Heavenly Lake (Tianchi)
As the closest Top attraction in Urumqi, Heavenly Lake is not only the ideal summer resort for the locals, but great place to enjoy the skiing. We drive about 2hrs from home in Urumqi to the ticket office of the park with the sightseeing of the river running the melting water from the mountains and the old trees with hundreds years. You are stepping into a fairy land.
Kids at the Entrance of the Heavenly Lake
Our family visit this lake 2-3 times every year, we enjoy the hiking around the lake breathing the deep fresh air. Kids are love to enjoy the boating cruise. Last national holiday, we also take the cable car to the top of Maya Mountain to have a bird view of the lake. Do many clients ask when the best time to Heavenly lake is? All-year-round is my answer. You can enjoy the different and unique view of the lake. Flower covering the side of the Lake in Spring, enjoy the cold and fresh air in summer, witness the golden mountains covered by the leaves. Snow-caped mountain in winter and go skating on the surface of the lake.
I would like to share you more information about the park, which include the official documents and the authentic travel tips from us.
Heavenly lake the is located in the deep of Tianshan Mountain neighbouring to the Holy Bogoda peak. As a natural alpine lake, it has an elevation of 1,980 meters. In the shape of a half moon, the lake is 3,400 meters long, about 1,500 meters wide, and 105 meters at the deepest point. You can enjoy the splendid natural scenery, legendary tales, and relaxing while trekking in along the lake.
Top Things To Do in the Heavenly Lake
UNESCO has recognized Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang with World Heritage status. Experience it the easy way, complete with waterfalls, yurts, and mystery forest. There are some top things to do in the Heavenly Lake:
Kazakh Folk Customs Garden is where you can experience Kazakh traditional costumes, Kazakh snacks, and traditional handicrafts. The tents they live in are very similar to yurts. Here you can pay a photo with the Kazakh girl wearing ethnic clothes or enter the shelter to visit. You can also buy Ethnic snacks, handmade embroidery, and handmade dairy products.
Boating cruise on the Heavenly Lake, and it is a quieter way to absorb and appreciate the beauty of the lake. The cruise ship will stop halfway at the West Queen Mother Temple, where you can enter in for pray.
Take the cable car to Maya Mountain to enjoy the Heavenly Lake overview, which is less than ten minutes. The scenery of the Heavenly Lake can be sightseeing from a different angle: Look down or look up to the sky, which will bring tourists different surprises.
Trekking around the lake or up into the valleys Heavenly Lake, surrounded by mountains, is a good place for trekking. You can go for strolls on the mountain paths, breathe in the fresh air, and hike or ride a horse up to the valleys, where the scenery is simply stunning.
How to Plan Your Day Tour to Heavenly Lake
Kids at the Heavenly Lake
Morning departing from Urumqi around 8 am, you will take a bus to the Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area. Since you may get up early in the morning, so take a nap on the bus to make up for it. The time passed so fast to reach the foot of the Tianshan Mountain in an instant, which took nearly 2 hours. After getting off the bus, go to buy tickets, and then you get to the station to take the shuttle bus.
After passing through the small village of Kazakhstan, come to the shuttle bus station of the Tianchi Scenic Area and head towards the Heavenly Lake in the middle of the mountainside. In this section, mainly the Mountain Highway, you can experience the beauty of the valley; see the green grass of Tianshan and the snowy mountains. The shuttle bus shuttled through the beautiful scenery and traveled for about 40 minutes to the beautiful Heavenly Lake.
Transportation to Heavenly Lake from Urumqi
a. By bus
Take the bus to Fukang at the northern suburban passenger station of Urumqi, the journey time is about 1.5 hours. After arriving in Fukang, there is a minibus in Fukang Bus station directly to Tianchi Scenic Area, the journey takes about 20 minutes.
b. By taxi
You can take a taxi from your accommodation in Urumqi downtown area, usually, it takes about 2 hours driving from Urumqi to the Heavenly Lake.
c. Rent a car
The car rental service is available in our company, please contact us for further detailed information, we will arrange the English speaking driver for better experience and communication.
