4 Days Kanas Hemu Village Best Hiking Tour
Superb Landscape & Enjoyable Hiking for All
Superb Landscape & Enjoyable Hiking for All
Kanas boasts as one of the most beautiful places in China, which is absolutely right. Among the many magnificent experiences to explore this wonderland, such as photography, rafting, rock climbing, boating, horse riding, etc., hiking is the most recommended. It is the best way to enjoy the untouched natural beauty like a part of it. Kanas provides hiking on well-paved trails and primitive trails. You can experience both two hiking experiences in a single trip. The well-paved trails take you to the most beautiful river bays and the vast Kanas Lake, while the primitive trails take you to the off-the-beaten-track mountain area near Hemu Village. They both are not difficult-level hikes, and can be enjoyed by all kinds of travelers even kids and seniors.
Our 4 Days Kanas Hiking Tour ensures you have at least two full days hiking to the most beautiful area of Kanas, also some flexible time to explore things of your own interest. You will be accompanied by a local guide who knows the area very well so that you won’t miss out all the best experiences. Comfortable hotels, airport pick up and drop off, attraction tickets, sightseeing bus and breakfasts are all covered. The hiking itinerary can be tailor-made according to your interest and energy condition.
Kanas can be visited all year around but only the months between April~October are suitable for hiking. The temperature gap between day and night is very big. You should pack both hiking clothes and extra layers.
Day 1 Kanas Airport Arrival - Hemu Village (L)
Kanas airport pick up & drive to Hemu Village
Welcome to Kanas, the most beautiful place in Xinjiang. Upon arriving at Burqin Kanas Airport, you will be welcomed by local tour guide and driver, then drive about 80 km (about 2 hours) to Hemu Village where you will stay over tonight.
Hemu Village is an important part of Kanas Scenic Area. It is one of the most beautiful villages in China, a magic place where you can get rid of the hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in the creation of photography. The villagers are Tuvans who is a branch of Mongolian. The ancestors of Tuvas are believed to be solders of Genghis Khan. Currently, there are about 2000 Tuvas people living in Hemu and other two nearby villages – Baihaba and Kanas. Their houses are made of wood entirely without any steels and cements, and they still keep the old traditions of nomad living, Tibetan Buddhism, festival, etc. Small population, old-fashioned wooden house, exotic ethnic culture and wild surrounding forests all make Hemu Village a peaceful and primitive place. You will visit a local Tuvas family to find out what’s their living like, and get treated with local snacks, fruits and drinks prepared by the hosts. Sometimes, you can even a race chance to see Tuvas playing music and dancing. The rest is free for you to relax and exploring surrounding. Sunset here is fabulous. You can walk up to a higher hill to appreciate the sunset in the golden sunlight. The vast golden birch forests and green grasslands surround the peaceful village, together appear charming colors like an oil painting.
Kanas Arrival Idea
Kanas can be arrived by flight and driving. Currently Urumqi has the most frequent daily flights to Burqin Kanas Airport. Turpan, Yili, Boyue and several other Xinjiang cities also operate some weekly flights to Kanas. Travel to Kanas by land driving from Urumqi takes about 9 hours.
Beautiful Hemu River in September
Day 2 Hemu Hiking (B)
Today's highlights: Hemu Village Sunrise, Hiking to Beautiful Peak
Get up early to catch the incredible sunrise which is also the MUST photo to be shot. When the sun rises and shines onto the mist curling up the villages, it is the moment to take one of the best pictures in your life. To shoot the sunrise, you need to walk along the plank road to the high places on the mountains near to the village. After the sunrise, go back to your hotel to have breakfast.
Today, you will enjoy a comfortable hiking around Hemu Village to the Beautiful Peak (Meilifeng). The hike is about 20km without many ups and downs, and needs about 5~6 hours, which can be done by all ranges of people, including kids and seniors. Some travelers prefer riding a horse to the Beautiful Peak, but hiking is the most recommended as it is full of off-the-beaten-track experiences. Compared with the paved plank trails in Kanas Lake Scenic Area, the road to the Beautiful Peak is more primitive, taking the dirt tracks through birches, meadows and hills. There are barely human activities until you get to the small Kazak village under the foot of the Beautiful Peak. Enjoy the god-given peaceful moments in the village where there is no noisy of tourist at all, also indulge yourself in the open landscape around you - snow-capped Beautiful Peak, open grassland, colorful forest, lovely herds… then you will hike the same direction back to Hemu Village.
After getting to Hemu Village, hop on a park bus (about 2 hours’ drive along the beautiful mountain road) to Kanas Lake Scenic Area for accommodation.
Notice: there is no restaurant and shop along the hiking. You can bring some snacks for lunch.
