They all say, "What you can't go back is your hometown, and what you can't reach is a distant place."
Readers often ask me in the background, Meng Yun, I'm curious where are you from?
Since I was in college, I have been living in Hangzhou and Shanghai for a long time. I am familiar with this place and can understand a few words of Wu Nong's soft language; life has not been less tossed over the years. I spent 3 years traveling to 58 countries and all over the world. act wildly.
But no matter how wonderful the outside world is, it can't match the weight of a name in my heart-Xinjiang. As a native Xinjiang girl, only when I step into the vast land of Xinjiang, I know what is called home.
This year, I finally had the opportunity to take advantage of the gap between work and go back to Xinjiang in early summer, driving the Yili Small Ring Road by myself.
As we all know, Xinjiang covers an area that is 1/6 the size of China, and the scenic spots are often separated by hundreds of kilometers. Self-driving or renting a car is undoubtedly the best choice. And self-driving tours in Xinjiang can be divided into three routes:
/ Self-driving tour is the best way to experience Xinjiang /
Northern Xinjiang line, look at the scenery, see Kanas from Tianchi, all the classic beauty of Xinjiang;
The southern Xinjiang line, looking at the humanities, the exquisite architecture of the old city of Kashgar, and the Xinjiang people who always wear warm smiles, give people all kinds of surprises;
The Yining Ring Road, which combines scenery and humanities, is exactly my choice for this trip. Along the way, I met alpine grasslands that are more beautiful than Switzerland, waited for the round sunset to fall into the world by the glacier, fell into the blue dream of Sailimu Lake, chatted and laughed with children with blinking bright eyes... In just 5 days, the journey was over The four seasons in childhood memories.
Want to know how authentic Xinjiang girls will take you to play Xinjiang? Today I specially compiled a 5 days and 4 nights self-driving strategy in Yili, Xinjiang. Let's go, let's visit my hometown together~
"Yining-Kazanqi Folk Village"
Filled with smiles, enthusiasm and sunshine
From the moment the plane landed in Yining, the familiar breath poured into the nostrils: Xinjiang, I'm back! Back to the "longing for life" in this reality.
Yining is the capital of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. In the eyes of most tourists, it is only a transit point for a stopover. After a quick glance, they will depart for the more famous Guozigou or Sailimu Lake. If conditions permit, leave more time for Yining. Believe me, this piece of "Jiangnan outside the Great Wall" that bred 35 ethnic groups is definitely worth slowing down.
/ Yining, a city full of sunshine and enthusiasm /
In my mind, Yining is probably the most comfortable and livable city in Xinjiang. In early summer, melons and fruits are growing vigorously. Yining has transformed into a veritable flower orchard, with cherries, mulberries, and grapes hanging all over the branches of the street. The enthusiastic Xinjiang people will invite you to pick a fruit or two under their own fruit trees. Come down for a taste and swallow the sweetness of the whole summer.
/ The blue of Kazanqi is extraordinarily photogenic /
The urban area of Yining is not big, so it is suitable to be measured by footsteps. I especially recommend Kazanqi Folk Village. It is said to be a scenic spot. In fact, this is a well-preserved old city in Xinjiang. There are no walls and gates, and some are just the quiet and sweet life of the locals. . Maybe you have heard of a kind of blue called Yining blue. Colorful houses can be seen everywhere on the streets of various countries, with low window lattices and high saturation blue. The blue is romantic, stunning but not too dazzling, full of exotic style. Turning a corner, it seems to be lost in Morocco.
/ A leisurely summer like a movie screen /
If you want something more special, you might as well take the "Hardik", an ancient means of transportation used by the locals - the carriage, wandering in the fairy tales woven in blue, the sun makes you drowsy, the next second It was brought back to reality by the crisp bell sound.
📌Entering the Kazanqi Folk Village, you can buy a package ticket, 150 yuan per person, including carriage fees, home visits, tour guides, etc.
📌Kazanqi's handmade ice cream is worth a try, full of milk flavor
"Picture Desert"
Listen to the wind and sand tell the legend of the Western Regions
Starting from Yining by car, it takes about 1 hour to reach the only oasis desert in Xinjiang-Tukai Desert.
Although the Tukai Desert is not as vast as those endless deserts, there are many fun items, such as mazes, sandboarding, sandy off-roading, karting, camel riding, etc. It is not a problem to spend an afternoon. If you want to reproduce My slow and easy itinerary can include Tukai Desert in the plan. But there is one thing to say, if you don’t want to get tanned like me, you must remember to take sun protection measures before coming here. Wear sunscreen, sunscreen clothing, and hats, both hard and soft.
