What are the 5A-level Scenic Spots in Xinjiang? Comprehensive Guide to Highlights

Xinjiang is vast and expansive, boasting diverse landscapes such as snow-capped mountains, lakes, grasslands, and ancient cities. Its 5A-level scenic spots integrate the wonders of nature with the charm of culture. Many tourists ask, “What are the 5A-level scenic spots in Xinjiang?” before their trip. These scenic spots are scattered across northern and southern Xinjiang, each hiding a unique Western Region charm. Whether you are pursuing the tranquility of lakes and mountains or exploring the heritage of the millennium-old Silk Road, Xinjiang’s 5A-level scenic spots can meet your expectations. Below is a detailed overview of the highlights of each scenic spot, along with practical travel tips to make your trip to Xinjiang more targeted.

Natural Wonders: The Splendid Mountains and Rivers of Xinjiang’s 5A-level Scenic Spots

Xinjiang’s natural 5A-level scenic spots are stunning with their ultimate landscapes. From the forest seas and lakes in northern Xinjiang to the grassland wetlands in southern Xinjiang, each showcases the magnificent craftsmanship of nature. These scenic spots are suitable for tourists who enjoy immersive natural experiences and photography, with distinctive scenery in all seasons that is worth visiting one by one.

Kanas Scenic Area: The Romance of the God’s Back Garden

Core Landscapes: The color of Kanas Lake changes with depth, shrouded in mist in the morning, adding a fairy-like charm. The Fish Viewing Platform offers a panoramic view of the lake, and the Three Bays (Immortal Bay, Moon Bay, Wolong Bay) are paradise for hiking and photography.

Characteristic Experiences: Stay in a Tuvan wooden house, taste milk tea and admire the starry sky at night, take photos of cooking smoke from wooden houses in the morning, and immerse yourself in the healing mountain atmosphere.

Practical Tips: It takes 3.5 hours by car from Burqin County. The peak season ticket is 160 yuan plus 110 yuan for the shuttle bus, with half-price tickets for students. Some areas are closed in the off-season, so it is recommended to plan your time reasonably.

Kanas Scenic Area

Sayram Lake: The Last Tear of the Atlantic Ocean

Landscape Highlights: As the highest alpine lake in Xinjiang, its water is crystal clear blue. The General’s Platform is ideal for taking photos of snow-capped mountains and the lake together, and the Waterfront Beach allows close-up water play and scenery appreciation.

Best Ways to Play: Driving around the lake (4 hours/300 yuan/car) offers great value. From June to July, wildflowers bloom everywhere, and the sunset and starry sky landscapes are extremely romantic, perfect for photography.

Travel Guide: It takes 2 hours by car from Yining Airport. The peak season ticket is 145 yuan, with half-price for students. Additional tickets are required for self-driving cars, and the scenic spot is open until 22:00 in peak season.

Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area: The Jade Lake Surrounded by Snow-Capped Mountains

Core Landscapes: As the core area of the world natural heritage Tianshan Mountains, the lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, with a stunning reflection of Bogda Peak. The Qianlongyuan Trail features gurgling waterfalls and rustling pine forests.

Travel Suggestions: There are many steps in the scenic area. It is recommended to take the cable car up the mountain for 80 yuan per person to enjoy a more shocking panoramic view. After going down the mountain, you can taste crispy mutton naan.

Transportation and Tickets: It takes 1.5 hours by car from Urumqi. The peak season ticket is 95 yuan plus 60 yuan for the shuttle bus, with half-price for students. The opening hours vary slightly between peak and off seasons.

Bayanbulak Scenic Area: The Pearl on the Duku Highway

Must-See Landscapes: A core scenic spot along the Duku Highway, the meandering Kaidu River (Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns) can reflect multiple suns at sunset. It is recommended to occupy a spot on the viewing platform 2 hours in advance.

Folk Experiences: A settlement of the Torgut Mongolians, you can stay in yurts, taste salty milk tea and milk curd, and experience the strong nomadic customs.

Precautions: The scenic area is at a high altitude with large temperature differences; thick coats are needed even in summer. The peak season ticket is 65 yuan plus 90 yuan for the shuttle bus, with half-price for students. Swan Lake is closed in the off-season.

Cultural Customs: The Silk Road Heritage of Xinjiang’s 5A-level Scenic Spots

In addition to magnificent natural landscapes, Xinjiang’s cultural 5A-level scenic spots carry the millennium-old Silk Road civilization, where ancient city streets, military reclamation culture and folk customs blend. These scenic spots are suitable for tourists who enjoy in-depth travel and exploring cultural heritage, allowing them to immerse themselves in the historical and cultural charm of the Western Regions.

Kashgar Old Town Scenic Area: A Millennium-Old Western Region City

Old Town Features: A free-to-visit millennium-old city with crisscrossing streets and numerous century-old handicraft workshops. You can watch the production process of intangible cultural heritage handicrafts.

Must-Do Experiences: The opening ceremony at 10:00 a.m. features traditional song and dance performances. The century-old teahouse offers tea tasting with Muqam music, and the night Hanbaz Food Street serves a variety of local delicacies.

Travel Tips: It can be reached by taxi from downtown Kashgar. It is recommended to stay in a homestay in the old town (about 200 yuan per night). Respect local ethnic customs during the visit.

Kashgar Old City

359th Brigade Cultural Tourism Area: The Legend of Military Reclamation in the Desert

Scenic Spot Positioning: A newly upgraded 5A-level red scenic spot integrating military reclamation culture, desert leisure resources, and an important red education base of the Corps.

Core Activities: Visit the 359th Brigade Reclamation Memorial Hall, experience exciting desert off-roading, and admire the golden poplar forests and desert scenery in autumn.

