18 Photos Documenting My Sayram Lake & Kuerdening Ice and Snow Trip

💰 3k+ per person! Ili Winter Lazy Person's Guide. Sayram Lake in winter has fewer crowds, beautiful scenery, and low costs – truly a hidden gem season! I've compiled my 5-day, 4-night itinerary and expenses; just copy it! 🚗 Itinerary Reference: · D1: Arrive at Yining Airport, rent a Tank 300 (with snow tires), visit Kazanqi Blue Folk Village, take photos at Six Star Street, eat pilaf and ice cream, stay at Fairfield by Marriott. · D2: Drive to Kuerdening (approx. 3h). After exiting the highway and entering the mountains, it's all ice and snow (prone to slipping). Stay in a cabin at Bairui Camp. · D3: Have breakfast at the hotel, experience horseback riding up the mountain (remember to queue early). In the afternoon, return to Yining, passing Swan Spring Wetland Park (ticket 30, or navigate to Tuowanketamu Village). Stay at Fairfield by Marriott Yining. · D4: Drive to Sayram Lake. Arrive at the East Gate around noon and circle the lake counter-clockwise, just in time to catch the best pink sunset at the Songshutou - Keler Yongzhu section. · D5: Wake up early, enter the East Gate counter-clockwise (to see the sunrise, pink sky, and golden mountains illuminated by the sun). Be sure to depart at least half an hour before the predicted sunrise time. At noon, exit from the South Gate, turn right for 10 minutes to Guozigou Valley Observation Deck. After taking photos, return to Yining. Buy spicy noodles and rose naan at Naan King, return the car at the airport, and head back. 🧳 Pre-trip preparations: Wool pants + down snow pants + snow boots, for pain-free snow jumping without feeling cold! Hats, scarves, and gloves are essential. Heated insoles + hand warmers are perfect companions for taking off your jacket for photos! 🔔 The scenic area is colder than Yining city. All indoor areas are super hot 🔥 and dry. A sweater + down liner + down jacket/coat, two layers of outerwear are more convenient to take off indoors. 📌 Expense Details: Solo Shenzhen-Lanzhou-Yining segmented round-trip ✈️ 1413💰 🏨 Yining 2 nights 960 + Bairui Camp 1850 (including tickets) + Sayram Lake East Gate 600 🚗 Car rental 800 ➕ Fuel 800 🏨➕🚗 Average 1254💰 per person 🍜 Breakfast provided by the hotel, packed dry food for lunch on the go, dinner 200-300. Car rental, fuel, accommodation, and dining expenses are shared among 4 people, flexible according to budget.