Ili Light Hiking Adventure Tour

This hiking route is the "Soul-Opening Way to the Heart of the Tianshan Mountains"｜Complete Light Adventure Record from June to September

Have you ever—
Walked on the "Human Body Grassland" of Kalajun in the early morning,
Where the rolling green waves breathe with the earth, and cloud shadows glide over the ridges as if time has paused?
Ridden horses deep into the century-old village of Qiongkushitai in the afternoon,
With wooden houses scattered among spruce forests, elders sitting at doorways carving wooden spoons, and the sound of eagle flutes coming from afar;
Crossed the Xiata Ancient Trail at dusk, looking up to see the Muzart Glacier coiled like a silver dragon on the horizon...

This is not a dream,
This was a mini expedition I completed in Ili in the summer of 2024.

This time, we don’t take the usual loop,
But delve deep into the heart of the Tianshan Mountains, measuring a truly royal route for nature lovers with our footsteps:
"Ili Light Hiking Adventure Tour"
Starting from the City of Bagua, crossing three secret grasslands,
Completing a "low intensity, high concentration" spiritual escape.

📍 Route Overview
Yining → Tekes → Kalajun (hiking) → Qiongkushitai → Xiata Ancient Trail (light hiking) → Zhaosu → Return to Yining
🗓 Recommended Duration: 7-8 days｜🥾 Hiking + Cultural Experience｜💰 Budget: 5000–7000 RMB/person
🌤 Best Season: June – September (tall grass, accessible roads, stable climate, wildflowers in bloom)

🌿【Day 1】Yining → Tekes → Kalajun Grassland｜Step into the "Human Body Curve" of the World Natural Heritage Site
✅ Arrive at Tekes, the "City of Bagua," a mysterious small town without traffic lights
In the afternoon, enter the Kalajun Grassland (UNESCO World Natural Heritage)
Explore the essence of "Flower Terrace" and "Falcon Terrace":
The rolling meadows resemble giant waves, known as the "Human Body Grassland"
Wildflowers bloom everywhere in June and July, dotted with purple irises and yellow globeflowers

📷 Photography Tips:
Use a wide-angle lens to capture the terrain’s undulations
Side lighting at dawn or dusk creates the most stunning light and shadow layers

🔥 Bonus Activity: Join a short guided hike (about 6 km) led by a local guide to avoid the main tourist crowds

🏨 Stay at a boutique guesthouse in Tekes or upgrade to a pastoral homestay near Kalajun｜About 350 RMB

📌 Fun Fact: "Kalajun" means "black wilderness" in Kazakh, named for the dark appearance of the distant mountains.

🏘️【Day 2-3】Tekes → Qiongkushitai｜Horseback through pristine villages, stay in century-old wooden houses in spruce forests
✅ Private car to Qiongkushitai Village (about 4 hours, last part on unpaved road)
One of China’s most beautiful villages, home to Tuva descendants
All buildings are made of logs with wooden shingle roofs, smoke curling from chimneys

📷 Must-capture scenes:
Wooden houses in morning mist after rain, like a fairy tale
Children herding sheep across a creek bridge, horse hooves splashing water

✅ Stay in a century-old house converted into a guesthouse, fall asleep to the sound of pine waves
Participate in pastoral life experiences like milking cows, baking naan, making cheese curds
Set up a tripod at night to shoot the starry sky, the Milky Way stretching over snow-capped peaks

🔥 Highly Recommended: Hire a local guide to take a hidden horse trail to a rear mountain viewpoint overlooking the whole village

🏨 Stay at a high-end wooden house guesthouse in Qiongkushitai (with private bathroom)｜About 500–600 RMB/night

💡 Reminder: Some accommodations still lack private bathrooms; choose rooms marked "upgraded" for better facilities.

