11 Days Northern Xinjiang Tour to Kanas and Yili

You will take the flight to Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. Upon arrival you will be accommodated at a cozy metropolitan hotel and for rest. Urumqi is a city, which attracts the interest of every visitor! The city strikes at first sight! Skyscrapers of glass and concrete adjoin almost tumbled down slums, the life is everywhere and its motive power is her majesty trade. Here you won’t be able to tell if it’s a weekday or a weekend just by looking out of the windows as there are always thousands of people in the street! After short rest head to visit the Xinjiang International Bazaar,where you can buy a lot of different things including traditional Uyghur silk and Chinese cotton, different sorts of nuts and dried fruits, medicinal herbs, and aromatic oils… Besides, you will be astonished by the local colour, which is usually the source of lots of impressions and great pictures. Surely, you will remember this contrasting city, which is a harmonic combination of the eastern and western traditions.

At the early morning we will head to visit the Heavenly lake and then drive on the National Road NO 216 and enjoy the scenery passing by. Over-viewing the second desert of CHINA-- Gurbantunggut Desert Interior,Huoshao (Burnt) Mountain, Karamori Mountain Nature Reserve,which located in the Altai Mountains, northeast of Fuyun County in Xinjiang, Koktokay Scenic Spot, or Koktokay National Geopark, is an ideal place for sightseeing, vacationing, hiking, photographing and scientific expedition. It is the origin of the Irtysh River, which is the only river in China flowing into the Arctic Ocean.And the following Muti-colored Bay(or Five Colored Bend): It is located in the north of Jimusar County, Changji Autonomous District, in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Covering an area of 3 sq kilometers (1.2 square miles), it has a typical wind erosion physiognomy and is believed to be the most beautiful one of its kind in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

After breakfast at hotel start the driving to Kanas. which is the latest lake open to all tourists in China and has attained a reputation as “the tourism pearl of Mountain Altai”.There are six bays along the Kanas Lake and each of them holds a marvelous tale. A 'roche moutonnee', bedrock corroded by glaciers, can be found in the first bay. It looks like a sleeping sheep appreciating the beautiful lake and welcoming visitors from outside world. The second bay is the deepest point of the lake and also the place where monsters are often 'spotted'. It is said that some local livestock have been dragged into water by these monsters! The third bay is a nature platform for enjoying the marvelous lake, the fourth bay holds a lovely isle covered by trees, and a hill of magpies exists in the fifth bay. The sixth bay, which is at the end of the lake, is admired as a natural wonder by all visitors. There is a pavilion named Fish Watching Pavilion on the other bank of Kanas Lake. Because it is located on a hill, visitors can look down on the beautiful scenery of the whole areao.

After breakfast at the hotel,enjoy the sunrise of Kanas Lake, and then head to Hemu Villages,a small village within the Kanas Lake area in the north of Xinjiang province, China, enjoy the untraversed snow mountain, icy lake, grassland and primitive Tuwa minority village whom lived there for thousand years.And also visit the Tuwa Tribe here.

After breakfast visit Hemu in the sunrise .Then head to Burqin,visit the Colorful Beach,which is actually referring to the banks of a river that has desert, oasis and forest on its south side while sand rock mounds in all shapes formed by years of wind erosion, line the north bank. The mounds have very irregular profiles and although they are mainly red, bands of red, white, black and yellow are also found in them .you may see the wild goat or wild donkey if you are luck.

In the early morning we will visit Oil city in China.Karamay("black oil" in the Uygur language) became famous in the 1950s for petroleum production. Oil and natural gas are Karamay's main mineral resources. The city has such tourist attractions as the Wurhe Ghost City, Mt. Black Oil Park, and the No. 1 Well, and so on.Visit the Wuerher Devil's City,the most beautiful Yardan landform in this region.The term "yardangs" comes from the Uighur language, meaning "steep hill", and now it refers to a landform of wind-eroded hollows, mounds, etc. When strong wind blows, queer sounds can be heard, so the spot was called a "devil city".Due to long-term wind erosion, soft sands and small stones have been swept away, leaving behind regular gullies on the ground and standing earth hillocks of different sizes, shaped like human figure, horse, camel, tortoise, crocodile, pole, yurt, palace, castle, mushroom and so on.When night falls, the wind gives horrifying howls as if the site was haunted by thousands of wild animals. While experts hail it as a geological wonder, the third one of its kind ever found in China.