Geography Features of Xinjiang Heavenly Lake
The water in the Heavenly lake is pure and clean, reflecting the snow-capped Bogda Mountains around. Because of the high altitude above sea level, the temperature of Heavenly Lake is usually quite low, making the lake a perfect summer resort. Visitors can climb the mountains and walk in the forests to enjoy the beauty of nature, go boating, and fishing at dusk when the lake is notably serenity. Flowers richly bloom around the lake, making it an excellent place to come and relax. In snowy winter, visitors can come to the icebound lake and try kinds of activities on the ice.
The Climate of Xinjiang Heavenly Lake
The Heavenly Lake is near Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, Xinjiang has a typical continental arid climate. The South Xinjiang is dry, great light, and short of rain. The annual precipitation is only 20-100 mm, while the northern Xinjiang has 100-500 mm; the yearly average temperature is 10 in the southern Xinjiang Plain. -13 ℃, while the North Xinjiang plain is below 10 ℃.
The scenic area is in the inversion layer of the Tianshan Mountains. The temperature is relatively stable and mild because of the influence of atmospheric reflux; the annual average temperature of the scenic area is 2.55℃, the highest average temperature in July is 15.9℃, while the lowest average temperature in January is -12.4℃. The winter snowfall period is 6-7 months, the icing period is five months, and the thickness of the lake ice layer is more than 1 meter, which is a natural skating rink.
Legendary Love Story of the Heavenly Lake
According to the fairy tale, pure Heavenly Lake is the summer palace of the famous Queen Mother of the Western Heavens, and so many places in the Heavenly Lake Scenic Area are related to her. The stately elm standing beside the lake is said to be the avatar of the Queen Mother's hair. The deep Dragon Pool, just under the Heavenly Lake, is said to be her swimming pool. Waterfalls, rocks, and even pine trees connected with the Queen Mother of the Western Heavens. All these beautiful tales make the Heavenly Lake a land of mystery!
Visit Heavenly Lake in Winter
Go to Xinjiang Heavenly Lake in winter, under the blue sky and white clouds, the mirror-like lake surface reflects the surrounding snow mountains and green pine, just like the same ink painting. In the warm sunshine, a large number of tourists come to play, take pictures to take pictures, hike for fitness, bask in the sun, and breathe fresh air.
Mt. Tianshan Ski Area is a well-known winter resort in Xinjiang, convenient transportation, and a unique natural landscape. A total length of 15 kilometers for seven independent snow trails stretch down the shallow mountains of the Tianshan Mountains. The 1.8 kilometers long No. 1 single snow road is the longest professional snow trail in Xinjiang. The U-shaped pool with international standards is a must-visit place for ski enthusiasts and enthusiasts.
Travel Information
Opening Time: 08:00-20:00 1st, April - 14th, Oct
Customer Service Phone: 4008706110
Tickets:
| Admission fee |
April - October: 155CNY/PP November - March: 90CNY/PP |
| Electronic Cart | 20CNY/PP |
| Eco-museum of Heavenly Lake | 10CNY/PP |
| Cable car to Maya Mountain | 220CNY/PP |
| Temple of Queen Mother of the West | 10CNY/PP |
| Other fees | Standard Boat (100CNY/PP) |
Travel Tips
It is still necessary to take a coat or jacket to keep warm in summer. There is a distinct difference in temperature for a day and night in Xinjiang, and heat in some scenic spots is probably lower due to the high altitude or weather change.
It is suggested to take along sunblock and some medicines in case of sunburn and sunstroke prevention. Xinjiang, located in the northwest, has a lower average temperature than that in most areas of China. Still, ultraviolet irradiation is commonly higher, the highest temperature in some cities such as Turpan can reach above 40℃.
Bring plenty of water and lunch: This is true even if you're going for a day trip. You can eat at the yurt or the nearby restaurant where the price is higher. Plus, it's just much more fun to find a quiet place and set up for lunch next to the lake.
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