Xiata Tourist Area

But if you don't want to go to Xinjiang in winter, then you definitely shouldn't miss it in summer! 😍 Visiting Yili after April is simply a divine level of beauty! The ice and snow melt away, the grass and spruce are dripping with greenery😀, passing through snow-capped mountains, steep ridges, and meadows, you can also see the adorable flocks of sheep🐏. The little houses on the green slopes and the clouds in the sky☁ make you feel like you're in a fairy tale world. The most beautiful season of the Yili grassland has arrived, come and feel it! 👣 ✅Must-see attractions in Yili: 🌲Shata Tourist Area: The dreamy staircase to the snow mountains. 🌲Zhao Su·Yili: A beautiful two-dimensional fairy tale world. 🌲Tianma Yuhe: The homeland of the heavenly horses. 🌲Kalajun Scenic Area: Here is the summer of Miyazaki's manga. 🌲Qiongkushitai: The village from the fairy tales. 🌲Narati Grassland: Stroll through the endless sea of flowers on the aerial grassland. 🌲Sailimu Lake: The last tear of the Atlantic. 🌲Lavender Manor: The Eastern Provence, encounter the purple romance. 8-day tour itinerary recommendation for Yili: 👇👇 🔷Day 1: Urumqi→Pick up from the airport 🔷Day 2: Urumqi→Sailimu Lake→Lavender Farm→Yining 🔷Day 3: Yining→Shata→Zhao Su Wetland Park→Zhao Su 🔷Day 4: Zhao Su→Qiongkushitai→Tekes 🔷Day 5: Tekes→Kalajun→Xinyuan/Narati 🔷Day 6: Xinyuan/Narati→Narati Aerial Grassland→Bayinbuluke 🔷Day 7: Bayinbuluke→Duku Highway→Tangbula Hundred Mile Gallery→Urumqi 🔷Day 8: Urumqi→Send off to the airport Xinjiang food recommendations: 🔴Xinjiang's internet-famous big plate chicken, Xinjiang barbecue, roasted buns...😍

It's the most beautiful season in Xinjiang again. I remember the days when I traveled that land last year, and the deep impact it still has on my heart. Now, let me share my personal experience of Xinjiang with everyone. . 📆Best time to visit: June to August every year 🏔️Scenery: Snow-capped mountains, lakes, rivers, grasslands, flowers 🚗How to travel: Rent a car for a self-drive tour or hire a car/join a group. . ↪️Below is our itinerary from last year for your reference: day1 🛬Urumqi, rent a car in the city, check in, and visit the International Grand Bazaar at night day2 Urumqi - Anjihai Grand Canyon (3 hours drive) - Sayram Lake (4 hours), stay at 'West Sea Starry Sky RV Camping Site' inside the scenic area day3 Sayram Lake - Guozigou Bridge - Yining, stay in Yining city area day4 Kazanqi Folk Village - Xiatang (3-4 hours), stay in Xiatang scenic area, Kazakh yurt day5 Xiatang - Tekes Hexagram City (3 hours), stay in Tekes county day6 Tekes - Kalajun (1 hour) - Qiaxi (3 hours), stay in Qiaxi day7 Qiaxi day8 Qiaxi - Kuerdening (1.5 hours) - Fairy Lake (4 hours), stay in Xinyuan county day9 Xinyuan county - Fairy Lake (1 hour) - Yining (4-5 hours), stay in Yining city area day10 Yining - Huocheng Lavender Manor (1 hour), Huocheng - Yining Airport 🛫 . ▪️Anjihai Grand Canyon: Majestic and spectacular, like a crevice in the Tianshan Mountains ▪️Sayram Lake: The last tear of the Atlantic, drive around the lake, the most wonderful part is the West Sea Grassland - South Gate area ▪️Guozigou Scenic Area: Right at the south gate of Sayram Lake, there are many viewing platforms for photo opportunities ▪️Kazanqi Folk Village: Located in the Uyghur folk style street in Yining city area, the houses and colors are uniquely characteristic ▪️Xiatang Ancient Trail: A paradise for hiking enthusiasts! High mountains, rapids, glaciers, all the beautiful scenery in sight ▪️Tekes Hexagram City: The aerial view of Tekes county shows a hexagram shape ▪️Kalajun Grassland: Vast and open, very suitable