The Most Beautiful September
Autumn in Xinjiang is like a palette overturned by God, colorful and dazzling.
At this time, the 5th Boundary Monument in Baihaba, the northwesternmost village, Kanas Fairy Bay, Moon Bay, Wolong Bay, and not to mention Hemu – the fairy’s private land, are all filled with colorful forests, snow-covered firs, rivers, and forests, like walking in an oil painting.
The Red Tree Valley in Koktokay turns yellow and red alternately around September 25. There is also Baisha Lake, which looks like an oil painting in such a beautiful season.
Glorious October
After several autumn rains, the leaves of the birch forest in Kanas fall one after another, with the trunks standing in the wind, creating a somber and beautiful oil painting-like effect.
Go to the desert to see the千年不死 (eternal) Hu Yang Forest. The azure sky, golden leaves, and twisted trunks in various poses showcase its resilience and grandeur in the desert.
In early October, the Hu Yang Forest in Mulai in Northern Xinjiang awaits your visit to admire its time-worn beauty and glory. In late October, the Hu Yang Forest in Luntai and Yuli is also waiting for you.
II. [Scenic Spots Section]
Yili Guozi Valley
Guozi Valley is known as the "First Scenic Spot of Yili". It is located 40 kilometers northeast of Huocheng County and is a necessary passage on the Urumqi-Yili highway of National Highway 312. Its northern end leads out of the valley to the famous Sayram Lake. Inside the valley, peaks rise steeply, pine and birch trees flourish, fruit trees grow in clusters, flowers bloom, springs and waterfalls gush out, the climate is cool, and the scenery is beautiful.
Nalati Grassland
Nalati Grassland, located in Xinyuan County, Ili Prefecture, is one of the four major grasslands in the world and a subalpine meadow plant area. Intersecting rivers, flat valleys, towering peaks, and dense forests complement each other. From June to September each year, various wildflowers bloom on the hills and grasslands, with red, yellow, blue, and purple flowers dotting the grassland in a dazzling display. The beautiful grassland scenery combined with local Kazakh folk customs has made it a famous tourist and resort area in Xinjiang.
Keketohai Scenic Area
Keketohai Scenic Area and Keketohai National Geological Park are located in Fuyun County, Altay Prefecture, northern Xinjiang. It integrates beautiful canyon and river source scenery, marsh wetland landscapes, extremely cold lakes, geological and mineral resources, and other natural attractions.
Turpan’s Flaming Mountain
Turpan’s Flaming Mountain is one of the hottest places in China, with a maximum summer temperature reaching 47.8°C and a ground temperature exceeding 70°C. Eggs can be cooked in sand pits there. Flaming Mountain has its unique natural appearance, and in the late Ming Dynasty, Wu Cheng’en included the story of Tang Sanzang being blocked by Flaming Mountain and Sun Wukong borrowing the Banana Fan three times in his famous ancient novel Journey to the West, adding a mystical aura to Flaming Mountain and making it a unique mountain in the world.
Lop Nur
In the eastern part of the Tarim Basin, at an altitude of about 780 meters, it is located in the lowlands of the Tarim Basin. It was once a lush oasis with herds of cattle and horses, surrounded by green forests and clear rivers. But now it has become an endless Gobi desert with summer temperatures reaching up to 71°C. Over the past two thousand years, many Chinese and foreign explorers have visited Lop Nur.
Karamay Devil’s City
The Devil’s City, also known as Ulho Wind City, is located in the Ulho mining area at the downstream of Jiamu River on the northwest edge of the Junggar Basin. Viewing it from afar, you will marvel at its spectacular and majestic appearance, marveling at the wonders of nature. When you venture deep into the Wind City, you will feel its extraordinary terror.
Sayram Lake
Sayram Lake is located in the Northern Tianshan Mountains within the territory of Bole City, Bortala Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. It is backed by snow-capped mountains, with vast grasslands by the lake. The lake water is clear and blue. Every June and July, various wildflowers bloom on the grasslands by the lake, creating a spectacular scene that cannot be missed.
