Altay, Hemu, Kanas & Koktokay: Ten Days in the Deep Cold

1. Flights

Checked on Google Flights, 5 Sep 2026: nothing flies nonstop to Ürümqi on the evening of 24 Dec, and the China Southern 21:00 via Guangzhou is the only combination that leaves after work and lands the next afternoon. Both returns are China Southern via Guangzhou; the S$268 saving buys a 02:50 arrival on 4 Jan, not recommended. Domestic fares are Trip.com starting prices on the day and will rise for the December peak; book early.

2. Day by Day

Thu 24 Dec

Departure

Overnight flight

• 18:30Leave work at the usual hour and head to Changi; China Southern departs 21:00, clear immigration in Guangzhou, land at Ürümqi Tianshan Airport 15:00 on 25 Dec.
• Before boarding, set up the China apps: Amap, WeChat, Alipay, Trip.com, plus the “原行网” and “大喀” mini-programs (Kanas tickets, Hemu parking, Altay shuttles and lift passes all live there). Link a Singapore card to WeChat Pay and Alipay and make one test payment.
• Photograph your passport: the Kanas area pass, the ski resorts and Heavenly Lake are all real-name ticketed, and you scan the physical passport at the gate.
• Xinjiang runs on Beijing time with the sun two hours behind it: in late December Hemu sees sunrise at 10:00 and dark by 18:20. Every time in this plan is Beijing time; do not panic when 09:00 is still night.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Singapore Changi AirportAmapGuangzhou Baiyun International AirportAmapÜrümqi Tianshan International AirportAmap

Fri 25 Dec

Land in Ürümqi, the Grand Bazaar

Wanda Vista · night 1

• 15:00Land. Singapore passports get 30 days visa-free; fingerprints and an arrival card. Taxi to the Wanda Vista about 30 min, S$11 (¥60)estimate.
• 16:30Chores first: hand warmers (20) from the convenience store, a power bank with the 3C mark (domestic flights confiscate unmarked ones), and confirm the 06:00 car for tomorrow.
• 18:00Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar (新疆国际大巴扎): free to enter, shops 09:30–22:00, the Silk Road tower S$8 (¥40)verified. Dinner inside: lamb skewers, polo rice, big-plate chicken, baked samsa, about S$23 (¥120)estimate a head.
• 21:00Early night. An 08:00 flight tomorrow after thirty hours without a bed; do not push it.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Ürümqi Tianshan International AirportAmapWanda Vista UrumqiAmapXinjiang International Grand BazaarAmapSilk Road Observation TowerAmap

Sat 26 Dec

Fly to Altay, snow road into Hemu

Hilton Altay Hemu · night 1

• 06:00Check out and go to the airport (18 km, 20 min). China Southern departs 08:00, lands at Altay Xuedu Airport 09:20.
• 09:45Your pre-booked 4WD on snow tyres meets you at arrivals (in winter the park insists on 4WD plus snow tyresverified). Altay→Burqin→Hemu is 297 km, 70 km of it mountain road, 5–6 h in winterverified, about S$282 (¥1500)estimate for the car. Lunch on cold-water fish in Burqin (布尔津).
• 15:30Hemu ticket station: buy the Kanas winter area pass, S$19 (¥100) per person, valid three days across Kanas, Hemu and Baihabaverified, booked under your name on the “原行网” mini-program. Private cars need a reserved parking slot in the village; without one you park at the visitor centre and take the free shuttle inverified.
• 16:30The Hilton sits by the west lobby of Jikepulin ski resort, 1.15 km from the Hemu scenic area; opened November 2025, 200 rooms, and Trip.com lists it as welcoming all nationalitiesverified. Dark at 18:20; dinner at the hotel.
• Alternative way in: Urumqi Air around 11:00 to Burqin Kanas Airport (KJI), 1h25; the airport is 68 km from Kanas and about 130 km from Hemu, saving two hours of road, but winter frequencies are thinner than Altay's.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Altay Xuedu AirportAmapBurqinAmapHemu ticket stationAmapHilton Altay HemuAmap

Sun 27 Dec

Hemu in snow: sunrise, log cabins, horse sledges

Hilton · night 2

• 09:15Up to the Haden viewing platform for the 10:00 sunriseverified. A 30-min walk, or a horse sledge (village transport is feet and sledgesverified, about S$19 (¥100) a personestimate). Below −25 °C in the valley before dawn; keep the phone in an inside pocket, ten minutes exposed and it shuts downverified.
• 11:00Walk down through the old village: Tuvan log cabins, Hemu bridge, the birch wood by the river, wood smoke rising off snow-loaded roofs. This is why you came. Two village shuttles run: route 1 (old-village loop: ticket station→Hemu lodge→food street→bridge→Meili Peak→birch forest) and route 2 (new village)verified.
• 13:00Hand-pulled lamb and milk tea on the food street; warm up before going back out.
• 14:30A snowmobile or horse-sledge loop across the snowfield, S$56 (¥300) a personestimate. Bring a flask of hot water for the “throw water, make ice” trick; it works first time below −25 °C.
• 17:30Back for a hot bath. Skiers: Jikepulin's lifts are at the hotel door, and a half day fits tomorrow or the day after.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Hemu VillageAmapHaden viewing platformAmapHemu BridgeAmapHemu birch forestAmap

