2025 Tacheng Prefecture Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

🌟 If you've never chased migrating gray cranes through the reeds of the Kurustay Grassland, or experienced the sweet-salty explosion of wind-dried meat pilaf paired with malosh ice cream, then Tacheng in Xinjiang is your perfect destination! This "oil painting border town" weaves a secret canvas of Central Asian charm and wilderness poetry with the vibrant cultures of 26 ethnic groups, centuries-old Silk Road hearth smoke, and the starry skies over wetland birds. Unlock Tacheng’s dual soul in 48 hours with this in-depth guide—from border sunsets to pastry-scented streets. 🏨 **Where to Stay: Russian Charm & Starry Grassland** **For Culture Lovers:** - **Tacheng Changnan Porcelain Culture Hot Spring Hotel**: Soak in natural sulfur springs to unwind, with hand-painted porcelain plates in rooms. Just 8 minutes’ walk to Western Food Street (from ¥243, incl. breakfast). - **Tacheng Old Street Inn**: A century-old Russian wooden house with carved beds and accordion serenades. Join Daur embroidery workshops (¥320/night). **For Convenience Seekers:** - **JI Hotel (Tacheng)**: Zero-pressure mattresses + smart room controls, near the Accordion Museum (¥377/night). - **Zhuoyue Hotel**: Family rooms with slides, robot room service, and a 3-minute walk to the night market (¥297/night). 🍜 **24-Hour Flavor Adventure** ⏰ **9:00 Russian Morning** **Xianglan Bakery**: Grab the first batch of blueberry-chocolate pastries, dip them in wild raspberry jam, and pair with salty milk tea (50+ ethnic pastries). ⏰ **13:00 Heritage Feast** **Zaitunna’s Tatar Banquet**: Tear into seven-layer meat "bolin" omelets, savor chrysanthemum-patterned "paramashi" baked buns, and end with creamy "miling" dessert. ⏰ **19:00 Night Market Vibes** **Western Food Street**: Skewers of red willow kebabs with kvass, and numbingly spicy chicken with belt noodles (Guangming Road Night Market). 🌙 **22:00 Sweet Finale** **Yingbin Cold Drinks**: Malosh ice cream drizzled with raspberry sauce—creamy meets tangy on your tongue. ⏰ **Timed Itinerary** 🚩 **Day 1: Border Secrets & Cultural Symphony** - **10:00-12:00 Red Border Gate**: Touch boundary marker No. 158 at **Bakhtu Port**, hunt Russian nesting dolls at the Silk Road Mall, and photograph Kazakh wheat fields from the watchtower (arrive early to avoid crowds). - **14:30-17:00 Tacheng on Keys**: Play a 19th-century German antique accordion at the **Accordion Museum** (China’s largest collection), then jam to *The Black Walking Horse* in the basement. - **19:00-21:00 Wetland Sunset**: Ride horses through reeds at **Kurustay Grassland**, waiting for gray cranes to skim golden waters (peak migration in September). 🚩 **Day 2: Ethnic Encounters & Wild Verses** - **9:00-12:00 Daur Legends**: Build yurts with rammed earth in **Axir Village**, try neck-pulling stick games, and lunch on wild chive lamb stew with flatbread. - **14:00-16:00 Oak Sanctuary**: Touch a 300-year-old sacred tree in **Karahabak Village**, don frontier armor at the Xibe Museum, and craft silver-inlaid raisin bracelets. - **17:00-20:00 Forest Fun**: Milk cows and feed lambs at **Obsen Eco Park**, DIY wind-dried meat naan pizzas at the BBQ zone, and soak feet in herbal baths under the stars. 💡 **Pro Tips** - **Transport**: Rent an SUV downtown (¥400/day); hire a car for grassland routes. - **Hidden Gems**: Chase peony blooms in **Barluk Mountains** (June) or photograph starry reflections at **Shazi Lake** (September). - **Souvenirs**: Handmade kvass barrels at **Jinquan Mall**; blackcurrant jam at **Friendship Trade Center**. When the last accordion note fades over the wetland dusk, when the charred aroma of baked buns melts into malosh’s chill—you’ll understand: **Tacheng’s magic lies in kneading the grassland’s vastness into wind-dried meat’s grain, pressing 26 ethnic songs into accordion bellows, and growing an unfading Central Asian oil painting where borders meet the stars.** Your borderland tale awaits, in the rings of ancient oaks and the honeyed scent of Tatar pastries—ready for you to pick up the brush and paint.

