Kanas Lake
喀纳斯湖
A glacial-dammed lake deep in the Altai Mountains, its water shifting between blue and green with the seasons. Known as the “Switzerland of the East,” it is the showcase of Northern Xinjiang's natural scenery.
Kanas Lake lies in the north of Burqin County at an elevation of 1,374 metres. It is about 24 km long and is China's deepest moraine-dammed lake, at a maximum depth of 188 metres. Scenic tours usually begin at the Jiadengyu Transfer Centre, where you change to the shuttle bus that runs past three viewpoints: Wolong Bay, Moon Bay and Shenxian Bay. In autumn, the morning mist at Shenxian Bay and Moon Bay makes them classic photo spots. Consider getting off at these stops and walking the wooden boardwalks between them (about 1.5 hours), then taking the shuttle on to the Kanas Lake pier. Boats on the lake (about CNY 120 for a one-hour round trip) go to the Second Bay and Third Bay, and the legend of the “lake monster” is said to come from here. The Tuwa village by the lake offers homestay visits and chuur performances. Tickets: in peak season, the Kanas scenic area ticket costs about CNY 160, and the shuttle bus is extra at about CNY 90. The ticket is valid for two days, so consider staying one night in Jiadengyu or in the Tuwa village inside the scenic area and watching the morning mist the next day. Note: the altitude is not high, but mornings and evenings are cold, and at the end of September nights can drop below zero. In peak season the shuttle queues are long, so try to enter the park before 8 a.m. Do not trample the meadows along the lakeside wooden boardwalks.
Opening hours
Peak season 08:00–20:00 (depends on shuttle bus hours)
Nearby sights
- Kanas Fish-Watching Pavilion
- Kanas Village & Tuvan Home Visit
- Yaze Lake
- Shenxian (Fairy) Bay
- Moon Bay
- Wolong (Sleeping Dragon) Bay
- Baihaba Village
- Tuojing (Camel Neck) Bay