Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area
Situated in the north-west of Sichaun Province, the Huanglong valley is made up of snow-capped peaks and the easternmost of all the Chinese glaciers. In addition to its mountain landscape, diverse forest ecosystems can be found, as well as spectacular limestone formations, waterfalls and hot springs. The area also has a population of endangered animals, including the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey.
Huanglong Scenic Area (黄龙景区) is famous for its colorful lakes, snow-topped mountains, beautiful valleys and virgin forests. The area, declared a World Heritage Site in 1992 by UNESCO, has been called a "World Wonder" and "Fairy Land on Earth."
Huanglong, which means 'Yellow Dragon', got its name for its special geographical features. Seen from a distance, Huanglong's numerous travertine formations look like an enormous, golden dragon arching across the valley, winding its way between the snowy mountain peaks.
Geographic Formations
One of Huanglong's most defining features, travertine is a type of limestone deposited by mineral springs, formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Over time, the water in Huanglong has become separated by walls of this deposit, and it birthed the thousands of mineral ponds and lakes that cover much of the park. Even the waterfalls cascade over thick layers of the golden limestone
The water in many of these pools is so crystal clear that you can see the bottom with your naked eyes, and the turquoise color gives the "yellow dragon" of Huanglong valley a smattering of aqua scales.
Some famous features in Huanglong include the Five Color Ponds, Mirror Ponds, Welcoming Guests Ponds, the Marvelous Flying Waterfall (Feipu Liuhui), 'Washing Body Cave', the Bonsai Ponds (Penjing Chi), Huanglong Temple, Huanglong Cave, and Whirling Flower Pond (Zhuanhua Chi).
There is saying that people who came from Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong have no need to appreciate the beauty of water in other places. It's difficult to describe the unbelievable beauty of Huanglong to someone who has not seen it.
See more information on travel in the Himalayas:
www.elevatedtrips.com
We offer unique ecotourism experiences that are off the beaten track on the Tibetan Plateau that benefit the local communities!
Our tours and treks are culturally immersive and full of wonder and life and focus on small group sizes and authentic experiences.