This travel guide for departing from Hangzhou to Ili mainly includes modes of transportation, itinerary planning, and attraction recommendations.?
Modes of Transportation?
Plane: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport has direct flights to Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, with a flight time of about 4-5 hours. It is the fastest way to get to Ili. Upon arrival in Urumqi, you can choose to rent a car and drive to Ili or join a local tour group.?
Train: Although it takes a long time, you can enjoy the scenery along the way. You need to first take a train to Urumqi and then transfer to another train to Ili, with a total journey time of about 30 hours (if you choose to depart from Hangzhou to Shanghai first, the train journey will be about 40 hours).?
Self-driving: Depart from Hangzhou and head to Xinjiang along National Highway G318, with a total distance of about 4,509 kilometers and an estimated driving time of 51 hours and 37 minutes. Along the way, you can enjoy the scenery changing from the southern regions of the Yangtze River to the northwest borderlands, but be aware of possible severe weather on some sections of the road.?
Itinerary Planning (Taking a 5-day tour as an example)?
Day 1: Depart from Hangzhou and fly to Urumqi, then transfer to a flight or rent a car to head to Yining. Upon arrival, you can visit downtown Yining, such as Kazanqi Folk Tourism Area, to experience strong ethnic customs.?
Day 2: Depart from Yining and head to Sayram Lake to enjoy the lake and mountain scenery. Have a picnic by the lake at noon and continue to Guozi Gorge Bridge in the afternoon. You can arrive at Horgos Port in the evening to experience exotic flavors.?
Day 3: Head to Zhaosu County to visit Zhaosu Horse Farm and experience the joy of horseback riding. In the afternoon, go to Xiata Ancient Road, known as "China’s Most Beautiful Hiking Route", to appreciate spectacular landscapes such as snow-capped mountains and forests along the way.?
Day 4: Visit Kalajun Grassland to feel the magnificent mountains and vast grassland scenery. In the afternoon, head to Tekes Ancient City to experience its historical and cultural atmosphere.?
Day 5: Return to Yining, stroll around the local market, and buy handicrafts as souvenirs. In the afternoon, take the return flight back to Hangzhou.?
Attraction Recommendations?
Nalati Grassland: Located in Tekes County, Ili Valley, Xinjiang, it is one of the most beautiful grasslands in Xinjiang. You can experience ethnic activities such as horseback riding and archery.?
Sayram Lake: With clear lake water surrounded by mountains, it is a paradise for photographers. You can choose to take a tour around the lake to appreciate the beautiful scenery from different angles.?
Bagua City: Located in Tekes County, it is an ancient city with strong ethnic characteristics. Tourists can experience the charm of the ancient city here.?
Guozi Gorge: With beautiful scenery inside the gorge and waterfalls plunging down, it is a famous tourist attraction in Xinjiang.?
In addition, the International Bazaar, Hongshan Park, and other attractions in Urumqi are also worth visiting.?
. During the trip, you can also taste Xinjiang’s specialty foods such as mutton skewers and big plate chicken, adding more flavor to your journey.?