A helicopter takes a low-altitude sightseeing flight. Provided to China Daily. From the beautiful grasslands in Bayanbulak to the stunning lakes in Kanas, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has a lot to offer in terms of visually intriguing air views. The region's first civil aviation company devoted to low-altitude tourist flights was the Hangerdi Pilot Club, which was established in in the grasslands of Bayanbulak.
It offers tourists the chance to see the country's second largest prairie from the air, as well as the snow-capped Tianshan Mountain and the area's rivers and lakes. Bayanbulak, which means "prosperous spring" in Mongolian, is also one of the most important bases for animal husbandry in Xinjiang.
Melting snow, coupled with plenty of precipitation and abundant groundwater reserves, has lead to the formation of a large number of swamps and lakes. The area is widely-known as a wild swan reserve, with about 8,, swans and other birds to breed here in the summer or make migrating stopovers in the spring and autumn.
The best time for tourists in Bayanbulak is between April and October. Another civil aviation club, established in Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture's Tekes county, offers tourists the chance to fly low over a planned community that resembles a bagua, or the eight trigrams used in Taoist cosmology to represent the fundamental principles of reality. Tekes county was once home to the ancient state of Wusun BC AD and it now boasts the largest collection of ancient Wusun tombs in China.
Other attractions include the sweeping, verdant Kalajun Grassland. It seek to explore business opportunities in Fuyun county and around Kanas Lake and Koktokay. With a total area of square km, Koktokay is an ideal place for sightseeing, vacationing, hiking and scientific investigation. It means "green forest" in Kazakh and "blue river bend" in Mongolian. Located in the north of Burqin county, Kanas has been widely acclaimed as the "Switzerland of the Orient" and "heaven for photographers".
