September in Kanas, encounter a golden fairy tale.

Xinjiang·Kanas 5 Days 4 Nights In-Depth Guide | Budget 6000 RMB | Autumn Legendary Route 📍 Route: Urumqi → Burqin → Kanas → Hemu Village → Five-Color Beach → Urumqi 🗓️ Duration: 5 days 4 nights (Recommended late September to early October: peak autumn colors) 💰 Total Budget: About 5850 RMB (per person) 🚗 Transportation: Flight + carpool/car rental + shuttle bus 📌 Style: Nordic secret realm × Alps on the map of China × Tuva culture --- 🍁【Trip Highlights】 - Enjoy the three bays of Kanas Lake (Shenxian Bay, Moon Bay, Wolong Bay) alone in the morning mist - Climb to the top of Guanyu Terrace to overlook the jade-green lake and snow-capped mountains panorama - Stay in century-old wooden guesthouses in Hemu Village, open the window to see snowy pine forests, wake up to curling cooking smoke - Hike along the shore of Kanas Lake, passing through golden larch forests - Capture the sunset at Five-Color Beach, with Yadan landforms and the Irtysh River’s stunning light and shadow - Experience Tuva culture: listen to the Chuur flute, drink milk tea, gather around the fire for night talks - Taste the flavors of Northern Xinjiang: Burqin grilled dogfish, hand-pulled meat, baursak, dried horse sausage --- 🗓️ Detailed Itinerary --- Day 1: Arrive in Urumqi → Fly to Burqin (or Beitun) → Stay in Burqin - ✈️ Transportation: - Fly nationwide to Urumqi (Reference price: round trip 2800-3500 RMB from Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou) - Transfer: Urumqi Diwopu Airport → Burqin Five-Color Beach Airport (small route, 1.5h) - Flight reference: CZ6817 / G52875, ticket price about 600-800 RMB (book in advance) - Total flight budget: 3800 RMB (round trip) - 🚖 Taxi from airport to Burqin town (about 50 RMB) - 🏡 Accommodation: Burqin Qipan Guesthouse or Fairy Tale Border City Hotel - Price: 400 RMB/night, Russian-style small town, charming night view - 🍽️ Dinner: Burqin Riverside Night Market - Must-eat: grilled dogfish (perch), dried meat pilaf, kvass (about 60 RMB per person) ✅ Total Day 1 cost: about 4300 RMB (flight 3800 + accommodation 400 + meals 60 + transport 50) --- Day 2: Burqin → Kanas Scenic Area → Stay in Kanas Village - 🚙 Morning: Carpool/car rental departure (recommended 4-person off-road carpool, about 300 RMB per person) - Distance: Burqin → Kanas Scenic Area entrance (about 200 km, 4 hours) - Scenery en route: grasslands, river valleys, birch forests alternating - 🎫 Afternoon: Enter Kanas Scenic Area (ticket + shuttle bus: 230 RMB) - Tour route: 1. Shenxian Bay: morning mist shrouds, golden birch reflections like a painting (best in September) 2. Moon Bay: S-shaped jade river, check in at the “Flying Dragon in the Sky” stone monument 3. Wolong Bay: shaped like a giant dragon, can hike the boardwalk for aerial shots - 🏡 Accommodation: Kanas Old Village wooden guesthouse (recommended “Snowland Family” or “Tuva Family”) - Price: 500 RMB/night, kang bed-stove + fireplace + Tuva style, simple but original ecology - 🍲 Dinner: homestyle dishes at guesthouse (hand-pulled meat, milk tea, baursak, about 60 RMB per person) - 🌌 Night: starry sky without light pollution, shoot the Milky Way (if weather permits, possible aurora colors!) ✅ Total Day 2 cost: about 1100 RMB (carpool 300 + ticket 230 + accommodation 500 + meals 60) --- Day 3: Climb Guanyu Terrace + Lakeside Hiking → Hemu Village - 🌅 Early morning: Guanyu Terrace (requires shuttle bus + climbing 1068 steps) - Cost: shuttle bus 30 RMB (included in ticket), overlook full view of Kanas Lake from the top - Photo spot: platform facing the lake center, snow mountains + blue water + golden forest, legendary composition - 🍂 Morning: free hiking along Kanas Lake shore (free) - Recommended route: walk 2 km along the lake from the village, few