Family Adventure – Trekking and horse riding in Qiongkushitai

Qiongkushitai, Yining and Sayram Lake Exploration

——From Lesley

    Last year was an unusual one for me and Silkroad Travel. As I navigated the challenges of operating during the pandemic, I also spent a lot of time brainstorming new and exciting travel routes for my friends and guests. The stress and fatigue eventually led me to a simple thought: why not take a break, step outside with my family to recharge, and test whether a trekking tour in a nearby spot would be feasible for foreign visitors?    I finally decided to explore Qiongkushitai—a hidden gem close to my home that had remained largely untouched by the outside world until recent years. Few people have had the chance to witness its wild, unspoiled beauty. Being someone who loves to act on ideas quickly, we made our plans and set off just three days after deciding.

Day 1: Urumqi → Shawan → Sayram Lake

    We departed from Urumqi on June 17th and drove for about three hours to Shawan. Naturally, we had to try the famous Shawan Big Plate Chicken! Whether it was because we’d skipped breakfast or the dish was truly exceptional, we devoured every bite and left the restaurant completely satisfied.

    After lunch, we continued our drive. It took another 4.5 hours to reach the legendary Sayram Lake. The drive was long, but we were far from bored. I’d worried my three “little monkeys” might start bickering with nothing to do, but they were completely captivated by the small animals and wildflowers along the way, barely noticing my husband and me.

    Sayram Lake lived up to all our expectations. As a local, I’ve visited many times, but never during its peak season. My vocabulary feels too limited to describe the lake’s unique shade of blue—a color that shifts and deepens with the changing sunlight. A video, I think, would do it far more justice.

    We spent the night at an RV campground, which was surprisingly cozy and felt just like being at home.

Day 2: Sayram Lake → Zhaosu → Xiata Grassland

    We slept in late the next morning—the beds were too comfortable, and the quiet outside was too peaceful to resist. We didn’t hit the road until noon and arrived in Zhaosu at 4 PM. After picking up some “supplies” (read: snacks and toys) for the kids, we headed straight for Xiata Grassland.

    The road was teeming with marmots—plump, quick little creatures that scurried around and peeked at us from their burrows. My kids were practically begging to get out and “explore” their homes. I was relieved these marmots didn’t make our final destination their territory, or I’m afraid they might have ended up homeless! 😯

    We reached our hotel around 6 PM and enjoyed a wonderful dinner. The setting was beautiful, and the food was excellent—at the very least, I know our future guests won’t be disappointed.

Day 3: Xiata Grassland Exploration

On our third day, we set out to explore Xiata Grassland. Our first stop was Tianma Park, where we hoped to see the breathtaking spectacle of thousands of horses galloping across the plains. Unfortunately, we arrived too late and missed the show. A lesson learned: next time, we’ll set out much earlier!

I was a little disappointed, but the park turned out to be surprisingly child-friendly. My kids were over the moon, picking wildflowers and competing to make the most colorful bouquets. I can’t even remember who “won” the contest—our attention was suddenly stolen by a butterfly that landed on my youngest son’s bouquet and refused to fly away. If the butterfly’s choice is any indication, he was the clear winner! 😆

From Tianma Park, we headed to Zhaosu Wetland Park, where we found a herd of horses cooling off in small lakes. We strolled around, and the kids went back to diligently picking wildflowers, still on the lookout for any “unlucky marmots” that might cross their path.

Our final stop was Jade Lake—a small, quiet body of water with water as clear and green as jade. We loved our time there, though it was a shame that part of the lake was temporarily closed for maintenance.