Dream and Summer Wild | 7-Day Tour of Sayram Lake, Ili, Xinjiang

Our trip to Northern Xinjiang was truly wonderful and relaxing! I have to give a big shout-out to Master Ma Xiaole and our travel butler, Xiao Fu; both of them were incredibly reliable and thoughtful! Master Xiaole took such meticulous care of us throughout the journey. He always proactively helped us with our luggage when getting in and out of the car, no matter how much we had. He's such a great person. At every hotel, he would specifically help us check the room's facilities to ensure everything was in order before letting us settle in. His attention to detail was incredible, making us feel completely safe and secure! Xiaole also has a fantastic personality—he's cheerful and enthusiastic. We had so much fun chatting and laughing along the way; there was never an awkward or dull moment. He was also incredibly kind and helped us take many beautiful photos. At each location, he recommended many delicious local eateries and fun places that even locals frequent! I also have to commend our travel butler, Xiao Fu; she was truly meticulous and warm-hearted! She constantly sent us various practical travel tips throughout the trip, always checking in on us. She would even remind us in advance about local temperature changes so we could adjust our clothing accordingly, which was incredibly thoughtful. When we encountered issues with our accommodation during the trip, Xiao Fu responded very quickly. She immediately helped us contact the local accommodation, patiently communicated and understood the situation, and handled everything promptly and securely. She was always thinking of us! We were so lucky to have met Master Xiaole and the thoughtful butler Xiao Fu on this trip. We felt so relaxed and happy! For our next grassland adventure, I'll definitely be looking to travel with them again in Northern Xinjiang!

"In Altay, Encountering a Light Warmer Than the Scenery" The snow of Altay is a whiteness etched in the heart; but what is even more unforgettable for the children are the team leaders who escorted us in the snow: Zhao Gongzi. From the moment we landed in Urumqi, the tourism manager, Xiao Fei, had already made itinerary arrangements and warm reminders in advance. The next day, departing for Altay, the driver was already waiting at the hotel entrance, greeting us warmly and carrying luggage... He would smile and help us check our helmets during the bumpy snowmobile ride; he would tell stories on the desert highway; he would patiently guide us in putting on equipment and accompany us throughout the process when we had zero skiing experience. The meaning of travel is never just the scenery, but also the people you meet. Thank you to all of you who silently contributed behind the scenes on this Altay trip ❤️. Your professionalism and enthusiasm made this snow and ice trip incredibly warm. May the world treat you gently, just as you warmed us.

Giving a huge thumbs up to the trip to Altay, the driver and guide were so professional! Choosing to travel to Altay this time was really a wise decision! Special thanks to our driver, Master Xiao Qi, whose driving skills were first-rate. He drove very steadily on the winding mountain roads, allowing us to rest comfortably in the car. The driver was not only familiar with the road conditions, but also took us to some niche viewing platforms, avoiding the crowds and achieving perfect photo opportunities! 📸 The itinerary was arranged very reasonably, without having to get up early to rush, and we had a very relaxing time. The attractions in Altay are far apart, so having a responsible local driver is really important. The whole experience was perfect. Five-star praise to the team leader Xiao Qi and the butler Xiao Fei.

Overall, it was fantastic! It's safer to go with a tour group in the winter, as the roads ice over and are difficult to drive. Our driver, Lao Hu, was especially reliable, a seasoned driver who drove very smoothly! The itinerary included the highlights of Northern Xinjiang. The only downside was that the time in Hemu wasn't enough. I feel like you could skip the travel photography and just enjoy Hemu. Hemu is very beautiful, and you need to spend more time there. Because I wanted to spend more time in Hemu, I skipped skiing on the second day, which I regret a little. Here are some beautiful photos I took for everyone to enjoy. Xinjiang is so beautiful!

this tour was actually more of a 5-day trip instead of 7days so i don’t think it was good value for money. yining is beautiful and the places we went to were amazing but overall i think the itinerary could be improved.

A very unforgettable winter trip to Xinjiang ☺️ Master Guan Shengtao drove very safely and also introduced us to a lot of local customs. He's also a part-time professional photographer, very impressive 👍 We enjoyed so many beautiful views along the way 🥹 Very lucky and happy 😎

Accommodation options: All are very comfortable hotels. While their convenience in terms of location may vary, all are well-equipped. Itinerary: Daily itineraries will be published in advance, but it's more accurate to check the weather yourself. As this is a driving tour, the specific daily time planning is somewhat flexible. Guide: There is no dedicated guide, but our assigned driver, Master Fu Zhiwen, is very familiar with the routes. He can accurately tell you the time needed between attractions and will also offer suggestions for visiting each site. He is also very accommodating; the driver can adjust the itinerary within reasonable limits based on your preferences. Additionally, Master Fu helped everyone by taking drone footage at Sayram Lake and even took the time to remind sleeping passengers to look at the scenery outside the window on the Duku Highway.

