Yining trip – My first trip to Ili Valley

Plan your Xinjiang tour? Yining, or Ghulja is the capital city of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang. The Ili Kazakj Autonomous Prefecture (Simplified as Ili or Yili) is located in the Ili Valley ( or Yili Valley), administers 1 city and 8 counties: the capital city of Yining and with 8 counties including the namesake Yining County, Xinyuan, Gongliu, Nileke, Teks, Zhaosu, Huocheng and Chaxian County.

The city of Yining is about 78 km east of Huoergousi Port, 700km west of Urumqi. The Ili River passes through the city of Yining from East to the west, the only river in China which flows from East to West. Yining City borders Keguqin Mountain in the north and Tianshan Mountains in the south.

Ili (Yilin) is a green plain, a fertile delta of Ili River which is formed by three principal tributaries – Kashi River, Kunes River, and Tekes River. Yining is situated on the north of the Ili Valley in the form of an open trumpet with its big mouth facing the west.

Ili Valley
Driving on the Ili Valley
Lavenders begin to blossom around the valley
Visit Kazanqi (an old residential region in Rain ) by riding horse carts
Uyghur Kids
Vegetable vendor

Narat Grassland ( or Nalati Grassland ) is about 180km long from east to west along the river bed sandwiched by the mountains of Tianshan in three sides, the east section of Ili valley.

Narat Grassland is a typical river bed grassland and the alpine meadows. Narat Grassland is located at the sea-level of 1800 meters. It is inhabited by Kazakh minority (but ironically, here in Narat Grassland, we, Han people are the minority).

Further Readings


Further Readings


Top 10 Places in Xinjiang.
See Autumn Leaves in Xinjiang .
Sayram Lake .
Karamay Ghost Town .
Taklamakan Desert  .
Top 10 Attractions in Urumqi .

Any questions, just drop a line.

6 thoughts on “Yining trip – My first trip to Ili Valley

  1. Hello
    I’m looking for a private tour from Yining, to Narat, continue to Bayanbulak, and finish in Kuqa. Can you organize such a trip?
    Thansk
    Avigdor

  2. Dear Avigdor Sapir,

    Thanks for your inquiry! One of our trip advisor will contact you later today. Much appreciated!

  3. Hi,

    Could you please advise me car rental with the drive in Yili, Xinjiang ?
    Is there any 1 day private tour in Yili ?

    Really appreciate for your help.

    Thank you.

    Regards,
    Yudhi

  4. Dear yudhi firman,

    Thanks for your inquiry!

    Sorry, we have no information on the car rental service with driver in Yili. At present we don’t operate private day tours in Yili.

  5. Dear Sir/Madame,

    I am planning a trip to Yining. The planning is still at a very preliminary stage and trying to gather local information. I am wondering whether it is possible for a third country national (I am Japanese) to “experience Kazakhstan” for a day trip and to come back to Yining on the same day (maybe on a some kind of organized tour?). I have been to Almaty (twice) but I want to visit non-Almaty (non Astana) town of Kazakhstan and Zharkent on the Kazakhstan side of the border is idealistic for a non-Almaty town experience. As a Japanese national, I need a visa of neither country.

    Thank you very much for your kind assistance.

    Sincerely yours,

    Wako Watanabe

  6. Dear Wako Watanabe,

    Thanks for your inquiry! But we have no information on the day trips to Kazakhstan from Yining.

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