My Trip Moments from Xinjiang were all about:

👇A Roaming Guide to the Ili River Valley 💞**Lavender in June**🌿* paints Princess Jieyou Manor in the colors of Provence, but even more touching is the nomadic migration of the Kazakh herders along the way—flocks of sheep traverse National Highway 219 to the rhythm of dust, a living epic. In Zhaosu, the **July rapeseed flower sea** frames the snow-capped mountains, and riding a horse through the Kalajun Grassland in the morning mist, the sound of hooves startles the marmots. 🥘The **food map** should mark three must-try dishes: the chopped meat noodles in the alley need to be paired with raw garlic, the Xibe's "Nimha fish stew" is sour and appetizing, and the Kvass and roasted buns in the night market are a perfect match. The Kvass vendors in the bazaar always give an extra half cup, which is the Ili way of being generous. 🚗**Transportation Tips**: The bus from Yining to Tekes passes through the Gongnais River Valley, and a window seat will give you a flowing landscape gallery. To go deeper into Qiongkushitai, you need to transfer to a herder's pickup truck—the bumpy mountain road will tell you what "far away" means. 🌃In the **Kazanqi Old Street** at dusk, there are always old people playing the Rewap under the sky-blue porch. There is no need to ask for the name of the song, the cumin aroma wafting from the Uyghur courtyard is the best tour guide. ‼️It is recommended to reserve seven days to let the slow rhythm of Ili permeate your pores. The beauty here lies in the fact that it is always ready for the next encounter.