Altay

Altay sits at the far northern edge of Xinjiang, a frontier town along the border with Mongolia. The name comes from a Kazakh word meaning 'June.' It serves as the administrative center of the wider Altay region and is one of Xinjiang's main livestock-raising areas, with a population that includes Kazakh, Han, Uyghur, and Mongol residents.

Understand

Altay (Aletai) is China's northernmost major city in Xinjiang nestled at the foot of the Altai Mountains where China Russia Kazakhstan and Mongolia converge. Known as the 'birthplace of skiing' and the 'Snow Capital of China' it world-class winter sports alongside spectacular summer grasslands birch forests and alpine lakes. It's the Kanas Lake and the Hemu village — two of China's most photographed landscapes

Best For

skiing and winter sports
alpine scenery
Kanas Lake
Kazakh nomadic culture
four-season nature tourism

Birch Forest Park (Hualin Park)

park edge of Altay City featuring silver birch forests, wildflowers, excellent birdwatching. In winter, snow-covered birch trees create a classic Altai winter landscape that become icic in Chinese travel photography

Kanas Lake (day trip base)

glacial lake of extraordinary color in Kanas Nature Reserve, surrounded by Siberian taiga forest Tuvan villages. lake changes color, the seass is its 'lake mster' legends. Hemu village nearby is e of China's most photographed rural landscapes

Five Fingers Spring Scenic Area (FiveFingersSpring)

natural spring area in Khandega Township featuring unusual granite formatis eroded into turtle, frog, ghost-face shapes by wind water. spring water is csidered sacred by Mgolian herdsmen is said to have healing properties

Tangba Lake Water Park (Tangba Water)

The lake attracts migratory birds including swans, cranes, geese, In winter, frozen lake surrounded by snow-covered mountains creates a dramatic landscape

Kelan River Scenic Corridor (Kelan Corridor)

20-kilometer riverside corridor valley between Camel Mountain General Mountain, lined, silver birch trees shrubs. river valley is spectacular in autumn when birches turn gold red