Jiuzhaigou means "Valley of Nine Villages" is a nature reserve in northern Sichuan (四川)province of China, 330 km north of the provincial capital of Chengdu(成都). It is known for its many multi-level waterfalls and colorful lakes, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The valley covers at least 240 km˛, with some protection organizations giving the area as 600 to 720 km˛. Its altitude ranges from 1,998 to 4,764m. The climate is cool temperate with a mean annual temperature of 7.2 °C. The remote region was not officially discovered by the government until 1972, and the site officially opened to tourism in 1984. Since opening, tourist activity has increased every year to an average of 12,000 visits per day……………….