Kuqa Grand Canyon
Kuqa Grand Canyon is located beside National Highway 217, 72 kilometers north of Kuqa County in Aksu Prefecture. It stretches about 5.5 kilometers east to west, formed by red-brown rocks carved by wind and rain. The canyon winds through secluded paths and reveals a different world. The mountain bodies take on various forms, with peaks piercing the clouds. It integrates grandeur, danger, seclusion, tranquility, and mystery. Those who visit it in person cannot help but praise its wonders.
Tianshan Grand Canyon
Tianshan Grand Canyon is located in Urumqi County, 48 kilometers away from the urban area. Surrounded by mountains on three sides with an average altitude of 2020 meters, Tianshan Grand Canyon encompasses all the natural landscapes of Xinjiang except for deserts. It has extremely high value for tourism appreciation, scientific research, and historical culture. It has been rated as a national forest park, a national sports and leisure base, and a national AAAAA scenic area.
Qitai Jiangbulake
Jiangbulake is located in the southern mountainous area of Banshiegou Town, Qitai County, Xinjiang, more than 60 kilometers away from the county seat. Its unique geographical location endows it with magnificent natural scenery. It is free from severe cold in winter and intense heat in summer. Every plant, every mountain, and every stream are filled with greenery and beauty, full of magic and temptation. She proudly exposes her beautiful chest, lying peacefully in the arms of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains, appearing so pure, so generous, so gentle, and so holy.
III. [Specialty Products]
2. Yili Lavender Essential Oil
Known as the "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall", Yili is surrounded by mountains (Tianshan Mountains) on three sides. It has sufficient sunshine, a humid climate, and a large diurnal temperature variation, creating a vast fertile land with lush grass, sweet water, abundant produce, and unique resources. The essence of history, the quaint culture, the rich ethnic customs, and the无污染 ecological environment depict a leisurely atmosphere of "the sky is vast, the fields are boundless, and when the wind blows, the grass bends low to reveal cattle and sheep". Nature has endowed the multi-ethnic Yili River Valley with geographical and climatic conditions similar to the Mediterranean. Therefore, in the last century, the world of aromatic plants blossomed with the "Hometown of Lavender" in China.
Lavender is the main raw material for manufacturing prestigious high-end perfumes, balsams, and other daily cosmetics. Lavender is a perennial subshrub of the Lavandula genus in the Lamiaceae family and is also an ornamental plant with natural aromatic oils. Because the lavender planted in Yili, Xinjiang, is the Lavandula angustifolia variety, the lavender essential oil extracted from it is of extremely high quality, with a pure aroma that lasts long and is the main raw material for manufacturing prestigious high-end perfumes, balsams, and other daily cosmetics.
3. Turpan Grapes
The Turpan region is the main grape production base in China, with a total output accounting for 52.84% of Xinjiang and a raisin output accounting for 75% of the country. In recent years, more than 240 varieties of grape products made from fresh grapes and raisins have been developed. (1) The raisins dried from seedless white grapes, such as refined green and yellow raisins, chocolate raisins, and yogurt raisins, are sold in large quantities to various parts of the world every year. The sweet and sour raisins, which are beneficial to blood and health, have become one of the precious foods of people around the world. (2) The series of wines brewed, such as "Loulan" brand dry white (red) wine, "Hongliu" brand Snow Lotus and Sanhua wine. In addition to being sold to Japan every year, "Loulan" dry white (red) wine is also popular among foreign tourists.
