“God's Reserved Land”: The Mysterious Kanas

Located in Altay, Xinjiang, Kanas Lake is known as the most beautiful lake in China. Its picturesque scenery is breathtaking, and it is also known as a "fairyland on earth" and "God's garden." Kanas Lake is the only alpine lake in Asia with a "Swiss landscape." Starting in May, the ice and snow gradually melt, and the lake water turns light green or turquoise as the surrounding plants turn green. 🕘[Opening Hours]: ⏰: 08:30 - 19:30 💴[Ticket Prices]: 🌟Tickets: Can be purchased on various platforms or at Jiadengyu. Ticket + one-way shuttle bus/CNY 230, students/seniors CNY 150. ⛺[Activities]: 🌈Three Bays and One Lake: 1. Guanyutai (Fish Viewing Platform): Ascend Guanyutai to overlook the entire Kanas Lake. The stunning scenery is beyond words. 2. Shenxianwan (Fairy Bay): Located in the Kanas Scenic Area of Altay, Xinjiang, it is a shoal formed by Kanas Lake in a gentle mountain stream. When viewed against the light, the lake surface sparkles with tiny fragments of light under the sun, like countless pearls scattered randomly. Hence, it is also called "Pearl Beach." Coupled with the often lingering clouds and mist, the mountain scenery, lake water, and trees complement each other, creating a fairyland-like atmosphere. This is how Shenxianwan got its name. The ethereal, dreamlike scenery makes visitors feel like they are in a fairyland. 3. Yueliangwan (Moon Bay): Winding through the river valley, two shoals resembling footprints have developed in the upper and lower river bends, earning it the name "Footprints of the Gods." Legend has it that these are the footprints left by Genghis Khan when he chased his enemies. 4. Wolongwan (Sleeping Dragon Bay): Named after the small island in the lake that resembles a dragon playing in the water, the lake is surrounded by lush vegetation and blooming flowers, like a beautiful oil painting. 🌈Detailed Itinerary: ➡Navigate to the parking lot in the service area, transfer to the scenic bus (Jiadengyu Bus Route 1) to the transfer center. It is recommended to sit on the left side! You can see the Three Bays along the way! It takes about 50 mins. ➡Book Guanyutai tickets, take Kanas Bus Route 2 to the Guanyutai stop. The road spirals upwards for about 20 mins. After getting off the bus, you need to climb another 1,000 steps to reach Guanyutai. ⚠Although the view of Kanas Lake from the 500th step is similar to that from the 1,000th step, the surrounding scenery is truly beautiful! It's definitely worth it! Be sure to persevere to the top! ➡Return to the transfer center. ➡Take Kanas Bus Route 1 to Kanas Lake. This is a public bus ride, about 5 mins. After getting off, walk a short distance to the lakeside. ➡Return to the transfer center. ➡Take Jiadengyu Bus Route 1 to pass by the Three Bays. By this time, you will be quite tired, so it's important to know how far to walk to take photos! ✅Shenxianwan: No walking required, take photos immediately after getting off the bus, and get back on the bus after taking photos. ✅Yueliangwan: You need to walk about 800m to reach the viewing platform to take photos. ✅Wolongwan: No walking required, you don't even need to get off the bus. Take photos directly from the right side of the bus! Many people don't get off at this stop, and it takes a long time to get back on the bus after getting off, so it's better to take photos directly from the bus. ➡Return to the service center. 🚌[Transportation]: From Urumqi, you can choose to fly directly to Kanas Airport, or you can choose to drive or take a long-distance bus. However, please note that due to the remote location of Kanas, transportation is relatively underdeveloped, so it is essential to plan your itinerary in advance. 👉[Itinerary]: D1: Gather in Urumqi from all over the country - stay in Urumqi D2: Urumqi - S21 Desert Highway - Five Colored Beach - stay in Burqin (517 km) D3: Burqin - Birch Forest - Beautiful Peak - Stargazing at night - stay in Hemu (155 km) D4: Hemu - Kanas Lake - Guanyutai - stay in Kanas (95 km) D5: Kanas - Three Bays light hike - stay in Urho (383 km) D6: Urho - Urho Devil City - Dushanzi Grand Canyon - stay in Kuitun (239 km) D7: Kuitun - Sailimu Lake loop - encounter swans - afternoon tea - stay at Sailimu Lake (306 km) D8: Sailimu Lake - Bole/Urumqi disband Note: Sailimu Lake to Bole Airport (106 km), Sailimu Lake to Urumqi (539 km) 🧡[Preparation]: Kanas Lake is located in a high-altitude area with changeable weather, so please be sure to prepare cold-proof and sun-proof items before traveling. At the same time, please respect local customs and the natural environment, and practice responsible tourism.