for photography, great self-driving experience ▪️Tekes River: On the way from Kalajun to Qiaxi, passing near Kezilejiaer village by the Tekes River, the blue water and green grass are eye-catching ▪️Qiaxi Grassland: Relatively niche, less commercialized, not many tourists, great for photography, daydreaming, camping, and stargazing ▪️Kuerdening: Known as the 'Oriental Switzerland', if you knew Kuerdening, why bother with the Alps! The spruce scenery is similar to Qiaxi ▪️Tangbula: The Hundred Mile Gallery and Fairy Lake are both excellent, niche attractions, suitable for hiking or horseback riding ▪️Huocheng: Has many lavender manors, very distinctive for photo opportunities 🔘Attractions we skipped in the itinerary: ▪️Qiongkushitai: Crowded, relatively difficult to access ▪️Naraty: Expensive, especially for self-driving, somewhat unaffordable ▪️Bayinbuluke: Due to the itinerary route and time constraints, we gave up this place 🛣️Self-driving tips: Pay attention to the opening times of the Yizhao Highway and Duku Highway, if closed, you need to find another route

The name 'Shatagu' means 'staircase' in Mongolian, just as the entire Shatagu Valley resembles an enchanting staircase. Starting from the entrance of the scenic area, it seems unremarkable at first, requiring a transfer to a shuttle bus for several kilometers, until finally, the snow-capped mountains appear like a vast curtain of silver, gradually approaching. 📍Location: Located in Zhaosu County, Yili, 75km from the county town, 🚗1.5h by car 📌Navigation: Shatagu Ancient Trail National Forest Park Visitor Center ⭕Tour Route 1⃣Arrive at the Shatagu Ancient Trail Visitor Center to purchase tickets and enter the park 2⃣Take the shuttle bus to the Hot Spring Hotel The shuttle bus will pass by several stations such as the Tortoise Stone, Mountain God Old Man, and Flowing Sand Waterfall 3⃣Take an electric cart or ride a horse to the starting point of the hike The Hot Spring Hotel is 4.5 kilometers from the starting point You can choose to ride a horse or take an electric cart to the hiking starting point, General Bridge 4⃣Start hiking From General Bridge to Flower Terrace, you will pass four Kara log cabins Two hiking options 🏃Challenging hike: Shatagu Hot Spring—General Bridge—Kara No. 4 House, 8—20km distance (hiking distance can be controlled), takes half a day or most of the day 🏃Easy hike: Shatagu Hot Spring—General Bridge, walk along the wooden plank road and horse trail, hike 5.5—6km, or you can choose not to walk at all, just take the electric cart to General Bridge for a visit 📸Great photo spots in Shatagu 1⃣From the Transfer Bridge to General Bridge On this road, there are many cows and horses, and a winding path leads directly to the snow mountain. After parking, take the path on the left towards the snow mountain, where there is a sense of destiny! 2⃣Kara House No. 4 Standing on the hillside behind Kara House, you can take photos with the snow mountain in the same frame, which is incredibly beautiful! In addition, the grassland in front of Kara House and the passing calves are also very scenic~ Little Tips: 1⃣The scenic area is only open from May to October 🈷, and you must take a scenic area vehicle to get there. 2⃣Remember to bring some food, as the road is quite long and there may not be any shops along the way Many people had complaints about Shatagu before, which made me a bit worried before I went. But in fact, the experience was good. There are many sightseeing cars in the scenic area, the queue locations are not in the sun, and there are enthusiastic volunteers to provide services and guidance to tourists.

