Poetic China's Ili Station: A 7-Day, 6-Night Moving Oil Painting Journey

🌸 Into the Ili River Valley | A 7-day, 6-night moving oil painting journey! Grassland flower seas + snow-capped mountains and lakes all included "In Ili, every day is a Windows desktop wallpaper—lavender purple waves, blue lakes against snowy peaks, and emerald green ribbons of aerial grasslands!" Best time to visit: May - June (lavender + wildflower seas) | July - August (peak grassland season) | September (early autumn hues) 📅 Itinerary Highlights Day 1: Blue Lake Prelude · The Refreshing Serenity of Sayram Lake Day 2: Purple Dreamscape · Lavender Fields and Kazanqi Blue Day 3: Aerial Grasslands · The Cloud Pastoral of Nalati Day 4: Human Body Grasslands · The Curved Allure of Kalajun Day 5: Ancient Trail Mystery · A Pilgrimage Hike to Xiate Snow Mountain Day 6: Oasis Culture · Xibo Ancient City and a Culinary Fiesta Day 7: Free Palette · Time Stands Still in Qiongkushitai 🚗 Detailed Daily Itinerary Day 1: The Last Tear of the Atlantic Morning: Self-drive to Sayram Lake! Run along the wooden boardwalk in a white dress, photograph the snow-capped mountains reflected in the cobalt-blue lake, and feel the icy chill of glacial meltwater on your fingertips💧. Afternoon: Climb Songshutou for a panoramic view, chance upon swans swimming past the S-curve road, and capture the "Velvet Road" with a telephoto lens🦢. Evening: Stay in the Guozigou Golden Peak tents, enjoy grilled high-white salmon skewers (exclusive to Sayram Lake!), and wrap yourself in a blanket as the Milky Way descends into the cliffside forest🌌. Day 2: Provence Upgraded 9:00 Get lost in Huocheng's lavender fields! Wear a light purple dress and crouch in the flower fields of the 65th Regiment, using windmills/swings as props for French-style oil painting shots (bring mosquito repellent! Beware of enthusiastic bees). 14:00 Explore Kazanqi Folk Village: Ride a carriage through Uyghur blue alleys, capture the heartwarming moment of children offering mulberries, and learn to make handmade ice cream with raspberry sauce🧊. 20:00 Listen to accordion music in a Russian-style courtyard on Liuxing Street, munch on Russian rye bread dipped in wild honey, and take retro film photos at the blue-walled bakery. Day 3: Nalati's Green Fairy Tale Dawn: Catch the first bus to the Nomad's Homestead! Rush to the aerial grasslands to lie in the flower sea, wait for the morning mist to envelop the snowy peaks and fir forests, and ride horses to find marmot holes (⚠️ Do not feed them). Afternoon: Venture into the valley grasslands to wade through streams, photograph the play of light in wild apple forests, and enjoy yogurt curd with baursak in a Kazakh yurt. Bonus: If you stay until dusk, watch the sunset gilding Panlong Valley, as herders drive sheep like flowing golden specks🐑. Day 4: The Curved Aesthetics of Kalajun All-day trek through the Human Body Grasslands: ✅ Lie in the five-colored floral carpets of Flower Terrace, and capture the "earth's ribs" curves with a drone. ✅ Hike to the snow fir forests at Eagle Terrace, and chance upon herders training eagles (check performance times!). ✅ Photograph floating boulders in the Kuerdai River Canyon, and picnic on wind-dried horse meat naren by the cliffs. Stay overnight in a herder's home, and photograph the Milky Way arching over the Human Body Grasslands at dawn—so breathtaking it leaves you speechless! Day 5: The Hiking Epic of Xiate Ancient Trail 7:00 Take the first bus to Xiate Scenic Area! Hike lightly from General's Bridge to Flower Terrace, chase marmots through dewdrops, and feel the looming presence of Muzart Snow Peak🏔️. 12:00 Cook self-heating pilaf by the hot springs, and chill watermelon in snowmelt (leave no trace! Pack out all trash). 16:00 Stop at Zhaosu Heavenly Horse Park on the return trip: Watch tens of thousands of horses drinking and galloping at 18:00, their splashes like shattered diamonds (bring a telephoto lens!). Day 6: A Flavor Storm in Yining's Old Town Morning: Try archery at Xibo Ancient City, listen to the "Westward Migration Epic" sung to string music, and photograph the silhouette of the Archery Goddess on the city walls. Afternoon: Raid the Hanren Street Food Bazaar: 🌟 Grab a handful of juicy baked buns (queue code: "Ten to go!"). 🌟 Savor minced meat noodles with raw garlic for a soul-stirring kick. 🌟 Indulge in handmade ice cream drizzled with fig jam, the sweet-sour icy crunch is addictive. Evening: Watch wedding processions at Yili River Bridge, as Uyghur brides in red dresses flutter in the sunset💃. Day 7: The Time Capsule of Qiongkushitai Spend the day secluded in Qiongkushitai Village: ✅ Ride horses through fir forests on the back mountain, overlooking the village like scattered building blocks on grassy slopes. ✅ Wade shallow streams at the entrance of the Wusun Ancient Trail, collecting Tianshan jade as souvenirs. ✅ Stay in a log cabin, chop wood for a fire, and learn to roll milk skin rolls from a Kazakh grandmother. Farewell ritual: Sip kvass as cooking smoke blends into dusk, and let the sound of the stream drown out your heartbeat.