Xinjiang is stunning, but I don't recommend visiting in July-August

Hey guys! Just got back from an amazing trip to Xinjiang 😭 Came in July to escape the heat but ended up completely enchanted by this land! Seriously, think twice before coming—summer here is just too perfect, you might find all other scenery underwhelming afterward~ 🌞 25°C summers are nature's special gift July in Xinjiang is a season spoiled by snow mountains and grasslands 🌬️ Basking in the sun on the prairie with just a light jacket during the day; watching sunsets in front of yurts as snow-capped peaks turn golden-red, with lavender-scented breezes so sweet you can taste them. Staying in Kazakh yurts, wrapped in wool blankets while stargazing—the Milky Way so clear it's like scattered diamonds—an experience no air-conditioned room can match! 🚗 Long drive? Every kilometer is wallpaper-worthy! The 5-hour drive to Sayram Lake 🚗💨 flies by when the scenery keeps you mesmerized: sheep dotting the grasslands like pearls, yurt smoke curling through valleys, even roadside wildflowers bursting with color. Roll down the windows, listen to Kazakh folk songs, watch distant snow mountains glide by—even traffic jams feel like 3D movies~ 🌄 These spots are absolute must-sees! • Nalati Grassland: In July, the prairie is so lush it seems to drip green. Ride ponies through valleys where streams jingle with hoofbeats 🐎 Sip milk tea in herders' yurts while watching kids chase lambs—this is the life we dream of~ • Sayram Lake: Skip the Instagram spots! Walk along the shore where water bluer than spilled paint meets icy mountain meltwater 💧 Sit on rocks at dusk as the lake turns gold—no phone camera could capture 1/10,000th of its beauty! • Ili Lavender Fields: Peak bloom in July! Purple oceans more spectacular than Provence—wear white and step into this fairy tale 💜 Buy $1.5 lavender honey from roadside stalls, sweetness that lingers~ 🍢 Food that'll steal your heart at first bite Pilaf MUST be paired with baked buns! Glossy lamb chunks, explosively sweet carrots, flaky pastry so crispy it crumbles—each bite is pure bliss 🥢 Roadside yogurt with raisins cuts through the richness; $1.5 watermelons taste like liquid honey 🍉 💡 July travel hacks ✅ Pack a thick jacket! Prairie temperatures swing wildly—shorts at noon, coats by dusk ✅ Avoid morning crowds! Arrive after 10am for better photos and space ✅ Bring empty bottles! Glacier meltwater tastes sweeter than bottled water ✅ Don't haggle with herders! That $1.5 cheese might come with free wild berries Now back at my desk, all I can think about are prairie winds and baked bun aromas 😭 Trust me, July-August is when Xinjiang is most generous—snow mountains, grasslands, flower seas, delicacies, even the air whispers "stay"! Come feel this romance, just beware...you might never want to leave~