Wulungu Lake: a paradise for water birds in the desert, the first mirror lake outside the Great Wall

Ulungur Lake, which means "cloud lake" in Mongolian, lies quietly in the desert hinterland of Fuhai County, Altay, Xinjiang, like a sapphire on the northern edge of the Junggar Basin. This vast water area with a total area of ​​1,035 square kilometers consists of two lakes, the saltwater lake "Buluntohai" (Dahaizi) and the freshwater lake "Jili Lake" (Xiaohaizi), connected by the Kuiyiga River, forming a spectacle of "sand sea embedded with two walls". Symphony of Nature and Humanity - "Ulungur Lake has become a unique water-friendly tourist destination in Xinjiang with its rare inland beach resources and suitable water temperature. Here you can surf, ride a motorboat, or stand on a paraglider to overlook the vastness of the lake and the sky. - Fishing and hunting for thousands of years, endless: As the second largest fishing base in Xinjiang, the lake breeds 22 species of fish such as white pike, river perch, and Baikal yarrow. Every winter, the "Winter Fishing Festival" on the shore of Jili Lake opens grandly: fishermen break the ice and cast nets, fresh fish leap on the ice, and smoke rises from the Kazakh fish feast. The ancient fishing and hunting culture continues here. Ecological barrier, bird paradise With a wetland coverage rate of 87.02%, the Ulungur Lake National Wetland Park protects the trajectory of migratory life: mute swans fly over reeds, sea eagles hover over the blue waves, and more than 40 species of water birds breed here in summer and autumn. The number of observations in 2022 increased fourfold compared with five years ago. In order to maintain the fragile ecology, the lake area implemented the "Yin'ejihai" project to divert water to replenish the lake, and restored 16 square kilometers of wetland vegetation, allowing sand dunes to retreat and clear water to regenerate. A lonely lake in the desert, a sunset on a long river - when the afterglow dyes the sparkling waves, and the camel's shadow is printed on the golden sand bank, the Ulungur Lake interprets the epic of the symbiosis of wasteland and life with its eternal tranquility. #summervacay#familytravel #myitinerary #thingstodo #travel