2021 Xinjiang’s popular tourist attraction: Kanas – Hemu – The Garden of God’s Backend
Kanas car rental and carpooling inquiry phone number: 0991-8585456 181-3962-2229
2021, I’m coming to Xinjiang!
Take advantage of the beautiful spring,
The breeze is not dry,
Youth has not faded,
Head to Kanas in Xinjiang together,
Take a spontaneous trip!
Xinjiang is one of the provinces with the largest land area and beautiful scenery in China. When you arrive in Xinjiang, you will deeply feel how vast China’s land area is and how beautiful the scenery is. "Wear a fur coat in the morning and a gauze dress in the afternoon, eat watermelon around the stove", countless travelers want to walk into this mysterious, distant, and unfamiliar Xinjiang to witness its exotic charm.
The Kanas scenic area is located in the middle section of the Altay Mountains in Xinjiang, on the border with Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia. The scenic area covers an area of 10,030 square kilometers. "View scenery in Northern Xinjiang, view culture in Southern Xinjiang". Northern Xinjiang is north of the Tianshan Mountains, mainly featuring grasslands and lakes, and Kanas is one of the tourist routes in Northern Xinjiang. Kanas is a Mongolian word meaning "beautiful and rich, mysterious" or "a lake in the valley".
May
Life is full of sunshine
There are a total of 55 scenic spots of various sizes in the scenic area, belonging to 33 basic types, mainly including Kanas National Nature Reserve, Kanas National Geological Park, Baihaba National Forest Park, Jiadenyu National Forest Park, Kanas River Valley, Hemu River Valley, Naren Grassland, Hemu Grassland and Hemu Village, Baihaba Village, Kanas Village, and other eight famous natural landscape areas and three human landscape areas at home and abroad. On April 13, 2018, it was shortlisted for the "Miraculous 100 Scenic Spots of Northwest China".
01
Kanas Lake
Paradise on earth
Kanas, Xinjiang
With snowy peaks towering and green slopes and dark forests, Kanas Lake is praised as a "fairyland on earth, the garden of gods" for its beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains. It is China’s deepest moraine dammed lake, a mountain lake and inland freshwater lake located in the deep mountains of Altay. The Kanas Lake scenic area integrates spectacular natural landscapes such as mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, and grasslands, historical and cultural relics such as the military parade ground of Genghis Khan’s western expedition army and ancient rock paintings, and the unique folk customs of the Mongolian Tuwa people. The main attractions include Camel Hump Bay, Color-changing Lake, Wolong Bay, and Fish Viewing Terrace.
Kanas also has several wonders, one is the kilometer-long deadwood dike; the second is the giant "water monster" in the lake, which adds a few mysterious colors to Kanas; the third is the spectacle that appears only when the rain clears up, the sea of clouds and Buddha’s light in Kanas.
02
Wolong Bay
Lush Green Grass
At an altitude of 1325 meters, it is a winding section of the Kanas River. The forest around the lake is dense, with colorful flowers and lush green grass. There is a vegetation-covered sandbank in the river, which looks like a dinosaur lying quietly in the water from a distance, hence the name Wolong Bay. The small island in the lake has a beautiful scenery. At the entrance of the lake, a huge rock stands in the middle of the current, with waves crashing against it and splashing jade-like droplets.
03
Moon Bay
Beautiful as a Pearl
Moon Bay is located about 1 kilometer upstream from Wolong Bay and is an extension of the Wolong Bay river bend. The beautiful and serene Moon Bay changes with the changes in Kanas Lake, like a bright pearl embedded in the Kanas River. The Kanas riverbed forms several half-moon river bends composed of reverse "S"-shaped curves here, hence the name "Moon Bay". If you climb to the lateral moraine platform at an altitude of 1500 meters beside the highway, you can overlook the stunning scenery in the valley, including the panoramic view of river bends such as Wolong Bay and Moon Bay.
04
Fairy Bay
Mist-shrouded
Fairy Bay is a shallow beach formed by Kanas Lake in a low and gentle mountain stream, about 3 kilometers north of Moon Bay. When viewed from the backlit side, the lake surface shines with fine light under sunlight, as if countless pearls are scattered at will. Therefore, it is also called "Pearl Beach". Under sunlight, the river water sparkles, and even the leaves on the trees shimmer in the wind. At first glance, it seems like countless pearls scattered around. Coupled with the constant mist, the mountain scenery, lake, and trees complement each other, creating a fairyland-like atmosphere, hence the name Fairy Bay.
