Xinjiang Yili: The most captivating grassland village

Among all the places we visited, my travel buddy and I unanimously agreed that Qiongkushitai left the strongest impression. First, the challenges: 👉 You need to cross three mountain ridges, making self-driving 🚗 quite difficult. The journey takes about three hours ⌛️. The roads in the village are tough to navigate. Pedestrians 🚶‍, horses 🐎, and vehicles 🛻 share the same paths, making hiking quite challenging. Facilities in the village are not well-developed, so you might need to prepare for basic needs like using the restroom 🚽. But the scenery is absolutely stunning... It’s a more pristine and untouched beauty! The landscape features undulating ⛰️ mountain ranges, rustic wooden 🪵 houses, and cattle and sheep 🐂 grazing leisurely right beside you. Streams 🌊 flow past fallen logs 🪾, jagged rocks 🪨, and meander through winding channels. 🎫 There’s no entrance gate or ticket fee for the scenic area. To explore from the front mountain to the back, you can ride a horse 🐴 for 288 RMB per person or take a village vehicle for about 200 RMB per person. Self-driving seems to be limited to just a few kilometers before the road becomes inaccessible. ⚠️ Tips: If you plan to return the same day, it’s recommended to use the restroom at the visitor service center beforehand. However, if you have more time, staying overnight is highly recommended to fully experience the serene mornings and evenings of this untouched village 😌. ❤️ As someone who gets carsick easily, I was surprised that the three-hour drive didn’t bother me at all, thanks to the breathtaking scenery along the way! No wonder they say... the best views are often found on the journey 🍃.