The upcoming Xinjiang will be legendary! Here's a guide to the Ili Grand Loop

It's the most beautiful season in Xinjiang again. I remember the days when I traveled that land last year, and the deep impact it still has on my heart. Now, let me share my personal experience of Xinjiang with everyone. . 📆Best time to visit: June to August every year 🏔️Scenery: Snow-capped mountains, lakes, rivers, grasslands, flowers 🚗How to travel: Rent a car for a self-drive tour or hire a car/join a group. . ↪️Below is our itinerary from last year for your reference: day1 🛬Urumqi, rent a car in the city, check in, and visit the International Grand Bazaar at night day2 Urumqi - Anjihai Grand Canyon (3 hours drive) - Sayram Lake (4 hours), stay at 'West Sea Starry Sky RV Camping Site' inside the scenic area day3 Sayram Lake - Guozigou Bridge - Yining, stay in Yining city area day4 Kazanqi Folk Village - Xiatang (3-4 hours), stay in Xiatang scenic area, Kazakh yurt day5 Xiatang - Tekes Hexagram City (3 hours), stay in Tekes county day6 Tekes - Kalajun (1 hour) - Qiaxi (3 hours), stay in Qiaxi day7 Qiaxi day8 Qiaxi - Kuerdening (1.5 hours) - Fairy Lake (4 hours), stay in Xinyuan county day9 Xinyuan county - Fairy Lake (1 hour) - Yining (4-5 hours), stay in Yining city area day10 Yining - Huocheng Lavender Manor (1 hour), Huocheng - Yining Airport 🛫 . ▪️Anjihai Grand Canyon: Majestic and spectacular, like a crevice in the Tianshan Mountains ▪️Sayram Lake: The last tear of the Atlantic, drive around the lake, the most wonderful part is the West Sea Grassland - South Gate area ▪️Guozigou Scenic Area: Right at the south gate of Sayram Lake, there are many viewing platforms for photo opportunities ▪️Kazanqi Folk Village: Located in the Uyghur folk style street in Yining city area, the houses and colors are uniquely characteristic ▪️Xiatang Ancient Trail: A paradise for hiking enthusiasts! High mountains, rapids, glaciers, all the beautiful scenery in sight ▪️Tekes Hexagram City: The aerial view of Tekes county shows a hexagram shape ▪️Kalajun Grassland: Vast and open, very suitable for photography, great self-driving experience ▪️Tekes River: On the way from Kalajun to Qiaxi, passing near Kezilejiaer village by the Tekes River, the blue water and green grass are eye-catching ▪️Qiaxi Grassland: Relatively niche, less commercialized, not many tourists, great for photography, daydreaming, camping, and stargazing ▪️Kuerdening: Known as the 'Oriental Switzerland', if you knew Kuerdening, why bother with the Alps! The spruce scenery is similar to Qiaxi ▪️Tangbula: The Hundred Mile Gallery and Fairy Lake are both excellent, niche attractions, suitable for hiking or horseback riding ▪️Huocheng: Has many lavender manors, very distinctive for photo opportunities 🔘Attractions we skipped in the itinerary: ▪️Qiongkushitai: Crowded, relatively difficult to access ▪️Naraty: Expensive, especially for self-driving, somewhat unaffordable ▪️Bayinbuluke: Due to the itinerary route and time constraints, we gave up this place 🛣️Self-driving tips: Pay attention to the opening times of the Yizhao Highway and Duku Highway, if closed, you need to find another route