Traveling in Xinjiang, Day 45: Kanas Village by the Kanas River.

Kanas Scenic Area, Kanas River In July, we drove to Xinjiang. We set off from Burqin, took Provincial Highway 232 and National Highway 219, passed the Tierekedi Visitor Service Center, and arrived at the Baihaba New Village Parking Lot. We took the free bus (Baihaba Route 2) in the new village parking lot and went directly to the Baihaba Scenic Area Visitor Center to take the scenic area shuttle bus to the Kanas Scenic Area Visitor Transfer Center. There are four bus routes at the transfer center to explore Kanas. The first route is Kanas Village/Kanas Lake. You can get off at Kanas Village halfway, walk 2 kilometers in the old village, and feel the tranquility of the wooden house village and the freshness of the forest wooden plank road. The second route is the Fish Watching Pavilion. You need to make an appointment in advance, climb 1,068 steps, and overlook the entire Kanas Lake with a panoramic view. The third route is Sanwan, Shenxian Bay, Moon Bay, and Wolong Bay. You can walk through the jungle meadows, and the distant mountains and lakes are interesting. The fourth route is Baihaba. You need to apply for a border defense certificate to visit the oldest village in the northwest of China and feel the weight of history. This is the route that brought us to the transfer center. The Fish Watching Pavilion is a must-see attraction in Kanas. You need to make an appointment to go there. Unfortunately, we did not make an appointment successfully. We chose to go to Kanas Village and Kanas Lake first. After getting on the scenic spot shuttle bus, we arrived at the first stop, the old village. We came to the old village to experience the local customs and feel the smoke, warm sun and rural life. The old village is inhabited by Mongolian Tuva people. The exquisite Tuva wooden houses and nature form a landscape painting. Kanas Village is surrounded by mountains and birch forests, blue sky, white clouds, snow peaks, grasslands, rivers, and flocks of sheep. When these appear in front of you, people yearn for it and feel like they want to retire to the mountains and forests. People are enjoying the good times in the old village, but they don't know that the Kanas River is rushing past the west side of the old village. Not far from the entrance of the old village (the old village station of the scenic spot shuttle bus), there is a road to the west. Walk about 200 meters west along the road and you will hear the sound of rushing water and come to the Kanas River. There is a bridge on the river, and the Kanas Scenic Area Public Security Bureau Kanas Border Police Station is on the other side of the river (if you can't find it, you can walk to the border police station). The source of the Kanas River is the Kanas Glacier on the south slope of Friendship Peak (the highest peak of the Altai Mountains). After converging into a river and Kanas Lake, it flows through Kanas Village, then goes to Burqin and is called Burqin River, and finally flows into the Irtysh River and flows to the north. The Arctic Ocean is gone. The Kanas River is the main tributary of the Burqin River, and the upper reaches of the river is Kanas Lake. The lake water pours down and meanders in the valley, forming the exquisite natural scenery of Kanas Scenic Area Wolong Bay, Moon Bay, and Shenxian Bay. The Kanas River is clear and transparent, with huge rocks densely covered upstream, rapid water flow, splashing waves, green grass on the river beach, and lush trees on both sides of the river, like a beautiful picture scroll. When you are on the Kanas River, the blue water and blue sky seem to unfold like a picture scroll. On the Kanas River, people feel the broad mind of nature and give people the courage to move forward. The area where the Kanas River flows not only has beautiful natural landscapes, but also carries a rich history and culture. The villages along the way, such as Hemu Village and Baihaba Village, are all primitive villages where Tuva people live. They retain the ancient architectural style and lifestyle, providing people with a unique cultural experience. These villages are surrounded by mountains and rivers. The simple wooden houses and the surrounding natural environment coexist harmoniously, showing a beautiful picture of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.