Winter in Yili, Xinjiang, from Qiongkushitai to Kuerdening

There is no standard answer for winter in Yili. But "Qiongkushitai + Kuerdening" is the best solution I boldly recommend to you this year. This site inspection completely dispelled a long-standing industry misconception for me: it’s not that Qiongkushitai can’t be visited in winter, but that most itineraries are too "single-point," failing to place it within the correct narrative structure. 1. Why did I choose the "quiet + active" dual grassland structure? In winter, all top experiences in Yili revolve around two things: a quiet place to stop, and a free place to play. Qiongkushitai is the answer to "stop." Kuerdening is the answer to "play." Both are indispensable, like two ends of breathing—one slows you down, the other lets you release. During the inspection days, I kept pondering one question: if I could only give everyone one version of winter in Yili, what should it look like? My final conclusion is simple—it's not about taking you to scenic spots, but about immersing you in "winter in Yili" itself. Qiongkushitai’s high-altitude valleys, wooden cabins, cooking smoke, and snowfields are Yili’s most original backdrop; Kuerdening’s river valleys, spruce forests, and outdoor activities represent Yili’s winter vitality. Only by combining these two experiences can you truly experience "winter in Yili." 2. Why bring Qiongkushitai back to winter? This inspection made me very certain: Qiongkushitai in winter is not "unplayable," but "should not be overlooked." In recent years, most content has portrayed Qiongkushitai as a "summer-only" destination, but I think that’s a misunderstanding. Winter Qiongkushitai is another dimension—snowfields, wooden cabins, spruces, herders’ winter homes... after the summer bustle is gone, what remains is a clean texture. 3. Kuerdening is the "active line" I value most this winter. If Qiongkushitai is responsible for "resetting your heartbeat," Kuerdening is responsible for "reigniting it." The winter experience in Kuerdening is not about "viewing scenery," but truly "playing into it." Snowfields, river valleys, spruce forests, outdoor activities, off-road experiences... this is a place that convinces you only when your feet step on it and your body moves. I chose it for three reasons: 1⃣️ High landscape complexity 2⃣️ High freedom of outdoor activities 3⃣️ Relatively stable winter road conditions 4. Why am I unwilling to "compress" experiences to fit in more attractions? During the inspection, we repeatedly encountered one problem: many routes cram in points that are unsuitable for winter just to boost "popularity," making the itinerary overly rushed. But I am increasingly clear about one thing: a truly good trip must have a high "experience density," not a large number of "points." 5. So we finally settled on a direction: A route that represents the complete temperament of winter in Yili is not about piling up scenic spots or chasing trendy places, but about piecing together winter in Yili through an "experience logic"—the quiet and blank space of Qiongkushitai, the freedom and activities of Kuerdening, the ice and snow wonders of Sayram Lake, the winter vitality of Swan Lake. These "winter fragments" come together to form the full picture of "winter in Yili." The detailed itinerary is now online.