In autumn of 2018, I fortunately visited to Kanas in Xinjiang for ten days. Along the way, I saw mountains, grasslands,hills, lakes and rivers… Picturesque scenery, how local cuisine is delicious! Today, I want to share on Local guides connect how to visit the most beautiful place in Xinjiang, a fairyland on earth - Kanas
Without Xinjiang, you don’t know how big China is! Without Kanas, you don’t know how beautiful China is!
Kanas is located in the northernmost part of Xinjiang, and it is not far to Russia; “Kanas” is Mongolian which means “beautiful and mysterious lake”; it is said that there are often appeared giant “water monsters” in the lake, which will drag horses and other animals drinking by the lake into the water to eat, making people a little afraid and very curious; therefore, it attracts a lot of people to come and see what the water monster looks like every year!
My way was from Beijing to Urumchi (by airplane) - Buerjin (by train) - Jiadengyu (by bus) - Kanas (by scenic area bus) - Hemu (by scenic area bus) - Baihaba ((by scenic area bus) - Jiadengyu (by scenic area bus) – Buerjin (by bus) - Urumchi( by train) – Beijing (by airplane)
1. KANAS
Kanas scenic spot includes three scenic spots, Kanas Lake, Hemu and Baihaba two villages. They need to buy tickets, scenic area bus and maintenance fees of the ancient city separately. The ticketing office and entrance of the three scenic spots is at Jiadengyu.
The private cars can not enter the scenic area, only taking the scenic area bus to go, and seeing the picturesque scenery along the way, I can not help but think of a sentence: “Look at the mountains colorful from afar, listen to the water silent near”
2.Lake Kanas
3. Three Bays of Kanas
Three Bays of Kanas can be said to be the symbol, the most beautiful and photographic spot there. The viewing route of three bays can choose to shoot morning fog in Shenxianwan before going to Moonwan by scenic area bus. When the fog has not dispersed, overlooking Moonwan, the fog is floated in the bay, you can photograph that kind of fairylands feeling; and finally walk to Wolongwan. From Moonwan to Wolongwan is 2km road, there are some wooden trestle road close contact with Kanas Lake, along the way autumn is strong & beautiful.
4. Fish-watching Pavilion
The best lake-watching point (2030 meters above sea level, 600 meters below the lake level), can take scenic area bus or horse to go.
**5.**Baihaba Village
Baikaba Village is located on the border between China and Kazakhstan, and is known as one of the most beautiful villages in China. It is 31 kilometers away from Kanas. It takes less than an hour to go to Baihaba from the tourist transfer center in Kanas Scenic Area. There is a mountain road between the two places, but the road is in good condition. But foreign guests are prohibited from entering Baihaba.
6.Hemu Village
Hemu Village is in the northeast of Kanas and 58 kilometers away from there for about an hour and a half. The mountain road is winding and dangerous. Along the way, the scenery is beautiful with a Hemu River passes by. It is not big, and the main road in the village is about two or three kilometers long and walking around of the village. The viewing platform is located on the hillside opposite the Hemu River. It can be reached from the village for more than half an hour. It can take a panoramic view of the village on the viewing platform. It is a wonderful place for photography.
Tips：
a. Walking is necessary in many places of Hemu village. If you are too tired, you can also choose to ride horses which it is also a good experience.
b. In Hemu Village where there are seen cattle, horses and sheep often, and they are also relatively gentle. But many cows are a little scared, so don’t frighten them.
c. If you want to deeply feel the charm of Hemu, you must stay there for one night. It is not only convenient to shoot the dawn, but also can see the starry sky at night. After dawn, you can also shoot the trajectory of the stars.
d. There is very cold in the morning there, so you need to be prepared for it.
7. Kanas Tour Time
The best season: June and September. Flowers in June and golden autumn in September are the signboards of Kanas. Kanas in June is full of spring and boundless green. After a short summer, it ushered in the golden September of Kanas.
Kanas winter, the lake ice, as wonderful as infinite. Kanas launched a winter tourism project (October 10 - May 10, the following year), which not only exempts some tickets, but also takes a ride in a “horse sleigh” for the experience. Every winter, there is also a winter photography tourism festival.
8. Accommodation in Kanas
There are a small number of accommodations in the scenic area, which need to be booked in advance. Otherwise, we can only go back to Jiadengyu to stay outside the scenic area by scenic area bus. Jiadengyu is a residential area in Kanas. There is high, middle and low-grade accommodation. Of course, I don’t think how cheap it is there. If you can live in the scenic area is the best, because after 6 p.m., visitors in the scenic area will go out, the whole Kanas restored its tranquility. The high-end accommodation in the scenic area is a four-star hotel like Kanas Villa, which is located in the lakeside and has a good location, but the price is higher. Another economical choice is to stay in Tuva Village Inn, where has two villages, the old one is next to the tourist center, which is more convenient. Another new one is on the way to the Fish-watching Pavilion where it also has free ferry service.These inns are all wooden house by Tuya people which they are single, double, family rooms and multi-world and other chamber for you to choose. And also clean and sanitary, and the inn is relatively cheap and their food is so delicious.
9. Transportation to Kanas
Kanas is located in the Altay region of northern Xinjiang. There are independent airports in the scenic area. You can choose to fly directly from Urumqi to Kanas for a journey of about 50 minutes. There is no railway station in the scenic area. If you choose to travel to Kanas by train, you can travel from Urumqi to Beitun (the nearest station) by train and then to Kanas by bus. From Urumqi, you can take sleeper train to Buerjin too, and then transfer to Kanas. Chartered bus to Kanas is also very convenient, especially when you have 7-10 people, cheap and cost-effective, saving time. There are various modes of transportation in the scenic area, including interval biking, horseback riding, and horse-drawn sleigh in winter.
10. Hiking ways in Kanas
These is small roads for hiking, and some of them the map of google doesn’t mark them.
a. It’s about 4 days from Baihaba Village to Kanas by hiking.
b. It’s about 2 days from Jiadengyu to Hemu Village.
When the sun sprinkled the last glory on the earth, the quiet, beautiful and mysterious Kanas fell asleep, and my ten-day travel also was over…But I will go again!