About this journey
Tuohulasu Grassland is the closest grassland to Yining (Yili), with an entrance fee of 30 RMB. Its scenery is no less impressive than famous grasslands that charge 150–200 RMB per person. Very few people visit Tuohulasu, so it's not commercialized and offers a great experience. On a self-drive day trip to Tuohulasu, you can enjoy a hotpot meal on the grassland – eating hotpot surrounded by lush green meadows is a beautiful life experience.
Tuohulasu is also a Kazakh pasture. During the self-drive, we encountered herders moving their livestock several times, a spectacular sight. We stopped to chat with a herder who was moving sheep; he had a flock of about 520 sheep. With his permission, I even held a little lamb.
The scenic road is about 60 km one way, with plenty of stops along the way. The scenery gets better as you go. Past distant mountains, a large hillside is covered with red, yellow, and purple wildflowers.
Further ahead, there is a swing with a backdrop of green mountains and meadows. Swinging there evokes everyone's childhood. Across from the swing, we were lucky to spot a group of resting camels.
Leaving the swing and camels, you continue onto gentle grasslands, finally reaching the endpoint: Wuqifu Gou (Five Wives Valley), where you can see herders' yurts, cattle, horses, and sheep on the distant slopes, as well as a canyon. There are many more spots worth stopping along the 60 km scenic road. The hotpot meal can be arranged around noon.
Photos
