Kanas Lake

Kanas Lake is an intriguing, mysterious place of interest. It is the deepest mountain fresh lake in a shape of crescent moon with an area of 17.7 square miles, which is 15.2 miles long, 1.2 miles wide and 393 feet deep in average, and 618 feet for the deepest place.

Kanas Lake is famed for its changeable color. Some think it is caused by the interaction of mist, sun, vegetation and vapor. Some say as the melting water brings rock dust into the lake, it occurs for different seasons, rates of flow and concentration. However, it is still a mystery till now.

When you walk along Kanas Lake, three typical bays will present in your eyes:
The Dragon bay is named for a small island lies in the center of the bay, which likes a pterosaur seeing from distance. The Moon bay is located in 0.6 miles to the north of Dragon bay, between two mountains like a crescent moon. Two flat islands like two huge footprints in the 'moon' caught people's eyes. People have varied tales about them, such as the footprints of Dragon King of western sea when it subdued river monster, or the footprints of goddess in the moon when she was looking for her husband, or the footprints of Genghis khan when he chased the enemy. It is best to have a bird view of Moon bay standing at the winding mountain path 196.9 feet higher than the lake. The God bay is a wetland at the lower mountain stream, surrounded with clouds and mist, like a wonderland.

The Fish-watching Pavilion is the best point to watch the panorama of Kanas Lake. Its altitude is 6660 feet, 1968 feet higher than lake level. Viewing from the pavilion, Kanas Lake is just like an Altaian sleeping beauty shining sapphirine rays, with the snow mountain as her crown, the trees and flowers as the colorful skirt, the floating could and wandering water as her ribbon and the haze as her veil.

The local people said a giant ochreous monster lives in the lake, and rarely emerge out the water. As a mater of fact, it is Zheluo salmon, also called big red fish. The large fishes are over 10m. In June 1995, some one took a photo of the big fish, 59 feet long and 6.6 feet wide of its head. If you climb to the top of Halakat Mountain on the west of the lake, you can see hundreds of big red fishes in the lake with telescopes. People thought it was monster for it once ate horses and camels drinking by the lake.

Just as an officer of the UN said that Kanas Lake is the last unexploited place in globe and her existence proves the fine habitat of the human being in the past, it is a pure land with blue sky, white clouds, green mountains and red flowers.

 Tickets: 
CNY 230 for the entrance fee CNY 150 and CNY 80 of shuttle bus in the scenic area (Jun. 10 to Oct. 10);
CNY 80 (Apr. 1 to Jun. 9; Oct. 11 to Oct. 31)
Free (Nov. 1 to Mar. 31)
 Best Time to Visit: Jul. to Sep.
 Transportation: Visitors from Urumqi can take airplane to Altay or take a long-distance bus to Burqin County, then rent a car or jeep to the Kanas Lake.