Hemu Village

Chinese name: 禾木村（He Mu Cun）
Location: North Burqin, Altay prefecture, Xinjiang.
Ticket: Entrance ticket CNY50.00 during 01May-15Oct, CNY25.00 during 16Oct-31Apr, Sightseeing bus CNY100.00.
Estimated tour time: half day
Recommended time to visit: Jun to Oct.
Nearby attractions: Kanas Lake, Baihaba Village, Baihaba Village, Wucaitan Scenic Area, etc.

Hemu Village, which is known as the “first village in China”, the wooden houses from the original wooden blocks are scattered in the village, the bridges are flowing, and the smoke is smog! The quaint mountain village is as mysterious as Kanas Lake. On the open ground surrounded by mountains, Hemu Village lay quietly. The Tuwa's spires and livestock fences were scattered randomly in every corner of the village. The river flows through the village in the shade of the trees. The Kanas in the morning mist is like a dream, and the evening in Hemu Village brings a more artistic conception and enjoyment. When the sun shines on the top of the mountain, the hill is dyed golden, slowly The sun shines through the faint mist of water over the village, lazily slanting down, seemingly reluctant to disturb this beautiful village still asleep...

● Highlights of Hemu Village

Wooden Houses

All the houses in Hemu Village are made of wood. The wood house is a classic symbol of the Tuvas. Half of the house is underground to protect against the severe cold on snowy days. The roof is generally nailed with wood; the walls of the house are made of stacked logs with a diameter of 30 or 40 centimeters making houses both warm and moisture-proof. The door of each house is open to the east. When building a new house, it is customary for the owner to put white drapery on the beams, as a prayer for best wishes.

Hemu River and Hemu Bridge

Opposite the residential area of Hemu, visitors can walk along the Hemu River, whose waters come from the melting snow on Youyi Mountain. On sunny days, the river seems to exude a light green glow in the bright sunshine and turns a refreshing blue in the evening. Birch forests stand on either side of the Hemu River with clusters of wild flowers on the ground. There are two bridges over the river, and people like to call them the Hemu Bridges: one is for visitors to walk on, which is the only way to get to the Hemu viewing platform. The other is mostly for local herders and their sheep or cattle to cross.

Birch Forest

Hemu VillageAround Hemu Village, there is a large swathe of Birch Forest. When the leaves turn yellow in autumn, visitors may feel like they are walking in an oil painting or a fairyland.