|  Hanas
Lake - The Oasis of the Altaii
Day 1 Urmuqi
Upon reaching Urumqi, the capital of Xinjang, you will have a short
briefing on the itinerary of this tour. You will find very little
difference between Urumqi and other large inland cities in China.
but the region's exotic feel persists, and the markets, such as
the Kashgar Market and Erdaoqiao Folk Handicrafts Market, certainly
exude the atmosphere of the Silk Road.
Day 2 Urumqi to Altai
We will take a short flight to Altai, the northernmost town in Xinjiang
close to the border of Russia, Kazakstan and Mongolia. The town
is inhabited by a colorful mix of ethnic minorities including Mongols,
Kazaks and Kyrgyz. We will pay a visit to a birch forest and ancient
tombs in the afternoon.
Day 3 Altai to Hanas Lake
The area's dismal road condition will make the otherwise short stretch
from Altai to the Hanas Lake a long drive of about 5-6 hours. This,
however, will be more than compensated for by the exceptionally
beautiful scenery of the region.The thick evergreen Siberian forest
consists of spruce, fir, larch and Wuzhen Pine, of which the latter
two are native to this region in China. The seasonal changes of
the forest makes this a pleasant spot to visit all year around.
We will spend the night at a charming lodge by the lake.
Day 4 Hanas Lake
We will have an early start to travel along the river valley on
horseback to Wolong Lake. The clear azure lake, surrounded by a
dense birch forest and set against a scenic backdrop of towering
peaks, is a calm and serene sight. The lake is not alone here -
a short distance away lies the mirror-flat Moon bay, named after
its perfect crescent shape. Like the Wolong Lake, the bay is dotted
with small islets, and is a peaceful reserve ideal for spending
the afternoon relaxing and stretching your tired legs.
After breakfast, we will head to the north of the lake to the Fish
Watching Pavilion on the peak of a mountain (2,030 m/6,660 ft).
The pavilion will offer you an unobstructed view of the entire lake,
tiers upon tiers of peaks, glaciers as well as the grand river valley
where you trekked through the day before. After descending the mountain,
we will go speedboating along the 24 km(15 mi)-long lake. If you
have enough energy left in the afternoon, we could either go fishing
or participate in the Hanasi Lake River Valley Drifting.
Day 5 Hanas Lake to the Devil City
Today we will spend most of the day driving along the Haba River
Valley past burjin, a town inhabited mostly by the Kazaks, arriving
in Devil City before sunset. Devil City, which is just 5 km(3 mi)
by 5km, resembles a Herculean castle built in medieval Europe. Whenever
the wind blows, the sky instantly turns pitch dark, with huge volumes
of sand streaming in from nowhere. Camping in this dimly lit place
while listening to the wild shrieks and howls will no doubt leave
you with a lasting impression of this town.
Day 6 The Devil City to Urumqi
Drive back to Urumqi. Tour ends.
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