Narat Prairie in Xinyuan County, Ili
Attractions Overview
It is a national AAAAA scenic spot, one of the top ten scenic spots in Xinjiang and a tourist scenic spot in the autonomous region. It is also an important scenic spot and brand in Xinjiang and a famous brand in Yili River Valley.
Chinese Name: 那拉提草原
English Name: Narat Prairie in Xinyuan County, Ili
Type: Natural Scenic Area, Ili famous spots & Natural attractions
Best Time: All Year Around
Recommended Visiting Hours: 3-5 hours
Opening Hours:08:30~20:00
Location:Eastern Narati Town, xinyuan county, Ili Prefecture, Xinjiang
Why is Narat Prairie so Special?
Since ancient times, grassland has been a famous grassland in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The beautiful scenery here is beyond description. If the boundless grassland is the green sea, then the white yurt is the sail. Crowds of sheep, cattle and horses are waves. The continuous mountain range is the coast. Cedar standing upright on the cliff is a heroic guard.
Where is Narat Prairie
Naratti grassland is located in the eastern part of Naratti town in xinyuan county, and is a subalpine meadow of Gunnas grassland, one of the four largest grasslands in the world. Due to its high altitude and steep terrain, it is also called “sky grassland”.
History of Narat Prairie
A beautiful story is related to grassland. At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Genghis Khan made a westward expedition to Yili in midsummer. However, it was very cold in the mountains, further exhausting the starving soldiers. To their surprise, after climbing over a mountain, they saw the endless grassland. Delicate and charming flowers are in full bloom, and clear streams are rippling on the lush green grass. This looks like a wonderful fairyland, so the soldiers shouted happily’ Narathi, Natati’.
Since ancient times, grassland has been a famous grassland in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The beautiful scenery here is beyond description. If the boundless grassland is the green sea, then the white yurt is the sail. Crowds of sheep, cattle and horses are waves. The continuous mountain range is the coast. Cedar standing upright on the cliff is a heroic guard.
From June to September, the vast lush grassland is dotted with colorful wild flowers. The surrounding snowy mountains, white clouds and Der Blaue Engel grassland are even more charming. Therefore, this period of time is the best time to visit this wonderland. Many activities are held in this “cradle of Kazakhstan”. Hospitable Kazakh herdsmen receive guests with their unique customs and culture.
Geography of Narat Prairie
Ili grassland has mild and humid climate and fertile soil. Although there is less rainfall on both sides of the valley, there is more rainfall in the mountains. Natural conditions are good, with an annual average temperature of 8-9 degrees Celsius, suitable for farming and animal husbandry. From the plain to the mountain, there are lawns of desert, grassland, meadow, shrub and forest vegetation types. The nomadic culture here is obvious. Herdsmen graze in the plains and deserts in winter. In spring they go up the mountain, in summer they go to the high mountains and grasslands, and in autumn they start a new cycle.
Main Attractions of Narat Prairie
Wild Flower
All kinds of wild flowers have spread all over Shan Ye. Yellow, red, purple and blue are all available in different colors. The colorful ones are very beautiful and set off the grassland more charming. Nalati grassland scenic spot has a certain scale now. In the further development of the scenic spot, the development of scenic spots and scenic spots should dig out the connotation so as to foil the natural scenery of the grassland.
Plants
In the middle of spring, the peanuts on the grassland grow luxuriantly, and the grass grows very high. The green is like brocade, and it looks very beautiful. The annual rainfall in narathi can reach 800mm, which is very beneficial to the growth of pasture and the carrying capacity of herds is very high.
Ski Resort
Some of the people on the ski resort are skiing, some are visiting on snowmobiles, and there are groups of children sitting on the snowmobiles and playing heartily.
Best Time to Travel Xijiang Miao Village
The best time to pay a visit is in June to September,.
The vast lush grassland is dotted with colorful wild flowers. The surrounding snowy mountains, white clouds and Der Blaue Engel grassland are even more charming. Therefore, this period of time is the best time to visit this wonderland. Many activities are held in this “cradle of Kazakhstan”. Hospitable Kazakh herdsmen receive guests with their unique customs and culture.
How to Get There
- From Urumqi Nianzigou Long-distance Bus Station, there are three buses to reach Xinyuan County in about 11 hours. The buses depart at 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 and arrive the next morning. From Xinyuan to Nalati, frequent buses can be found from 09:00 to 21:00 and the bus takes about 40 minutes to reach the grassland.
- Or visitors can reach Yining city from Urumqi Nianzigou Long-distance Bus Station first. The buses for Yining, operating from 09:00 to 21:00, runs seven to eight hours on the road. Upon reaching Yining, one can take buses, costing about 2.5 to 3 hours, to Xinyuan County from 09:00 to 21:00. Then you can take buses in Xinyuan for Nalati in about an hour.
- Besides bus journey, flight is another better choice. One can fly to reach Yining first from Urumqi or reach Nalati airport directly from Urumqi. Flights from Urumqi to Yining are available everyday. From Urumqi to Nalati, the flights can be found on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday all the year around and during the peak season (from around June to early October), flights are available everyday.
Useful Travel Tips
| Admission Fee | CNY95 |
| Service | Since the scenic spot is so large that shuttle buses and sightseeing buses are provided. If tourists intend to take the buses, one needs to buy the bus tickets at the tourists’ center. Emergency Rescue Number: 0999-5291806, 0999-5291888 |
- The temperature difference is very big, so you need to wear long sleeve coat and trousers when visiting.
- If you are the first to go there, it is suggested to prepare some bottles of water. The local water is saline-alkali water, so tourists may find it difficult to get used to it.
- It is suggested to prepare a flashlight at night, because it is difficult for you to distinguish the direction at night.
- Sunscreen, sun umbrella or hat are necessary for local strong ultraviolet rays.
Safety needs more attention, because if you drive or ride away from the designated area, it is easy to get lost.