Seven days self-driving tour in Northern Xinjiang, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way, attached with super detailed route and strategy, you can easily travel around Xinjiang following it! Day1 Guangzhou-Urumqi Day2 Urumqi-Yining Day3 Yining-Chaxi-Tekes Day4 Tekes-Kalajun-Tekes Day5 Tekes-Qiongkushitai-Zhaosu Day6 Zhaosu-Shata-Yining Day7 Yining-Urumqi It takes about 5 hours to fly from Guangzhou to Urumqi, the journey is quite long, so it is recommended to bring a U-shaped pillow, not so tired! The next morning in Urumqi, we took the high-speed train to Yining, the fare is 128 per person, about 5 hours in total! Arrived in Yining in the afternoon, we mainly went to Liuxing Street, many colorful buildings, colorful doors and windows, casually shooting is very good-looking! I have to say that this place feels very leisurely, a city suitable for living! ▪️Chaxi Forest Park The third day from Yining to start the self-driving tour, 3 hours to Chaxi Forest Park, the closer to Chaxi the better the scenery, all the way are alpine meadows and snow mountains, very spectacular, the scenery here can satisfy all your imagination of Northern Xinjiang! Note to bring your own dry food, there are not many restaurants on the way, and the accommodation conditions are not good, so we stayed in Tekes Bagua City that night, 100 kilometers away from Chaxi, 2 hours drive ▪️Kalajun It only takes half an hour to drive from Tekes Bagua City to Kalajun, which is quite convenient, but the weather in this scenic spot is not good, it is foggy in the scenic spot, visibility is 0, you can't see the flower platform and the falcon platform clearly, spent 105 to take a shuttle bus, and continued to stay in Tekes at night ▪️Qiongkushitai The next day from Tekes to Qiongkushitai, it takes about two hours to drive, this scenic spot if you do not stay in the homestay inside, can only go up by walking or riding a horse, the back mountain route takes about three hours to go back and forth, the back mountain is really beautiful, super like Heidi and Grandpa's home! In addition, it takes 6-8 hours to walk the Wusun Ancient Road~ After the tour, drive to Zhaosu for the night, the whole journey is close to 3 hours drive ▪️Shata After arriving in Zhaosu, we originally planned to go to Shata Scenic Area, but it rained that day, and it was snowing on the mountain and it was too cold, so we didn't go in, we drove slowly back to Yining, the scenery along the way is the village under the snow mountain, it's so beautiful! I really feel that the scenery is on the way! 🚗Car rental: rented a suv for 4 days, the cost is 743, plus fuel cost 467, it is quite cost-effective 🌞Weather clothing The weather in Xinjiang is quite changeable, with a large temperature difference between morning and evening, sometimes it even hails and rains🌧️Thick clothes should be prepared at all times 🍖Food: Lamb skewers, beef skewers are very delicious, you can't go wrong with any order, big plate chicken, pepper chicken, roasted naan, can also be tried, acceptance is relatively high, and the fruit is also delicious😋 🏨Accommodation: stayed in several places throughout the trip, the recommended ones are Yilan Courtyard in Yining, and Hometown in Zhaosu, which are very cost-effective, other accommodation experiences are quite ordinary.

Stepping into Xinjiang is really like stepping into a fairy tale world. Am I a little person in Grandpa Miyazaki's animation? Hahaha, it's really beautiful. Arrive by plane🛬️ to Urumqi or Yili Yining. 🚘Rent a car or charter a car on the ground, renting a car is relatively convenient. 1⃣️:Arrive in Urumqi by plane, rent a car and stay in Kuitun. 2⃣️:Kuitun→Sailimu Lake (stay overnight to watch the sunrise and take pictures). 3⃣️:Sailimu Lake→South Exit→Guozigou Bridge→Huocheng Lavender→Stay in Yining. 4⃣️:Yining→Tekes→Qiongkushitai→Stay in Qiongkushitai. 5⃣️:Qiongkushitai is very big and beautiful, depending on personal choice, you can play for one or two days. 6⃣️:Qiongkushitai→Kalajun Grassland→Stay in Zhaosu County. 7⃣️:Zhaosu→Xia Ta Scenic Area→Stay in Tekes Bagua City. 8⃣️:Tekes→Chaxi Forest Park→Nalati. 9⃣️:Nalati→Duku Highway→Tangbula→Fairy Lake→Stay in Tangbula. 🔟:Tangbula→Urumqi→Return trip. Accommodation: For particularly popular places such as hotels near Sailimu Lake🏨, be sure to book in advance! For other places, just stay nearby. The scenery in Xinjiang is really good. I really recommend it to everyone.

