Complete Travel Guide to Ili

Ili, known as the most humid city in Xinjiang, is also called the 'Apple City'. Here is a nine-day travel guide for Ili: • Day 1: After arriving in Yining, stay in Yining. You can stroll around Kazanqi or Liuxing Street, and don't miss the Yining handmade ice cream that rivals Häagen-Dazs. In the evening, head to the Ili River to watch the sunset, and at night, go to Hanren Street to taste roasted lamb skewers and drink kvass. • Day 2: Rent a car in the early morning to head to Tangbula, passing through the Hundred Mile Gallery on the way. Arrange accommodation in the felt tent area closest to Fairy Lake, drop off your luggage, and then ride a horse to Fairy Lake. The round-trip cost is about 200 yuan per person, and it takes about 2 - 3 hours. Enjoy lamb or big plate chicken for dinner at your accommodation. • Day 3: In the morning, depart from Tangbula to Nalati. It is recommended to buy a self-driving ticket to enter. The aerial grassland is stunningly beautiful, and many online videos and photos are taken here. If time is limited, you can skip Xuelian Valley (as it's not accessible by self-driving). Stay overnight in Nalati town. • Day 4: If you're up for it in the morning, continue to walk on the Panlong Ancient Trail in Nalati (the ticket is valid for two days), then head from Nalati to Qiaxi. Reach the top of the mountain at the deepest part of the scenic area to admire the beauty of the snow-capped mountains and grasslands. If you prefer leisure, find a hilltop to sit quietly and daydream, or take a walk in the forest. If there's still time, continue to Kuerdening or Tarim. Stay overnight in Qiaxi. • Day 5: Depart from Qiaxi in the morning to Kalajun. Arrive at the Human Body Grassland before sunset, when the light is best. Stay overnight in Tekes, where there are several famous places for roasted lamb skewers and lamb rib noodles. It's worth trying. • Day 6: Depart from Tekes in the morning to Qiongkushitai. The scenery along the way is picturesque, and you can stop to take photos. It is recommended to stay in a guesthouse on the mountain behind the village, where the scenery is the best and more peaceful. The cost for a felt tent is about 100 yuan per person, and a better-conditioned standard room starts at 300 yuan. The sunset on the mountain is breathtaking, and at night, you can watch the dazzling starry sky. • Day 7: If you have enough time, you can ride a horse or hike from Qiongkushitai along the Wusun Ancient Trail to Kalajun. If time is limited, continue to Shata. Stay in the scenic area, where there are felt tent areas and wooden house areas (Note: You cannot self-drive into the scenic area, so arrange accommodation in advance to have them transport your luggage. After buying tickets, tourists take a sightseeing bus to enter). In the afternoon, you can first stroll on the plank road, with beautiful snow mountains and flower seas. • Day 8: Take the shuttle bus directly to the end point in the morning, and then start hiking. Along the way, you will pass rivers, forests, flower seas, grasslands, and snow-capped mountains, with stunning scenery and close encounters with snow-capped mountains (you must hike in Shata, as the essence is in this hiking section). Stay overnight in Zhaosu County. • Day 9: Return to Yining from Zhaosu, ending the pleasant journey. If you have one or two more days, you can continue to Sailimu Lake. Drive along the lake, with blue skies, white clouds, flower seas, snow-capped mountains, and lakes, which are refreshing. You can return to Yining for accommodation at night, or stay at Sailimu Lake. Please note that there is a large temperature difference between day and night in Ili. The nights in May can be a bit cold, so remember to bring a windbreaker or a medium-thick coat.