Today, I want to introduce you to a beautiful city - Tacheng, Xinjiang. This place is like a forgotten pearl. It's not crowded with tourists, but it's incredibly beautiful. Tacheng has a huge advantage - almost all of its attractions are free. This is great news for us tourists. Tacheng is perfect for a road trip. When you drive on the roads of Tacheng, it's like being in a natural painting. You can stop at any time to admire the beautiful scenery and feel the pure charm of nature. Every scene is like a gift from nature. There are no crowds, only peace and beauty. Whether it's the vast grasslands, the towering mountains in the distance, or the unique ethnic architecture, you can feel the unique beauty of Tacheng. This beauty is quiet and primitive, without traces of over-commercial development. So, if you want a different kind of trip and don't want to queue in crowded scenic spots, come to Tacheng. Just drive and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

|||. Tacheng, Xinjiang | A place that is not too lively but very flavorful 🌍|||☘️Tacheng, Xinjiang, located on the border between China and Kazakhstan, is the city in the northwestern corner of China. Since ancient times, Tacheng has been one of the strategic locations for guarding the western Xinjiang. There are rivers and lakes crisscrossing the territory. The customs, costumes, food and other cultures of multiple ethnic groups blend together to form "Tacheng's unique diversified folk customs", which is known as the museum of Xinjiang folk customs. - ☘️There are Russian-style buildings, local Tatar pastries in Tacheng, cheerful accordion music, and the Tarbaghartai grassland, which is greener than the Yili grassland a month earlier. - ☘️Tacheng’s food is expected, but Tacheng’s style is unexpected - 🍂Russian style architecture The Red Building and Twin Towers Park are very representative of the various European-style architectural exteriors with red walls, pointed roofs and onion domes. This is related to the location of Tacheng, which is next to the former Soviet Union. In addition to the later artificially built imitation European buildings, there are indeed many former - 🍂Russian traces There is also the country's largest accordion museum here, which organizes accordion performances by hundreds of people every year, and the scene is very spectacular. There are more than 20 ethnic groups in the entire Tacheng area, and ethnic minorities account for nearly half of the population. This is also a place where many ethnic groups live together and feel the strongest. - 🍂Tacheng’s food Breaded lamb legs, Tatar pastries, black bread, sour plum soup, various jams, Russian food, eating in Tacheng is the best - 🍂Tacheng grassland The grassland here turns green one month earlier than the Yixing grassland, which means that the wild flowers here will bloom in May, and the grassland will turn from the spring and autumn pasture to the summer pasture in the front mountain. - 🔥『Play Recommendations』 1️⃣【Wild Fruit Forest】(visit time about 2 hours) The scenic area is located in the western part of the Wuerkashaer Mountains, with an altitude of 900 to 1,500 meters and a total area of ​​about 100,000 acres. The scenic area is dominated by wild apple trees and is a rare natural gene bank of apples in the world. There are many scenic spots such as Happy Valley and Starry Sky Camp. The unique and beautiful landscapes form a landscape painting that has both the elegance of the southern green mountains and the majesty of the northern steep mountains. - 2️⃣【Emin City Memory Museum】 (about 40 minutes) The Emin County Memory Museum is located in Yuliu Lane, Tasirhai Village. The exhibition hall uses old objects and a panoramic view to show the development and changes of Emin County since the 1950s, and recalls the spirit of unremitting struggle and hard work of the older generation of Emin people! - 3️⃣【Turgaxie Grassland】(Play time about 1 hour) This grassland is a place where spring comes earlier in Xinjiang. When the Tianshan Mountains and the Altai Mountains are still covered in snow, spring has quietly come to the Balruk Mountains. The green carpet is surrounded by golden, blue, red, white and pink flowers. Note: Due to seasonal reasons, herders can change to visit the Akchok grassland after cutting grass in late July or early August.

I have been to Xinjiang many times, but this is my first time in Tacheng. This small border city bordering Kazakhstan has the unique ruggedness of northwestern cities. I believe many people have heard the song "Little White Poplar", and its birthplace is Tacheng. This may be my only intersection with this city before I came here. Although it is called a small city, it is actually quite large in area and has a vast territory with many unique western beauties. The G219 Tacheng section passes through the city, with a total length of 520 kilometers. It is a loving scenic road. I crossed this road to the border outpost to watch the consolation performance and took a look at the young poplar tree that had grown lush branches and leaves. For some reason, a sense of pride welled up in my heart. People in the Northwest are very hospitable. You can tell from the dishes on this big table. Various meats, fruits, and pilaf are all very fragrant. This local specialty is very tempting to a passerby like me. It is simply a paradise for meat lovers.

I love watching the snow. The snow scenery in Xinjiang is very beautiful. The roadside scenery captured casually. The snow is white during the day. The road is white. The trees are white. The river is also white. At night, it is golden. I hope all friends can see a real snow.