Ili is the only region in China that combines a sense of oppression and relaxation perfectly. But to truly enjoy it, you need some experience and 'principles': 1. Choose between Kuerdening Qiaxi and Shata. It is recommended to use early June as the dividing line, before which Kuerdening Qiaxi is preferable, and after which Shata is better. 2. The way to enjoy Ili is inherently outdoorsy. The difference in scenery between hiking trails and regular routes is huge, and incorporating some outdoor elements into your itinerary is a standard for a profound experience. Some parts can be accessed by off-road vehicles, some by horse, and many only on foot. Qiaxi Kuerdening can include the tail end of the Kalajun traverse, Kalajun can extend to Qiongkushitai or Gazagan Camp, Shata has the Shata Ancient Trail, and even the Yisai Shepherd Trail and Tuhulasi Grassland hiking routes. If you really have no outdoor experience, you could also ride a horse for the first ten kilometers in front of Wusun or behind Qiongkushitai to get a taste, which is much better than just visiting scenic spots every day. 3. The golden period for Ili is mid-May to late June. This is based on a comprehensive score of 'grass + forest + low snow line + temperature'. Too early, and there are fewer grassland options, such as Kalajun not being very green, and Shata having a high frequency of bad weather in the afternoon. Too late, and the weather becomes hot, the snow line disappears, and having only grasslands and forests loses the advantage of the snow-capped mountains. 4. 'There's no point in going to Qiongkushitai if you're not staying overnight' makes sense because Qiongku's absolute advantage lies in its scattered homestay cabins and a leisurely travel mindset, all predicated on 'staying at least one night'; otherwise, you won't be able to relax. 5. In summer, the priority for accommodations in Ili should be lonely homestays with good conditions near scenic spots, followed by homestays with average conditions but good scenery, then experienced camping, then county town hotels, and lastly, homestays with poor conditions and not much scenery. However, the latter is what most people will choose, because they want both... but that's difficult. 6. Ili during the May Day holiday is good, but there are a few things to note. First, try not to attempt pure wilderness camping, as the weather is extremely unstable during May Day, with heavy snowfall every year. Second, don't apply your aesthetic expectations to flowers and vast greenery; appreciating Ili's snow-capped mountains is important. 7. The summer sunsets in Ili are incredibly beautiful, and it's not dangerous to return to your accommodation later, but missing the pink hues in the mountains would be a great pity. 8. Don't think that regular scenic spots are too 'mainstream'. Every scenic spot was once niche and equal in the eyes of the beholder. By using scenic spots as a base for further exploration, rather than blindly heading straight for the mountains, you're more likely to find 'good stuff', just as it's easier to succeed with a franchise than starting an independent brand.