/ Sunset is suitable for shooting silhouettes /
If you have plenty of time, you can also pack nearby Huocheng into one day to play, especially in June and July every year, Huocheng's 10,000 acres of lavender are in full bloom, and the purple wave is definitely a must-see.
📌Tukai desert ticket 20 yuan/person
📌The desert is currently under construction, it is recommended to consult whether it is open before departure
📌If you are not obsessed with the desert, or the time is tight and the schedule is full, this attraction can be given up
"Salimu Lake"
last tear of the atlantic
Many people who come to Xinjiang head to Sailimu Lake and drive thousands of miles just to see the beauty of "the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean". And as a native of Xinjiang, I have been to Sailimu Lake several times before. I thought that seeing it this time would not cause too many disturbances in my heart.
/ The surface of Sailimu Lake that has not yet melted in early summer /
No blue in the world is more beautiful than the blue of Sailimu. It is a kind of beauty that cannot be tired of seeing. In June, there are still ice floes that have just melted during the winter blue ice age on the lake. The ice waves beat ashore, and the wind blows over the lake, bringing a little bit of coolness. There is no need to do anything, and the heat disappears invisible.
If you want to capture the beautiful scenery accompanied by snow-capped mountains and lakes, it is recommended to take pictures in the east of the lake. On the grasslands around the lake area, dots of wild flowers bloom, cattle and sheep relax, and snow-capped mountains that never melt all year round stand in the distance. No matter how beautiful the scenery of the Alps is, it is not as beautiful as the corner of my hometown at this moment.
📌Salimu Lake is located in Bortala Prefecture in western Xinjiang, close to Ili Huocheng;
📌Adult tickets are RMB 70 in peak season and RMB 35 in low season (January 1-December 31 Monday-Sunday)
📌There are fewer tourists in winter, and you can drive into the lake area by yourself, 75 yuan per car (it is recommended to consult in advance before departure)
📌Private cars are not allowed to enter during the peak season. You can park your car at the gate of Sailimu Lake Scenic Area and take a shuttle bus to enter
📌Every year from the end of July to the beginning of August, the local Mongolian and Kazakh herdsmen will hold the Naadam Festival here.
"Jonkush Terrace"
The secret place of grassland with few tourists
The Kalajun prairie is divided into east and west sides. The east is the well-known Kalajun, while the west is the relatively primitive Qiongkushitai prairie. The two face each other across the river. Compared with the well-known Kala Jun, I believe that many local people in Xinjiang like me will recommend you to Qiongkushitai, because this is the ideal grassland.
/ To see such a beautiful scenery, it is worth walking no matter how far in the mountains /
Because the mountain road is difficult to walk, Qiongkushitai is rarely visited by tourists, and it is hidden in the depths of Tianshan Mountain. It is like a paradise, and even the air is extremely pure. If you have the opportunity, you must stay in the village of Qiongkushitai for two nights. Camping on the spot in a caravan or an inn at ¥1000/night are good choices.
/ Horse riding experience /
During the day, the light and shadow intertwined with the sun and clouds hit the grassland, and the undulating curve of the mountain is like an elegant girl's body. This view alone is enough for me to stay in a daze for a whole day. The villagers were very enthusiastic, and wanted to borrow a pony from the herdsmen to take pictures, they readily agreed, and warmly invited me to their house to drink freshly boiled milk.
/ The night in the prairie is as quiet as water /
In the evening, the grazing people walked towards home in the afterglow of the setting sun. This is their most casual daily life, but it is also the distance I most yearn for. At night, the bright starry sky, which is rare to see in the city, seems to be within reach here. "The sky is as cool as water at night, sit and watch the Altair Vega", a poem I often recited when I was a child is so true now.
/ Running, reading, playing the piano, everything can be tolerated here /
The next day, getting up early was particularly comfortable. The morning dew in the village was ticking, and the air was moistening the lungs and heart. If you're lucky, you might even have breakfast with a squirrel wagging its big, fluffy tail.
If I didn't have to rush to the next trip, I really want to stay here for half a month.
📌No tickets are accepted for the Qiongkushitai Prairie;
📌Most of the roads to enter are Shizishan Road. It is recommended to ask an old driver to drive by self-driving
📌The signal in the village is not very good, and you can hardly find 4G, so you must be mentally prepared
📌There is a large temperature difference between day and night in the valley, so be sure to prepare enough warm clothes
"Shatter Trail National Forest Park"
Waiting for a sunset on the glacier
Leaving from Qiongkushitai, head to Zhaosu County, because June is not yet the most beautiful and prosperous time for Zhaosu rape flowers, so we only have a short stay in Zhaosu to rest, and plan to go to Xia, 60 kilometers away from the county the next day. Tegudao National Forest Park.
"There are no roads in the world, and if there are many people walking, it will become a road." The Shate Ancient Road lying quietly under the main line of the Tianshan Mountains is such a heavenly road stepped on by explorers. As the most dangerous ancient road on the ancient Silk Road, the writer Zhang Chengzhi once described its beauty in the article "Love in Xiatai": "Trust me: the blue pine and white snow at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains more than 100 kilometers along the Xiatai line , is indeed the most beautiful area on this earth.” (Xiatai is Shatel, with different transliterations)
/ The beauty is that the camera memory is not enough to shoot y /
For hiking enthusiasts, the Chateau Ancient Trail is a rare paradise. It walks through snow-capped mountains, glaciers, river valleys, pastures, wild flowers, and cultural relics that have experienced vicissitudes of life. secret. But this is also a beautiful and dangerous road. If you don’t have professionals to accompany you, it is recommended not to go deep.
This time we did not choose to take the risky hike, but watched silently from a distance, drove the car to the valley and stopped, and watched the cold Muzart Glacier standing on the top of the mountain, looking around in the air, waiting for a glacier sunset at the end of the world , beautiful to intoxicating.
📌The Shater Ancient Trail is 120 kilometers in length, and it takes about 5 days to complete the journey. For safety reasons, you must be accompanied by a professional
📌You can take the shuttle bus first, then walk to the Damzhalt Glacier after getting off the bus, the round trip is about 20 kilometers, which is also the farthest distance that ordinary people can reach.
📌If you don’t want to hike, you can also rent a horse from the locals and ride to the glacier
📌Best season for hiking: May to early June
📌The temperature difference between day and night is large, even in the morning and evening of summer, it is necessary to protect against the cold
"Tex Bagua City"
The most complete Bagua city in the world
Tekes County is amazing. It is the only city in China without traffic lights, and it is also the largest and most complete Bagua City in the world.
When you are in it, you can’t see what is going on. Once you open the perspective of God, you will definitely be amazed: the whole city is centered on the Taiji Altar, with "Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui". "The named eight streets spread out radially, with the roads interlinked and the streets connected, which are extremely regular and comfortable.
/Kings Canyon/
So, when you come to Turks, you must carry a drone on your back. Although there is a Ferris wheel in Bagua Park in the county, which costs 120 yuan per person, I don’t recommend riding it, because even reaching the highest point of the Ferris wheel is very expensive. It is difficult to see the pattern of gossip.
Turks is not big, and there are not many places to play. The whole small town gradually comes alive at nine or ten o'clock in the evening. There are barbecue stalls all over the street, kebabs, lamb kidneys, lamb livers, roasted gluten, and baked buns. Wait, it's really enjoyable to drink skewers with beer.
Self-driving Xinjiang Yili Small Ring Road 5-day itinerary recommendation
Day1 Yining - Tukai Desert - Huocheng Flower Sea - Guozigou - Sailimu Lake
Day2 Sailimu Lake - Kazanqi Folk Village - Yining
Day3 Yining - Qiongkushitai/Kalajun Prairie + Kuokesu Grand Canyon - Zhaosu
Day4 Zhaosu - Xiata Ancient Road National Forest Park + Muzarte Glacier - Zhaosu
Day5 Zhaosu - Turks Bagua City - Yining
Precautions for traveling:
👒There is a big temperature difference between day and night in Xinjiang. Wear leather jackets early and gauze at night. Even if you travel in summer in July and August, you must bring light, comfortable and warm enough clothes. The sun and ultraviolet rays are strong, and you will be bald if you are not careful. Skin, 50spf+ sunscreen must be applied every day, and hard sunscreens such as sunscreen clothing and sunscreen hats can also be prepared hotel
📷When doing humanistic shooting, it is best to obtain the consent of the other party in advance. Generally, local people in Xinjiang are very friendly and enthusiastic
🍪Prepare enough water and food in the trunk. You may not be able to find a suitable place to eat during your self-driving journey
