Jiuzhaigou Valley 九寨沟 ( 4 ) --- Long lake 长海

The crowd at the car park
getting ready to walk to the
beautiful scenic Long lake

Tibetan woman peddler,
a common sight at the car park

Long lake is the highest, largest and deepest lake in Jiuzhaigou Valley, at 3100 meter above sea level.

The color of the water in the lake changes through the four seasons.
The source of the water in Long lake is the melting ice at the surrounding mountains. As the lake does not have an outlet linking it to any other lake or river, its water seeps out to lower valleys.

However the lake is never overfilled or drained dry at any time of the year. The Tibetan locals refer to it as the precious container that will not overflow and is never empty.

The Long lake

Jiuzhaigou Valley 九寨沟 (3) --- Pearl Shoals Waterfall

The Pearl Shoals waterfall begins from the Pearl shoal which is at 2433 meter above sea level.
The Pearl shoal is part of the stream flowing down from higher ground. The stream spreads out over a wide area like a fan. The uneven levels along the way cause formation of ripples of water which appear like pearls under the sun. That is how the name Pearl shoal is derived.

There is a wooden walking path for visitors to follow the flow of water from the top to where the Pearl shoals waterfall takes place. It is more like a long waterfall starting from the gentle slope which gradually increases to the sharper fall at the lower end.

The upper source of the waterfall

Water flows through scrubs and stones
along the way

The flow of water reaches the
first sharper fall

The first sharper fall

The Pearl shoals waterfall

The flow slows down from here

Jiuzhaigou Valley 九寨溝 (2) --- 5-color lake

Five-color lake

The local people believe that
the 5-color lake is a spiritual lake.
Trees and plants flourish at the
vicinity of the lake

The lake is names the five-color lake because of the different colors of the water in the lake.

A long bridge with a roof is built adjoining the lake and the peacock river. The surface of the lake resembles the tail of a peacock while the meandering river is like the neck of the bird; three old trees in that area are like the sprouting growth on the head of a peacock.

The view of the whole of the lake from higher ground is like a peacock spreading its colorful tail and that is the reason the adjoining river is named the peacock river.

Mirror like shadow

The bridge adjoining the lake and the
peacock river

Crystal clear water surface

Another view of the bridge

A closer view of the bridge

The other edge of the lake

View from higher ground

One of the many local newly wed couples
taking photo shots at the scenic spot

Multi-color

Fairy-land

Jiuzhaigou Valley 九寨沟 (1) --- Arrow Bamboo Lake

The surrounding mountains covered by mist
seen from the car park at the entrance
of the valley

Snow-capped mountain covered by mist

Jiuzhaigou in mandarin means the valley with nine settlements or villages.

Jiuzhaigou is a valley situated in the Minshan mountain range. It is in the North Eastern part of the Tibetan plateau.

The ancient name of Jiuzhaigou was ' Turquoise Sea ' due to the colour of the water in the lakes which is caused by the different types of minerals in this region.

The four things which Jiuzhaigou has in abundance are (i) mountains (ii) lakes and waterfalls
(iii) plants and animals and (iv) different types of minerals and soil.

The month of October is autumn and it is the time where the scenery in the valley is most beautiful. The leaves of trees begin to turn yellow, golden yellow and then red.

Images of the mountains
reflected in the crystal clear
water in the lake

Colour of leaves turning
yellow

Water weeds grow on the surface
of the lake

Wild duck



A bridge at the far end
linking different sections
of the lake