Recommended 12-day itinerary, capturing all the stunning views of Northern Xinjiang in one go, offering you a completely rich sensory experience❗ Itinerary Recommendation (Classic 12-Day 11-Night Northern Xinjiang Route) D1: From various places to Urumqi D2: Urumqi---to Burqin via the Colorful Beach (one way 485KM, about 6.5 hours by car) Accommodation: Burqin Attraction (Colorful Beach) D3: Burqin---Kanas---back to Jiadengyu (one way 156KM, about 2.5 hours by car) Accommodation: Jiadengyu Attraction (Kanas) D4: Kanas--Hemu (one way 60KM, about 2 hours by car) Accommodation: Hemu Attraction (Kanas, Hemu) D5: Hemu---Devil City---Karamay (one way 455KM, about 5 hours by car) Accommodation: Karamay Attraction (Devil City) D6: Karamay--Sayram Lake---Qingshui River (one way 445KM, about 5.5 hours by car) Accommodation: Qingshui River Attraction (Sayram Lake) D7: Qingshui River---Xia'ta Ancient Road---Zhaosu (one way 128KM, about 2 hours by car) Accommodation: Zhaosu Attraction (Xia'ta Ancient Road) D8: Zhaosu---Kala Jun---Tekes (one way 125KM, about 1.5 hours by car) Accommodation: Tekes Attraction (Kala Jun Grassland) D9: Tekes---Nalati (one way 280KM, about 3.5 hours by car) Accommodation: Nalati Attraction (Nalati Sky Grassland) D10: Nalati--Bayinbuluk---Nalati (180KM, about 3 hours by car) Accommodation: Nalati Attraction (Returning to the Nine Turns and Eighteen Bends, Swan Lake) D11: Nalati-Duku Highway---Urumqi (one way 420KM, about 6.5 hours by car) Accommodation: Urumqi Attraction (Duku Highway Scenery) D12: Urumqi---to various places

There is a place where you can see grasslands, snow-capped mountains, lakes, log cabins, and golden birch forests in less than a week. Without going to Kanas, you don't know how beautiful autumn can be. The autumn in Kanas fulfills all your imaginations. Eight days and seven nights D1: Urumqi-S21 Desert Highway-Colorful Beach-Burqin Stay: Burqin County D2: Burqin-Kanas Stay: Kanas D3: Kanas-Hemu Stay: Hemu Scenic Area D4: Hemu-Devil City-Kuitun Stay: Kuitun City D5: Kuitun-Sayram Lake-Lavender Farm Yining Stay: Yining City D6: Yining-Kazanqi Folk Village-Bayinbuluk Stay: Bayin D7: Bayinbuluk-Duku Highway Midsection-Nalati Air Grassland Stay: Nalati Town D8: Nalati-Duku Highway Northern Section-Dushanzi Grand Canyon-Urumqi

Some say🌈 when nature is biased enough, it forgets balance and puts all the 'stunning beauty' into the same painting~ This is the true portrayal of the beauty of Yili!! Highly recommend to friends who don't know where to go for May Day~ Snow mountains, lakes, Gobi, canyons, sea of flowers, grasslands, forests, everything you want is here, plus a 7-day travel itinerary oh~~ . 🎯Itinerary Highlights ✔️7-day in-depth experience of Yili's popular + niche attractions ✔️Self-drive around Sayram Lake with ample playtime ✔️Free and comfortable itinerary, reasonable planning with stops at will . 🎨Essential Attractions Guozigou Bridge: The towering bridge spans between the blue sky and white clouds, heading north to Sayram Lake, south to the Ili River Valley, with canyons filled with characteristic fruit trees such as apples, walnuts, and apricots Tips: Open all day for free💰, note that parking on the bridge is not allowed, it is recommended to bring a drone for shooting📸 . Sayram Lake: The blue of the plateau lake sets off the colorful prairie flower sea, with the distant snow mountains winding and long, the clear lake water reflecting the playful swans, making this place full of infinite vitality Tips: Enter the scenic area from the east gate and play counterclockwise, there are accommodations near the south gate closer to the popular S Bay . Xia Ta: Snow mountains and glaciers blend with forests and grass seas, the landscape is rich in layers, it is the grassland landscape closest to the snow mountains in the Yili area, and also a holy land for hiking enthusiasts Tips: Plan to ride horses, it is recommended to book early or queue; the last interval car down the mountain departs at 8 pm🚋 . Tangbula Hundred Mile Gallery: 'Natural long scroll, hundred-mile gallery', Fairy Lake set against the green sea of grass, wildflowers blooming everywhere🌸 surrounded by lush forests, a little-known fairyland Tips: No🎫 but not many accommodations around, walking is tiring, it is recommended to ride horses or bicycles . Kuerdening: Hike through dense spruce forests and vast grasslands, check in at the real-life movie scene in the log cabin🏠, comparable to the dreamy grasslands of Switzerland Tips: No need to buy tickets in advance, you can buy tickets on-site📱, the price for horse riding in the scenic area is about 80/h . Qiongkushitai: Comic-like blue sky and white clouds☁️, green grasslands dotted with fresh flowers, cattle and sheep freely wandering on the slopes, fully enjoy the pure beauty of nature Tips: The road conditions behind the mountain are not very good, you can prepare motion sickness pills💊 just in case . 