Kalajun Scenic Area is located in Tekes County, Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang. It is 15 kilometers away from the Bagua City and 135 kilometers away from Yining City. It is a national 5A-level tourist scenic area and an important part of the "Xinjiang Tianshan" World Natural Heritage.
The scenic area is composed of four major scenic areas: Kuokesu Grand Canyon, Kalajun Grassland, Central Tianshan Snow Peak, and Tianlai Forest. The total area reaches 2,848 square kilometers. Here, there are not only snow-capped mountains and grassland scenery but also landscapes such as forests and canyons. It has unique natural resource endowments and rich cultural landscapes, integrating grasslands, forests, canyons, snow-capped mountains, rivers, lakes, and dwellings.
History and Culture
Tekes County, where Kalajun is located, is the only well-preserved and formal Bagua City in China. Its urban layout contains profound cultural connotations of the Book of Changes. Kalajun Scenic Area itself has been a nomadic land for ethnic minorities such as the Kazakhs since ancient times, carrying rich grassland culture. The Kazakh people live here by following water and grass, inheriting unique folk customs and lifestyles. Traditional activities such as horse racing and sheep grabbing, as well as exquisite handicraft production techniques like embroidery and carving, all reflect their love for life and awe of nature.
In addition, Kalajun is closely connected to the Wusun Ancient Road. Wusun was a powerful tribe in ancient Western Regions. According to historical records, the Wusun people once lived and thrived on this land, leaving behind many historical sites and legends, adding a mysterious historical color to Kalajun. These historical and cultural elements blend with each other, jointly forming the unique cultural heritage of Kalajun.
Main Attractions
Kalajun Grassland
Kalajun Grassland is a typical alpine five-flower meadow natural grassland, with an altitude ranging from 1,305 to 3,957 meters, stretching 89 kilometers from east to west and 32 kilometers from north to south. Every spring and summer, hundreds of kinds of forage grasses bloom successively at different times. All kinds of wildflowers are like little stars blooming all over the mountains. The green grass covers the layers of hills. When the gentle breeze blows, it brings the fragrance of flowers and plants. The faint cry of eagles can be heard in the sound of the pine trees. The world is like a rolling picture scroll.
Kuokesu Grand Canyon
Kuokesu Grand Canyon originates from the middle of the Tianshan Mountains. It was formed by the interaction of sedimentary rock layers over hundreds of millions of years with geological movements and melting snow water from the Tianshan Mountains. The canyon is secluded, charming, winding, and deep, with a vertical height difference of more than 360 meters. When taking a boat tour of the canyon, you can see grotesque rocks created by nature, and the rock walls are like huge splashed-ink landscape paintings standing between heaven and earth.
Hunting Falcon Platform
The Hunting Falcon Platform gathers landscapes such as grasslands, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, forests, canyons, rivers, and flower seas. Standing here, you can have an extremely broad view and take in all the magnificent scenery of Kalajun. It is an excellent place to admire and photograph the panoramic view of Kalajun.
Flower Terrace
On the Flower Terrace, you can see patches of wildflowers blooming one after another, and you can continue walking into the forest along the wooden plank road. There is also a grass skiing project here, with 3 tracks, each 500 meters long. Tourists can experience the fun of grass skiing here and feel the excitement of the wind whistling in their ears.
Human-shaped Grassland
The mountains here are rolling and the gullies are crisscrossed. Against the backdrop of light and shadow, they are like graceful figures, full of charm and fascination. Therefore, it is called the "Human-shaped Grassland", which is one of the most representative landscapes of the Kalajun Scenic Area, attracting many tourists and photographers to check in.
Nine Turns and Eighteen Bends
Not far from the Human-shaped Grassland, the Kuokesu River winds and turns at the bottom of the Kuokesu Grand Canyon, forming the Nine Turns and Eighteen Bends, which is more than 5,600 meters long from north to south and more than 2,000 meters wide from east to west. The yurts of the herdsmen are faintly visible and dotted among them. The natural landscapes such as canyon scenery, water scenery, mountain scenery, and tree scenery are perfectly combined, full of fun.
Crocodile Bay
Crocodile Bay is named because the shape of the river here is like a crocodile swimming shallowly in it. The river water is sometimes milky white, sometimes emerald green, and sometimes bright green under different lights, complementing the surrounding canyon landscape and forming a unique landscape painting scroll.
Delicacies
Hand-held Mutton
Select fresh local mutton and cook it simply to retain the original flavor of the mutton. The meat is tender and has no muttony smell. When eating, you can pair it with vegetables such as onions and carrots and dip it in the special sauce. It tastes very delicious.
Lamb Chop Noodles
Stew the lamb chops until they are tender and soft, and then put the pinched noodles into the pot and cook them. The aroma of the lamb chops blends into the noodles and the soup. It has an alluring aroma, and the soup is fresh and the meat is tender. It is a very popular dish locally.
