Koktokay

The “Pole of Cold of China”: Irtysh Grand Canyon with Shenzhong (Divine Bell) Mountain, the Mine No. 3 pit, Yileimu Lake and Keke Suli.

Koktokay lies in the northeast of Fuyun County in Xinjiang’s Altay Prefecture, on the southern slopes of the Altai Mountains in the upper reaches of the Irtysh River. Its name means “green forest” in Kazakh. It is a national 5A-rated scenic area and national geopark, and also a “mining town of merit” that grew up around rare-metal mines. Winter temperatures here have dropped below −50°C, making it one of China’s “poles of cold”. Visiting divides into two main parts. The first is natural scenery: in the Irtysh Grand Canyon, Shenzhong Mountain, the Stone Gate, birch forests and granite peaks stretch along the river; southwest of town lies Yileimu Lake, formed in a fault basin, and along the S226 to the south are Keke Suli Lake, with its dense floating reed islands, and the Karaxinger earthquake fault zone left by the 1931 Fuyun magnitude 8 earthquake. The second is mining heritage: Mine No. 3, the Ayiguzi mine tunnel and the geology exhibition hall tell the story of the rare-metal mine that contributed to China’s “Two Bombs, One Satellite” programme and to repaying national debt. Best seasons: mid to late September to early October, when canyon birches and poplars turn golden, is the peak for photography; June–August is cool but buggy; from December to April you can ski powder at Koktokay International Ski Resort. Getting there: fly from Urumqi to Fuyun Koktokay Airport, then drive about 50 km to town; self-driving from Altay city or Urumqi takes about 3 and 6 hours respectively. Sights in town are concentrated, and the canyon scenic area is toured by shuttle bus. Stay 1–2 days; it can be linked with Altay city, Burqin and Kanas into a northern Xinjiang loop. Notes: in late autumn and winter, temperature swings between morning and evening are extreme, so bring a thick down jacket; scenic area admission is about CNY 90, with shuttle buses charged separately, and Mine No. 3 requires a separate ticket; prices and opening periods are as per the scenic area’s announcements.

Top sights

• Koktokay – The Irtysh Grand Canyon, Shenzhong Peak and the legendary Mine No. 3. A place that combines granite canyon scenery with the industrial hist…
• Koktokay No. 3 Pit – A spiral open-pit mine about 250 meters across, the centerpiece of the Koktokay National Rare Metals Mine Park and known in geological circ…
• Ayiguozi Mine Tunnel – An underground rare-metal mine tunnel closed for half a century, about 800 metres long, recreating the scenes of past mining work.
• Koktokay Geological Museum – A geological museum focused on rare-metal mineral specimens, displaying hundreds of ore samples and the history of the mining area.
• Kekesuli Lake – A plateau wetland lake beside the S226 highway, with more than twenty reed islands drifting with the wind, where wild ducks and grey cranes…
• Yilemu Lake – A fault-basin lake along the Fuyun earthquake fault zone, its turquoise water cradled by mountains and shaped like a giant “8.”
• Kalaxiangeer Earthquake Fault – A fault zone left by the magnitude 8 Fuyun earthquake of 1931, with a collapsed area about 1,500 metres long, dubbed a “natural earthquake…
• Koktokay International Ski Resort – One of China's longest snow seasons, with a vertical drop of over 1,000 meters, known for dry powder snow and long runs.
• Talate Village – A Kazakh log-house village on the banks of the Ertix River, known as the 'First Village on the Ertix,' with a concentration of homestays an…
• Koktokay Town & Old Mining District – A 'Cold Pole' town that grew up around its mines, where the old Ertix Bridge, Soviet-style buildings and former mine sites recall the glory…
• Wucaicheng Colorful Hills – Colorful mudstone hills on the eastern edge of the Junggar Basin, with red, yellow, purple and green layers stacked together, glowing like…

Itineraries

• 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
• Golden Autumn in Altay: Kanas & Hemu – A spectacular autumn journey through Koktokay, Ulungur Lake, Hemu, Kanas, and Baihaba, ending with the Ahe Highway
• Altay Winter Ski & Snow Village Loop – In and out of Altay, skiing at Jiangjun Mountain, Jikepulin, and Koktokay, while enjoying the snowscapes of Hemu and Ka…