🚘Itinerary D1⃣️Urumqi - Sayram Lake - Guozigou Bridge - Yining D2⃣️Yining - Xiatage Ancient Trail - Zhaosu D3⃣️Zhaosu - Qiongkushitai - Tekes D4⃣️Tekes - Qiaxi Grassland - Kuerdening - Xinyuan D5⃣️Xinyuan - Narat Grassland - Narat D6⃣️Narat - Tangbula Hundred Mile Gallery - Mengketi Scenic Area - Northern Section of Duku Highway - Kuitun D7⃣️Kuitun - Anjihai Grand Canyon - s101 Highway Selection - Urumqi

Ili is the only region in the country that combines 'a sense of oppression and relaxation' in the best possible way. But to enjoy it well, you need some experience and 'principles': 1. Choose between Kuerdening Qiaxi and Shata. It is recommended to use early June as the dividing line, before which Kuerdening Qiaxi is preferable, and after which Shata is the choice. 2. The way to enjoy Ili is inherently outdoorsy. The difference in scenery between the hiking routes and the conventional routes is huge, and incorporating some outdoor elements into your itinerary is a standard for an in-depth experience. Some of these can be done by off-road vehicle, some by horse, and many only on foot. Qiaxi Kuerdening can include the tail of the Kalajun crossing line, Kalajun can extend to Qiongkushitai or Gazagan camp, Shata has the Shata ancient trail, and even the Yisai shepherd trail and Tuhulasu grassland hiking route. If you really have no outdoor experience, you can also ride a horse for the first ten kilometers in front of Wusun or behind Qiongkushitai to get a feel for it, which is much better than just wandering around scenic area trails every day. 3. The golden period for Ili is from mid-May to late June. This is based on a comprehensive score of 'grass + forest + low snow line + temperature'. Too early and the range of grasslands is limited, for example, Kalajun is not very green, and Shata has a high frequency of bad weather in the afternoon. Too late and the weather is hot, the snow line disappears, and having only grasslands and forests loses the advantage of the snow-capped mountains. 4. 'There is no need to go to Qiongkushitai if you're not staying overnight' makes sense because Qiongku's absolute advantage lies in the scattered distribution of homestay wooden houses and a leisurely travel mindset, all predicated on 'staying at least one night', otherwise you won't be able to relax. 5. The priority for summer accommodation in Ili is lonely and well-conditioned homestays close to the scenery, followed by homestays with average conditions but good scenery, then experienced camping, then county town hotels, and the least preferable are poorly conditioned homestays without much scenery. However, the latter is precisely the choice most people will make, because they want both... but that's difficult. 6. Ili during the May Day period is good, but there are a few things to note. First, try not to attempt pure wilderness camping, as the weather during May Day is extremely unstable, with heavy snowfall every year. Second, do not apply aesthetic expectations to flowers and large areas of greenery, learning to appreciate Ili's snow-capped mountains is important. 7. Ili's summer sunsets are incredibly beautiful, and returning to your accommodation a bit later is not dangerous, but missing the pink hues in the mountains would be a great pity. 8. Don't think that regular scenic spots are too 'mainstream'. Every scenic spot, before it appears before people, is niche and equal. By making use of the scenic spots and further exploring within them, you are more likely to find 'good stuff' than by blindly heading straight for the mountains, just as starting a franchise is easier than creating an independent brand.

