Huanglong (sito naturale): le terrazze d’acqua color oro e turchese
Lungo una valle del Sichuan, l’acqua ricca di calcare ha costruito nei millenni una cascata di vasche dorate e turchesi a gradoni, come le scaglie di un drago disteso sul pendio: per questo si chiama Huanglong, il “Drago Giallo”. Un raro paesaggio di travertino fra foreste e montagne innevate.
At a glance
Huanglong (“Yellow Dragon”), high in the mountains of northern Sichuan, is famous for its terraced pools of travertine — thousands of basins of calcite-rich water in shades of gold, turquoise and blue, descending a forested valley like the scales of a dragon. Formed by mineral-laden springs over thousands of years, this rare karst landscape, set beneath snow peaks and home to giant pandas and other rare animals, was inscribed by UNESCO in 1992.
Key facts
- UNESCO: World Heritage since 1992 (Huanglong)
- Travertine pools: thousands of calcite basins in gold and turquoise
- “Yellow Dragon”: the golden terraces resemble a dragon on the slope
- High altitude: the valley climbs above 3,000 m
- Wildlife: giant panda and golden snub-nosed monkey habitat
- Snow peaks: overlooked by the glaciated Minshan range
History
The Huanglong landscape is the work of water: springs rich in dissolved calcium carbonate flow down the valley and, as the mineral precipitates, build up rims and terraces that pond the water into countless coloured basins. Over thousands of years this has created the great travertine “staircase” for which the site is famous, a process still continuing.
Long a place of pilgrimage — a Taoist temple stands at the head of the valley — Huanglong was protected for its rare scenery and ecosystems and inscribed by UNESCO in 1992. It lies close to Jiuzhaigou, with which it is often visited.
What you see
A boardwalk climbs the valley past the terraced pools: the Multicoloured Pools near the top, where hundreds of small basins glow gold and blue against the forest, and other named groups along the way, with waterfalls and the ancient Huanglong temple at the head. Snow peaks rise beyond.
The shifting colours of the water, set against the trees and the dragon-scale pattern of the terraces, are the marvel of Huanglong.
Practical information
- Park: entry ticket; a boardwalk and a cable car aid the climb
- Time needed: half a day to a day
- Note: high altitude (over 3,000 m); take it slowly
- Often combined with: Jiuzhaigou nearby
Getting there
Huanglong is in northern Sichuan, China, near the Jiuzhai Huanglong airport and about 130 km from Jiuzhaigou. It is reached by road. GPS: 32.75° N, 103.82° E.
Nearby
- Jiuzhaigou — the coloured-lake valley, also UNESCO-listed
- Minshan range — the snow mountains above the valley
- Songpan — an old walled town nearby
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — “Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area” (ref. 638)
- Huanglong National Park — official administration
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Sichuan
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