Hemu Village

Hemu Village is located on the bank of Kanas Lake in Burqin County. It is the concentrated living place of Tuva people. It is the farthest and largest village among the remaining three Tuva villages (Hemu Village, Kanas Village and Baihaba Village), with a total area of 3,040 square kilometers. The houses in Hemu Village are all made of logs, full of original flavor.

Hemu village is best known for its intoxicating autumn scenery, which is like a fairyland. On July 28, 2019, Hemu Village was selected into the first batch of national key villages for rural tourism. In October 2019, it was selected into the first “Small Town Aesthetic Model” list. Don't miss the best time to visit Hemu Village and explore about Tuva people’s lifestyle and culture, and take some beautiful photos. Seeing is believing!

Click the picture to enjoy the fairyland of Hemu village

Features

Chinese Name: 禾木村 [hémù cūn]

Location: About 30 kilometers east of Kanas Lake

Popular activities: sightseeing, photography, visit Tuva people's houses, explore about Tuva people's lifestyle and culture, hiking around the Hemu river

Suited to: everyone

Time needed: 5-6 hours

Highlights

Fairy-tale Beautiful Scenery

The village is surrounded by mountains, and the mountains are not very high. But there are picturesque birch forests on it, which are extremely beautiful. After crossing the Hemu Bridge, you will arrive at the most famous birch forest in Hemu, where all the birch trees grow wild. In the golden autumn season, all wild birch forests are transformed into “gold”, and it is absolutely shocking, because they are all over the mountains and plains! When the yellow leaves fall, walk into the forest, and the world of white and yellow blends as if you are in a fairyland.

Besides, Hemu Bridge is the symbol of Hemu Village, which is an old and sturdy wooden bridge and it has experienced the impact of the dissolved water of Kanas Glacier for more than 100 years. And it is the best place to shoot Hemu River. Standing on the bridge, you can see the beautiful scenery of Hemu Village and birch forest on both sides. The  cold river under the bridge is as simple and pure as Hemu Village. The green vegetation beside the bridge is moistened by water vapor, and thick and rich verdures are stacked on top of each other. It is also the only way to climb the viewing platform - Genghis Khan viewing platform. It is actually a naturally formed alpine meadow. From a distance, it looks like a platform. It is said that Genghis Khan once reviewed one hundred thousand heroes here. Standing on the platform, you can overlook the entire Hemu Village. This is also the best location for shooting Hemu Village. The best time to shoot is in the early morning. If you want to grab a good place, you have to go early. It is even more unique to ride a horse on the viewing platform. Furthermore, on the former site of the viewing platform, the cultural relics that have been discovered include the bronze armor of the second general of the Western Expedition of Genghis Khan. The workmanship is very delicate, and its surface still looks shiny now.

Things to Do

Hiking around the Hemu river and enjoy the village's views

The Hemu River flows from the northeast to the southwest, and the primitive villages and the prairie are harmoniously and naturally integrated. Entering the Hemu River area, there are almost no traces of cattle and sheep along the way. August is also the season for villagers to plough grass. Only on the grass that has been plucked can you occasionally see a few cattle and sheep. Hemu village is a small village with hundreds of households. It is very primitive and natural, and the Hemu River flows quietly in the village. Small wooden huts and Kazakh yurts are scattered along the Hemu River. When the herdsmen return, the quiet villages are like a picture scroll. If you like hiking, you can take your time to enjoy the amazing view around the Hemu river and also can take some nice photos. From noon to evening, when the light is very good, the river water is very blue, and the leaves are golden; it is the best time for visitors to take some wonderful photos.

Visit Tuva people's houses & discover Tuva people's lifestyle

Hemu Village looks like a fairytale forest scene, there are wooden houses of Tuva people scattered. The wooden house still retains the true color of wood for many years and this kind of spire wooden house is completely built from logs. It has a flat roof in the room; the space between the flat roof and the spire is used to store food and feed, which is unique to the Tuva people. The architectural features can only be seen in the three Tuva settlements of Hemu, Kanas and Baihaba.

The wooden houses in Hemu Village are very distinctive, and this ancient village shows its own symbolic kingdom in silence. The wooden houses of Tuva people are golden in the sunset, and they are square, so the whole village looks angular. The zigzag and half-opened wooden fences are all pine wood, and after a long time, they have become warm golden yellow, with a maze-like style, and the grass and summer scenery with the smell of grass are pouring into sleep.

 You can enjoy the peaceful village, blue stream, colorful forest, and snowy mountains in the distance. Meet the local ethnic people and their cattle and if you have enough time, you also can walk into a house of the Tuva people, who are regarded as the descendants of a mysterious old tribe from Mongolia. Meanwhile, discover their lifestyle and culture and chat with them to learn about their daily life. Moreover, you can visit a small museum of Tuva people's in a wooden house too. The pictures, the traditional clothes, and the articles of daily use will show you the history and the traditional lifestyle of the Tuva people.  

Skiing in winter

The opening of the ski resort excited many local villagers. Due to the early snow season, long snow period and good snow quality, this once forgotten village in winter began to welcome a large number of tourists skiing here for the winter. Ski enthusiasts take snowmobiles to the ski resort. The modern snow play project combines the ancient Tuva culture, and the combination of the two makes Hemu Village the most interesting and suitable paradise for visitors. If you love skiing and winter, then Hemu Village is a wonderful place to visit.

Travel Tips

Best time for visiting

In fact, it is suitable to go to Hemu in any season. Because the scenery it presents is different, each has its own charm. For example, in spring and summer, Hemu grassland is lush with green plants and flowers. In autumn, the trees turn yellow, like a golden fairy-tale world. In winter, snow-covered, a piece of northern scenery. It's up to you which season you prefer.

The temperature in Hemu is relatively low. In summer, long-sleeved clothes should also be prepared, and the local temperature difference between day and night is large. It is recommended to prepare clothes that are easy to adjust and keep warm. If you come to Hemu in winter and encounter heavy snow blocking the mountain, you must take a horse-drawn sledge. Guides and sledges need to be booked in advance.

How to get to the Hemu Village from Urumqi

a. By plane

Fly from Urumqi to Kanas, and then drive (2-3hrs)to the scenic spot; (Open Kanas Airport from June to October every year)

b. By train

Take the train from Urumqi to Beitun City, and then take a car (4-5hrs) to the scenic spot;

Travel Information

Opening Time: 08:30-20:00

Customer Service Phone: 0906-6326004,0906-6525380

Tickets:

Admission fee:  100CNY/PP,  Ancient village protection fee: 50CNY/PP

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