Northern Xinjiang Grand Loop Guide丨22° Summer Hiding in the Folds of Tianshan Mountains

🔥The summer in northern Xinjiang is so beautiful that it seems like a long-planned visual hoax. From the Queen Mother's Jade Pool to the private land of the gods, from the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean to the backbone of the Tianshan Mountains, this journey witnessed the ultimate aesthetics of the Western Regions - glaciers and sea of ​​flowers coexist, Yadan dances with the stars, and horse-riding people breathe together with spruce forests🌲. The skylight of the yurt frames the Milky Way 🌌, and the sound of the horse-head fiddle blends into the evening breeze. They answer the seasons with migration, but we only need to measure freedom with our footsteps. —— 🛬【Itinerary】 D1: Arrive in Urumqi D2: Urumqi - Tianshan Tianchi Special Lecture - Fuyun D3: Fuyun - Keketuohai self-driving - Beitun/Fuhai D4: Beitun/Fuhai - hike to Meili Peak - follow Hemu light photography - talk about the stars at night - stay in Hemu D5: Sunrise in Hemu - Kanas - Hiking in Sanwan - Stay in Kanas/Jiadengyu D6: Kanas/Jiadengyu-Devil City VIP self-drive to enjoy the sunset-stay in Karamay D7: Karamay - Sailimu Lake VIP self-driving (Songshutou - Internet celebrity S Bay - Jinsha Zihui - Keleyongzhu swan watching - Xihai grassland - Swan happy water) - drone aerial photography - stay at Qingshui River Route A: D8: Qingshui River-Kurdenin Spruce Hiking-Kurdenin Route B: D8: Qingshui River - Xiata Qingtu - Zhaosu D9: Kuerdening/Zhaosu-Nalati Sky Grassland VIP self-drive-Snow Lotus Valley-stay in Nalati Town D10: Narat Town - Duku Highway - Qiaoerma - Urumqi return trip —— ⛺【Must-see attractions】 🌀Tianshan Tianchi: the legendary place of Queen Mother of the West, take photos of the reflection of Bogda Peak and decode the secret language of rock paintings. 🌀Keketuohai: A canyon like a geological textbook, exploring the red history of the "meritorious mine pit". 🌀Hemu Village: Climb up to the observation deck to enjoy the morning mist and smoke, and use long exposure to "harvest the Milky Way" late at night. 🌀Kanas Three Bays: Hike from Shenxian Bay to Wolong Bay, and encounter squirrels and mirror reflections. 🌀Devil City: VIP self-drive to chase the sunset at Yadan and listen to the "Symphony of Hell" played by the wind-eroded rock walls. 🌀Sailimu Lake: Drive around the lake to look for swans, and take some "jumping into the sea" photos from the cliff. 🌀Kurdenin: Travel through the snow-capped spruce forest and touch the annual ring code of the 3,200-year-old tree king. 🌀Nalati Grassland: Ride a horse to explore the Snow Lotus Valley and unlock the Kazakh stone pile blessing ceremony. 🌀Duku Highway: Four seasons in one calendar, touch the July snow at Hashilegenda Pass. —— 🍩【Must-eat food】 ✅Baked buns (Lingguan Lane, Urumqi): Lamb meat cubes wrapped in crispy skin, bursting with juice in one bite. ✅Hand-pulled rice (Kanas Scenic Area): yellow radish + raisins, oily but not greasy. ✅Big plate chicken (Kuitun/Dushanzi): belt noodles dipped in soup, carb ecstasy. ✅Grilled lamb kebabs (Hemu Wood House Restaurant): freshly slaughtered lamb + fragrant red willow branches. ✅Nanbao Rou (Nalati Town): The nanbao is full of broth, and it is more enjoyable to eat by tearing it into pieces. —— 🏨【Accommodation Guide】 🔸Hemu/Kanas: Give priority to wooden house B&Bs in the scenic area. You can see the stars when you open the window, but the overall conditions and facilities are relatively simple. The price increases greatly during the peak season and it is difficult to find a room. 🔸Nalati Muxing Valley: A very distinctive camping homestay, with an independent glass room, a starry sky dome, equipped with a professional astronomical telescope + heater + starry sky projector, private terrace lounge chairs, and a housekeeper providing a "shooting star wake-up service". You can also experience warming yourself by a fire in a yurt and milking cows. 🔸Kurdenin: Ranch camp, surrounded by snow-capped spruce, the scenery is as beautiful as you open your eyes. 270° viewing skylight, overlooking the starry sky at night and the sea of ​​clouds in the morning. —— 🚌【Transportation Guide】 🚄 Transportation: Arrive in Urumqi by plane, buy tickets in advance during peak season (especially Yining/Kanas section). 🚌Local Transportation: Charter: We recommend a 7-seater commercial vehicle with a local driver who is familiar with the Duku terrain. Self-driving: SUV is recommended. The Duku Highway has many bends, so novices should choose with caution. ❗Key road section tips: The speed limit on Duku Highway is 40-60KM/h. Traffic jams are common during peak seasons, so please prepare plenty of snacks. The speed limit around Sailimu Lake is 70KM/h, and the co-driver can take pictures of swans at any time. —— 🧡[tips]： 🪪Documents: Security checks are frequent in Xinjiang, so please carry your mainland China ID card + border pass (required in some areas). 🌞Sun protection: SPF50+sunscreen+sunglasses+sun hat, ultraviolet rays are like a "tanning accelerator". 👘 Clothing: There is a big temperature difference between day and night, so wear a thin down jacket + short-sleeved shirt, and prepare a red skirt/scarf for the Devil City. 🍚Diet: Mutton can easily cause internal heat, so pair it with brick tea or yogurt for balance; people with weak stomachs should be careful when drinking mountain spring water. 👉Environmental protection: Drones are prohibited in Kanas/Kurdenin (except designated areas), and please do not pick up stones. 📈Network: The signal is weak in mountainous areas (especially in the middle section of Hemu/Duku), so download offline maps in advance. 🌅Time difference: Xinjiang’s schedule is 2 hours later, with sunset at 21:30, so meals can be delayed.