Roasted Mutton Skewers
Select mutton with a proper ratio of fat and lean parts, skewer it with iron skewers, and roast it slowly over charcoal fire. During the roasting process, sprinkle seasonings such as cumin and chili powder until the surface of the mutton is golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and full of aroma.
Nang (a kind of traditional Xinjiang bread)
This is a traditional noodle food in Xinjiang, with a wide variety, including thin Nang, thick Nang, and meat Nang. Generally, the flour is fermented, and then seasonings such as sesame seeds and onions are added, and it is baked in a Nang pit. It has a crispy taste and a fragrant smell and can be preserved for a long time. It is one of the favorite staple foods of local residents and tourists.
Yogurt Curd
Made from yogurt, it is rich in protein and calcium, tastes sweet and sour, and has a chewy texture. It is a traditional snack loved by ethnic minorities such as the Kazakhs and is also a good choice for tourists to taste local characteristic delicacies.
Entrance Tickets
The entrance ticket for Kalajun Grassland is 70 yuan.
The scenic area also offers various combined package tickets (including entrance tickets). For example, the self-driving ticket for Kalajun Grassland is 160 yuan, and the self-driving ticket for Kuokesu Grand Canyon is 100 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account of the scenic area, "喀拉峻旅游", to get the latest news or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open from 08:00 to 20:30 throughout the year.
You can get the latest news on the official WeChat public account of the scenic area.
Tour Routes
Self-driving tour route: Self-driving East Gate Service Center—Wanna Service Center (You need to transfer to the scenic area sightseeing bus to go to the Flower Terrace and Hunting Falcon Platform)—Badam Scenic Spot—Shenmu Forest Scenic Spot—Jiasagan Town Scenic Spot—Eagle Tribe Scenic Spot—Wusun Xiadu Service Area—Shiquan Service Area—Kalajun Cableway Station Service Area—Bulak Tourist Service Center, with a one-way distance of about 36 kilometers.
If you have enough time, you can also choose to visit the Kuokesu Grand Canyon first, take a boat tour to admire the landscapes such as the Nine Turns and Eighteen Bends and Crocodile Bay, and then go to the Kalajun Grassland, stroll through the grassland, and check in at attractions such as the Flower Terrace, Hunting Falcon Platform, and Human-shaped Grassland to fully experience the charm of Kalajun.
Transportation
- By plane: You can fly directly to Yining or Xinyuan County, Yili, and then transfer to other means of transportation to go to the Kalajun Scenic Area.
- By bus: There are shuttle buses from Yining City to Tekes County. After arriving in Tekes County, you can take the tourist shuttle bus or charter a car to go to the Kalajun Scenic Area.
- Self-driving: Navigate to the East Gate or West Gate of the Kalajun Scenic Area. There is a parking lot in the scenic area. It should be noted that the road conditions of some sections in the scenic area are relatively complex, so drive carefully.
Must-visit Attractions
- Kalajun Grassland: A typical alpine five-flower meadow natural grassland, with an altitude of 1,305-3,957 meters, stretching 89 kilometers from east to west and 32 kilometers from north to south. Wildflowers bloom in spring and summer, and the grass is green. It is an excellent place to experience the grassland scenery.
- Kuokesu Grand Canyon: With a vertical height difference of more than 360 meters, it was formed by the action of sedimentary rock layers, geological movements, and melting snow water. There are grotesque rocks in the canyon, and you can enjoy a unique landscape painting scroll by taking a boat tour.
- Human-shaped Grassland: The mountains are like graceful figures under the light and shadow, which is a representative landscape of Kalajun and attracts many tourists and photographers to check in.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to spend about 2 days visiting, so that you can fully visit the main attractions such as Kalajun Grassland and Kuokesu Grand Canyon.
- If you choose to go in summer, remember to bring sunscreen products such as sunscreen lotion, sunglasses, and sun hats, because the sunlight on the grassland is strong.
- You can prepare some warm clothes. Even in summer, the temperature difference between day and night is relatively large, so as to prevent catching a cold.
- Respect the customs and habits of local ethnic minorities and pay attention to your words and deeds when communicating with local people and visiting.
- Understand the opening hours and ticket policies of the scenic area in advance to avoid delaying your itinerary.
Notes
- Some sections in the scenic area are relatively steep. Pay attention to safety when hiking and wear comfortable shoes.
- Do not randomly damage the vegetation and environment in the scenic area, and keep the scenic area clean.
- When taking the shuttle bus or boat in the scenic area, follow the instructions of the staff and abide by the relevant regulations.
- When going to the scenic area in winter, due to cold weather and road icing and other situations, drive carefully and pay attention to traffic safety.
- When purchasing goods or consuming in the scenic area, check the prices carefully to avoid unnecessary disputes.