Morning you can appreciate the beautiful Sayram River,renowned as a pearl of the Silk Road, is the largest alpine lake in Xinjiang. It is located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) southwest of Botala Prefecture, Urumqi. Sayram Lake is a fairyland with wonderful natural scenery. The lake is like a brilliant emerald inlaid in the basin surrounded by Tianshan Mountain. The water in the lake is very pure and clear. Flocks of ducks and swans coast on its surface. Flourishing cypress and cedar trees cover the whole mountain range. Cottages scatter the foothills of the mountains. Horses and sheep call on the mountain slope. What a vivid and splendid picture! Also the Lavender Farm and Fruit Gully,there are numerous pine trees, and rivers and brooks converge here flanking by numerous ridges and peaks. Known as the "1st scene of Ili", the gully has a pleasant cool weather in summer and autumn, and the ground is covered with flowers with bees and butterflies flying and dancing among them. Countless fruits hanging from the branches of the trees on the hillsides, pure white snow far and near, together with flocks of sheep and yurts scattering in the gully here and there compose a beautiful picture of grassland.

Today you will visit the beautiful Naraty Grassland ,which was listed as a nature reserve which located at the important line of communications connecting Southern and Northern Xinjiang, the north part of Naraty Grassland connects to Gongliu and Xinyuan County Town，and west part to Hejing county．East part comes from Aikendaban of northwest Hejing and west part reaches to Wulandaban．It is about 150 kilometers long and 3,000-4,500 meters above sea level．The northern slope faces the wind and yearly rainfall is 400-700mm．A large stretch of wild apple trees have been found in Xinyuan County at the 1,500-2,000 above sea level.It was listed as a nature reserve．

Then drive to Bayinbuluk,check in hotel upon arrival.

After breakfast visit the Bayinbuluk Grassland,it is the second largest grassland in China and is one of the most important stock raising bases of Xinjiang.Visit Bayinbuluk Swan Lake Natural Reserve,lies in Bayinbuluk grassland,taking up 1,000 square kilometers. In 1986 it was listed by the State as the national nature reserve.It is a paradise of flocks of swan. The swans are like white sails wandering on the lake,carefree and contenting themselves.Therefore it is offered the name“Swan Lake”．This natural reserve is abundant in birds，particularly water birds of various kinds in large quantity. In spring flocks of great swans，little swan and swans with prominent nose nest here to produce their offspring According to investigation, the total number of great swans here are over 6,000-7,000. Mongolian herdsmen treat the swans as angels or happy birds. They take good care of themThe Swan Lake is not only a cool resort in summer but also a fascinating tourist attraction.

Afternoon head to Korla,known as the "City of Pears" and the "City of Petroleum". It’s the capital city of the Bayingholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture which is the largest prefecture in China, encompassing the eastern half of the Taklamakan Desert and extending to the borders of Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu Provinces. The fragrant pears produced in Korla are well-known in China for their sweetness and flavor.Visit the Iron Gate,occupying a strategic position at the mouth of a precipitous gorge on the Konqi River in the north of Korla, the barrier was such a point that one must to pass through before coming into the Tarim Basin from the north. According to textual research, it was set up in Jin Dynasty. Because it is situated in a strategic point and difficult to access, the barrier is vividly called “Iron Gate Barrier”.Walking along the Peacock River after dinner to feel the local’s city lifestyle.

At the early morning drive back to Urumqi,on the way visit the Bosten Lake,which is a freshwater lake located on the northeastern rim of the Tarim Basin, about 20 km east of Yanqi and 57 km northeast ofKorla, Xinjiang, China in the Bayin'gholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. Covering an area of about 1,000 km2(together with adjacent small lakes), it is the largest lake in Xinjiangand one of the largest inland freshwater lakes in China.Bosten lake receives water inflow from a catchment area of 56,000 km2.Taste the wine the Wine Factory,and enjoy the sights of the Wind Power Station on the way.

After breakfast head to visit the Xinjiang Museum,which is the main institution to collect and investigate the unearthed cultural relics and specimens in Xinjiang. There are more than 50 thousand pieces of various kinds of cultural relics stored in the museum, among them, the ancient mummies represented by ‘the Loulan Beauty', manuscripts in Chinese, Kharosthi, Qiuci, Yanji, Tibetan, Uigurian and other characters prevailed in ancient Western Regions, the silk ,wool, cotton and hemp fabrics and folk retainment, etc., are unusual tidbits in the world.And then transfer to the airport,take the flight to your destination.