Where to have fun in Xinjiang in autumn? A guide to autumn scenic spots in Xinjiang:
The most beautiful time in Xinjiang is undoubtedly September and October. During the golden autumn, Xinjiang is filled with scenic beauty everywhere, with colorful forests, clear lakes, and golden poplar forests, resembling a series of autumn paintings.
I. Kanas
Kanas Lake is located in the north of Burqin County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang. Everyone who has visited Kanas cannot help but be fascinated by its ever-changing colors. Under different light conditions and in different weather, the water of Kanas Lake changes colors, dazzling and captivating visitors, making them reluctant to leave and forget their way home. In fact, what makes Kanas beautiful is not Kanas Lake itself, but the Moon Bay and Fairy Bay of the Kanas River.
Best Travel Time: Kanas in June is a season of blooming mountain flowers, while Kanas in September is a sea of golden yellow.
II. Luntai Populus euphratica Forest
Tarim Hemu Populus euphratica National Forest Park covers a total area of 100 square kilometers and is the largest primitive Populus euphratica forest park in Xinjiang. It is also the area with the most concentrated primitive Populus euphratica forests in the entire Tarim River basin. During the golden autumn season, the graceful posture of Populus euphratica is reflected in the water or stands tall in the desert, fully displaying the splendid vitality of life.
Best Travel Time: Mid-September to late October, but actually, the胡杨林 (Populus euphratica forest) is most beautiful in mid-October.
III. Hemu
Hemu Village is the concentrated settlement of the Tuvans. It is the largest and most remote of the three remaining Tuvan villages (Hemu Village, Kanas Village, and Baihaba Village). The houses here are all made of logs, filled with an original charm, earning it the reputation of "China’s First Village." The beauty of Hemu Village lies in its intoxicating autumn scenery all over the mountains. Smoke rises slowly amidst the autumn scenery, forming a dreamlike smoke band, like a fairyland.
Best Travel Time: June to October. From June to August, Hemu Village is adorned with lush green grass and colorful wildflowers, which, together with the blue sky, white clouds, snowy peaks, clear lakes, wooden cabins, and forests, constitute a world of midsummer. From September to October, the leaves in Hemu Village turn golden yellow, and the overlapping layers of blue sky, clear water, and yellow mountains form a picturesque pastoral scene.
IV. Sayram Lake
Sayram Lake is a high-altitude, large-area, and picturesque alpine lake in Xinjiang. It is also a place favored by the Atlantic Ocean’s warm and moist air currents, hence the nickname "The Last Tear of the Atlantic." Sayram Lake is a large mountain lake with a small island in it. If not for the distant snow-capped mountains visible in the distance, one might mistake it for a vast sea. Autumn at Sayram Lake gives people a melancholy yet beautiful feeling.
Best Travel Time: April to October. Snow-capped mountains, grasslands, and azure lakes form a breathtaking landscape, making it one of Xinjiang’s most famous scenic spots. Around June every year, wildflowers of various colors bloom by the lake, making it an excellent destination for photography. The autumn scenery of Sayram Lake from September to October is also not to be missed.
V. Wucai Beach
Wucai Beach, also known as the Colorful Riverbank, is located in Burqin County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, within the Irtysh River basin. It was formed due to the long-term influence of natural processes such as wind and water erosion, and belongs to a typical Yadan landform. Wucai Beach is especially beautiful in autumn. With blue skies and white clouds, bubbling streams, and under the setting sun, Wucai Beach appears particularly dazzling. With colorful stones highlighted by the river and the setting sun, walking into this undulating "hill" area is like stepping into a colorful and dreamlike world.
Travel Time: This is the beautiful Yardang landform in Xinjiang, mainly known for its sunrise and sunset views. From September to October each year, between 8 pm and 9 pm, this is the sunset time in Xinjiang. But please be prepared, as it is now the peak tourist season, and crowds of people are inevitable.
7. Tianshan Tianchi
The Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area is located in Fukang County, Fukang City, Xinjiang. During the golden autumn, the mountain breeze brings chill, and Tianshan Tianchi changes from its charming spring and lush summer to embrace a different season of brilliance. Legend has it that more than 3,000 years ago, Emperor Mu of Zhou visited Tianchi and sang with the Queen Mother of the West, leaving behind a timeless story and earning Tianchi the nickname of ‘Jade Pool’. The sacred water of the lake is like a pool of nectar, crystal clear and shimmering quietly in the embrace of the Tianshan Mountains.
Travel Time: May – October. In summer, the ground is covered with golden wildflowers, and the lake water is pure. In autumn, the snow-capped mountains are reflected in the water, with herds of cattle and sheep, white little sheep, and simple ethnic customs, forming a beautiful picture scroll.
8. Koktokay
Koktokay Town is located 48 kilometers northeast of Fuyun County in the northern part of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, amidst the Altay Mountains. The Irtysh River flows right through the town, hence the origin of its name. The season to enter the mountains in Koktokay Town is from late August to early October, with the entire scenic area presenting a迷人的 golden hue.
Travel Time: September – October is the autumn season in Koktokay. The scenery here is so abundant that it makes people drunk with its mature charm, permeating the orange-colored woods, making the heart revel in its brilliance and splendor!
9. Baihaba Village
Known as the First Village of the Northwest, Baihaba is located in Tieketi Township, Habahe County, in the northwest corner of China. It is a concentrated settlement of the Tuvans in the Altay Region of Xinjiang, a village with well-preserved Tuvan dwellings, and imbued with rich Tuvan customs. Baihaba Village sits on a flat valley floor in the Altay Mountains, overlooking the mountains of Kazakhstan in the distance. In autumn, the mountain village is painted in a riot of colors—red, yellow, green, and brown, like an artist’s palette.
Travel Time: August – October. The Altay Region experiences an early autumn, with a hint of autumn chill already in August. Once autumn arrives, the mountain village is painted in a riot of colors—red, yellow, green, and brown, like an artist’s palette. Coupled with the snow-capped peaks of the Altay Mountains in the background, it resembles a perfect oil painting.
10. Duku Highway
A winding mountain road with nine bends and eighteen turns connects the south and north of the Tianshan Mountains, crossing icy mountains and passes. It boasts both the steep and magnificent ruggedness and the tenderness of green mountains and clear waters, allowing you to experience the four seasons in just one day. Even if you haven’t been there, you are definitely not unfamiliar with this road. It is the renowned Duku Highway in Xinjiang.
Xinjiang Tourism Inquiry Hotline: 181-39622229 0991-8585456