stores and the spectacular waterfalls
which spill down over the cliffs.
From here, you have two options, 17km
east to the Primeval
Forest or 18km west to Long
Lake. Both trips offer impressive scenery, small villages and
basic accommodation along the route, although the eastern trip is
probably the more interesting of the two with a few gargantuan lakes
and waterfalls tumbling down the hillside and the chance to see some
rare wildlife along the way.
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 Suzheng
Gully and waterfalls are situated along the main path from the entrance
to the reserve and just before Nuorilang.
This group of over 40 lakes
and spectacular waterfalls are among the most impressive in the park,
and with Dege Mountain towering behind, this is a truly
beautiful spot. Suzheng Waterfall is close to Suzheng Stockade, a
"typical" Tibetan style village, slightly spoiled by the
fact that so many travelers have passed through and the villagers now
pose for photo sessions.
There are a few
accommodation options available here too.
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 Taking
the eastern path from Nuorilang
offers some spectacular scenery and great walks.
A full day will allow you to walk the
eastern route and back (36km) although you should ensure you have
sufficient supplies with you!
This great walk takes you past the Pearl
Beach Falls which end in Swan Lake, on to Rize Village
and ending in the heart of the Primeval Forest, a lush, conifer
wood.
The scenery along this route is wild and
untamed, the air is fresh and if you are lucky you may catch a glimpse
of some of China's most rare wildlife including pandas or bison.
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 Heading
west from Nuorilang,
the track passes a few interesting villages, a stunning lake and takes
in some impressive scenery.
Zechawa stockade is
the first small village along the route with a few basic accommodation
options, a Tibetan style about the place, and a small village store,
where you can stock up on essentials and supplies.
The road then passes
towering mountains and lush greenery until it reaches Five Colored
Lake which is the most beautiful lake in the entire park. The last
site along this path is the Long Lake. Less travelers take this
route, so it may be more peaceful, although the scenery is less
instantly dramatic as that along the eastern
route.
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