Top 10 Amazing Lakes in Jiuzhaigou

As the most famous World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO, Jiuzhaigou attracts millions of tourists to come annually owing to its splendid lakes, water and waterfall. Located at the mountainous area of Sichuan that the northern region, the altitude of Jiuzhaigou is pretty high, which is the reason that Jiuzhaigou has so many amazing views that people can barely see in the plain area.

Splendid lakes in Jiuzhaigou

There are at least 114 lakes in different size and shape inside the National Park, which are called the spirit of Jiuzhaigou. Because of these lakes, Jiuzhaigou presents a state of ‘natural beauty and beautiful nature’ with a well-known reputation of ‘no one can enjoy other water after visiting Jiuzhaigou’.

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Here, we will introduce you the top 10 breathtaking lakes which your shall never miss during your Jiuzhaigou tour.

1. Five Flower Lake

Situated at the middle of Rize Valley and the upstream of Peacock River, Five Flower Lake shows at least 5 kinds of colors in the lake because of the Calcareous sediments distributed in thebottom, different algae, and the image of colorful forests inverting in the surface. Abundant nameless flowers float on the lake, which makes the lake even more vivid.

Five Flower Lake

October is the best time for visiting Five Flower Lake when the water is purely crystal that tourists can stand on the bank and directly see the bottom of the lake where fishes swim in. The forest in autumn is turning into yellow, golden, red, orange and even purple, which reflected in the water making a dreamlike picture.

2. Five Color Pool

Five Color Pool hides inside the deep valley down the mountain road. The altitude of Five Color Pool is 2995m. As the smallest lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park, Five Color Pool is not less charming than the Five Flower Lake for its gorgeous color. It is extremely clean and clear that you can see the stone grains under the bottom of the pool through the water by your eyes. Owing to the difference of the color of sediments distributed in thebottom and the color of plants near the pool, the original color of Five Color Pool that blue becomes much more colorful.

Five Color Pool

There is a legend that if a couple can go down to the pool by the stages, make a wish and going up 189 stages back, they will be in love for their whole life.

3. Mirror Lake

Just like its name, the Mirror Lake is like a mirror that reflects all the view of the mountain and the sky on its surface. The inverted image of snowy peaks, lush forest and mysterious mist is more graceful and fancy. It is between the truth and the dream, painting a magic picture of ‘fishes swim on the sky and birds fly under the lake’.

The best time to visit Mirror Lake is before 9:00 and after 17:00 in the sunny day when the mist gets together among the mountains and the sun haven’t raised up or have already set.

Mirror Lake

It is highly suggested to visit the Mirror Lake in the morning that taking the first tour bus, so that you would not be interrupted by the tourist groups when you are taking a photo.

4. Long Lake

Located at the end of Zechawa Valley where the altitude is between 3060m and 4457m, Long Lake that the biggest lake in Jiuzhaigou National Park is in a shape of ‘S’, in front of which is atypical glacier landscape like snowy white mountains, icy peaks and ‘U’ glacier. In the winter, the thickness of the ice on the lake reaches 60cm where is the haunt of some wild animals. The water of Long Lake comes from the melted snow and ice at the top of mountains. The weird thing is that although there is no outfall near Long Lake, it has never dried up nor risen over the bank.

Long Lake

Among all these lakes, the altitude of Long Lake is the highest one. Tourists have to pay more attention about their health condition. Contact the staff once you feel uncomfortable.

5. Panda Lake

Panda Lake was named after panda is because that this is the region where the pandas haunt. The altitude is 2587m and the depth of Panda Lake is 14m, covering 90,000m2. The grain of the rocks near the bank of Panda Lake is strange that when its reflected on the surface of the water, the combination of the grains and the black figure on the bottom of the lake is particularly like an image of panda, which is regarded as a mascot by local Tibetan.

Panda Lake

Near Panda Lake, there is a Panda Lake Waterfall at a height of 78m and a width of 50m. Some pavilions at good position were built for tourists to see the beauty of Panda Lake Waterfall in purpose.

6. Reed Lake

The first Lake you would see after entering Jiuzhaigou National Park is Reed Lake, which is below the Bonsai Shoal. The length of the Reed Lake is 2.2km. It is a half-swampy lake with reed growing in where A green-blue crystal penetrable river goes through. In spring and summer, the river is in the same color like the reed that all you can see is a green picture. Between summer and autumn, the flower of the reed fly around, attracting couples of egrets and wild ducks to drink and eat. In autumn and winter, the reed is golden when the river is green, which consist a highly conflicted picture.

Reed Lake

Nonetheless, owing to the high altitude and low precipitation, the height of reed here is lower than in the plain area.

7. Arrow Bamboo Lake

Arrow Bamboo is one of the food that pandas love the most. Near the Arrow Bamboo Lake, which covers 170,000m2, there are abundant arrow bamboos growing, which is the first signature of Arrow Bamboo Lake. This is also where a scene of the movie HERO filmed. The surface of Arrow Bamboo Lake is wide and long.

Arrow Bamboo Lake in winter

Unlike five color pool or other lakes which are famous for its colorful view, Arrow Bamboo Lake is famous for its single color that green. The water and the bamboo are all in green even in early winter.

It is near the Panda Lake Waterfall. It is suggested that taking a walk on the plank road from Panda Lake Waterfall to Arrow Bamboo Lake which would not be too exhausted but a good chance to deeply enjoy the beautiful view.

8. Rhinoceros Lake

Rhinoceros Lake is the biggest lake inside Shuzheng Valley. The length of Rhinoceros Lake is 2.2km, the depth is 17m, the altitude is 2400m and the deepest point is down to 40m. there is a story that in the ancient times, an old Tibetanlama riding a rhinoceros suffered a lot from some disease, but when he drank the water in the lake, he was cured magically, after which the lama stayed inside the lake and drank the water every day. At last, he ridded the rhinoceros into the lake, living in the lake forever. If you are predestined, you would see the shape of a rhinoceros under the lake.

Rhinoceros Lake

9. Sparkle Lake

Sparkle Lake is situated between the Shuanglong Lake and the Wolong Lake. The color of Sparkle Lake is blue. Around the Lake, there are lush forests which cover most part of the lake. When the mist disappears in the morning and the sunshine comes, the surface of the lake is just like having tons of sparkle burning and stars shining owing to the sunshine refraction, which is the reason it was called sparkle lake.

Sparkle Lake

10. Shuzheng Lake Group

Shuzheng Lake Group is situated at the entrance of the National Park. The total length of Shuzheng Valley is 13.8km with more than 40 lakes like Bonsai Shoal Lake, Reed Lake, Wolong Lake, Tiger Lake and so on which consists 40% of all the lakes in Jiuzhaigou National Park.

Shuzheng Lake Group