Sayram Lake

The “Last Tear of the Atlantic”: a 90 km lakeside loop with grassland wildflowers and snow-peak reflections, the Guozigou Bridge, and blue ice in winter. The heart of the Ili loop.

Sayram Lake lies in Bole City, Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, on the northern slopes of the western Tianshan, at an elevation of about 2,070 m. With a surface area of about 458 sq km, it is Xinjiang's largest and highest alpine cold-water lake. It is called the “Last Tear of the Atlantic” because the last rain carried by warm, moist Atlantic air crossing the Tianshan falls here. The lake is ringed by mountains, its water is clear and deep blue, and the shore is wide grassland. In June–July wildflowers carpet the shoreline, and snow peaks, grassland and blue lake appear together in one frame. The Guozigou Bridge on the G30 Lianhuo Expressway sits right by the south shore, and just beyond the Guozigou valley to the south is Huocheng County in the Ili Valley (lavender fields and Yining City). Most visitors drive or cycle around the lake. The loop road is about 90 km; enter counterclockwise from the South Gate, with viewpoints along the way including Dianjiangtai, Moon Bay, Swan Lake, Xihai Grassland and Keleyongzhu. A full circuit with photo stops takes 4–6 hours. Best seasons: mid-June to early July has the best wildflowers and temperatures of 15–25°C, and is the absolute peak season. The grassland is still green in August with slightly fewer visitors. Late September to early October brings golden autumn color and fewer crowds. From late November to February the lake freezes and forms spectacular blue ice, but temperatures drop below −20°C and parts of the loop road are closed. Spring (April–May) is windy and the grass has not yet greened. Getting there: the lake is about 500 km from Ürümqi (about 6 hours by car on the G30 Lianhuo Expressway) and about 90 km from Yining. Most visitors treat Sayram Lake as one stop on the Ili loop, which runs from Ürümqi through Sayram Lake, Guozigou, Huocheng, Yining, Narat and Bayanbulak. Bole Alashankou Airport and Yining Airport are the nearest airports, and both Bole and Yining have train stations; from either, take a taxi or hire a car (about 1.5 hours). The entrance ticket is about CNY 70, with a separate fee for vehicles driving the loop (about CNY 60 for a car). There are sightseeing buses and bike rentals in the park, and RV campsites and yurt lodging by the lake. Suggested time: 1 day is enough for the loop; stay a night by the lake if you want sunrise, sunset and stargazing photos. Tips: the lake is above 2,000 m with a huge day–night temperature range, so bring a down or fleece layer even in summer. UV is strong and it is windy, so use sun protection. Do not drive off the loop road onto the grassland. The water is icy, and swimming is prohibited. In peak season (July), lakeside lodging is tight and should be booked in advance.

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