Jiuzhaigou: China's valley of turquoise lakes glows in autumn colors

In the north of China's Sichuan province, about 330 kilometers north of the city of Chengdu, according to Wikipedia, lies one of the most colorful valleys in the world: Jiuzhaigou. The name refers to the nine Tibetan villages along the valley. Jiuzhaigou is famous for dozens of lakes in shades of blue, green and turquoise, linked by waterfalls. The area spans altitudes from about 2,000 to more than 4,700 meters; according to UNESCO, the World Heritage property covers 72,000 hectares (720 square kilometers), with a buffer zone of 60,000 hectares.

UNESCO inscribed the area on the World Heritage List as a natural site in 1992, and it became a biosphere reserve in 1997. According to UNESCO, Jiuzhaigou is a national park and a national nature reserve. Its forests are home to the endangered giant panda (fewer than 20 animals, according to Wikipedia) and the golden snub-nosed monkey. In August 2017, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake badly damaged the valley, including the Nuorilang waterfall; it did not reopen, with restrictions, until March 3, 2018.

Today, visitors are flocking back: according to Wikipedia, about 5.11 million people came in 2024, up from 1.19 million in 2002. On peak days in late July and early August, there are more than 30,000; timed tickets limit entry to 41,000 a day. Autumn is especially popular, when the forests around the lakes turn yellow, orange and red.