Day 3 Kanas Lake Scenic Area Hiking (B, L)
Today's highlights: Recumbent Dragon Bay, Moon Bay and Celestial Bay, Taiga Trail, Fish-watching Tower, panoramic view of Kanas Lake
Today is a full-day exploration of Kanas Lake Scenic Area including two enjoyable hiking experiences: Three Bays Hiking and Kanas Hiking.
Get up early to escape the crowds, then take a park bus to the Three Bays area. Start hiking from the Recumbent Dragon Bay and walk along the plank road along the Kanas River to Moon Bay and Celestial Bay, which is about 6km long, very leisure and beautiful. This section is the most beautiful part of the entire Kanas Scenic Area. The water here is crystalline, gentle and lovely. Along the two sides of the three bays are forests with alternate colors of green, yellow and golden, changing with the seasons. The trees, sky and clouds together project in the river, and appear a colorful reflection.
Then take a park bus from the Celestial Bay to the lakeside of Kanas Lake. There is a 5-kilometer-long plank road, known as Taiga Trail, following the eastern lake shore of Kanas to the deep wild forest. It is a scenic and relaxing experience as well as a good way to escape from the tourist crowds. You will walk through Siberian spruce forest, Wall of Root Carving, Taiga moors and reach at Tuluke Rock Painting at the end of the plank road, then return the same way.
Optional Kanas Lake Cruise – if you want to explore deeper area of Kanas, you can join the Cruise Program. The sightseeing ship sails to the heart area of the lake, the return to the lake shore, lasting about 45 minutes. Tell your guide if you get interested.
After the lakeside hiking, keep traveling to Fish-watching Tower - the highest location of Kanas Scenic Area. The Fish-watching Tower is located at 2056 meters on a mountain at the outlet of Kanas Lake. One needs to walk about 1000 steps up to reach the tower, but the rewarding is handsome - a panoramic view of Kanas Lake, and stretching eyesight to the snow mountains of the Friendship Peak (4374m).
Lastly, transfer by park bus back to your hotel. Have a good rest.
Day 4 Kanas Departure (B)
Kanas Burqin Airport drop off
Wake up in the peaceful morning of Kanas to have breakfast. The rest time of today is free for you to relax until your driver escorts you to catch your flight to Urumqi or other destinations.
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in local hotels
and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your
traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of
currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2025.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change
according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Good morning, Tracy.
We have completed our travel in China. Thank you very much for arranging this wonderful tour for us.
You amended the itinerary 3 times according to our needs. One of the changes in the itinerary was your suggestion to add the Xingyi Fenglin Buyi Scenic Area which was an excellent recommendation. All of us enjoyed this beautiful environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city as well as away from the regular tourist crowds.
I understand that you wish me to provide our reviews and feedback. Here they are:
Tracy is efficient and very patient with us. Tour was very well arranged. Everything is good.
The following is what I intend to post on tripadvisor. My user name in tripadvisor is Hing2013:
“CHINA DISCOVERY - AMAZING 13-DAY PRIVATE TOUR Our group of 8 seniors have just finished a wonderful 13-day private tour to Guizhou and Guilin arranged by Tracy. From the first email, Tracy had shown her willingness to help. She had been courteous and efficient. All my requests were attended promptly. Sceneries in both Guizhou and Guilin are spectacular. Everything was well arranged. The guides and drivers in both Guizhou and Guilin were caring. Guilin guide Kenny was particularly knowledgeable. It was a wonderful and memorable trip and we all enjoyed the tour. We will book with China Discovery again and have no hesitation to recommend China Discovery to anyone who is interested in traveling in China.”
Have a good day!
Lena
Hi Jack,
We had a great time on our trip thanks.
The trip went very well (apart from a rainy day in Pingyao), with no hitches.
Guides were all excellent, and took us to some great restaurants! All drivers were good as well - all punctual and drove safely.
Hotels were excellent, with the Beijing and Pingyao hotels standing out.
We had a great time and are sorry that it's over so quickly!
Many thanks.
Steve
Dear Jack,
We would like to thank you for the trip arrangement. It was very good and we had a wonderful time. Jessica, our guide, was very helpful and knowledgeable, and she took great care of us.
Thanks.
Warmest regards.
Sok Yong
Hi Jack,
The tour was excellent and so were the guides (Michelle and Cecilia) and driver (Mr Wei). Both Michelle and Cecilia were knowledgeable and helpful and made our trip a memorable one.
Regards,
Lawrence
Hi Leo,
Thanks for everything. I really enjoyed the Yunnan trip. Highly appreciated your tourist guides’ professional services. I will recommend your company to my friends. I definitely will come back again.
