\n
\tJi\u01d4 zhài g\u014du <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \tJiuzhaigou Valley<\/strong><\/span><\/span> (Chinese: \u4e5d\u5be8\u6c9f; pinyin: Ji\u01d4zhàig\u014du; literally "Valley of Nine Villages") is a nature reserve and national park located in northern Sichuan Province of southwestern China.<\/p>\n \tJiuzhaigou Valley is part of the Min Shan mountain range on the edge of the Tibetan Himalayan Plateau and stretches over 72,000 hectares. It is known for its many multi-level waterfalls, colorful lakes, and snow-capped peaks. Its elevation ranges from 2,000 m to 4,500 m.<\/p>\n \tJiuzhaigou Valley was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997. It belongs to the category V (Protected Landscape) in the IUCN system of protected area categorization.<\/p>\n \tJiuzhaigou is composed of three valleys arranged in a Y shape. The Rize and Zechawa valleys flow from the south and meet at the centre of the site where they form the Shuzheng valley, flowing north to the mouth of the valley. The mountainous watersheds of these gullies are lined with 55 km (34 mi) of roads for shuttle buses, as well as wooden boardwalks and small pavilions. The boardwalks are typically located on the opposite side of the lakes from the road, shielding them from disturbance by passing buses.<\/p>\n \tMost visitors will first take the shuttle bus to the end of Rize and\/or Shuzheng gully, then make their way back downhill by foot on the boardwalks, taking the bus instead when the next site is too distant. Here is a summary of the sites found in each of the gullies:<\/p>\n \tRize Valley<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \tThe 18 km (11 mi) long Rize Valley (Rìzé G\u014du) is the south-western branch of Jiuzhaigou. It contains the largest variety of sites and is typically visited first. <\/p>\n \tZechawa Valley<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \tThe Zechawa Gully (Zécháw\u0101 G\u014du) is the south-eastern branch of Jiuzhaigou. It is approximately the same length as Rize gully (18 km) but climbs to a higher altitude (3150 m at the Long Lake). <\/p>\n \tShuzheng Valley<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \tThe Shuzheng Valley (Shùzhèng G\u014du) is the northern (main) branch of Jiuzhaigou. It ends after 14.5 km (9 mi) at the Y-shaped intersection of the three gullies.<\/p>\n \tThe Fairy Pool <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \tThe Fairy Pool (Shénxi\u0101n Chí) lies 42 km (26 mi) west of Jiuzhaigou and features travertine pools very similar to those of the nearby Huanglong Natural Reserve.<\/p>\n