In the list of 50 travel attractions foreigners should visit in China,
three places in northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region made the list:
Kanasi, Kashgar and Urho Ghost Castle. Now we highlight Kanasi and Urho
Ghost Castle.
When to visit Kanasi
The peak of the tourist season runs from July through October, with
some 10,00 daily visitors. Winds are especially strong from April through July.
The splendid forest scenery of neighboring Baiyanghe Canyon is at its peak in
October. The terrain includes deserts, meadows, poplar forests and rivers.
How to get there Kanasi
Take the direct bus from Urumqi to Karamay. The bus runs hourly and takes
four hours. The cost is 91 yuan (US$11). Special buses run between Karamay City
and Urho Ghost Castle every day.
Travel agencies offer one and two-day tours.
What to eat in Kanasi
Don't miss the local traditional food. The most popular items are cream tea,
noodle soup, flavored buns, spice pot, blood sausage, wheat and corn pancakes
and hand-pulled noodles.
You can find these local delicacies along Jiefang Road in Karamay and the
Gourmet City on Hongqi Road in Karamay.
IN the list of 50 travel attractions foreigners should visit in China, three
places in northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region made the list: Kanasi,
Kashgar and Urho Ghost Castle. In Part III of our series of top tourist spots,
we highlight Kanasi and Urho Ghost Castle.
Located in Burqin County of Altay City, sharing borders with Kazakhstan,
Russia and Mongolia, Kanasi Nature Reserve boasts a beautiful natural ecosystem
formed by lakes, rivers, glaciers, forests and grasslands.
Kanasi, which means ¡°rich and beautiful, mysterious and enigmatical¡±¡¯ in
Mongolian, may well be the most alluring resort in northern Xinjiang.
Originating from the Kanasi Glacier in Altay Mountain, Kanasi River runs
through the mountains for about 125 kilometers, with Kanasi Lake like a pearl
shining in the beautiful river.
The lake¡¯s color varies with seasons and weather. It's sometimes blue,
sometimes green, sometimes as white as milk. The lake is 1,375 meters above sea
level and covers an area of nearly 46 square kilometers.
The six bays along Kanasi Lake each have a marvelous tale. Among the six,
Wolong Bay (Crouching Dragon Bay) and Moon Bay are most attractive to visitors
and photographers. Virgin forests and flowery grasslands combined with clear
green water create a paradise. Rare red deer, marmot and snowcocks live
peacefully with cows and sheep.
Hemu Village in the reserve is one of the three locations in China of the
Tuva Mongol, believed to be the descendants of Genghis Khan's troops.
Other reserve attractions include Yaze Lake (Duck Swamp Lake), Double Lake,
White Lake and Friendship Peak Glacier.
