Nalati Grassland
那拉提草原
The 'sky grassland' of the Gongnaisi River valley, the core pasture for Kazakh herders' seasonal migrations. Forests, river valleys and snow-capped peaks create a rich landscape, and it is one of the world's four great grasslands.
Nalati Grassland lies in Nalati Town, Xinyuan County, in the upper reaches of the Gongnaisi River in the heart of the Tianshan Mountains. It is one of the world's four great alpine river-valley grasslands and the area where the Kazakh population is most concentrated. In summer, you can see herders moving their livestock and the yurts they live in. The scenic area has two main sections: the River Valley Grassland and the Sky Grassland. The River Valley Grassland route (shuttle bus) follows the Gongnaisi River and passes forests, Snow Lotus Valley and a Kazakh folk village. The Sky Grassland route climbs to alpine meadows at about 2,000 meters or higher. The views are wide, overlooking the entire valley and distant snowy peaks, making it a must-do route. Admission is about RMB 95. The shuttle bus on the river valley route costs about RMB 40, and the sky grassland route about RMB 60. You can also explore deeper by horseback or off-road vehicle. Plan a full day: visit the Sky Grassland in the morning and the River Valley in the afternoon. Nalati Town has many guesthouses and yurt accommodations. Getting there: it's about 4 hours' drive from Yining, or you can head south from Urumqi along the Duku Highway. Nalati Airport has flights from Urumqi. Nearby, you can make a side trip to Bayanbulak, known as the 'most beautiful pasture' of the Ili Valley (about 1.5 hours away). Mountain weather changes quickly, so bring rain gear. Summer brings many visitors, and shuttle bus queues can be long.
Opening hours
8:30am–8:00pm