North Xinjiang's Kanas Lake & Hemu Village

Near the border of Kirgistan, Mongolia and Sibiria, a woderfull lake Kanas in north Xinjiang is where Tuwa minority lives. The "treasure Light" integrates with the beautiful Kanas Lake view, the white glaciers, the green grassland, the boundless forest, and the mist in mountains, will make you feel as if you were in a fairyland. Surrounded by snowcapped mountains that are reflected on the water, in autumn the long bean-shaped lake presents a pretty landscape of forests in all imaginable colors. The name Kanasi Hu means "beautiful, rich and mysterious" in Mongolian and if one sees it changing the colors several times each day, he will understand why. On the south bank of the lake lives the Mongolian tribe Tuwa. The valiant ethnic minority believes in Lamaism and has a long history and special folk costums.

Hemu Village
It has been ranked by China National Geography as one of the six most beautiful villages in China.

Highlights

* Enjoy the lake changing it's colors several times a day.
* See the clouds curl high up over the lake during sunrise.
* Visit Hemu, one of the six most beautiful villages in China.

Best time to visit

Due to the long winter in the area, Kanas is open for tour only from June to October every year. The best time to visit is mid-May to June for its mountain blossom and fress grass before they are eatten by goats and cow; and September for its colourful autumn scenery. July and Augst are holidays and are crowded by local Chinese tourists.

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CCC does not presently offer regular set excursions to this destination. However we are happy to help you plan a private tour. Please click the tab "Custom Itinerary" to check prices and propose a date and your own group.

.North Xinjiang's Kanas Lake & Hemu Village

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 Beijing-Urumqi

Take a morning flight from Beijing to Urumqi. Arriving early afternoon we go to visit the Urumqi museum and then catch a flight from Urumqi to Altay. Stay the night in Altay (3-star hotel)

Day 2 Altay-Kanas

Drive about 4 hours to Jiadengyu, the tourist distribution center of Kanas area. After lunch we continue to drive 1 hour to Kanas lake. You will see the beautiful landscape all along the road. We take a boat on the lake to check out the Laying Dragon Bay, Immortal Bay and Moon Bay, the most well known and beautiful scenery in this area. Stay the night in Jiadengyu (4-star hotel).

Day 3 Kanas-Hemu Village

We take a boat to the opposite of the lake and climb up to Guan Yu Pavilion (Watching fish Pavilion ) where it is the best place to take a bird-eye view of whole lake landscape. The Kanas Lake is famous for its changing colors. The color of the water changes several times in a day, from dark green to sky blue, then to gray and white. The higher you climb up, the more colors you will see.

In the afternoon we go to visit a village called Hemu cun. - voted by the Chinese National Geography magazine (2005) as the 3rd most beautiful village/old town in China. Stay the night in Hemu village.

Day 4 Hemu Village

Enjoy some free time to ride a horse or walk around in Hemu village. Visit the Tuwa Tribe, a local ethnic minority who have been inhabitated here for centuries and have developed their unique custom. They speak Turkish and live on Hunting and graze. After lunch we drive about 5 hours back to Altay and stay the night there (3-star hotel)

Day 5 Altay-Urumqi-Beijing

Take flight from Altay to Urumqi and then connect the flight back to Beijing.

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