Scenic spot introduction:

The Xinjiang Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area is located in Fukang County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang. It is a natural scenic area centered on a high mountain lake. It is a famous lake in Xinjiang and is known as the "Pearl of Tianshan". The Tianchi was called "Yaochi" in ancient times. The scenic area is centered on the Tianchi, including four complete mountain vertical natural landscape belts above and below the Tianchi. In ancient Chinese mythology, this is also the place where the Queen Mother of the West bathed.
The name "Tianchi" comes from the "Monument of the Digging of the Water Channel in Tianchi, Lingshan" written by Mingliang, the governor of Urumqi in the 48th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1783 AD). Throughout the ages, many literati and scholars have composed poems and essays, which have been highly praised. It is said that more than 3,000 years ago, Emperor Mu of Zhou had a feast and sang with the Queen Mother of the West by the Tianchi Lake, leaving behind a story that will be passed down through the ages, earning Tianchi the reputation of "Yaochi". In the early 1970s, Guo Moruo accompanied Prince Sihanouk on a tour and chanted the beautiful poem "A pool of thick ink sinks to the bottom of the inkstone, and thousands of trees have long hairs that stand on the tip of the brush" by the lake.

Attractions distribution:

Tianshan Tianchi Nature Reserve can be divided into the Big Tianchi North Slope Scenic Area, the Big Tianchi Scenic Area, the Hundred Thousand Arhats Niebanmu Mountain Scenic Area, the Niangniang Temple Scenic Area and the Bogda Peak North Slope Scenic Area. Queen Mother Foot Basin , West Xiaotianchi Waterfall , Liquan Hidden Breast, Fairy Pool, Floating Sky Mirror, Zhenhai Ancient Elm, East Coast Beauty , West Coast Crocodile , Sky Lanterns at Night , Tiewa Temple , Dongyue Temple Site, Horse Tooth Stone Forest , Temple of Queen Mother of the West, Juxian Ancient Cave , Canyon Forest , Mountaineering Camp , Glacier Snow Sea wait.

Scenic spot qualifications:

National 5A scenic spot, World Natural Heritage, National Geopark, National Forest Park, China Wetland Reserve

Scenic spot features:

Photography, hiking, adventure, rock climbing, sightseeing, summer vacation, historical sites, famous mountains, lakes

Scenic spot map:

Scenic spot map
Attraction Address
Travel Guide

Travel Notes of Travellers:

  • Tiedan: 2004 Travels in the Western Regions 1 – First Encounter with the Hexi Corridor and Exploring the Northern Xinjiang Desert
  • Travel Guide: Ten-day Travel Guide to Northern Xinjiang 2017

travelling guideline:

1. Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area is known as one of the five most beautiful cool holy places in China and has always been a favorite of tourists. Tourists can take a yacht on the lake, and the cool breeze will blow away the summer heat.

2. Starting from December every winter, the "Ice and Snow Festival" is held, with ski resorts, hot springs and other venues having their own activities.

Tour route:

Recommended itinerary for a one-day tour of Tianshan Tianchi: Take a bus to Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area in the morning, take the Tuwuda Expressway, and arrive at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, the mother mountain of Xinjiang, via Changji Prefecture → Fukang City. Visit Ningdetang Pharmacy (about 30 minutes) to appreciate local specialties such as Tianshan Snow Lotus, then visit Tianchi → West Small Tianchi → Snow Ridge Spruce → Appreciate the majestic appearance of Tianshan (about 20 minutes) After lunch, walk to the Big Tianchi, see Dinghai Shenzhen → see Bogda Snow Peak, see snow on the West Mountain → see pine trees on the South Mountain → Tiewa Temple (Visit for 30 minutes) Experience the culture of the Taoist holy land. Then take a boat trip to Tianchi Lake to enjoy the mountain scenery. Then return to Urumqi and end the day's trip.

Best time to visit:

The best time to visit Tianchi Lake is from mid-May to mid-October every year.

Shopping recommendations:

(Shopping) Zou’s miniature carvings, Xinjiang snow lotus, Xinjiang carpets, etc.

(Delicious food) Fried noodles with minced pork, fried lamb tripe, deep-fried pork, cumin-flavored roasted lamb legs, big plate chicken, naan-wrapped meat, etc.

Scenic spot map:

Scenic spot map
Tourist Transportation

Scenic spot location:

China > Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region > Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture > Fukang City

How to get there:

There are direct buses from People's Park and Hongshan Hotel in Urumqi, which takes about 2 hours to get there. Or you can take the expressway from Urumqi to Tianchi, which takes about an hour and a half to get there.

Scenic area map:

Click to expand the scenic area map

Attraction Tickets

Ticket prices for Tianshan Lake:

The tickets for Tianchi Scenic Area are priced differently in off-season and peak season:

During the peak season (from 00:00 on April 1 to 24:00 on October 31 each year), the ticket price is 100 yuan per person;

During the off-season (from 00:00 on November 1st to 24:00 on March 31st of the following year), the ticket price is 80 yuan per person.

Section ticket: 70 yuan/person (including round trip)

Scenic area opening hours:

9:30-18:30

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