The spring feast in the medieval wild apricot forest, if you miss it you’ll have to wait another year!
🌸 A complete guide to Yili Xinghuagou in 2025: flowering period, gameplay, and pitfalls to avoid in one article!
💡【Core Information Overview】
- Best flowering period: estimated to be **April 5-April 20** in 2025, the peak flowering period is only 7-10 days (⚠️ greatly affected by weather)
- Location: Turgen Township, Xinyuan County, Yili, Xinjiang, the world's largest original wild apricot forest (30,000 acres+)
- Highlights✨: Snow-capped mountains 🏔️ + grasslands 🌿 + apricot blossoms 🌸 + shepherds 🐑, just like an oil painting!
1. Must-visit attractions & photography tips 📸
1. Turgen Xinghuagou Main Scenic Area
- How to play: Go to the viewing platform in the early morning to overlook the sea of flowers🌅, the light is best 1-2 hours after sunrise, and the antler-shaped terrain has beautiful light and shadow layers🦌
- Photography tips: Use a drone to take panoramic photos (limited to 120 meters 🚁), wear a light-colored long skirt or ethnic costume 👗 for better photos!
2. Nalati Grassland🌼
- Highlights: Apricot blossoms and ice flowers (wild lilies) bloom at the same time, and you can experience Kazakh folk activities in April🎪
3. Fushou Mountain in Daxigou⛰️
- Features: The area where late cherry blossoms are concentrated, the flowering period is 1-2 weeks later than Turgen, suitable for off-peak travel ⏳
4. Sailimu Lake
- Combined tour recommendation: In early April, the blue ice on the lake has not melted yet, so take photos of the amazing sight of "blue ice ❄️+snow mountain 🏔️+apricot blossom 🌸" in the same frame!
2. Transportation Guide🚗
1. Great transportation ✈️
- Plane: Fly directly to Yining Airport (with connecting flights to Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou), or fly to Urumqi and then drive/charter a car (about 6 hours)
- Train: Urumqi → Yining train 5 hours, then transfer to bus to Xinyuan County (2 hours)
2. Local transportation 🚙
- Charter/carpool: about 300 yuan/day from Yining, recommended to share among 4-6 people👥, flexible itinerary adjustment
- Self-driving: SUV is best, please note that some mountain roads are narrow (such as G218 National Highway 🛣️)
3. Recommended itinerary (7 days and 6 nights high-quality version)🗺️
Day 1: Various places → Urumqi → Yining (stay in Yining)🏨
Day 2: Yining → Kazanqi Folk Village (Blue Town 💙) → Nalati Grassland (Glacier) → Xinyuan County
Day 3: Xinyuan → Turgen Xinghuagou full-day shooting 📸 → stay at the scenic spot B&B 🏡
Day 4: Sunrise in Xinghuagou 🌄→ Fushou Mountain in Daxigou → Guozigou Bridge 🌉→ Sailimu Lake (blue ice) → Subole
Day 5: Sailimu Lake Tour 🚴→Dushanzi Grand Canyon 🏞️→stay in Kuitun
Day 6: Kuitun → Anjihai Grand Canyon → Urumqi
Day 7: Return to Urumqi✈️
4. Pitfall Avoidance Guide & Precautions ⚠️
1. Flowering period tracking: The weather in April is changeable, follow the "Yili Culture and Tourism" official account to get real-time flower conditions
2. Accommodation reservation: Xinghuagou B&Bs must be booked one month in advance during the peak season (such as "Xinghua Courtyard")
3. Cold and sun protection🧥: The temperature difference between day and night is large (0-20℃), down jacket + sunglasses🕶️ + high-power sunscreen is essential
4. Avoid photography scams📸: The price of following the scenic spot is high (200 yuan/h💸), so make an appointment with the travel photography team in advance
5. Budget reference (per capita)💰
- Economic version (5000 yuan): carpooling + homestay + bring your own dry food🍞
- Quality version (8000 yuan +): Charter car + scenic spot homestay + drone rental 🚁
- Luxury version (15,000+): Private guide customization + off-road vehicle + helicopter viewing🚁
🌸 【Final reminder】
The beauty of Xinghuagou is fleeting⏳, it is recommended to reserve 2-3 days to flexibly adjust the itinerary!