Xinjiang Ili｜The Most Beautiful Summer in China is in Ili!

Xinjiang Ili｜The Most Beautiful Summer in China is in Ili! A nanny-level guide + pitfall avoidance tips, covering grasslands, snow mountains, and lavender fields all arranged! Sisters, listen to me—if you only plan to visit Xinjiang once in your life, you must choose Ili from June to August! What kind of divine beauty is this? ✅ Endless green grasslands like a spilled paint bucket ✅ Snow mountains reflected on the lake, as beautiful as if photoshopped ✅ Lavender fields larger than Provence ✅ Kazakh herders galloping down the hillside on horseback, directly staging a real-life opening scene of "Game of Thrones"! After 5 years as a travel blogger and visiting over 30 countries, I dare say: Ili is the ultimate summer destination in China! 🌸 Best travel time: Early June to late August - June: Lavender in full bloom (best in Huocheng), wildflowers everywhere - July: The greenest grasslands, Sayram Lake so blue it’s almost scary, perfect time for horseback riding - August: Free to enjoy melons and fruits! Watermelons sweeter than first love, grapes so abundant you can eat half a street in one bunch 👉 Recommended trip length: 6-8 days, just right without rushing or tiring! Classic route recommendations (self-driving or chartered car both OK) Day 1: Arrive in Yining → Huocheng Lavender Fields (a must-visit in mid to late June) 📍 Changfeng Village, Lucao Gou Town have many free flower fields! 📸 Photo tips: wear a white dress or blue shirt, shoot against the light for a cinematic feel! Day 2: Yining → Sayram Lake (2.5-hour drive) 🌊 The "Last Drop of the Atlantic" in Xinjiang 🚗 Driving around the lake takes about 2 hours, enter from the south gate and exit from the east gate for the best scenery! ⚠️ Don’t buy the expensive speedboat tickets inside the scenic area, just enjoy the view! Day 3: Sayram Lake → Guozigou Bridge Viewing Platform → Nalati Grassland 🌉 Guozigou Bridge looks like a steel dragon threading through the valley, perfect for photos! 🐎 Horseback riding across the Nalati aerial grassland (choose a reputable horse team and negotiate the price in advance!) Day 4: Nalati → Bayinbuluke (Sunset at the Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns is legendary) 🌅 Enter the scenic area before 4 PM, secure a high vantage point to watch the sunset flood Swan Lake! 🪶 Black-headed gulls and white swans fly together, you won’t be able to capture them all on camera! Day 5: Bayinbuluke → Northern section of Duku Highway → Tangbula Hundred-Mile Gallery 🛣️ Duku Highway is only open from May to October each year, known as "China’s Most Beautiful Highway"! 🐴 Tangbula has free grasslands, streams + snow mountains + cattle and sheep, every snapshot is wallpaper-worthy! Day 6: Tangbula → Lavender Market shopping → Return to Yining, buy lavender sachets, essential oils, dried flowers, prices are half cheaper than in the scenic area! Must-try food list - ✅ Hand-pulled lamb: Yining Han Street night market, 50 RMB per person to eat until you can’t walk - ✅ Kavas (honey fermented drink): sweet and sour to refresh, kids love it too - ✅ Jar beef noodles: rich broth and fragrant meat, a bowl for breakfast is super satisfying - ✅ Homemade yogurt + honey: rich milky flavor, like drinking solid milk! Practical tips & pitfall avoidance guide ✔️ Transportation: Charter a car (about 800-1000 RMB/day including driver) recommended, road conditions are complex so beginners should be cautious about self-driving ✔️ Clothing: Big temperature difference between day and night! Short sleeves during the day, down vests might be needed at night ✔️ Sun protection: UV rays are intense! Hat + sunglasses + sunscreen are a must-have trio ✔️ Signal: Some mountainous areas have no network, download offline maps in advance ✔️ Respect local customs: Don’t bring alcohol into halal restaurants, don’t photograph inside herders’ courtyards Special reminder: Absolutely don’t! Don’t pick wildflowers or dig up plants—it’s illegal! Don’t chase wild animals for photos, especially marmots, they may carry diseases! Don’t litter on the grasslands, beautiful scenery needs our joint protection! Finally, one last word: Everyone should experience once in life, galloping through the winds of Ili. Listening to the sound of hooves crossing a sea of flowers, looking up to snow-capped peaks, looking down to streams—at that moment you will understand—there really is a paradise on earth, and it’s called “Ili.”