The
"City of Demons" is another name for the "Wuerhe Wind
City" (Wuerhe Fengcheng), which refers to one of the Yadan
landforms. Bushes like camel thorns are growing thin in the sand hills
spreading everywhere because of the lack of water. In the open ground,
the table -like mountains originally formed by burnt ochre stones and
gray green rocks which have been fallen into pieces after thousands of
years' wind and water erosion look like ancient castles and palaces
with Gothic, Chinese and Egyptian styles.
So this area is called
"the window of the world". There are many lively shaped
models such as the towering stone mushrooms, stone bamboo shoots,
stone pavilions, stone columns, wide streets, narrow lanes and caves
cutting down to the rocks, lively shape of birds, animals, fishes and
human bodies. In summer and autumn, 7 to 8 degrees of great storms
usually blow along the valley, raising the sands, whistling like
ghosts and wolves. So that's the derivation of another name of the
Wuerhe Wind City---the City of Monsters.
In addition, there are two places named
City of Monsters. One is in the northern edge of General Qitai Gobi
while the other is in the Wucai City in the north of Jimosaer.
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It
is situated in the Heavenly Mountain range (Tianshan), 115 km northeast of Urumqi, Heaven's Lake (Tianchi) is arguably one of the nicest spots in all of China. The huge clear water lake, the pine trees covering the hillsides and the snow capped mountains in the background make this a spectacular sight- reminiscent of Switzerland or the Rocky mountains but somehow with more vibrancy and color.
The Indian writer Vikram Seth, who studied at Nanjing University for two years, took the lake as inspiration for the title of his account of his travels through Xinjiang and Tibet "From Heaven Lake". Indeed, this is a stimulating spot. This huge lake (3km long and 1km wide) sits half way (560 ft) up the mountain range and offers some excellent walking and
horse riding with breathtaking views. This spot is particularly refreshing for those arriving in Urumuqi from the barren deserts elsewhere in Xinjiang or from one of China's numerous granite cities.
Buddhists visit this spot to praise the God of Mercy, Kazakh families set up camp here between May and September, and tourists visit the area in their hundreds. All this, surprisingly enough, does not spoil the area. One of the most pleasant aspects about exploring here is just being able to wander the lake and mountains at your own pace. This is a vast area and, despite the crowds, it is easy to lose yourself and there are no restrictions about where you can go.
The Kazakhs bring their entire house, home and family with them when they set up base here. There are hundreds of Yurts built around the shores and slopes, surrounded by goats, sheep and horses. Kashmere goats and sheep are the main source of income for these people followed by tourism. Many will offer horse back tours of the hillside and accommodation in their homes for a small fee (Approximately RMB30 including food). This is a great experience, and a fun way to get a glimpse of the lifestyle of these people. Yurts are made from hide or canvas stretched over a wooden frame. The interiors are wonderfully colorful, with handmade rugs and tapestries adorning the walls.
You MUST spend at least a day here, and staying the night in the Yurts or at the more upmarket Shui Xin Hotel is good fun. The evening and early morning here are
comparatively peaceful. There are numerous small restaurants along the western shore serving good simple dishes for about RMB20-30.
A gargantuan glacier, 100 meters thick and 500 meters wide lies at the peaks of the Tianshan mountain range, surrounded by ice caves and valleys. This is the source of the Urumqi River, and although it is too COLD up here for many
travelers, this area is one of the most important in the world in terms of research and development.
How to get there: Buses leave from the north end of Renmin Park in Urumqi between 9am and 9.30am every day and return from the lake between 4pm and 4.30pm. The trip takes between 90 minutes and 4 hours, depending on the type of transport you take. Minibuses are the most efficient. There are also private buses running from the Hongshan Hotel. It takes you about 2 hours to get there from Renmin Park and Hongshan Hotel, or one and half an hour's journey through the
Urumqi Highway, and going up the mountain by ride, with 20 Yuan per hour fee.
Price of Ticket: RMB60 (During the midseason Apr.- Nov.); RMB25 (During the low season), and RMB15 for cable car; RMB20 for
sailor.
Accommodation: There are many hotels, rest houses and vacation village surrounding the Heaven's Lake, of which the price includes from several decades Yuan to 200 Yuan.
Climate: It can get very cold up here, so make sure you take enough warm clothing, especially if you plan to stay the night.
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1374
meters high above sea level, Kanasi Lake (Kanasi Hu), which
means "beautiful, rich and mysterious" in Mongolian, can be
found in the deep forests and mountains of Altai, covering an area of
44.78 square kilometers which is 10 times bigger than Tianchi on Bogda
Mountain. This is a typical ice erosion & moraine lake shaped like
a new moon, or rather, a long hyacinth bean.
The reflections of the surrounding
snowcapped, tree covered mountains can be seen inverted on the lake
water. During autumn especially, there is a picturesque landscape of
forests in a riot of colors with gold, red, blue and green all
reflected in the clear lake water here.
There are also some fun legends about
Kanasi Lake. It is said that huge lake monsters live in the lake's
depths. In recent years, others claim to have seen 4 meter long blood
red fish in the lake. The "Emei Spectacle", lights in the
clouds after a morning rain, add an air of mystery to the lake too.
The practices of the Tuwa and local
Mongolian ethic minority, and Altai Mountain rock-paintings have been
attracting explorers and travelers to this area for decades.
Price Ticket: RMB100;
80% discount of the whole depending on teacher or student card.
Transportation: You can
rent the microbus at Urumqi to get there, and the fare is RMB600 one
day, with RMB20 insurance in addition. The rented fee consists of traveling
and gasoline expenses, but not including the entrance fee and dinner
& quartering charge of the driver.
Accommodation: You could
experience the exotic tent of Kazakstan Nationality. with RMB20-40
everyone, and RMB60-100 residing in the lakefront frame house, as well
RMB200 more or less for the triple or quadplex rooms. In addition,
there are some private hostels with RMB10-15 every one.
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The Xinjiang Minority Peoples' Museum (Xinjiang
weiwuer zi zhiqu bouwuguan) is definitely worth a visit. This
museum houses an impressive collection of exhibits, covering artifacts
and relics from more than 12 minority groups.
The lay-out and presentation of the
exhibits is imaginative and the preserved bodies of men, women and
babies found in tombs in Xinjiang, along with the 3,000 year old
mummies, make for insightful (if a little spooky) visit!
The museum is divided into different
sections: a Mongol wing, a Tajik exhibition, a Kasak exhibition and a
Dauer people and relics display. Many of the more interesting exhibits
have signs in English too!
How to get there: Take the No.7
bus from the Hongshan Dept. Store.
Opening hours: Daily 9:30-5:30
Cost: RMB25
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Sightseeing
Index