05
Taiga Corridor
Natural Oxygen Bar
The Taiga Corridor term originates from Russian and refers to the coniferous forest belt near the polar regions and bordering the southern edge of the tundra. The Taiga Corridor is 4.5 kilometers long and incorporates the essence of the Siberian taiga. The corridor faces the sparkling Kanas Lake to the west and majestic mountains to the east. The winding path leads to secluded spots, where visitors can see typical taiga swamps, the King of Taiga, giant root sculptures, and many other attractions.
06
Fish-watching Tower
High Point of the Scenic Area
The Fish-watching Tower is located within the Kanas scenic area in Burqin, Xinjiang. It is built on the top of Haralakte (Mongolian for "Camel Peak") at an altitude of 2030 meters, with a vertical drop of over 600 meters from the lake surface. It is named Fish-watching Tower due to its location for observing the "lake monster". The Fish-watching Tower is the best attraction in Kanas and the only observation platform where one can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Kanas. One cannot fully appreciate the extreme beauty of Kanas without climbing the Fish-watching Tower.
07
Tuwa Village
Cultural landscape
Kanas, Xinjiang
The Kanas Tuwa Village is located in the Kanas River valley, 2-3 kilometers south of Kanas Lake. Surrounded by picturesque scenery, it is a must-visit on the way to Kanas Lake from Burqin County. With an area of 166 square kilometers and an altitude of 1390 meters, it is classified as a historical and cultural site where about 2000 Tuwa people live. It has a long history and was recorded in ancient documents. The Tuwa people are the "Urianghai" people recorded in the late Qing Dynasty’s "Gazetteer of Xinjiang", who have followed traditional lifestyles for generations. Kanas Tuwa Village and Kanas Lake complement each other, forming a unique cultural landscape and ethnic flavor in the Kanas tourist area.
08
Baihaba Village
Cultural landscape
Baihaba Village (Baihaba Scenic Area) is known as the First Village and the First Post in Northwest China. It is located in Tieteketi Township, Habahe County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, on the border with Kazakhstan, only 1.5 kilometers away from East Sylek, Kazakhstan, connected by a national defense highway. ‘Chinese Geography’ rated Baihaba Village as one of China’s eight most beautiful towns. Baihaba is a village where primitive natural ecology and ancient traditional culture coexist, preserving the original features that have existed for hundreds of years, with the Tuwa people as the main inhabitants.
09
Hemu Village
Cultural landscape
Cultural landscape
Picturesque scenery
Cultural landscape
Picturesque scenery
Hemu Village is also a concentrated residence of the Tuwa people. It is the largest and most distant of the remaining three Tuwa villages (Hemu, Kanas, and Baihaba). The houses in Hemu Village are all built with logs, imbued with a primitive charm and reminiscent of a Swiss town. It is a fairyland on earth and is known as the "First Village of China". The autumn scenery in the Kanas area is found in Hemu, where the forests are ablaze with color, creating a typical primitive natural landscape. The landmark building of Hemu Village is the Hemu Bridge, which has withstood the impact of Kanas glacier meltwater for over a hundred years, appearing old and sturdy. Crossing the Hemu Bridge, you will find a large expanse of birch forest on the other side of the river. In autumn, the birch trees shimmer with golden light under the setting sun, creating a picturesque and overly beautiful scene.
Travel Tips
Transportation Routes
1. Plane: You can take a connecting flight from Urumqi Airport to Kanas Airport. Kanas Airport is about a 1-hour drive from the Kanas scenic area.
2. Train: Currently, there are no trains to Altay or Burqin. If you want to take the train to Kanas, you can only take the train from Urumqi to Beitun, and then transfer to Kanas.
3. Car rental and carpooling options.
Travel Tips
1. If you plan to visit Baihaba, you need to apply for a border defense certificate. It is not required for entering Kanas or Hemu.
To enter Baihaba, if you are entering from the Tieteketi Ticket Station, you need to apply in Habahe County. If you are entering Baihaba from Kanas, you need to apply at the Kanas Tourist Service Center.
To apply for a border defense certificate, you only need to provide your ID card. It’s free of charge.
2. Kanas is a stunningly beautiful place throughout the year. Kanas enters spring relatively late, with the best travel times being from June to October. The flower sea in June and the golden autumn in September are particular highlights. The Kanas Golden Autumn Photography Festival is held every year on September 25th. Snowfall begins in October and lasts until April or May of the following year.
2021 Xinjiang’s popular tourist attraction: Kanas – Hemu – The Garden of God’s Backend
Kanas car rental and carpooling inquiry phone number: 0991-8585456 181-3962-2229