Travel Guide: It can be reached by car from downtown Alar. The scenic area provides shuttle bus service. Avoid the midday heat, do a good job of sun protection, and it is suitable for parent-child red tourism.

Grape Valley Scenic Area: A Sweet Oasis at the Foot of the Flaming Mountains

Scenic Spot Features: A sweet oasis at the foot of the Flaming Mountains, covered with grape trellises in summer. You can taste fresh grapes and visit drying rooms to learn about the raisin drying process.

Cultural Experiences: Visit Avanti’s Former Residence to learn about folk legends, experience Uyghur customs, and taste special foods such as raisin pilaf and grape juice.

Practical Tips: It can be reached by bus from downtown Turpan. Tickets are affordable with half-price for students. It is recommended to visit in the morning or evening in summer to avoid heatstroke.

Grassland and Mountain Areas: The Pastoral Charm of Xinjiang’s 5A-level Scenic Spots

Xinjiang’s grassland and mountain 5A-level scenic spots are characterized by alpine grasslands and three-dimensional pastures, showing a pastoral picture of “wind blowing grass low, cattle and sheep visible”. These scenic spots are suitable for visiting in summer, where you can experience folk activities such as horse riding and yurt accommodation, and feel the life of nomadic peoples such as the Kazakhs.

Nalati Scenic Area: The 2,200-Meter Alpine Grassland

Landscape Highlights: An alpine grassland at an altitude of 2,200 meters, stretching like a green carpet against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains, dotted with cattle and sheep, presenting a stunning scenery.

Travel Routes: It is recommended to buy a combined ticket of 190 yuan to visit both the alpine grassland and the river valley grassland. Horse riding is available on the alpine grassland for 80 yuan per hour, allowing you to gallop across the mountains.

Transportation and Tickets: It takes 3.5 hours by car from Yining. The one-way ticket is 120 yuan, with half-price for students. It is open until 20:00 from June to August (peak season), and it is more reliable to buy tickets through official channels.

Nalati Scenic Area

Kalajun Scenic Area: Three-Dimensional Grassland and Snow-Capped Spruce Forests

Core Landscapes: Famous for its three-dimensional grassland and human-shaped grassland wonders, interspersed with snow-capped spruce forests. The Falcon Platform is an excellent spot for overlooking the canyon.

Characteristic Activities: In summer, you can take a helicopter to take aerial photos of the flower sea. Experience traditional activities such as horse racing and sheep snatching, and stay in yurts to admire the starry sky at night.

Travel Guide: It can be reached by car from Tekes County. The ticket includes the shuttle bus, with half-price for students. The best visiting period is from June to August, and it is recommended to wear comfortable hiking shoes.

Travel Tips: Guide for Trips

Transportation Planning: Scenic spots are far apart. It is recommended to travel by chartered car or small group tour. The Duku Highway is closed to vehicles with more than 7 seats; pay attention to the car model when renting.

Tickets and Seasons: Most scenic spots have different prices for peak and off seasons, and shuttle buses are usually mandatory. Half-price tickets are available for students and the elderly. Northern Xinjiang is most beautiful from May to October, while southern Xinjiang is suitable for visiting from April to November.

Precautions: Respect local ethnic customs. Border scenic spots require advance application for border passes (free in Kashgar). Bring your own snacks and drinking water, and do a good job of sun protection and temperature difference adaptation.

Each of Xinjiang’s 5A-level scenic spots has its own unique charm. Whether it is the grandeur of natural landscapes or the depth of cultural landscapes, they can bring tourists an ultimate experience. After knowing what the 5A-level scenic spots in Xinjiang are, you can plan your route according to your preferences and travel time, immerse yourself in the unique charm of this Western Region land, and make every journey full of unforgettable memories.

Frequently Asked Questions: Answers for Scenic Spot Travel

Q: Are the 5A-level scenic spots in Xinjiang far apart? Is it suitable to visit all of them at once?

A: Xinjiang is vast, and 5A-level scenic spots are scattered across northern and southern Xinjiang, with some over 500 kilometers apart. It is not recommended to visit all of them at once. It is recommended to plan routes by region: arrange 7-10 days for the northern Xinjiang route (Kanas, Sayram Lake, Tianshan Tianchi) or the southern Xinjiang route (Kashgar Old Town, Bayanbulak) for a more comfortable experience.

Q: What precautions should be taken when visiting Xinjiang’s 5A-level scenic spots with the elderly and children?

A: Prioritize scenic spots with flat roads and low altitudes (such as Tianshan Tianchi, Grape Valley), and avoid high-altitude scenic spots like Bayanbulak and Kalajun. Bring daily medicines and warm clothes. Catering in scenic spots is mostly meat-based; prepare children’s complementary food and light food, and do a good job of sun protection and hydration throughout the trip.

Q: Can I drive into Xinjiang’s 5A-level scenic spots? Is parking convenient?

A: Most scenic spots only allow self-driving cars to the visitor center, and you need to take a shuttle bus to the core area (such as Kanas, Bayanbulak). Sayram Lake allows driving around the lake but requires an additional vehicle ticket. Visitor centers have sufficient parking spaces, with a fee of about 10-20 yuan per day in peak season, and orderly management.

Q: Are the folk experience projects in Xinjiang’s 5A-level scenic spots expensive? How to avoid being scammed?

A: Folk experience projects (such as yurt accommodation, horse riding, and special meals) have transparent prices. Yurt accommodation costs 200-500 yuan per night (for 4-6 people), and horse riding is 80-150 yuan per hour. Confirm prices with local herdsmen or regular merchants in advance to avoid temporary price increases. Prioritize official cooperative experience points for better protection.