Crossing the Secret Realm of Northern Xinjiang! The Ahe Highway Opens, the Ultimate Dream Road for Self-Driving Enthusiasts

【Crossing the Secret Realm of Northern Xinjiang! The Ahe Highway Opens, the Ultimate Dream Road for Self-Driving Enthusiasts】 🌟【Highway Profile】🌟 - Total length: 209.45 kilometers (excluding the X852 shared section) - Opening date: Officially open for full-time two-way traffic for vehicles under 12 meters on June 30, 2025 - Route highlights: Connects Altay City to Hemu Village through a "Thousand-Mile Gallery," passing through seven major ecological landscapes including forests, wetlands, grasslands, and snow-capped mountains. Rated by China National Geography as "the last secret highway in Northwest China" 🚗【Core Experiences】🚗 1. Seasonal Limited Scenery - Summer (May to October): Average daily temperature 18-25°C, the spruce forests in Kelan River Valley are lush and vibrant, the golden lotus flowers on Tolehait Grassland form a golden sea, and along the way you may encounter herders moving their horses and cattle - Autumn (September to November): Birch forests turn golden, the colorful forests of Yeka Gorge and the morning mist of Hemu create a picturesque scene, praised by photographers as "China’s most beautiful autumn corridor" - Winter (November to April): The entire route is covered in silver snow, offering ice and snow self-driving experiences and helicopter skiing in Yeka Gorge. The starry sky wooden cabins in Hemu Village become a warm refuge 2. In-Depth Check-in Spots - Xiaodonggou Forest Park: Hike 5 kilometers on wooden plank trails, encounter squirrels and wild rabbits in the morning mist, and enjoy chilled watermelon on the Kelan River shallows for a taste of the wild - Wuxilik Wetland Park: A free-access migratory bird habitat where you can capture flying swan flocks with a telephoto lens, and if lucky, spot red foxes foraging - Tongba Fantasy Forest: Camp in a thousand-year-old spruce forest sea, the morning mist shrouds the forest like a fairy tale world, and you can pay to experience horseback riding with herders - Yiteliek Stone Forest: Stand atop the "Camel Rock" to photograph clouds like cotton candy, with the granite landforms and grasslands creating a strong visual impact - Tolehait Grassland: Wildflowers bloom in summer, wild camel herds may be seen at dusk, and in winter it transforms into an ice and snow pasture with herders’ yurts emitting curling smoke 🏨【Accommodation and Dining Recommendations】🏨 - Xicheng Resort Farm (Ahe Highway Joint Operation Store): 600-800 RMB/night, including breakfast, vehicle maintenance services available, only 20 minutes by car from Xiaodonggou Scenic Area - Deep Mountain See · Heting Mountain Hidden Homestay: 800-1200 RMB/night, located in the old village core of Hemu Village, snow-capped mountains visible from the window, free shuttle to the viewing platform - Must-Try Foods: Cold water fish feast in Altay City (dogfish hotpot + five kinds of black grilled dishes, about 80 RMB per person), herders’ freshly grilled lamb skewers at Mongkou Viewing Platform ⚠️【Pre-Trip Must-Reads】⚠️ 1. Traffic Policies: - Summer and Autumn (May 15 to October 15): Vehicles under 9 meters allowed full-time access; vehicles over 9 meters allowed during specific times (Altay to Hemu 7:30-10:30, Hemu to Altay 15:00-18:30) - Winter and Spring (October 16 to May 14): Only 7-seat or fewer four-wheel-drive vehicles with snow tires allowed, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 - Border permits must be applied in advance via the "Xinjiang Public Security Micro Police Service" mini-program, selecting "Altay Region" 2. Vehicle Preparation: - No gas stations or charging piles along the route; fill up in Altay City before departure (fuel price about 8.5 RMB/liter). Electric vehicles are recommended to have a range of over 500 km - SUV models recommended; car rental in Altay City about 500 RMB/day (including insurance). Some sections have many curves, so drive cautiously 3. Equipment Recommendations: - Bring windproof jackets in summer (day-night temperature difference over 15°C), shell jackets in autumn, and full cold-weather gear in winter - Download offline maps as some sections have no signal; drone flight height limited to 120 meters, some areas are military control zones 📅【Itinerary Planning】📅 - Classic 3 days 2 nights: Day 1: Altay City → Xiaodonggou Forest Park (2-hour hike) → Wuxilik Wetland (bird watching) → Stay at Xicheng Resort Farm Day 2: Tongba Forest (horseback riding experience) → Tolehait Grassland (flower sea photography) → Hemu Village (starry sky wooden cabin) Day 3: Hemu Village morning mist → Yiteliek Stone Forest → Return to Altay - In-depth 5 days 4 nights: Add Yeka Gorge hiking (2 days 1 night), Kanas Three Bays tour, and connect to Burqin Colorful Beach and Urho Devil City 🌟【Special Events】🌟 - July only: National Hiking Conference held simultaneously, participate in a 42 km professional hike or 10 km public hike, passing through Monk Pasture and Yeka Gorge Wetlands - Photography bonus: The "Buddha’s Light" phenomenon on Tolehait Grassland (may appear within 1 hour after sunrise), black stork and hooded crane photography areas require advance guide reservation This highway, praised by CCTV as "the new benchmark for self-driving in Xinjiang," hides surprises in every kilometer. As your wheels roll over the folds of the Altai Mountains, from the morning mist of Kelan River Valley to the sunset glow by the Hemu River, the 209-kilometer journey is enough to let your soul photosynthesize. Set off now and encounter the ultimate wild beauty of Xinjiang on the Ahe Highway! 📌【Trip.com Exclusive Benefits】📌 Book the "Ahe Highway Self-Driving Package" to enjoy: ✅ Free guidance for border permit application ✅ Emergency kit + recovery boards provided with the vehicle ✅ VIP seats at Hemu Village bonfire party ✅ Professional travel photography team service (advance booking required)