Ka
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Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
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There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Beautiful Hemu River in September
Visit a local Tuvas family in Hemu Village
Morning mist in Hemu Village in Autumn
Hemu - Beautiful Peak (Meilifeng) hiking
Hemu - Beautiful Peak (Meilifeng) hiking
Peaceful Hemu Village in Winter
Winding Kanas River in July
Moon Bay (autumn) - the iconic sight of Kanas
Taiga Trail along the lake shore of Kanas Lake
Fish-watching Tower - high location to enjoy panoramic view of Kanas Lake
Xinjiang can satisfy all your desires about different styles of travel, no matter you are seeking for nature fun, culture experience or some adventures. Generally speaking, Kashgar, Turpan and Urumqi are most popular as the Golden Triangle. They provide you Silk Road history and culture as well as Xinjiang featured scenery – beautiful lakes, gorges, mountains, etc. They are the best options for the first-timers, needing about 6~8 days. Kanas, with tranquil lake and bays, primitive villages and ethnic culture, is strongly recommended too. A trip to Kanas usually takes about 4~7 days. If you prefer natural landscape, the western Xinjiang offers you superb grassland, alpine like, wild flowers. Recommended places include Sayram Lake, Karajun Grassland, Naraty Grassland, etc. The southern Xinjiang has many hidden gems for an in-depth adventure, such as historical Silk Road cities, Takilamakan Desert, Hotan, Kuqa, etc. Such a trip usually costs over 10 days, but it is definitely worth your time and effort.
Xinjiang is far away from the sea with surrounding high mountains, forming an obvious temperate continental climate. The temperature difference is large; the sunshine time is sufficient; the ultraviolet ray is strong; the air is very dry. Since Xinjiang has a vast area, the climate differs a lot by regions. Generally speaking, the southern Xinjiang is hotter than northern Xinjiang; northern Xinjiang has more rainfall than the southern area. You can easily find different places to travel in different seasons.
♦ April to June: Ili Apricot Valley, Tianshan Tianchi Lake, Sayram Lake, Tashkurgan, Naraty Grassland, Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, etc.
♦ July to August: Urumqi, Sayram Lake, Karajun Grassland, Naraty Grassland, Kanas, Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, etc.
♦ September to early November: Kanas, Taklimakan Desert, Populus Euphratica in Tarim Basin, Kuqa Grand Canyon, Tashkurgan, Naraty Grassland, Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, etc.
♦ Mid November to March: Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, Kanas, etc.
Getting there: it usually takes a longer time than other China cities to get to Xinjiang. Travelers usually arrive in Urumqi first by flight or train then transfer to other cities of Xinjiang. Currently, you can take flights to Urumqi from Beijing (about 4 hours), Xian (about 42.5 hours), Shanghai (about 5.5 hours), Guangzhou (about 5 hours), Chengdu (about 3.5 hours), etc., or high speed trains from Dunhuang (about 4.5 hours), Lanzhou (about 11 hours), Xining (about 9.5 hours), etc. Kashgar is the secondly-used arrival hub. It operates some domestic flights to Xian, Chengdu, etc.
Getting around: from Urumqi, you can keep traveling by flights to Kashgar, Kanas, Kuqa, Ili, etc. Actually, traveling by driving is more popular than taking flight and train, because the best scenery can usually be reached by car. But it's hard to travel by public bus to many remote scenic areas.So let a travel agency like China Discovery arrange transfer for you is the best choice.
Apart from a few major cities such as Urumqi, Kashgar and Turpan whose hotels have complete facilities and wifi. In many other places, especially in some remote scenic spots, accommodation is relatively simple and basic, such as Kanas, Sayram Lake, Naraty, Tashkurgan, etc. where you can stay in a guesthouse, a homestay or a local yurt. Also, during the busy season from June to October every year, hotel occupancy will be much higher than normal days, so it is necessary to book your hotel in advance.
China Discover has included accommodation in our every tour package so that you don’t have trouble with booking hotels on your own. All our hotels are well-selected, comfortable, well-equipped with friendly services.
● Remember to always follow your groups instead of heading to the heart regions by your own, or you may get lost. Cell phone signal may be weak or zero in the grassland or forest areas in Xinjiang, stay calm.
● Wear the harness correctly when enjoying horse riding and follow the direction to keep safe!
● More useful tips & packing list for desert travel in China >
Xinjiang’s Uyghur food and other local cuisine will be a memorable part of your trip. The local Uyghur food is famous throughout China and popular among travelers. There are not only Uyghur foods, but also traditional Chinese food, Hui food, Kazakh food, etc. Some hotels and restaurants in bigger cities, such as Urumqi, Kashgar, Turpan, Ili, etc., also provide western food and coffee.
We usually cover your breakfasts in your hotels and lunches during your trip. Dinner is your own chance to explore local food or other food you are interested in. Feel free to let your guide know your dinning interest and requirement in advance so that you can arrange meals accordingly.
Hemu Village - Kanas Lake Scenic Area
Urumqi - Turpan - Kashgar - Tashkurgan
Urumqi - Karamay - Wu'erhe - Kanas - Burqin - Urumqi
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