Yili Travel Planning in Xinjiang?
1. Itinerary Arrangement?
D1: Urumqi – Yining?
Morning: Depart from Urumqi and travel along S101 National Defense Highway to Yining. Enjoy the magnificent scenery of the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains on the way.?
Afternoon: Upon arrival in Yining, visit Liuxingjie to feel the Uyghur flavor.?
Evening: Stay at a Yining specialty hotel and experience the local nightlife.?
D2: Yining – Sayram Lake – Yining?
Morning: Head to Sayram Lake to enjoy the lake and mountain scenery, especially in June when the golden lotus flowers bloom along the lakeside, and in winter when ice pushing wonders can be seen. Cycling around the lake and camping under the starry sky are particularly recommended experiences.?
Afternoon: Return to Yining, with an optional visit to Princess Jieyou Lavender Garden on the way (seasonal attraction, depending on the season).?
Evening: Free time to taste local Yining cuisine.?
D3: Yining – Kalajun Grassland – Tekes?
Morning: Head to Kalajun Grassland, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site famous for its human-shaped grassland curves. In May and June, Huaxiantai transforms into a colorful carpet, and Falcontai offers a distant view of the main peak of the Tianshan Mountains.?
Afternoon: Arrive at Tekes Bagua City, the ancient city with the world’s largest bagua layout, a mysterious city without traffic lights. Tourists can take a ferris wheel ride to overlook the streets arranged in the pattern of the I Ching, while the Liji Folk Area is full of Uyghur flavor.?
Evening: Check in at a Tekes hotel and experience the nightlife of the Bagua City.?
D4: Tekes – Tangbula Grassland – Xinyuan?
Morning: Head to Tangbula Grassland, known as the Hundred-Mile Gallery, with picturesque scenery.?
Afternoon: Arrive in Xinyuan and visit Nalati Grassland. As one of the world’s four alpine valley grasslands, Nalati Grassland is famous for its three-dimensional grassland landscape. In summer, wildflowers bloom all over the mountains, while in winter, it is covered in snow. The Aerial Grassland Viewing Platform is an excellent spot to overlook the stunning scenery of snow-capped spruces intertwined with grasslands.?
Evening: Check in at a Xinyuan hotel to rest and adjust.?
D5: Xinyuan – Bayinbuluke – Kuitun?
Morning: Head to Bayinbuluke Grassland to admire the spectacular scene of the Nine-Bend and Eighteen-Turn River.?
Afternoon: Drive to Kuitun, enjoying the scenery along the way.?
Evening: Check in at a Kuitun hotel to prepare for the next day’s itinerary.?
D6: Kuitun – Duku Highway – Urumqi?
All day: Return to Urumqi along the Duku Highway. The Duku Highway is a breathtakingly beautiful road, with magnificent views of the Tianshan Mountains along the way. Pay attention to the opening hours and traffic conditions of the Duku Highway.?
Evening: Arrive in Urumqi to end your pleasant journey in Yili.?
II. Food Recommendations?
Snacks: Milk tea, pilaf, flour soup, flavorful buns (including baked buns, fried buns, and thin-skinned buns), Na Ren (a type of noodle dish with grassland flavor), spicy cans, and blood sausage, etc.?
Fruits and specialties: Yili’s apples are known as the "Hometown of Apples", with numerous apple varieties for tourists to taste. In addition, there are bee products, famous liquors, pilose antler, and snow lotuses, among other specialties.?
Traditional flavors: Stuffed lung and rice sausage are traditional snack foods loved by the Uyghur people. They are soft, tender, glutinous, and fresh; smoked horse sausage is the best among smoked meats, with a strong aroma and durability in storage.?
Specialty beverages: In addition to milk tea and kumiss, the Russian-flavored beverage Kvas, unique to Yining City, is also worth trying.?
III. Accommodation Recommendations?
Yining: Yining Tianyuan International Hotel, with a building area of 117,500 square meters, is a large comprehensive hotel integrating guest rooms, dining, entertainment, and commerce.?
Tekes: Tekes Tianyue Ecological Hotel, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, spruces, rivers, canyons, grasslands, and flower seas, with dense scenic areas.?
Xinyuan: Ctrip Resort Farmstay (Nalati Valley Grassland Store or Nalati Forest Park Joint Venture Store), providing a luxurious and comfortable accommodation environment.?
IV. Precautions?
Dress code: The climate in Yili is mostly dry with long sunshine hours. The rainy season is concentrated in June and July, and there is a large temperature difference between morning and evening. In summer, you need to pay attention to sun protection and keep warm at the same time.?
Safety: Yili has many interesting travel activities, such as horseback riding, hiking, photography, etc. Tourists can choose suitable activities according to their interests and hobbies, but they need to pay attention to safety.?
Environmental protection: During the tour, tourists should pay attention to protecting the ecological environment and not damage vegetation, cultural relics, and historic sites casually.?
Itinerary arrangement: It is recommended to reasonably arrange the itinerary according to the opening hours of attractions and traffic conditions to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.?
Above is a 6-day travel planning scheme for Yili, Xinjiang. I hope it can help you with your trip. Wish you a pleasant journey!?