4. Apocynum venetum in Xinjiang
The Apocynum venetum fiber in Xinjiang is slender, strong, soft, and lustrous. It is temperature-resistant and corrosion-resistant, with a wide range of uses. The stalks can be used as raw material for papermaking, the leaves can be used as beverages or feed, and the latex contained in the roots, stems, and leaves can be refined into rubber. In traditional Chinese medicine, the aerial parts are used as medicine. They are slightly cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and have the functions of clearing heat and reducing fire, calming the liver and extinguishing wind. They are mainly used to treat headaches, dizziness, insomnia, and other symptoms. The leaves contain apocynin, which has a cardiotonic effect. They are made into Apocynum tea, Apocynum tablets, Apocynum cigarettes, and other treatments for hypertension and other symptoms. Apocynum venetum is mainly distributed along the Tarim River and Kongque River in the Tarim Basin, covering an area of about 8 million mu.
5. Hetian Jade in Xinjiang
Hetian nephrite is a superior product among the world’s jade items. The rare treasures carved from Hetian jade are numerous. For example, the ‘大禹治水玉山’ carved from 5,300 kilograms of Hetian jade is now treasured in the Forbidden City’s Palace Museum in Beijing; the national treasure ‘A Thousand Buddha Kingdom Map’ is carved from 3,473 kilograms of superior Hetian jade.
6. Ruoqiang Gray Dates in Xinjiang
Ruoqiang gray dates are also known as Ruoqiang red dates, Loulan red dates, and Loulan jackfruit dates. Ruoqiang gray dates are produced in Ruoqiang County, Xinjiang’s Ruoqiang area, which is known as ‘the first county in China’ and is the only place in China where red dates naturally dry on the tree. Ruoqiang is located at the junction of the Taklamakan Desert and the Altun Mountain Range. It is a beautiful and magical place – located in the vast desert and Gobi, at an altitude of 800 meters, far from the ocean. The 210-day frost-free period per year, combined with the high temperatures of the Taklamakan Desert and the cool air currents from the Altun Mountains that alternate day and night, create a temperature difference of up to 28 degrees Celsius (high daytime temperatures can enhance photosynthesis of crops, which is beneficial for nutrient accumulation, while low nighttime temperatures reduce the consumption of crop nutrients, which is conducive to the accumulation of nutrients and sugars in fruits and vegetables), creating a unique natural growth environment for Ruoqiang dates.
Ruoqiang gray dates are small and beautiful, elliptical in shape, with a solid and脆 texture. The fruits are round and full, and turn dark red after drying. After eating, they leave a lingering fragrance in the mouth. Ruoqiang dates are rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, P, etc., and are known as ‘natural vitamin pills’. They are also rich in 18 essential amino acids and calcium, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, copper, and other mineral elements for the human body.
4. [Xinjiang Tourism Precautions]
1. ‘Wearing a fur coat in the morning and silk in the afternoon, eating watermelon around the stove’ is a typical portrayal of Xinjiang’s climate. Therefore, attention should be paid to preparing for cold prevention and heatstroke prevention.
2. Xinjiang has long hours of sunshine and high summer temperatures. Therefore, it is necessary to bring sunscreen items such as sunscreen lotion, sun umbrellas, hats, etc.
3. Xinjiang has a dry climate with strong winds and sandstorms. Female friends are advised to prepare corresponding moisturizing and sunscreen cosmetics, bring enough water, and have a lip balm with them.
5. There are many scenic spots and attractions in Xinjiang, and many of them are along the way. Therefore, fellow travelers who love to travel must not doze off in the car to avoid missing the beautiful scenery.
6. Xinjiang is located in the East Eighth Time Zone. There is a 2-hour time difference between Xinjiang and most mainland cities. Please be aware of the time difference.
7. During visits along the way outdoors, personal and team waste and garbage must not be discarded casually to maintain environmental protection. It should be collected uniformly and taken away.
10. Tickets along the way offer discounts or free entry for teachers, students, disabled individuals, journalists, military personnel, and the elderly. Please be sure to carry valid identification, especially not using fake military ID cards, because Kanas is a border area, and to avoid unnecessary trouble for you.
Either your body or soul is always on the road. If you long for the mysterious Xinjiang, then don’t hesitate. With its beautiful scenery, delicious food, and special local products, what other reason do you have for not coming?
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456