Ili Qiongkushitai Secret Realm Exploration｜The Milky Way on the Roof of a Herdsman’s Home

Title: My Third Night Lost in Qiongkushitai, Lying on a Herdsman’s Roof Watching the Milky Way Pour Down｜This Hidden Route in Ili Is So Beautiful It Automatically Triggers “Starry Sky Mode” on Your Phone --- Have you ever— Slept in a wooden house with no electric lights, only candlelight, And at 2 a.m., had a guide gently knock on your door: “Get up, the Milky Way is rising.” Rubbing your eyes, you climb onto the roof, And are stunned in an instant: The entire sky looks like a spilled diamond box, The Milky Way cascades like a silver waterfall from the zenith down to the edge of the grassland, While the Qiongkushitai village beneath is silent like a mystery, Only a few wisps of cooking smoke slowly rise, winding around the snowy mountain line. This is not the movie "Life of Pi," This is my real 72 hours in the summer of 2024— Deep into Ili’s most primitive Kazakh ancient village: Qiongkushitai. A secret path where even navigation gets “lost,” Yet hides China’s last Wusun legacy and a pure starry sky sanctuary. 📍Route Overview Yining → Tekesi Bagua City → Qiongkushitai (3 days in-depth) → Kalajun Grassland → Gongliu → Return to Yining 🗓Recommended Duration: 6-7 days｜🌌 Star Photography · Ancient Village Hiking · Wusun Secret Path｜💰 Budget: 4500–6000 RMB/person 📅Best Season: Mid-June to Early September (lush grasslands, stable weather, high clear night rate) --- 🌿【Day 1-3】Tekesi → Qiongkushitai｜Stay in a “Time-Stopped” Wooden House ✅ Drive through winding mountain dirt roads to Qiongkushitai Village (about 4 hours, requires 4WD off-road vehicle) - The entire village is built from century-old logs, not a single brick or tile - Cattle and sheep roam the alleys, eagles circle overhead, dogs nap at doorsteps 🏡 Accommodation Experience: - Stay in a boutique wooden house homestay renovated by local Kazakh herders (with private bathroom + solar power) - Dinner includes hand-pulled meat, milk tea, freshly baked baursak, gathered around the stove listening to dombra music 📷 Must-Capture Scenes: - Horses crossing streams in the morning mist, splashing water like shattered jade - Silhouettes of wooden houses at sunset, with curling cooking smoke rising - Afternoon hike to the back mountain viewing platform, overlooking the entire village like a fairy-tale block set 🎯 In-Depth Activities: - Follow herders on horseback to explore the entrance section of the Wusun ancient path (3-5 km, no heavy gear needed) - Shoot a “Time Wrinkle” themed cultural photo in front of abandoned old houses - Set up a tripod at midnight to capture the Milky Way arching across the valley, phone automatically triggers “starry sky mode” 📌 Fun Fact: Qiongkushitai means “Big Platform,” one of the settlements of the Wusun descendants from the Tang Dynasty. --- 4】Qiongkushitai → Kalajun Grassland｜Enter the “Sky Garden” ✅ Depart in the morning for the World Natural Heritage site—Kalajun Grassland - Climb the “Human Body Grassland” viewing platform, where rolling hills resemble a sleeping beauty - Colorful meadows stretch to the horizon, wildflowers bloom, streams meander 📷 Photography Highlights: - Use a drone to capture the “three-dimensional grassland” texture - Snap dynamic moments of shepherd boys herding sheep through flower seas - Golden hour silhouette shots of cycling against snowy mountain backdrops 🎫 Tickets + Shuttle: about ¥160｜Recommended playtime: 4 hours 🏨 Stay in Tekesi or head directly to a comfortable hotel in Gongliu County｜about 400 RMB/night --- 5-6】Gongliu → Yining｜Complete the Loop ✅ Return to Yining via Provincial Road S316 (about 5 hours) - Stop by Chaxi Forest Park or the lesser-known edge of Nalati Wetlands along the way ✅ Upon arrival in Yining, highly recommend celebrating at Liuxing Street: - Must-try: handmade ice cream, kvass drink, baked buns with yogurt - Buy Kazakh embroidered coasters or miniature saddle models as souvenirs --- Budget Breakdown (Per Person｜Light Luxury Photography Custom Trip): Item Cost ------ ------ Round-trip transport (plane/train to Yining) ¥1000–1800 Car rental (4WD off-road with driver/guide) ¥3000 Accommodation (6 nights average ¥500, including high-end Qiongkushitai wooden house) ¥3000 Tickets + horseback riding + home visit gifts + insurance ¥500 Food supplies + photography materials ¥600 Total ¥4500–6000 >💬 Note: If carpooling with multiple people and traveling in the off-season, costs can be controlled around ¥4000. --- Why Is This Route Called the “Ultimate Secret Realm of Ili”? ✅ Overwhelmingly primitive: no public buses, supplies carried by horse, life pace as slow as last century ✅ Starry sky ceiling: almost zero light pollution, over 120 nights per year with clear Milky Way structure visible ✅ Living cultural fossil: Kazakh traditional lifestyle fully preserved, not a performance ✅ Legendary photo rate: from misty wooden houses to cascading Milky Way, every shot can be a wallpaper --- 📌 Action Suggestions: 🎯 If you are: - A photography enthusiast seeking ultimate natural and cultural themes → this route is worth taking special leave for - A traveler wanting to escape the city but avoid popular routes → Qiongku is the true king of off-the-beaten-path - An observer interested in nomadic culture → living and eating with herders for three days is better than reading ten books 🔥 Best Travel Tips: - July has the most flowers, August the most stable weather, early September the start of autumn colors - Be sure to book Qiongkushitai homestays at least one week in advance (very limited availability!) - Bring a windproof jacket + headlamp + spare batteries (nights are very cold) --- This summer, Don’t squeeze into the crowds at Nalati to take “standard shots” anymore. Go to Qiongkushitai once, Find your full-signal self in a place without Wi-Fi; In a village where even time is too lazy to move, Watch the stars inch over the rooftops. There are no influencer filters there, But the most authentic light— From beyond the sky, and from the heart.