Heavenly
Lake
 Situated
in the Heavenly Mountain range (Tianshan),
115 km northeast of Urumqi, Heaven's Lake
(Tianchi) is arguably one of the nicest
spots in all of China. The huge clear water
lake, the pine trees covering the hillsides
and the snow capped mountains in the background
make this a spectacular sight- reminiscent
of Switzerland or the Rocky mountains but
somehow with more vibrancy and color.
The Indian writer Vikram Seth,
who studied at Nanjing University for two
years, took the lake as inspiration for
the title of his account of his travels
through Xinjiang and Tibet "From Heaven
Lake". Indeed, this is a stimulating
spot. This huge lake (3km long and 1km wide)
sits half way (560 ft) up the mountain range
and offers some excellent walking and horseriding
with breathtaking views. This spot is particularly
refreshing for those arriving in Urumuqi
from the barren deserts elsewhere in Xinjiang
or from one of China's numerous granite
cities.
Buddhists visit this spot to
praise the God of Mercy, Kazakh families
set up camp here between May and September,
and tourists visit the area in their hundreds.
All this, surprisingly enough, does not
spoil the area. One of the most pleasant
aspects about exploring here is just being
able to wander the lake and mountains at
your own pace. This is a vast area and,
despite the crowds, it is easy to lose yourself
and there are no restrictions about where
you can go.
The Kazakhs bring their entire
house, home and family with them when they
set up base here. There are hundreds of
Yurts built around the shores and slopes,
surrounded by goats, sheep and horses. Kashmere
goats and sheep are the main source of income
for these people followed by tourism. Many
will offer horse back tours of the hillside
and accommodation in their homes for a small
fee (Approximately RMB30 including food).
This is a great experience, and a fun way
to get a glimpse of the lifestyle of these
people. Yurts are made from hide or canvas
stretched over a wooden frame. The interiors
are wonderfully colorful, with handmade
rugs and tapestries adorning the walls.
You MUST spend at least a day
here, and staying the night in the Yurts
or at the more upmarket Shui Xin Hotel is
good fun. The evening and early morning
here are comparitively peaceful. There are
numerous small restaurants along the western
shore serving good simple dishes for about
RMB20-30.
A gargantuan glacier, 100 meters
thick and 500 meters wide lies at the peaks
of the Tianshan mountain range, surrounded
by ice caves and valleys. This is the source
of the Urumqi River, and although it is
too COLD up here for many travellers, this
area is one of the most important in the
world in terms of research and development.
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