China's Autumn "Ceiling": A Guide to Autumn Viewing in Northern Xinjiang
Preface
When it comes to the Great Migration, has this scene already appeared
in your mind ?
On the African grasslands, millions of wildebeest and zebras prepare to cross the Mara River.
Lions on the river bank watch eagerly, and crocodiles in the river wait eagerly.
It's truly spectacular, but the price of 30,000 or 40,000 yuan is out of reach.
😭Have you ever thought about this?
In Altay, Xinjiang, China,
an equally spectacular "Epic of Life" will also be staged.
@Mo青
Every September, when autumn paints the Altai Mountains ablaze with golden color, the Kazakh herders of Altay drive their herds of "millions" of cattle and sheep on a grand journey home.
Camel caravans, laden with belongings from their yurts, herds of cattle and sheep surge over the mountain ridges like a tide, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust... This is the millennia-old nomadic wisdom of transhumance—the transhumance process.
@HappyMoMo
What is transhumance? It's the orderly relocation of livestock pastures according to the grass growth cycle. This unique nomadic culture, gradually formed over a long period of nomadic life, has evolved over time,
driven by the urge to move from place to place. While the spectacular spectacle of the nomads' great transhumance captivates the world, Altay in September quietly presents an even more magnificent visual feast.
Hailed by National Geographic China as "China's Most Beautiful Autumn," this region embodies the essence of "concentrated perfection" with its unique charm.
In terms of sheer color intensity, the top spot might go to Arxan in Hulunbuir; in terms of visual impact, the autumn colors of Ding in western Sichuan are equally captivating. However, the beauty of northern Xinjiang lies in its diverse, three-dimensional aesthetics—snow-capped mountains, alpine meadows, forests and lakes, and the vibrant, fiery thousand-year-old poplar forests.
@HappyMoMo, Ellis
Hi everyone, I’m Wenwu, the Xinjiang Product Manager of China-TravelNote.
I can finally share my beloved autumn in northern Xinjiang with you again!
Every autumn, what I look forward to most is lazing in my Tuvan cabin, listening to the bustling crowds outside the window, letting my mind wander. When I feel tired, I go for a walk or sit on the swing by the door. Here, time passes with extraordinary gentleness, and no matter how I squander it, I never feel guilty.
Wenwu's Xinjiang Autumn Travel Fragments🧩
If Xinjiang is 10 points beautiful, 9 points must be in the northern part of Xinjiang
Kanas
This is one of the 10 best travel destinations in China, selected by National Geographic. As the Chinese extension of the Siberian Taiga, its autumn scenery rivals Switzerland's: snow-capped peaks reflected in the Mirror Lake, golden leaves blanketing the lakeside, and the winding Three Bays.
@fly
To fully immerse ourselves in Kanas, we planned two light hikes over a full day, allowing us to experience autumn in its purest and most natural way. We ascended a 1,068-step wooden plank road to the Fish-Watching Terrace at an altitude of 2,030 meters.
Perched atop the mountains, this spot offers the best vantage point overlooking Kanas Lake, its waters shifting shades of blue, green, cyan, and gray in the sunlight. This spot was once the source of rumors about the mysterious "Kanas Lake Monster."
Starting from the "S-bend" of Moon Bay, stroll along the riverside wooden boardwalk. The flowing Kanas River lies at your feet, and you can touch the clear waters. The Siberian larch and taiga forests on both banks are bathed in the golden autumn colors. This 3-kilometer leisurely hike offers a glimpse into the essence of the Three Bays, unattainable by the shuttle bus.
With the "Northern Xinjiang Autumn Photography" and "Exclusive Northern Xinjiang Autumn Scenery" tours, you'll enjoy a two-day, one-night stay within Kanas Scenic Area, allowing you to savor autumn moments all to yourself.
Early in the morning, milky white mist rises from the shores of Shenxian Bay, filling the Kanas River Valley. As the mist gathers, the river and shoreline gradually blur into one. This is a truly unique experience, unlike the hurried crowds that flock to and from the area, only those staying within the scenic area can experience!
@HappyMoMo
🔻Recommended route:
Depart from Urumqi | 9 days and 8 nights
Enjoy the Autumn Colors of Northern Xinjiang | Altay and Sayram Lake, 9-Day First-Class Bus Tour
Starting from ￥9580 2176 people have registered Sign up nowClick on the picture for details🔺
Grass
At 5 a.m. in Hemu Village, in the 3°C chill, I stumbled up to the Harden Terrace, wrapped in a down jacket. As the first rays of morning light pierced the mist, smoke curled from hundreds of small wooden roofs, and the entire birch forest instantly ignited into a golden waterfall. At that moment, I could hear my heart skipping a beat.
