Xinjiang trip – Dream Kanas
September 26, 2022
After canceling the Ili itinerary code on September 17, we arrived in Burqin (see "Xinjiang Trip - "Raising Horses""). However, Kanas Scenic Area does not accept tourists with itinerary codes from other areas, so we have to raise Bozhou horses here. By September 21st, our Bozhou code was one day away from disappearing. When we were about to set off to the Kanas Scenic Area, traffic was suddenly restricted and the Kanas Scenic Area was also closed. Later we found out that a case was found in Qinghe County, more than 300 kilometers away from Burqin. Then we waited at the Burqin Colorful River parking lot for the Kanas Scenic Area to open. On September 23, we went to the checkpoint in Baihaba and failed once to pass. Kanas Scenic Area is close at hand but cannot be entered. We have been in Burqin for 9 days today. The weather forecast says that it will rain and snow in Kanas Scenic Area from tomorrow. Scenic area still has no sign of opening. If it rains and snows again for two more times, will all the yellow leaves still fall off? Besides, the weather in Burqin is already very cold. We decided not to wait any longer, packed up our things and prepared to leave Burqin for the Hami Sea Channel tomorrow.
At 21:57 in the evening, rider Shaanxi AJ0J42 suddenly sent back a message from the 72km checkpoint in Kanas: "You can enter at Gate 72!". We were overjoyed by this news and immediately changed our plans to enter Kanas Scenic Area tomorrow. Many thanks to rider Shaanxi AJ0J42 for sending back the news about the opening of Kanas Scenic Area as soon as possible.
Finally, the Kanas scenic spot opened, but the good weather that lasted for many days has passed. Although the weather forecast for the next few days is rainy and snowy, the weather is very bad. But we dare not wait any longer for good weather. The epidemic situation changes every day, and the scenic spot may suddenly be closed again.
72 mouths can be entered!
September 27, 2022
After arriving at Kanas Scenic Area today, I left my car at the gate of the Jiadengyu Ticket Station (self-driving is not allowed in the scenic area) and took the scenic area shuttle bus to Kanas Scenic Area in the rain. The car drove along the Kanas River, and the blue river and the yellow autumn leaves on both sides quickly passed by the car window. During the bumpy ride, we captured the dreamy, hazy light and shadow of the Kanas River through the blurred rain and fog in the car window, which marked the beginning of our trip to Kanas.
The dreamy hazy light and shadow is the prelude to our trip to Kanas
When the bus arrived at Kanas Transfer Center, it still rained. Let's find a place to stay first. Most tourists to Kanas stay in B&Bs in the old village, because the old village is only a few hundred meters away from the tourist center. On the way to the old village, you will pass the starting point monument of the new 219 National Highway. The new 219 National Highway runs from here (Hemuhanas Mongolian Township, Burqin County) to Dongxing City, Guangxi. This is the starting point of of the new National Highway 219. New Route 219 is 10,860 kilometers long. It is currently the longest national highway in China and a magnificent landscape avenue.
Monument at the starting point of the new National Highway 219
The old village is called Hanas Village, where the Mongolian Tuva people live. A main road in the village connects the transfer center to Kanas Lake. There are wooden houses on both sides of the road, a few of which are for the owners to live in, and the others have been transformed into B&Bs for tourists. These wooden B&Bs are in perfect harmony with the surrounding natural environment. The front and back of the house are surrounded by golden trees.
Primary school in Hanas village
B&B integrated into nature
Due to the epidemic, there are very few tourists. B&B prices are only a fraction of those in previous years. The price on the roadside is basically 200 yuan per room per day. The Hubinshan villa where we stayed needs to be reached through a wooden plank road. It is invisible from the roadside and the price is only 150 yuan at the port. The conditions are similar, with heating, bathrooms, and very clean. In fact, Lake Villa is in a good location, only 100 meters away from Kanas River and less than 3 kilometers away from Kanas Lake.
Lakeside Villa
corner of room
By 16:00, the rain had subsided a little, so we put on our raincoats and went out. The sky was overcast and the lighting for taking pictures was extremely poor, but it did not affect our interest at all. It's getting late today, so Shitou and I walked around the area, and tomorrow we'll take the scenic transportation bus to visit the scenic spots on the tour map.
