Kalajun Scenic Spot

Chinese name: 喀拉峻景区（Ka La Jun）
Location: Tekes County, Ili Prefecture, Northwest Xinjiang.
Ticket: Entrance ticket of Kalajun Grassland CNY70.00, sighsteeing bus CNY70.00, Koksu Canyon Entrance ticket CNY35.00, sightseeing bus CNY40.00, boating CNY80.00
Estimated tour time: 1day
Recommended time to visit: Jun to Aug
Nearby attractions: Qiongkushitai Village, Nalati Tourism Scenic Area, Xiata Scenic Area, Zhaosu Wetland Park, etc.

Kalajun Scenic Spot lies deep in the midst of Tianshan Mountains. Forests, grassland, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, canyons, rivers, lakes, all come together here, as if in a painting. The scenic spot lies under blue skies; with slowly moving white clouds passing over snow-capped peaks, white yurts of herders, flocks of sheep and goats moving in green pastures, dark green primeval forests and deep canyons.

Kalajun is located in Tekes County of Ili Prefecture, Northwest Xinjiang. The county is famous for its eight-diagram-shape. ‘Kalajun’ means “wild grassland on the ridge” in Kazakh language. It has become one of the four key sites of, “Xinjiang Tianshan World Natural Heritages,” in UNESCO’s list and one of the national 5A-level scenic spots. It consists of five parts: East Kalajun, West Kalajun, Koksu Grand Canyon, Heavenly Forest, and the snow peaks of middle Tianshan Mountains.

● Highlights of Kalajun Scenic Spot

East Kalajun

The east Kalajun area lies deeper in the mountains and is the place where the essential beauty of the prairie is. Snow-capped peaks and canyons in East Kalajun are in stark contrast to the forests and grasslands. The grasslands and shrubs form an unparalleled artistic pattern, at sunrise and sunset, with distinct gradations and blooming flowers. Such natural sights are rare in the rest of the world, which makes East Kalajun one of the iconic landmarks of Xinjiang Tianshan Mountains.

The most famous scenic spots are Wu Hua Cao Dian (five-flower meadow), Xian Hua Tai (flower field), Kuerdai Grand Canyon, a 3-level plantation viewpoint and Lie Ying Tai (falcon field) viewpoint. With snow mountains, grasslands, forests and canyons, the scenery is diverse and beautiful there. Among them, Wu Hua Cao Dian and Xian Hua Tai are the spots you should not miss. The former is an open meadow with colorful wildflowers blooming all summer season and the latter is the place where you will be able to take amazing photos of the spectacular snow-capped mountains behind the grasslands. 

West Kalajun

The grasslands ecosystem in West Kalajun is well preserved, and the natural landscape and cultural landscape continue as they once were; a rare occurrence in present-day China. The landscape consists of grasslands, snow-capped peaks and river valleys, with local horse culture at peak during spring and summer. Not only is the beautiful grassland scenery of Xinjiang Tianshan Mountains enjoyable, but a ride on a strong trekking horse is also possible.

Koksu Grand Canyon

The Koksu Grand Canyon landscape consists mainly of canyon landform, water landscape and alpine meadows. It has a combination of high-mountain lakes, snowcapped-peaks, vegetation, bold cliffs, ravine streams and rare rocks.

The Heavenly Forest is primitive, quiet and inaccessible, with dense forests. The canyons are full of ravine streams, small-leaf trees and shrubs. Half way up, the mountain gets covered with clouds and tall trees. From the top of the mountain you can see the Asusai meadow, which looks like a green carpet extending to the foot of the Asusai Snowcapped Peak. The meadow is a good place for hiking, horse riding, and outdoor camping for adventurers.