Spent 72 Hours as a Wild Man in Altay and Cured My City Anxiety!

🌿 **[Altay Summer Heat Escape Complete Guide] — A 20°C Nordic Summer with Grasslands, Sea of Flowers, and Starry Sky** *✈️ **Transportation Guide** **1️⃣ Main Transportation** - **Airplane**: Ürümqi → Altay Airport (1.5h, many flights in summer) - **Train**: Ürümqi → Beitun City (overnight train, saves one night's accommodation) **2️⃣ Local Transportation** - **Chartered Car**: Kanas/Hemu/Koktokay loop, SUV recommended (approx. CNY 800/day) - **Self-driving**: S232 Provincial Highway (Altay-Burjin), stunning scenery along the way --- 🗺️ **5 Days and 4 Nights Essence Route** **Day 1: Altay City → Burjin** - **Morning**: - Visit the "Altay Museum" to see the grassland stone men (free) - Eat an authentic Kazakh breakfast: Baursaki + butter tea - **Afternoon**: - Drive 2h to Burjin, check in at "Wucaitan Sunset" (ticket CNY 45) - Night tour of "Burjin Riverside Night Market": eat dogfish barbecue, drink Kvass **Day 2: Burjin → Kanas Lake** - **Key Experience**: ✅ Take a boat trip on the lake (CNY 120/person) to see the reflection of the snow-capped mountains ✅ Hike the "Lakeside Boardwalk" to find wild swans ✅ Stay in a wooden house in the new village, and photograph herds of cattle and sheep returning in the evening **Day 3: Kanas → Hemu Village** - **Secret Realm Gameplay**: - Horseback riding through "Xiaohei Lake" (4h, wildflowers all the way) - Step on the water under the Hemu Bridge and experience the Tuva people's cold water bath **Day 4: Hemu → Jikepulin Grassland** - **Niche Recommendation**: - Take the cable car to "Yunxiao Peak" and overlook the border of the four countries - Participate in the Kazakh "Aken Aytysh" (random encounter) **Day 5: Koktokay** - **Geological Wonders**: - Hike the "Shenzhong Mountain Canyon" - Explore the No. 3 mine pit (once repaid 40% of China's foreign debt) 🌸 **Summer Limited Experience** 1️⃣ **Grassland Wildflower Feast**: - Qongqushter picking Corydalis/Snow Lotus (most prosperous in July) - Served with mare's milk wine + dried meat 2️⃣ **Starry Sky Yurt Camping**: - Recommended "Tole Hait Ranch" - The Milky Way is visible to the naked eye (avoid the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar) 3️⃣ **Herdsmen's Transhumance Photography**: - Meet millions of cattle and sheep migrating in late June and early July 🏡 **Accommodation Recommendation** - **Light Luxury Style**: 🌟 Kanas Yuehu Hotel (lake view floor-to-ceiling windows) 🌟 Hemu Centennial Old House (non-heritage renovated homestay) - **Cost-Effective**: 🔸 Burjin Xiaobaiyang Youth Hostel (backpacker gathering place) 🔸 Qongqushter Yunhai Villa (grassland Mongolian yurt) 🍖 **Must-Eat Food** - **Hardcore**: 🔥 Dried meat pilaf (Burjin "Sveda Restaurant") 🔥 Kazakh Naren (horse meat noodle soup) *Little Fresh**: 🌿 Sea buckthorn ice cream (Hemu village entrance pushcart stall) 🌿 Wild strawberry jam with naan 📸 **Photo Guide** 1️⃣ **Clothing**: White long skirt + cowboy hat (grassland) / colorful shawl (village) 2️⃣ **Time**: - 7-9am (soft light + morning mist) - 8-10pm (golden sunset) 3️⃣ **God-level position**: - Hemu "Hongbas Grand Grassland" flower sea - Kanas "Yaze Lake" reflection --- ⚠️ **Avoid Pit Warning** - Sun protection three-piece set: sunglasses + SPF50+ sunscreen + sun hat - Mosquito repellent must be brought: grassland bites (midges) are more poisonous than mosquitoes - Cash preparation: some pastures have poor signals **🌄 Locals say:** "The summer in Altay is too short, It's as short as a dream that I don't want to wake up from." > **Alternative Short Trip Routes**: > - **3 Days and 2 Nights Quick Play Edition**: Kanas + Hemu > - **Parent-child Friendly Edition**: Koktokay + Wucaitan + grassland horseback riding