Xinjiang Kanas Tourism National Day Kanas Travel Guide Photography Guide
Recommended attractions + travel route
If you want to talk about autumn in China, it should be in Kanas, Xinjiang. If you want to experience outdoor travel, light hiking, and photography, Kanas may be a great fit! It covers 90% of the autumn scenery in China. For the National Day holiday, why not come and experience this Northern Xinjiang route?
◇ What to do in Kanas
Colorful Beach
Colorful Beach is very close to Burqin, about 20 kilometers away, with a drive of nearly half an hour. Next to Colorful Beach is the Irtysh River. Due to the special Yadan landform of Colorful Beach, it appears in red, green, brown, yellow, and other colors under sunlight refraction, dazzling people and making them feel like they have entered a colorful world.
If you like photography, you must not miss it! The best times to appreciate the beauty of Colorful Beach are early in the morning or at sunset in the evening when the scenery is even more beautiful.
When playing at Colorful Beach, you should walk on the plank road because the unique landform has loose soil that needs protection. Do not trample or climb.
China-Kazakhstan Grand Canyon
The bus from Kanas Scenic Area to Baihaba will stop here. This is the gorge that serves as the border between China and Kazakhstan. Inside the gorge are birch forests and the long Baihaba River, allowing you to fully enjoy the exotic scenery of the two countries separated by a river.
Most people will come here to take photos with the border marker, but I love the scenery here more. The birch forest is tall and dense, as if guarding the border.
Baihaba
Known as the First Village in the Northwest, this place is home to the kind and honest Tuwa people. When you enter a Tuwa household, you can experience the local lifestyle and learn about their cultural customs.
The dawn and sunset in Baihaba and Hemu are both very beautiful. If you have time, you must not miss them. Friends who like photography can prepare their camera equipment early and head to the viewpoint.
Kanas Lake
It is said that the color of the lake water changes with the seasons, mostly being blue or pea green. There is a boardwalk by the lake where you can walk. If you like to play by the lake, you can stay for a while longer. The clear lake water accompanied by the shaded path has a unique charm.
You can also take a boat tour on Kanas Lake. There is also a mysterious legend of the lake monster here. Hiking along Kanas Lake takes about 2 hours of leisurely walking.
Three Bays of Kanas
Walking along the wooden boardwalk, you can slowly enjoy the Three Bays of Kanas: Fairy Bay, Moon Bay, and Wolong Bay.
If you don’t like the hustle and bustle of crowds, hiking the Three Bays must be the right choice for you. Walk freely, breathe in the fresh air, and stop to take photos whenever you see a beautiful view. This is the true meaning of travel.
Fish Viewing Pavilion
It was originally built to observe the ‘lake monster’, but now it has become a spot to overlook Kanas Lake. Climbing up to the Fish Viewing Pavilion requires ascending more than 1,000 steps, and it takes about 1.5-2 hours to walk up.
After climbing up the Fish Viewing Terrace, you can not only see two-thirds of the scenery of Kanas Lake, but also overlook the snow-capped mountains, with a very open view.
Hemu Village
Hemu Village is located in Burqin County, Altay Prefecture in northern Xinjiang, about 30 kilometers east of Kanas Lake. It is a small village inhabited jointly by Kazakhs and Tuvas. The houses here are all made of logs, full of primitive flavor. What is fascinating is the intoxicating autumn scenery with mountains covered in red leaves, and the cooking smoke rising in the autumn scenery, forming a dreamlike smoke belt, like a fairyland.
If you want to deeply feel the charm of Hemu, you must stay here for a night. It is not only convenient for taking photos of the dawn, but you can also see the starry night sky in the evening. After midnight, you can also take photos of the star trails.
Hemu Grassland
Although it is not as vast and boundless as the Inner Mongolia Grassland, it has a unique charm. If you visit Hemu Grassland in autumn, you will see a golden yellow landscape. If you want to see green grassland, you may have to go in spring or summer. It is recommended to try horse riding. Although you don’t necessarily have to gallop like on the Nalati or Bayinbrok Grasslands, riding while enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way is also a unique experience.
How to Get to Kanas
Transportation to Kanas is relatively convenient. Taking a plane is still a comfortable and time-saving choice, and it only takes about an hour from Urumqi to Kanas. It should be noted that the Kanas Airport is not open all year round, and it will be closed in mid-October.
If you are not arriving at Kanas during the open hours of the Kanas Airport, you can choose the Urumqi/Altay/Urumqi route. This route is a good choice for coming to Kanas to see the snow scenery in winter. Altay is 280KM away from Kanas, and it takes about 5 hours to drive in summer, a little longer in winter.
However, most people will still choose to take the train to Kanas, as the price is moderate and the comfort is good. If you take the train to Kanas, you need to take the train from Urumqi to Beitun first, and then rent a car at the passenger station. Choose a business car or a coach based on the number of people. It takes about more than an hour to arrive at Kanas. For the train, I personally recommend taking the K9791 train, which departs at around 8:00 pm and arrives before 8:00 am the next day.
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456