🏔️【Day 4-5】Qiongkushitai → Xiata Ancient Trail｜Walk the glacier corridor on the Silk Road
✅ Drive south to Xiata Scenic Area (within Zhaosu County)
This is a true "ancient trail": Xuanzang traveled west through here during the Tang Dynasty
Along the way, you can see the Muzart Glacier (nearly 6000 meters high), majestic and grand

📸 Hiking Tips:
Light hiking route: Visitor Center → Military Horse Ranch → First Camp (round trip about 10 km)
If physically able, ride horses deeper to the General’s Camp (one way about 20 km)

🔥 Photo Hotspot:
The glacier reflected in the stream creates a "heaven and earth symmetry" wonder
Snow-covered peaks and green grasslands in one frame, strong contrast of cold and warm

🏨 Stay at a unique guesthouse outside Xiata Scenic Area｜About 380 RMB

⚠️ Notes:
Weather changes frequently; bring a windbreaker and rain gear
Not recommended to go alone; a guide or companion is necessary

🌼【Day 6】Xiata → Zhaosu → Million-acre Rapeseed Flower Sea｜Fall into a golden ocean
✅ Arrive at Zhaosu County, "Hometown of the Heavenly Horse"
July exclusive: million-acre rapeseed fields stretch to the horizon
Yellow and green patches undulate with the hills, aerial shots are visually stunning

🐎 Bonus Experience:
Ride the Zhaosu Heavenly Horse, galloping along the edge of the flower sea (with professional coach)
Shoot a "Knight and Flower Sea" themed photo series

✅ Visit the Heavenly Horse Cultural Park or freely explore the county market, buy honey and lavender products

🏨 Stay at a comfortable hotel in Zhaosu｜About 350 RMB

📌 Fun Fact: Zhaosu is the only county in China without mosquitoes, due to constant strong winds and high altitude.

🚘【Day 7-8】Zhaosu → Yining｜Complete the loop
✅ Return to Yining via G577 National Road (about 4 hours)
Stop by the extended Kalajun grassland scenic area or Chapu River Wetland on the way
After arrival, celebrate at Liuxing Street Night Market:
Must-try: handmade ice cream, kvass, roasted buns with rose tea, yogurt zongzi

🏨 Stay at a distinctive guesthouse in Yining with a terrace overlooking the mosque｜About 300 RMB

✅ Budget Breakdown (per person｜light luxury hiking standard):

Item Cost
------ ------
Transport to/from Yining (train/flight) ¥800–1500
Private/shared car (Toyota Land Cruiser with driver/guide) ¥2000
Accommodation (7 nights mixed, including high-end wooden houses) ¥2100
Tickets + horse rental + guide services (Qiongkushitai, Xiata, etc.) ¥800
Food + supplies + insurance + photography gear ¥700
Total ¥5000–7000

💬 Note: Budget can be adjusted—choosing regular guesthouses can reduce it to about ¥4500; private car + photography guide can raise it to ¥8000.

🌟 Why is this route called the "Ili Light Adventure Ceiling"?

Because it turns "hiking" into a lifestyle:

✅ Not an extreme challenge, but deep immersion
You learn to slow down in Kalajun, watching a cloud drift over the ridge;
You redefine "living" in Qiongkushitai, where houses grow in the forest;
You understand what "unknown road ahead" means on the Xiata Ancient Trail, but every step is steady and strong.

✅ Extremely rich landforms
Alpine meadows × primeval forests × glacier canyons × river valley wetlands × flower sea farmlands
One trip gathers the essence of the Tianshan Mountains.

✅ Genuine and touching culture
Dine and chat with Kazakh herders, hear stories of falconry
Drink a bowl of hot milk tea in a wooden house, feel the simplest hospitality

📌 Action Suggestions:

🎯 If you are:
A beginner wanting to try hiking but afraid of exhaustion → This route’s daily itinerary is manageable and easy to start
A city escapee craving nature → Qiongkushitai and Xiata will let you completely unwind
A photography enthusiast seeking stories and vitality in images → The people and light here are irreplaceable

🔥 Best Travel Time Recommendations:
Late June: grass is green, flowers bloom, fewer people and stable prices
Late August to early September: avoid student groups, enjoy peaceful grasslands

Hire a knowledgeable guide, pack your bag,
Walk into the path marked only by horse hooves.
There is no signal,
But the echo of the whole world.