Reverse travel is amazing! Hidden autumn activities at Tianshan Tianchi, searching for the original autumn colors of the Kazakh pasture

While most tourists queue at the fixed viewing platform to take photos, I have already headed towards the snowy mountains and walked into a golden pasture. This hidden activity guide will help you unlock a more down-to-earth and lively autumn at Tianshan Tianchi.
【Itinerary Planning: Themed Route (Cultural Experience Line)】
My route is: check in by the Tianchi Lake → find the hiking trail towards Denggan Mountain or Hainan (the south shore of Tianchi) → visit the Kazakh pastures along the way → if possible, experience simple herder life → picnic in the embrace of snowy mountains and forests → admire Tianchi from different angles. This route focuses more on exploration and cultural exchange.
【Highlights Recommendation: Value Proposition】
Very few people! Denggan Mountain direction: Most tourists don’t venture deeply in this direction, but the autumn scenery here is more pristine, with open views where you can capture the magnificent scene of Tianchi, snowy mountains, and golden forest belts in one frame.
Amazing experience! Encounter Kazakh pastures: At the edge of the scenic area, you may meet migrating Kazakh herders and their flocks of sheep and cattle. The golden grasslands, herds of livestock, and white yurts form a vivid autumn pastoral picture.
Unique perspective! Hainan (South Shore) view: Looking from the south shore to the north shore, the perspective is completely different. Bogda Peak appears more majestic, and this side is very quiet.
【Check-in Guide: Hidden Activities】
Photograph herder life: If you are lucky to meet friendly herders, with their permission, you can photograph scenes of them milking cows, making naan bread, riding horses, etc. Photos with a cultural documentary feel are warmer than pure landscapes.
Find a tree: On the vast pasture grassland, you can always find a solitary and graceful tree. Using it as the subject with snowy mountains and blue sky as the background, the photos are full of poetry and loneliness.
Create interaction: Try interacting with the pasture animals (keep a safe distance), such as quiet cattle and sheep, or friendly horses of the herders, to make the scene lively.
Record video: Use your phone to record a video capturing the sound of wind blowing through the golden meadow, the calls of cattle and sheep, and the babbling of streams. These dynamic images restore the atmosphere better than photos.
【In-depth Experience Story】
We walked along the lakeshore to a less crowded area, climbed over a small hill, and suddenly the view opened up: a golden alpine meadow spread out at the foot of the snowy mountains, several white yurts with curling smoke, and flocks of sheep scattered like pearls on the grassland. A Kazakh child rode a horse past us, looking at us curiously. We tried to approach and communicated with an elderly woman using simple Mandarin and gestures. She warmly invited us to drink a bowl of hot milk tea. Sitting on a wooden bench outside the yurt, drinking milk tea and watching this peaceful pastoral scene, we felt we were no longer hurried tourists but briefly entering their life. This experience is far more precious than a standard sightseeing photo.
【Practical Information: Pitfall Avoidance Guide⚠️】
Respect first: Kazakh pastures are private areas. Do not enter yurts or get too close to livestock without permission. Take photos from a distance, and if they are friendly, you can wave hello.
Safe distance: Be careful of herding dogs; do not provoke or run. Keep a safe distance from large livestock such as cattle and horses.
Leave no trace: Take all your trash with you and do not disturb the pasture’s peace and cleanliness.
Know your limits: Pay attention to time and physical strength when hiking; don’t go too far to avoid getting lost after dark.
【Food and Accommodation🍽️🏡】
Food: After returning to Urumqi, be sure to try authentic Xinjiang big plate chicken, kebabs, and mixed noodles to reward yourself.
Accommodation: Usually, a one-day trip to Tianchi is enough. Staying in Urumqi offers more choices and convenience.
Opening Tianshan Tianchi this way, you will see an autumn beyond the postcard—more real and touching.