Altay has returned, and I really don't recommend going in July to August. I just want to tell the truth.

🌿 Core itinerary: grasslands, lakes + starry sky + culture

Budget reference: 2k-3k (peak season accommodation is the biggest expense!)

Best season: June to September (20℃ cool weather ceiling🍃)

Transportation: direct flight to Altay Airport✈️ or Urumqi high-speed train + carpool (about 6h)

🗓️ Day 1: Rush into the fairy tale grassland!

📍 Morning

✔️ Free fun at Ulungur Lake💧

▫️ Head straight to the "Golden Coast" area! Jelly Lake + white salt flats for seaside-style photos

🍜 Lunch: Wild fish feast in Fuhai County🐟 (stir-fried dogfish + braised five-black fish)

📍 Afternoon

✔️ Sunset burning at Five-Color Beach🔥 (⚠️ Entry stops at 18:30!)

▫️ Enter the scenic area before 7 pm, head straight to the third viewing platform to shoot colorful hills + Irtysh River in one frame

▫️ Hidden spot: turn right 500 meters outside the scenic area for a free cliff (fewer people, wilder scenery!)

🌌 Overnight in Burqin:

▫️ Stroll Russian-style street🌉, drink kvass and eat grilled dogfish

▫️ Accommodation tip: choose Xiaocheng Story Hotel, terrace star-gazing is great value!

🗓️ Day 2: Enter the god’s reserved land

🚗 Depart at 7:00 straight to Kanas (buy tickets in advance for 230 yuan!)

📍 Highlights:

✔️ Horseback ride to Guanyutai🐎:

▫️ For low stamina, choose horseback riding (300 yuan/person) to save effort and get great shots

▫️ Climb to the top to see the panoramic view of Kanas Lake, worth 100 times more than taking a boat!

✔️ Hike the Three Bays Fairy Road👟:

▫️ Strongly recommend: hike from Moon Bay to Wolong Bay (3km boardwalk, fewer people and dense scenery!)

▫️ Insider tip: wait at Fairy Bay at 2 pm for rising mist🌫️

🏡 Overnight in Hemu Village:

▫️ Stay in a cabin, choose the new village for quieter, old village is convenient for photos

▫️ Must-do: after 10 pm, go up to Harden viewing platform to shoot the Milky Way🌌 (even iPhones can take great shots!)

🗓️ Day 3: Be a Tuva for a day

📍 Early morning

✔️ Hemu sunrise sea of clouds☁️ (get up at 6 am!):

▫️ Horseback ride/hike up to Harden platform, watch morning fog engulf the village (wear down jacket!)

🎨 Morning

✔️ Birch forest sketching🎨:

▫️ Free forest at village entrance, bring drawing board + folding chair to instantly become an artistic heroine

✔️ Visit Tuva family🎵:

▫️ Drink salty milk tea and listen to sur music🎵 (50 yuan/person, avoid commercial performance spots)

🚌 Return trip:

▫️ Take the scenic area shuttle bus down the mountain before 12 noon

▫️ Surprise on the way: buy fresh yogurt curds in Chonghuer Town🍶 (10 yuan a bag, so sour it makes you frown!)

🚨 Blood and tears experience warning

✅ Sunscreen three-piece set: ice sleeves + face cover + sunglasses (UV rays are so strong you can’t open your eyes!)

✅ Pitfall prevention guide:

▫️ Ask fish prices clearly at Burqin night market before ordering!🐟

▫️ Bargaining phrase for horseback riding in Hemu: "Can it be cheaper if several people go together?"

✅ Essential luggage:

▫️ Disposable bed sheet (you know the hygiene in cabins)

▫️ Mosquito repellent + warm jacket (15℃ temperature difference between morning and night!)

🔥 Must-eat:

Altay city: No. 3 cold noodles (sour, spicy, and chewy)

Burqin: No. 49 meatball soup (with oily flatbread, fragrant and intoxicating)

Hemu Village: Earth hotpot (lamb + wild mushrooms, incredibly fresh)

💡 Final blunt words:

Kanas scenic area shuttle buses are few❗️If staying in Hemu, pack light🎒

Bring enough cash! There is often no signal in the mountains📵