Nalati

One of the world’s four great grasslands, with Sky Grassland and river-valley meadows; the northern Duku Highway threads past snowy peaks and pine forests, with Nalati Town as your base.

Nalati lies in the east of Xinyuan County in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, in the upper Kunes River valley deep in the Tianshan, with Nalati Town (about 1,800 m above sea level) as the place to stay. Nalati Grassland is one of the world’s four great alpine valley grasslands and has two main areas, Sky Grassland and River Valley Grassland. In summer it is lush green and carpeted with wildflowers, and Kazakh herders move their flocks here. From Nalati, heading north brings you to the northern section of the Duku Highway: over the Yuximolegai Pass to the Qiaoerma Martyrs’ Cemetery, then west into Nilek County’s Tangbula Hundred-Mile Gallery, and farther north to the Hashilegen Pass. Heading west along the Kunes valley takes you to Xinyuan town, where spring brings the apricot blossoms of Turgen Apricot Valley and the wild apple forest blooms; to the southeast, the road leads to Bayanbulak Grassland (listed as a separate destination). Climate: cool in summer, about 20–25°C by day and only around 10°C in the morning and evening; winters are bitterly cold and snowy. The best season is June–September; apricot blossoms in early to mid-April and wild apple blossoms in late April suit a spring trip, and autumn colors arrive in mid to late September. The Duku Highway is generally open from mid to late June until early October and closed overnight. Getting there: Nalati Airport has flights from Ürümqi and other cities; it is about 4 hours’ drive from Yining, and buses also run from Yining and Ürümqi to Xinyuan and Nalati. Public transport between sights is sparse, so self-driving or hiring a car is recommended. Suggested time: 1 day for Nalati Grassland, 1 day for the Tangbula–Qiaoerma northern Duku loop, plus 1 extra day for spring blossoms—2–3 days in total. Notes: accommodation is tight and prices rise in July–August; mountain weather is changeable, so bring rain gear and warm clothing; respect Kazakh customs and ask permission before photographing herders.

Top sights

• Nalati Grassland – The 'sky grassland' of the Gongnaisi River valley, the core pasture for Kazakh herders' seasonal migrations. Forests, river valleys and sno…
• Tangbula Grassland Gallery – A grassland gorge stretching over a hundred kilometers along the upper Kashi River, with snowy peaks, spruce forests and Kazakh yurts along…
• Qiaoerma Martyrs Cemetery – Memorial site at the junction of the Duku Highway and the S315 road, honoring the 168 officers and soldiers who died building the Duku High…
• Nalati Town – Kazakh town at the foot of the Nalati grasslands, with guesthouses, restaurants and a night market. It is the base for visiting Nalati and…
• Xinyuan Wild Fruit Forest – Native forest of Xinjiang wild apples, ancestors of the world's cultivated apples. In spring the hillsides are covered with pinkish-white a…
• Turgen Apricot Blossom Valley – Wild apricot valley in Turgen Township, Xinyuan. In spring, pinkish-white apricot blossoms fill the hillsides against snowy peaks, with Kaz…
• Yuximolegai Pass – High mountain pass on the Duku Highway between Nalati and Qiaoerma, at about 3,500 meters above sea level. In early summer, snow walls seve…
• Haxilegen Pass – One of the highest passes on the northern section of the Duku Highway, at about 3,400 meters above sea level. Glaciers and snowy peaks stan…
• Nalati National Wetland Park – Riverbank reed marsh wetlands on both banks of the Gongnaisi River. This 4A scenic area has a wooden boardwalk loop for viewing reeds, rive…
• Shaerbulak Wine Culture Town – 4A industrial tourism town in Shaerbulak, Xinjiang's wine hometown. It has a Western Region Wine Culture Museum, brewing workshops and an o…
• Nalati Flower Sea – Flower park about 10 km east of the Nalati scenic area, where more than 70 flower varieties, including verbena and lavender, bloom in July…

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
• In-Depth Ili Valley Grassland Loop – In and out of Yining, connecting Sayram Lake, Zhaosu, Kalajun, Kurdening, and Nalati
• 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…