Ili

The "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall" on the northern slopes of the Tianshan, with the stunning scenery of Narat and Kalajun grasslands and Schrenk spruce forests.

The directly administered areas of Ili Prefecture lie in the Ili River Valley in northwestern Xinjiang, where moist air from the west makes for lush water and pasture, earning it the name "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall." Narat Grassland, Kalajun Grassland in Tekes and the Kurdening Schrenk spruce forest in Gongliu are all part of the "Xinjiang Tianshan" UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, while Tekes' Eight Trigrams City, Zhaosu's rapeseed flowers and heavenly horses, and Yining's Liuxing Street offer cultural flavor. June to September is the best season, when summer flower seas and grasslands are at their most moving. The gateway is Yining Airport, and you can also travel from Ürümqi by rail or road.

Destinations

• Yining
• Nalati
• Tekes & Zhaosu (Kalajun)
• Gongliu
• Sayram Lake

Itineraries

• In-Depth Ili Valley Grassland Loop – In and out of Yining, connecting Sayram Lake, Zhaosu, Kalajun, Kurdening, and Nalati
• North Xinjiang Grand Loop: Kanas, Ili & Duku Highway – Depart from Urumqi to loop through Altay, Sayram Lake, and Ili, returning via the northern section of the Duku Highway
• Duku Highway: North-to-South Tianshan Crossing – Drive the entire Duku Highway from Dushanzi to Kuqa, experiencing grasslands, mountain passes, the Nine Curves and Eigh…