Xinjiang Travel Guide: Must-visit Tourist Attractions in Xinjiang
The best travel season in Xinjiang is from June to October. The temperature is pleasant during this time (some scenic spots are closed in winter due to snow). Of course, visiting Turpan in March is also a good choice. The apricot blossoms in Toksun and the Desert Park in Shanshan are also well worth visiting! In May, you can go to Tianchi, in June you can head to Yili to see the lavender fields, in July and August you can admire the vast and fertile grasslands, and in September and October the golden autumn of Kanas is even more breathtaking. However, it should be noted that there is a large temperature difference between morning and evening in Xinjiang, especially in Kanas where the annual average temperature is only 4°C. It is truly a place where you ‘wear a cotton-padded jacket in the morning and silk in the afternoon, eating watermelon by the fireplace’.
[Golden Autumn of Kanas]
The pale green Kanas Lake winds its way through, with golden yellow and dark green trees alternating along the shore, making the lake appear crystal clear. The tall and straight poplar trees, clad in golden cloaks, dance gracefully in the gentle breeze with the elegance of beauties. The sky over the grassland is exceptionally blue, with white clouds gazing affectionately at the trees on the hillsides dressed in autumn attire. The rustling autumn wind stains the Kanas forest area golden, and the trees also put on golden coats, creating a mesmerizing autumn scenery.
[Hemu | The Fairy Tale World of Kanas]
A river, a forest and grassland, an ancient ethnicity and village, this is the beautiful Hemu, a fairy tale world of Kanas. After the spring breeze blows, the grassland turns green, and colorful wildflowers bloom vigorously. Climbing up the small hills around the Hemu Village, you can overlook the panoramic view. Those rows of neat Tuva log cabins blend so naturally and harmoniously with the surrounding environment.
【Bayinbrook Grassland with Fertile Water and Grass】
Most tourists visiting Yili will head to the famous Nalati Grassland, while only photography enthusiasts will venture to Bayinbrook. Here lies another face of Xinjiang, a winding plateau wetland grassland with rivers and streams. Only when you arrive here will you realize that Xinjiang is not just about deserts and gobies, but also about the gentle beauty of a Jiangnan-like region in the north. Bayinbrook Grassland boasts famous attractions such as Bayinbrook Swan Lake and the Nine-Bend and Eighteen-Turn River, where you can observe birds from a close distance in June, enjoying absolutely stunning scenery.
【Sayram Lake | A Splendid Flower Sea Amidst Lakes and Mountains】
Sayram Lake is located in western Xinjiang, adjacent to places like Yili and Huocheng. Most tourists will visit here when exploring the western route of Xinjiang (i.e., the Yili route). Sayram Lake is backed by snow-capped mountains and bordered by vast grasslands. Even if you’ve seen Kanas Lake and Namtso Lake in Tibet, the beauty of Sayram Lake will still amaze you at first sight.
【Devil’s City | Nature’s Marvelous Workmanship】
It lies on the remote road back to Urumqi, to the west of the Junggar Basin, showcasing typical Xinjiang scenery – Yardang landforms, wild and majestic, with vibrant colors under the setting sun. Whenever the sun sets, the multicolored reflections here make you question whether you are on Earth.
【Yili Guozi Gorge | A Poetic Self-Driving Route】
Guozi Gorge is located 40 kilometers northeast of Huocheng County and is a necessary passage on National Highway 312 from Urumqi to Yili. In spring and summer, it is the most beautiful valley in western Xinjiang, with its beauty lasting from late May to September each year. Any slope in Guozi Gorge offers a panoramic view of the forest belt and ridges. The viaduct in Guozi Gorge is also stunning, making it one of China’s most beautiful self-driving routes.
【Kalajun Grassland】
Kalajun Mountain stretches horizontally in an east-west direction, spanning 42 kilometers in length. It connects the Kafusalang Valley in the north and Qiongkushitai in the south, with a width of 25 kilometers. The rolling mountains are covered with dense snow-capped spruce forests, vast and boundless. The mountaintop is a seamless plateau landform sloping southwards, resembling a suspended grassland.
【Nalati Grassland】
Nalati Grassland is located in the east of Nalati Town, Xinyuan County, and ranks among the world’s four major valley grasslands, renowned equally with Swiss mountain pastures. The terrain slopes from southeast to northwest. The wilderness is dotted with mountain springs, with streams forming a network, rivers crisscrossing, and forests flourishing, earning it the nickname "Aerial Grassland". Nalati Grassland has been a famous pasture since ancient times. Valleys, peaks, deep gorges, and forests complement each other beautifully.
【Unforgettable Tashkurgan】The road conditions to Tashkurgan are far from ideal. Despite being only 300 kilometers, dangers lurk around every corner. But once you turn into the mountain pass, the dazzling beauty of the snow-capped peaks converging from all sides, interspersed with sunlight and snow glint, is sacred and untainted.
【Lavender Fields of Muzart】Only if you come in summer, can you witness the breathtaking scenery of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, pastures, and flower fields intertwined under the blue sky. In the distance, the silver-white snow-capped mountains stand tall, while at your feet, glaciers wind their way. The pasture, filled with lush greens, is dotted with thin yellows and deep purples of rape and lavender fields; it is serene, beautiful, and breathtaking. Xinjiang Tourism Inquiry Hotline: 0991-8585456 (Same)