From the back door of the small courtyard of Lakeside Villa, you can walk for two minutes to the Kanas Old Wooden Bridge over the Kanas River. The old wooden bridge spans the green Kanas River. The bridge body and piers are all made of wood, which is primitive and simple. The river flows quietly under the bridge. About 500 meters downstream of the old wooden bridge, a new cement bridge was built. The new National Highway 219 goes out from this bridge and runs into the distance.
Old Kanas wooden bridge
New Kanas Bridge
The light rain is silent, and the autumn colors are in my eyes. Not a single tourist. Red grass, yellow trees, flowing water, and dead trees are all silent beside the quiet river. There are no stunning scenery, only pure nature.
Red grass, yellow trees, flowing water and dead trees are all pure nature.
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After walking across the old wooden bridge, on the hillside on the other side of the river, a forest has shown the rich golden color of late autumn. Although this rich autumn color lacks sunshine, it still warms my heart.
The rich autumn colors warm my heart
We walked upstream along the plank road along the river. The wet wooden plank road is covered with golden fallen leaves, which makes people reluctant to step on them. The coniferous trees on the roadside have lost half of their leaves, and small raindrops are hanging on the dry branches and needles.
golden fallen leaves
There was no one on the plank road. As we walked in the rain, all we could see was the green Kanas River and the scenery on both sides of the river. Green spruce, yellow birch and metasequoia spread out along the gentle slopes on both sides of the river. They are both gorgeous in autumn and still full of vitality in summer. Although the lighting is not good, the scenery is still endless.
It has the splendor of autumn but still retains the vitality of summer
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The naturally fallen dead tree lay motionless on the rocks on the river beach. Red grass grows luxuriantly beside the dead trees, blowing out flame-like enthusiasm into the wind. The green jade-like river water flows past them, and white waves are pushed out by the stones in the river bed. Renewing the old and absorbing the new is the eternal vitality of nature.
vibrant nature
The end of the boardwalk is the starting point of the Kanas River. The source of the river is the blue Kanas Lake, from where the Kanas River meanders through the autumn forest.
Starting point of Kanas River
blue kanas lake
The Kanas River meanders through the autumn forest
Climbing up the road from the river, the rain has not stopped, and we are going to take the scenic transportation bus back to our residence in the old village. Before I even reached the station, I saw the transportation bus just leaving. Because there were so few tourists, it took a long time for the bus to come, so we stopped waiting and walked back. Food trucks in scenic spots along the roadside were lined up and all were closed. Worthy of being a 5A-level scenic spot, the star-rated public toilets are in a beautiful environment like a villa. On the roadside, the cows in the village were leisurely and carefree as if no one was around.
All food trucks in scenic spots are closed
Star-rated public toilets are located in beautiful scenery like villas
Cows relaxing on the roadside
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Back at Lakeside Villa, a flowered cow greeted us on a hillside covered with rocks.
September 28, 2022
When I woke up in the morning, I saw a beam of red morning light shining on the opposite mountain top, and morning mist rising from the valley behind the spruce trees. The morning in Kanas is so beautiful and intoxicating.
The morning in Kanas is so beautiful
The beautiful morning scene passed quickly, and it rained again. We don't care about the weather. Today we will visit the highlights of Kanas Scenic Area: Shenxian Bay, Moon Bay and Wolong Bay. As for the fish viewing platform, it was closed yesterday due to rain and snow, and there is not much hope today.
Highlights of Kanas Scenic Area
Shenxian Bay is famous for its morning fog. It rained today, so there is a high chance of fog. However, the transportation buses to the scenic area don’t leave until 9:30. By then, I’m afraid the fog will have cleared. Walking there is 5 kilometers away, which is also time-consuming and laborious. Gu Lina, the owner of the B&B, took us to the village in her car to get nucleic acid tests done, and then sent us to Shenxian Bay.
There is indeed fog in Shenxian Bay. Although it is not the iconic advection fog, it is enough to be called a fairyland. The ever-changing fog makes the river and woods ethereal. What a Shenxian Bay.
Wonderland of Sanctuary Cove
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