Nuorilang Waterfall

诺日朗瀑布

The widest travertine waterfall in China, about 320 meters wide and 20 meters high. Its curtain of water spreads across the forest, and it was the filming location for the closing scene of the 1986 TV series Journey to the West. It is the hub where three valleys meet.

Nuorilang Waterfall sits near the Nuorilang Central Station, where Rize Valley and Zechawa Valley meet. It lies at an altitude of about 2,365 meters, with a crest about 320 meters wide and a drop of about 20 meters. It is the widest travertine waterfall in China. In Tibetan, 'Nuorilang' means 'majestic male god.' The closing scene of the 1986 version of Journey to the West, in which Tang Seng and his disciples walk past the waterfall, was filmed here. In August 2017, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Jiuzhaigou damaged the waterfall's travertine dam and reduced its flow. After repairs, it reopened in 2019, and the scenery has now recovered. Viewpoints include the observation platform below the waterfall (face-on view, with heavy mist and colorful autumn forest around it), the boardwalk above the Nuorilang lake group (where you see the water split into hundreds of streams as it falls), and the panoramic view from the sightseeing bus on the road. Nuorilang Central Station is the transport hub of Jiuzhaigou. All sightseeing buses transfer here to Rize Valley or Zechawa Valley. The station has the park's only large restaurant (buffet about CNY 60–80, average quality) and a rest area. Suggested route: in the morning, take the bus from the park entrance straight to the end of Rize Valley (the primeval forest or Arrow Bamboo Lake), then walk the boardwalk downstream to Five Flower Lake and Pearl Shoal, return to Nuorilang for lunch, and in the afternoon take the bus to Long Lake and the Five-Colour Pond in Zechawa Valley. Then return to Nuorilang to see the waterfall, and finally leave the valley by bus or on foot along Shuzheng Valley. Tips: the viewing platform is very misty, so protect your camera and lens from water. In peak season the Nuorilang restaurant has long queues, so you may want to bring your own snacks. While waiting for a bus, check the direction carefully (Rize Valley, Zechawa Valley or exit).

Nuorilang Waterfall

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Places to eat nearby