Jiuzhaigou

Background

'After Jiuzhaigou, you'll never want to look at water again': more than 100 lakes like blue sapphires are strung along a Y-shaped valley, with Five Flower Lake, Nuorilang Falls and Long Lake each outstanding in its own way. Tibetan and Qiang people live in the valley — 'Jiuzhai' ('nine villages') is named after its nine Tibetan villages — and guozhuang dances and Qiang embroidery carry on highland daily life. It became a natural World Heritage Site in 1992 and reopened after the 2017 earthquake.

Local customs

• Tibetans are hospitable, offering barley wine, butter tea and yak meat to guests
• Qiang watchtowers and embroidered 'cloud shoes' are distinctive. Guozhuang dance evenings in the Tibetan villages at the valley entrance are lively and joyful.

Religion & beliefs

• Tibetan Buddhism runs deep in the valley's Tibetan villages, with prayer wheels and mani stone piles everywhere
• don't spin other people's prayer wheels, and don't step on mani stones.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Autumn colours are best in mid-to-late October, the busiest time of year, so book well ahead
• you must tour the valley by its eco-bus
• the altitude is 2,000–3,100 m, so bring altitude medication
• check tickets and bus fares on the official website.