people, beautiful scenery, larch forest like an oil painting - 🚙 Noon: carpool to Hemu Village (about 80 km, 2.5 hours) - Cost: carpool about 200 RMB per person - 🏡 Accommodation: Hemu century-old wooden guesthouse (recommended “Hemu Mountain Villa” or “The Watcher”) - Price: 600 RMB/night, some with viewing balconies facing snow mountains - 🍽️ Dinner: guesthouse custom meal (dried horse sausage fried rice, yogurt dumplings, milk tea, about 70 RMB per person) - 🌃 Night: climb Hemu viewing platform (free), see the whole village lights + starry Milky Way ✅ Total Day 3 cost: about 1000 RMB (carpool 200 + accommodation 600 + meals 70 + shuttle bus 30) --- Day 4: Hemu Morning Mist + Village Stroll → Five-Color Beach Sunset - 🌫️ 6:00 AM: climb Hemu viewing platform (can ride horse 100 RMB/person or hike 30 minutes) - Watch morning mist rise from the valley, wooden house cooking smoke curling, called “China’s most beautiful morning mist” - 🏘️ Morning: free stroll in Hemu Village - Photo spots: Hemu Bridge, birch forest, small wooden houses, Tuva small church - Experience: chat with Tuva elders, listen to Chuur flute performance (can book experience class 150 RMB) - 🚙 Noon: carpool back to Burqin (about 150 km, 3 hours) - Cost: carpool about 200 RMB per person - 🌇 Evening: Five-Color Beach sunset (ticket + shuttle bus: 50 RMB) - Irtysh River flows through Yadan landforms, rocks show red, yellow, orange, purple colors under sunset - Golden photo time: 18:30-19:30 (autumn sunset about 19:40) - 🏡 Accommodation: Burqin Qipan Guesthouse (same as Day 1) - Price: 400 RMB/night ✅ Total Day 4 cost: about 900 RMB (carpool 400 + ticket 50 + accommodation 400 + meals 50) --- Day 5: Burqin → Fly back to Urumqi → Return home - ✈️ Morning: Burqin Airport → Urumqi (flight about 1.5h, ticket 600 RMB) - 🚖 Taxi or subway to airport/train station in city - ✈️ Return home ✅ Total Day 5 cost: about 700 RMB (flight 600 + transport 100) --- 💰 Total Budget Summary (per person) | Item | Cost | |------|------| | Round-trip flights (including small route) | 3800 RMB | | Carpool fees (3 segments) | 700 RMB (300+200+200) | | Accommodation (4 nights) | 1900 RMB (400+500+600+400) | | Tickets + shuttle buses | 310 RMB (Kanas 230 + Guanyu Terrace 30 + Five-Color Beach 50) | | Meals (5 days) | 250 RMB (50 per day) | | Other experiences | 150 RMB (Chuur flute experience) | | Total | About 5850 RMB | > 💡 Money-saving Tips: > - If budget is tight within 5000 RMB: > - Take the bus (Urumqi → Burqin, about 12h, ticket 300 RMB), save 1200 RMB on airfare > - Stay in dorm hostels (Kanas/Hemu about 200 RMB/bed), save 800 RMB > - If you want to upgrade: > - Rent a private 7-seat SUV (about 5000 RMB for the whole trip), more freedom > - Add a helicopter tour over Kanas Lake (1680 RMB/person/10 minutes), worth the price! --- 📸 Travel Blogger Insider Tips 1. Best photography times: - Kanas three bays: 6:30-8:00 AM (morning mist + backlight) - Hemu morning mist: 6:00-7:00 AM (around sunrise) - Five-Color Beach: 18:30-19:30 (most vivid sunset side light) 2. Clothing suggestions: - September-October temperature: 15°C daytime, -5°C at night, bring a windbreaker + light down jacket + fleece - Shoes should be non-slip, boardwalk often has dew and fallen leaves 3. Pitfall warnings: - Food inside scenic areas is expensive, bring your own snacks (chocolate, beef jerky) - For carpool, use official platforms or guesthouse recommendations, sign agreements to avoid being left behind --- 🌲 Conclusion 6000 RMB for a 5-day 4-night Western Region fairy tale journey. You wake up in the morning mist of Kanas, Fall asleep under the starry sky of Hemu, Walk through China’s most Swiss-like autumn, Hear the thousand-year flute sound of the Tuva people. Kanas is not just a landscape, It is a poem written into your heart.