@Axin
I've always believed that Hemu's charm lies half in its dreamy morning mist and half in its unique sense of the everyday. Hemu possesses an innate sense of ease and contentment.
Unlike the pristine lakeside scenery of Kanas, the Tuva villages nestled among birch trees here embody my vision of a "paradise on earth."
@Ice Blue
The steam rising from the forest blends quietly with the smoke rising from the village; the footprints of various animals quietly intertwine on the snow and mud. All of this unfolds in harmony in this small village nestled deep in the mountains.
Baihaba
This is the terminus of the legendary National Highways G219 and G331. It sits atop the Rooster's Tail Feathers in the northwesternmost corner of China. Just 2 kilometers away across the river from Kazakhstan, it's known as the "First Village in the Northwest."
Among the three major scenic spots in northern Xinjiang, it was developed the latest and has the least commercial traces. Log cabins are scattered everywhere, and big-tailed sheep are scattered in the courtyard surrounded by fences.
@Ice Blue, Dingzi
Smoke from cooking and morning mist linger in the woods. Climbing up the hillside next to the village in the early morning, you can see the snow-capped mountains tinged with gold in the morning light, as if you have entered a secret village in a fairy tale.
@Ice Blue, Eighteen
As part of our Northern Xinjiang Hiking itinerary, we've included a specially designed 18km light hike from Baihaba to Kanas, where every step is immersed in a boundless canvas of autumn colors.
Forests, meadows, streams, and the distant Altai Mountains connect the soul of Northern Xinjiang in the simplest and most pristine way.
🔻Recommended route:
Depart from Urumqi | 7 days and 6 nights
Hiking in Northern Xinjiang and Nomadic Altai | 7-Day Altai Tour into the World of Oil Painting
Starting from ￥7980 1140 people have signed up Sign up nowClick on the picture for details🔺
China-TravelNote 10-year autumn sales champion
👑Recommended route👑
The soul of the trip to Northern Xinjiang lies in the three core scenic spots
of Kanas, Hemu and Baihaba.
Once upon a time, our China-TravelNote product team also had a disagreement - faced with soaring accommodation prices in scenic spots, should we compromise on costs and sacrifice experience, or continue to insist on travel quality?
Considering how much trouble it is to visit Xinjiang! You spend thousands of dollars, fly over 4,000 kilometers, plan your vacation in advance, and carefully ask for leave from your boss/leader...
Ultimately, we made a difficult decision! We decided to keep our 2+1 night stay in the core scenic area, 2 nights in a Tuva cabin (over 1800 RMB) during peak season, and 1 night at the entrance to Kanas Scenic Area. We firmly believe that staying in autumn is the only way to truly experience northern Xinjiang! This isn't just about convenience, it's about the irreplaceable travel experience!
This investment in "staying in autumn" isn't just about upgrading your accommodations; it's about experiencing autumn for yourself.
@光音
When the throngs of daytime tourists leave and the scenic area returns to its pristine tranquility, time can truly slow down. Take a stroll along the nearly deserted paths, listening to the gurgling river and the whispering autumn breeze. The Milky Way stretches across the sky like a brilliant ribbon, and the stars are within reach. The sunrise and morning mist the next morning are the best returns on this investment.
@HappyMoMo
In addition to spending a lot of money to stay in the scenic area, we also put a lot of "deviant ideas" into our itinerary. As we all know, the most brilliant time in northern Xinjiang is only 20 days a year. At this time of year, traffic is paralyzed, queues are crowded, and even buying tickets is difficult.
@Ashley
To avoid the crowds, China-TravelNote planned a "reverse" approach to Kanas! Instead of going through the regular Jadengyu main gate, we drove along the China-Kazakhstan border highway into Baihaba, the first village in Northwest China, and then took a dispatched vehicle back into Kanas Scenic Area. This ensured ample time for our visit while avoiding the crowds.
@Mo青
In the [Exclusive Experience of Northern Xinjiang Autumn Colors] tour, we've arranged a 3+1 night of scenic area accommodations! In addition to 3 nights in Kanas, Hemu, and Baihaba, you'll also get one night at the entrance of Saihu Scenic Area, so you don't miss the sunrise and sunset over the Atlantic Ocean's last tear~
🍂🍂🍂We've
also prepared a
Xinjiang autumn scenery route comparison chart
to help you choose the one that suits you best👇🏻
This autumn, journey to China's most beautiful fall colors. When the ultimate colors meet distant mountains and rivers,
let's go to see what National Geographic
calls "China's Top Autumn Colors."
