Xinjiang Autumn Travel Guide

　　Xinjiang Autumn Travel Guide​

　　Xinjiang Tourism Consultation Hotline: (same)​

　　Xinjiang​

　　A place favored by the Creator​

　　Occupying 1/6 of the total national area​

　　Gathering various magnificent natural landscapes​

　　As we all know, Xinjiang is vast in size and is known as the ‘last pure land on earth left by heaven’! Countless travelers dream of stepping into this mysterious, distant, and unfamiliar Xinjiang to witness its exotic charm. The tourist season in Xinjiang is from July to October each year. How should you enjoy your trip to Xinjiang during this season? This guide will tell you!​

　　Kanas​

　　Kanas – a fairyland on earth, the most beautiful lake in China. The lake water is clear and crystal-clear, winding through the primitive forest. The ever-changing light and shadow intertwine with the golden and dark green trees on the shore, as if you are in a dreamy Swiss scenery.​

　　Every friend who has visited Xinjiang will highly recommend Kanas, which is very well-known in Xinjiang and even throughout China. It is also one of the must-visit attractions for many travelers on a Xinjiang tour. Kanas brings together the glaciers, forests, pastures, grasslands, lakes, rivers, and ethnic customs of Xinjiang, making you reluctant to leave.​

　　It can be said that Kanas possesses the delicate and enduring beauty of southern landscapes, as well as the magnificent grandeur of northern scenery.​

　　Hemu Village is known as ‘God’s Private Reserve’ and is one of China’s eight major photography bases. Its sunrises, sunsets, star trails, and Milky Way are what photographers dream of capturing throughout their lives.​

　　Tianshan Tianchi​

　　Tianshan Tianchi – The Pearl of the Tianshan Mountains. The entire lake is crystal-clear, surrounded by mountains. The lake reflects the distant Bogda Peak, and the shore is adorned with tall and verdant spruces. The scenery is like a fairyland, resembling a sapphire surrounded by mountains.​

　　Tianshan Tianchi is a famous attraction closest to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. If you only have 1-2 days in Urumqi, I suggest you dedicate one day to visit Tianshan Tianchi, which is known as the ‘Jade Pool’.​

　　Walking amidst the beautiful scenery of Tianshan Tianchi, every step you take reveals a new view. You will find yourself immersed in numerous scenic spots such as Stone Gate with a View, The Stabilizing Needle of the Sea God, Dragon Pond with Jade-like Moonlight, South Gate Viewing Snow, Colorful Bay, Rock Paintings, and more, forgetting everything else!​

　　Recommended itinerary: The scenic areas of Tianshan Tianchi have clear instructions. The itinerary generally consists of two parts. First, slowly walk along the plank road by the lakeside of Tianshan Tianchi. As you climb up the stairs, you will be able to see the breathtaking view of the main lake! Second, take a stroll downwards along the waterfall. Alternatively, you can take a boat out onto the lake to enjoy the scenery at your leisure. The entire tour takes about 4-5 hours.​

　　Yili​

　　Yili – Beauty lies in its vastness. There is a saying that goes: You won’t know how vast China is until you visit Xinjiang; you won’t know how beautiful Xinjiang is until you visit Yili. Yili boasts distinct seasons and breathtaking scenery that will surely captivate your heart!​

　　Taking this route will cover very famous grasslands such as: Gongnais, Nalati, Tangbula, Zhaosu, and Kalajun.​

　　The route will pass through the picturesque self-driving road – Guozigou. By climbing up any slope in Guozigou, you can see the boundless beauty of the forest belt and mountain ridges. When passing by Sayram Lake, you can see the entire lake surface as blue as can be, with vast grasslands next to it, and snow-capped mountains behind it. When you are here, it feels like you have stepped into a world of high-purity primary colors.​

　　Best travel time: Suitable for traveling from late spring to early autumn​

　　Recommended number of days for the trip: 3-4 days​

　　Local climate: temperate continental climate​

　　Duku Highway​

　　Duku Highway – There is a place where the scenery is on the road, and there is a type of travel called road trip. If you are still longing for National Highway 318 and hoping to encounter the most beautiful scenery on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, however, there is a skyway in Xinjiang that is even more beautiful and spectacular, more dangerous and unique, and that is the Duku Highway! The Duku Highway in Xinjiang!​

　　One road allows you to travel through deserts, mountains, neighboring areas (not repeated), and snowfields, switching back and forth. This highway is a true ‘skyway’ running through the vast Tianshan Mountains.​

　　The Duku Highway is like a huge dragon coiled around the Tianshan Mountains. At the southern end of the Duku Highway, people can also admire the magnificent landscape of the Keziliya Mountains, where the red rock forests are spectacular. Not only that, the nearby mysterious Grand Canyon of Tianshan Mountain scenic area also surprises visitors with its deep and dangerous winding paths. And a Buddhist grotto called ‘Aai Grotto’ carved in the Tang Dynasty has been discovered in the canyon, with exquisite murals inside. This area has become an authoritative location for location shooting. The Kuqa River has been accompanying one side of the highway. When the highway passes through the ‘flaming zone’ at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, it is replaced by steep cliffs, green grass, thorny bushes with yellow flowers passionately blooming on them, and scattered pine trees. The valley is filled with the fragrance of wildflowers, and towering mountains are capped with chilling snow.​

　　Best travel time: Suitable for traveling from late spring to early autumn​

　　Recommended number of days for the trip: 2-3 days​

　　Local climate: temperate continental climate​

　　Urumqi​

　　Urumqi – Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, located at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. In Mongolian, ‘Urumqi’ means ‘beautiful pasture’.​

　　Urumqi is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a gentle and open plain to the north, the Bogda Mountains and Dongshan Mountains to the east, and the Xishan and Tiangel Mountains to the west and south respectively.​

　　Best travel time: Urumqi has a mid-temperate continental arid climate. The hottest month is July with an average temperature of 25.7°C; the coldest month is January with an average temperature of -15.2°C. The best time to visit Xinjiang is in August and September during autumn, when the weather begins to cool down and the fruits are ripe. Especially in early September, this is the time when photography enthusiasts in Urumqi flock out. It is suitable for regular travel from May to October. From December to February of the next year, there are winter tourism projects in places such as Tianchi and the White Poplar Valley in the southern Tianshan Mountains.​

　　Installation.​