Xinjiang Travel Guide | Ili Loop 8-Day Tour Guide 100 say, the Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall is in Ili Summer has arrived, and Ili is about to welcome the best season for visiting. Sharing a few breathtaking sceneries For those graduating or planning a summer trip, consider these highlights: Sayram Lake The last tear of the Atlantic, with a blue lake surface surrounded by Tianshan pines, lakeside, snowy mountains, and white clouds, pearls blooming, white flocks of sheep, galloping steeds, and the pastoral songs and smoke from cooking fires drifting with the wind. Lavender Sea Huocheng County in the Ili River Valley is one of the world's three major lavender planting bases Shat Ancient Trail Snow mountains, rivers, grasslands, lakes, forests, hiking, horse riding, close-up view of the Muzart Glacier Kalajun Prairie This is the core area of the Tianshan World Natural Heritage, the prairie on the waist of the Tianshan Mountains, stretching endlessly, with the Tianshan snow peaks in the distance. The human-shaped prairie here is also spectacular. Bayinbuluke Prairie Different from Kalajun, this place is full of blooming wildflowers, bees and butterflies, dotted tents, and flocks of cattle and sheep like clouds. Duku Highway A scenic avenue that traverses the Tianshan Mountains, passing through snow mountains, glaciers, grasslands, and river valleys, with changing scenery every ten miles, experiencing all four seasons in one day Qiongkushitai Qiongkushitai is an outdoor paradise deep in the Tianshan grasslands, also known as the Eastern Switzerland. Kazakh herders have settled here for generations, and under the reflection of light and shadow, the undulating grasslands, white yurts, and wooden houses fill the prairie with vitality and vigor. 8-day itinerary planning D1: Depart from Urumqi D2: Urumqi--S101 National Defense Highway--Dushanzi Grand Canyon--Jinghe D3: Jinghe--Sayram Lake--Lavender Sea--Kazanqi--Yining D4: Yining--Shat Ancient Trail--Muzart Glacier--Zhaosu D5: Zhaosu--Zhaosu Rapeseed Flowers--East and West Kalajun Prairies--Huo Kexu Grand Canyon--Human-shaped Prairie--Tekes Bagua City D6: Tekes--Qiongkushitai Ancient Natural Village--Xinyuan County/Gongliu D7: Xinyuan--Nalati Town--Bayinbuluke Prairie--Swan Lake--Gongnaisi River Valley--Bayinbuluke Town D8: Bayinbuluke--Duku Highway--Qiaoma--Urumqi

This 10-day grand loop of Northern Xinjiang Ili will take you through the Duku Highway, offering a chance to experience the grassland flower seas, 🌳 forests, and lakes. In 10 days, you'll see various landscapes and enjoy a comprehensive tour of the panoramic scenery of Northern Xinjiang, the same views but different experiences. Why we recommend this route: 5-7 July is the scenic season of the entire Northern Xinjiang Ili region, where the grasslands around the Ili River Valley are lush and green. 🌤 The climate is suitable for travel during this time. The Duku Highway is expected to open in mid-June. One must travel the Duku at least once in a lifetime to appreciate the stunning grasslands along the way. Itinerary: DAY1: Urumqi - S101 Highway - Dushanzi Grand Canyon - Kuitun DAY2: Kuitun - Sayram Lake - Lavender - Yining DAY3: Yining - Yizhao Highway - Xata Tourist Area - Zhaosu DAY4: Zhaosu - Qiongkushitai - Qiongkushitai DAY5: Qiongkushitai - Kalajun Scenic Area - Tekes DAY6: Tekes - Kuerdening Scenic Area - Xinyuan DAY7: Xinyuan - Narat Tourist Scenic Area - Narat DAY8: Narat - Southern Section of Duku Highway - Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon - Kuqa DAY9: Kuqa - Bayanbulak Grassland - Bayanbulak DAY10: Bayanbulak - Northern Section of Duku Highway - Qiaojima - Urumqi Precautions: 1: Xinjiang has a 2-hour time difference; make sure to adjust your daily routine after entering the region. 2: Xinjiang is an area with many ethnic minorities; please respect the religious customs of ethnic comrades. 3: The UV radiation in scenic areas is strong; it is recommended to wear a hat or sunscreen before going out. The temperature difference between day and night in the mountainous areas of Xinjiang is significant, so it is advisable to carry warm clothing. 4: The scenic areas are generally quite large, with shuttle buses available, and you can also ride horses, but walking is also necessary. It is recommended to wear comfortable and convenient shoes.