This group tour was an excellent experience, truly a perfect trip. The hotel accommodations were top-notch, with clean, comfortable rooms and complete facilities, providing an excellent place to rest after a day of sightseeing. The business car seats were also very comfortable, and the tour guide drove smoothly, promptly answering any questions we had. The customer service also deserves praise; any questions or requests were answered promptly and patiently, filling us with confidence about the trip before we even left. From the accommodation to the tour guide and the customer service, every aspect of this group tour was impeccable, turning all my expectations for the trip into complete satisfaction and surprise. I look forward to having such a wonderful experience again.

What made our 8-day trip to Northern Xinjiang so reassuring was Mr. Wang Quanhai. He wasn't just our reliable "driver + guide + photographer," but also like a caring family member, taking care of people in every detail. His dedication started even before the trip began. Every morning, he was always there earlier than us, neatly arranging everyone's luggage in the car so we could easily set off when we arrived. Once we got in the car, there would always be bottled water and tissues on the seats. Even more thoughtfully, he prepared fruits, yogurt, and snacks every day to replenish everyone's energy, making us feel like kids whose mom packed them full of snacks before leaving the house. It was especially cold in Hemu that day. We were tired and hungry after taking photos, and he bought large naan bread for everyone out of his own pocket to fill us up. On the icy and snowy roads of Altay, the car skidded several times, but he always kept it steady, giving us a great sense of security. Our group of young people stopped and took photos all the time, and he never rushed us. He always waited patiently and helped us record the moments with his camera, afraid that we would miss any of them. Meeting Mr. Wang was truly the greatest luck of this trip. He made us believe that the scenery is the base color of a good trip, but meeting a warm and reliable person is the brightest light in our memories.

This trip to "Hot Springs and Starlight | Altay Twin Lakes 8-Day Tour" was possibly the happiest Xinjiang tour I've ever taken, and the biggest contributor to elevating this journey directly into a "perfect memory" was our driver and guide—Gaofeng! Brother Gaofeng is in his early forties, with an especially friendly smile, but he drives with a reassuring steadiness. On the more than 400 kilometers of monotonous S21 desert highway, everyone would have fallen asleep if it were any other driver, but he kept us entertained with jokes, stories about the millennia-old poplars that never die, and tales of how oil workers found water in the Gobi Desert back in the day, so much so that we couldn't bear to close our eyes. After entering the mountains, on those narrow and steep winding roads in Kanas and Hemu, he always controlled his speed just right, and all 7 people in the car (including this old man) experienced zero motion sickness throughout the entire journey, which is really amazing! His explanation skills are even more exaggerated, surpassing 99% of the scenic spot tour guides: • Kanas Three Bays: At each observation deck, he would help us secure the best spot in advance, and then he would explain the lake monster legends, the history of the Tuva people, why the autumn forests are so beautifully dyed in layers...telling the story more vividly than a book, and even teaching us how to use our phones to capture the most dreamy reflections of Moon Bay; • Hemu Village: He took us along small paths that only villagers know, to see the most authentic Tuva wooden houses, and accurately recommended which yogurt was the richest and which roasted naan was the most fragrant (our entire group ate until we were almost bursting); • Lake Sayram sunset: He parked the car directly at the most perfect angle, allowing us to capture the last rays of light from the Atlantic Ocean that we will never forget in our lifetime. The photo is still my phone wallpaper! The accommodations were also super satisfying. The wooden cabin hotel in Hemu was quiet and clean, we stayed in real lake-view rooms in Kanas, and the hot spring hotel on the night we stayed at Lake Sayram was absolutely amazing. Every night, the hotel had strong hot water, warm blankets, and we slept soundly, which is completely unlike the quality you'd expect from a group tour. After 8 days, our entire group said: Brother Gaofeng is not just a driver and tour guide, he is simply the warmest representative of this land! If you still want to go to Kanas, Hemu, and Lake Sayram next year, be sure, be sure to choose a tour with Gaofeng! Meeting him is definitely the luckiest thing that can happen to you when traveling in Xinjiang! A full score isn't enough, I give it ten thousand points! Highly recommended to all friends who want to experience Xinjiang in depth~ ── Summer 2025 • Just returned from Altay and still reminiscing, a sincerely enthusiastic five-star review! Guide: