I found scenery in the Xinjiang mountains in spring that's even more beautiful than Switzerland.

✨ **Fairytale Altay | The Ultimate Guide to Northern Xinjiang's Hidden Gems, Encountering God's Reserved Land** ✨ 💖 Altay, the northernmost ice and snow fairytale in Xinjiang, boasts a summer wonderland of greenery, an autumn palette of vibrant colors, and a winter wonderland, the birthplace of human skiing. Every frame is like a scene from "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"! --- ### 🚗 **【Transportation Guide】** **Main Transportation** ✈️ **Airplane**: - **Altay Xuedu Airport**: Direct flights to Urumqi/Xi'an/Chongqing, etc., with additional charter flights during peak season. Car rental upon arrival is recommended. - **Kanas Airport** (seasonal): Operates from June to October, with direct access to Kanas/Hemu (saving a 4-hour drive). 🚗 **Self-drive/Car Rental**: - **Urumqi → Altay**: S21 Desert Expressway (approx. 7 hours, crossing the Gurbantunggut Desert). - **Classic Loop**: Altay City → Burqin → Kanas → Hemu → Keketuohai. **Scenic Area Transportation** 🚌 **Scenic Bus**: Transfers to shuttle buses are required within Kanas/Hemu (Kanas: ¥70, Hemu: ¥52). 🐎 **Horse Riding/Hiking**: Horse riding is available in Kanas Three Bays and Hemu's Beauty Peak (¥200-400/day). --- ### 📍 **【Itinerary】** **Day 1: Kanas, God's Back Garden** - Morning: **Kanas Lake** (boat trip/hiking to search for the lake monster) → **Guanyutai** (1068 steps overlooking the heart of the lake) - Afternoon: **Moon Bay → Fairy Bay → Wolong Bay** (plank road hiking, golden forest reflections in autumn) - Evening: Stay in a wooden cabin in Kanas old village and watch the stars fall into the valley. **Day 2: Hemu, God's Reserved Land** - Morning: Kanas → **Hemu Village** (1-hour drive) → **Hemu Bridge** → **Harden Platform** (panoramic view of morning mist and smoke) - Afternoon: **Beauty Peak Hike** (8km easy hike, exploring the original Tuvan wooden houses) - Evening: **Hongbas Grassland Starry Sky Camp** (bonfire party + Milky Way photography) **Day 3: Border Secrets, Baisha Lake and the Northernmost Point** - Full Day: Burqin → **185th Regiment Baisha Lake** (blue tears in the desert) → **Northwest Border First Company** (national boundary marker check-in) → Return to Burqin to stroll through the riverside night market. **Day 4 (Winter Only): The Birthplace of Human Skiing** - **Jiangjunshan Ski Resort**: Powder snow paradise, slopes for all levels from beginners to experts (November-March). - **Yekaxia Wild Snow Park**: Helicopter skiing + snowcat, the ultimate challenge for enthusiasts. --- ### 📸 **【Popular Attractions】** 🌟 **Kanas Three Bays**: Colorful forests in autumn, with the morning mist in Fairy Bay resembling a fairyland filter. 🌟 **Hemu Village**: Snow-capped mushroom-shaped wooden houses in winter, wildflowers covering the mountains in summer, the most beautiful village in China. 🌟 **Keketuohai**: Not a sea! Irtysh River Grand Canyon + No. 3 Mine Pit (Meritorious Mine). 🌟 **Five-Colored Beach**: At sunset, the Danxia landforms and the Populus euphratica trees along the Irtysh River create a picturesque scene (20km west of Burqin). 🌟 **Ulungur Lake**: A sacred place for winter fishing culture, experience "searching for fish in the snow." --- ### 🏡 **【Accommodation Guide】** 🏔️ **Kanas/Hemu Cabins**: - **Kanas Read the Lake Hotel**: Lake view from the window, floor heating + 24-hour hot water, ¥800-1500/night. - **Hemu Century-old House**: Tuvan style, skylight for stargazing, ¥500-1000/night. - **Taoyuan Shuiyi Homestay**: By the Hemu River, designer aesthetics, ¥1200-2000/night. ❄️ **Ski Season Accommodation**: - **Jiangjunshan Ski Apartments**: Ski-in/ski-out, cost-effective, ¥300-600/night. - **Jikepulin Ski Resort**: Asia's largest ski area facilities, ¥1000-3000/night. --- ### 🍜 **【Food Recommendations】** 🔥 **Altay Cold Water Fish**: Grilled pike/blackfish at the Burqin night market, fresh and tender. 🥘 **Big Plate Chicken with Belt Noodles**: Soft potatoes and wide noodles coated in sauce, super comforting. 🍢 **Red Willow Barbecue**: Grassland lamb grilled on red willow branches, fragrant and oily. 🍶 **Kazakh Milk Tea**: Savory and rich, perfect with baursaki (fried pastries). 🍯 **Kanas Honeydew Melon**: A sweet explosion catalyzed by the temperature difference between day and night! --- ### 💡 **Tips** 1️⃣ **Border Defense Permit**: Required for Baisha Lake and Baihaba Village. Apply in advance at your registered residence or the Burqin government service center. 2️⃣ **Seasonal Highlights**: - **June-August**: Grassland flower sea + White Nights Festival (midnight sun phenomenon); - **September-October**: Peak autumn scenery, book accommodation 1 month in advance; - **November-March**: Golden ski season, pay attention to ski resort opening times. 3️⃣ **Photography Tips**: - Hemu Morning Mist: Arrive at Harden Platform 1 hour before sunrise; - Kanas Autumn Colors: Best around September 20th, use a telephoto lens to compress layers; - Starry Sky Photography: Avoid the full moon, use a tripod + wide-angle lens + shutter release cable. 4️⃣ **Safety Tips**: - Mountain weather is changeable, bring a jacket/down jacket; - Snow tires are required for self-driving in winter, and some sections have no signal. --- 🌈 Altay, green in summer, golden in autumn, and pure white in winter, awaits you to discover this pristine land, more healing than Northern Europe!