Ili + Bayinbuluke Grassland Jackpot

Not going to Ili in June is like wasting the summer! I traveled through two major grasslands + the middle section of the Duku Highway, so beautiful it left me speechless｜Complete record of the "Jackpot-level" Xinjiang route

---

Have you ever seen scenes like this?
In the early morning, Sayram Lake looks like a sapphire gently placed in the embrace of the Tianshan Mountains,
Turning into the Ili River Valley, where lavender fields ripple like a purple ocean;
In the afternoon, galloping on the Nalati "Sky Grassland," with sheep rolling like clouds;
At dusk, waiting at Bayinbuluke’s Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns,
The sunset glow spills over the Kaidu River—at that moment, nine suns rise simultaneously.

This is not a movie screenshot,
This is the 2024 summer Ili + Bayinbuluke Grassland jackpot loop.

This time, we don’t just check in at single spots,
But connect Xinjiang’s two most beautiful trump cards—
“Ili, the South of the Great Wall” + “China’s Most Beautiful Grassland” Bayinbuluke —
with a golden route, and conveniently cross the middle section of the Duku Highway,
completing a visually stunning summer feast.

📍 Route Overview
Urumqi → Sayram Lake → Yining (Lavender) → Nalati Grassland → Bayinbuluke Grassland → Middle section of Duku Highway (Gongnaisi Forest Farm) → Return to Urumqi
🗓 Recommended duration: 8-9 days｜🚗 Best for self-driving/carpool｜💰 Budget: 4000–5500 RMB/person
🌤 Best season: June – August (lush grass and flowers, pleasant climate, full Duku Highway open)

---

🌊【Day 1】Urumqi → Sayram Lake｜Encounter the "Last Tear of the Atlantic"
✅ Depart in the morning, about 5 hours west along the Lianhuo Expressway
- The lake water is crystal clear blue, with pine forests and snow-capped mountains reflected on the southern shore, like a fairyland
- You can drive or cycle around the lake (recommended to enter from the south gate and exit from the east gate for the best scenery)

📸 Must-shoot spots:
- The General’s Platform at sunrise: mist rises over the lake, light and shadow like a dream
- Cliff edge near the pine trees for an overhead shot of the S-shaped shoreline

🔥 Hidden activity: Camping and stargazing! The Milky Way stretches across the Borokonu Ridge, absolutely breathtaking

🏨 Stay at the RV campground or lakeside guesthouse in the Sayram Lake scenic area｜Peak season about 350–500 RMB

💡 Reminder: It’s windy by the lake, bring a windbreaker!

---

💜【Day 2】Sayram Lake → Yining → Princess Jieyou Lavender Manor｜Step into purple romance
✅ Stop at Guozigou Bridge on the way, park to admire the canyon rainbow (a prime drone launch spot)
✅ Arrive in Yining in the afternoon, check in at Princess Jieyou Lavender Manor (peak bloom mid to late June)
- Vast purple flower seas sway in the breeze, with a faint fragrance in the air
- Wear a white dress for photos and instantly become a French countryside heroine

✅ Evening stroll and eat at Liuxing Street:
- Must-try: handmade ice cream, kvass, baked buns with rose tea

🏨 Stay at a characteristic guesthouse in Yining｜About 260 RMB

📌 Fun fact: "Princess Jieyou" was a Han Dynasty princess married off to the Wusun tribe; this Silk Road romance continues to this day.

---

🌿【Day 3-4】Yining → Nalati Grassland｜Enter the "Sky Garden"
✅ Arrive at Nalati, one of China’s six most beautiful grasslands
- Choose to tour the "Sky Grassland" and "Valley Grassland" by shuttle
- Recommended to hike into the non-core area to avoid crowds and enjoy the snow-capped mountains and streams alone

📷 Photo tips:
- Silhouettes of horsemen in the valley morning mist
- Children running on the hillside framed with sheep

🔥 Bonus experience: Horseback ride deep into the Tawsani Pasture and enjoy a bowl of hot milk tea

🏨 Stay at a boutique guesthouse in Nalati Town｜About 300 RMB

---

🌅【Day 5-6】Nalati → Bayinbuluke｜Wait for the miracle of the "Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns"
✅ Highlight: Cross the middle section of the Duku Highway (Nalati → Bayin segment)
- The winding mountain road snakes through alpine meadows, with snow mountains on one side and cliffs on the other
- Summer wildflowers everywhere, herds of cattle and sheep, known as the "moving oil painting gallery"

✅ Arrive at Bayinbuluke Grassland (altitude 2500m)
- Visit Swan Lake Nature Reserve to see elegant knob-billed swans swimming
- Arrive at the Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns viewing platform before dusk to await the sunset spectacle:
✅ When the light angle is perfect, the sunset forms nine reflections on the winding Kaidu River, like nine suns rising simultaneously!

⚠️ Notes:
- The scenic area is large; check the weather in advance (only visible on sunny days)
- Bring warm clothes; nighttime temperatures can drop below 5°C

🏨 Stay at Bayinbuluke town hotel or Mongolian yurt-style accommodation｜About 350 RMB

---

🌲【Day 7-8】Bayinbuluke → Gongnaisi Forest Farm → Northern Duku Highway → Urumqi｜Complete the return trip
✅ Return along the northern section of the Duku Highway, passing Gongnaisi National Forest Park
- Pristine spruce forests, babbling streams, a cool summer retreat
- Short stops for hiking or picnics are possible

✅ Continue driving through Qiaolma and Dushanzi, finally returning to Urumqi

🚘 Total driving time about 7 hours, recommend early departure with frequent breaks

---

✅ Budget breakdown (per person):
Item Cost
------ ------
Transport in/out of Urumqi (train/flight) ¥1000–1800
Car rental/carpool (including fuel and tolls) ¥2000
Accommodation (8 nights average ¥300) ¥2400
Tickets + shuttle (Sayram Lake, Nalati, Bayinbuluke, etc.) ¥600
Food + snacks + souvenirs (lavender products, milk curds, etc.) ¥700
Total ¥4000–5500

---

🌟 Why is this route called the "Grassland Jackpot"?
> Because it combines all at once—
✅ Two top grasslands: the softness of Nalati + the vastness of Bayinbuluke
✅ A legendary highway: the middle and northern sections of the Duku, every kilometer a wallpaper
✅ An ultimate sunset: Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns, the "nine suns" only for the patient

This is not just a trip,
but a baptism for the eyes and soul.

📌 Action advice:
Check your annual leave now!
Late June to mid-July is the golden period:
Lavender still blooming, grass at its greenest, most flowers, full Duku Highway open...
Miss this, and you’ll have to wait until next summer.