Mon 28 Dec

Kanas for the day: the three bays and the frozen lake

Hilton · night 3

• 09:00Chartered 4WD, S$226 (¥1200) for the carestimate. In winter there is no direct road between Hemu and Kanas: you drop back to Jiadengyu (贾登峪) and go in again, Hemu→Jiadengyu about 1.5 h and Jiadengyu→Kanas about 1 h (summer shuttle timingsverified); call it 2.5–3 h each way at snow-road speeds. Entry is the area pass bought two days ago (valid three days).
• 11:30Along the Kanas River, the three bays first: Wolong (卧龙湾), Moon (月亮湾) and Shenxian (神仙湾). The river does not freeze, rime hangs on both banks, and Shenxian's morning mist is best before noon.
• 13:00Lunch in Kanas village: Tuvan dried curd and lamb.
• 14:00Kanas Lake: frozen over; walk the lakeside boardwalk for an hour. The Fish-Watching Pavilion closed for the season on 7 Oct 2025verified and stays shut all winter, so do not hunt for a bus up.
• 15:30Turn back, in Hemu by 18:00. Park warnings: keep off steep, deep-snow slopes (avalanche risk); no fireworks or open fires anywhere in the parkverified.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Kanas Scenic AreaAmapWolong BayAmapMoon BayAmapShenxian BayAmapKanas LakeAmap

Tue 29 Dec

Snow road back to Altay, night skiing at Jiangjunshan

Altai Yunxue International Resort Hotel · night 1

• 09:00One more sunrise over the village, then check out.
• 10:00The Hemu⇄Altay direct shuttle on the “大喀” mini-program: 14 seats, S$25 (¥135) a head, book two days ahead, hotel pick-up, dropped in Altay cityverified (winter 2023 published fare; 2026 to confirm). 297 km in 5–6 h, in around 16:00. Or a private car for ease, S$282 (¥1500)estimate.
• 16:30Altai Yunxue International Resort Hotel is 720 m from the Jiangjunshan lifts (Trip.com S$86–169, rated 9.4verified). The resort sits 2 km from the city: 72 runs, 70 km of piste, 400 m verticalverified.
• 19:30Night skiing 19:30–22:30 on three runs (Gold Avenue, Silver Avenue, Victory Avenue), exact times posted daily at the cashierverified; Friday and Saturday nights run to 00:30verified. Today is a Tuesday: check “大喀” for a night session first; if none, a good dinner and early bed.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Hemu VillageAmapAltay CityAmapAltai Yunxue International Resort HotelAmapJiangjunshan International Ski ResortAmap

Wed 30 Dec

Ski Jiangjunshan, then on to Koktokay

Mercure Koktokay · night 1

• 09:30A day session at Jiangjunshan. 2025–26 lift passes ¥295–455 (S$86 (¥455))verified, skis and clothing rental about S$38 (¥200)estimate extra, bought on “大喀”. Neither the 30% Xinjiang-resident rate nor the free-with-boarding-pass offer applies here (foreign passport; Jiangjunshan sits out 20 Dec–28 Feb), so do not count on them.
• 14:00Check out and drive to Koktokay: Altay→Beitun→Fuyun→Koktokay about 280 km, 4–5 h in winterverified, S$282 (¥1500) for the carestimate. The cheap alternative is the “易疆出行” Jiangjunshan⇄Koktokay ski shuttle, running each afternoon from Jiangjunshan since December 2024, sales closing at 08:00 the day beforeverified (fare to confirm); the ordinary bus via Burqin needs a change and is not for a winter evening.
• 19:00Into Koktokay town (可可托海镇). The Mercure is on Heping Road, Trip.com from US$48verified, an international brand so foreign passports are routine; the resort bus passes most hotels in townverified. Dinner of cold-water fish or beef-bone soup.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Jiangjunshan International Ski ResortAmapFuyunAmapKoktokay townAmapMercure Altay Fuyun KeketuohaiAmap

Thu 31 Dec

Ski Koktokay, see in the New Year

Mercure · night 2

• 09:15Resort bus from town, 24 km up. Koktokay tops out at 3,100 m with 1,350 m of verticalverified, and it opened on 12 October 2025, one of the longest seasons anywhere. Lifts 10:00–17:00verified; lifts 1 and 2 and the 3100–2500 m section of Koktokay Avenue open firstverified.
• Lift pass: Trip.com/Ctrip list from ¥350 (S$66 (¥350))2025–26 full price list to confirm, rental extra. A possible free day: in 2025–26, a boarding pass into any Altay-region airport within the last five days gave one free ski day at Koktokay between 1 Dec and 31 Janverified. You land in Altay on 26 Dec, so the 31st is day five: keep the boarding pass and ask at the ticket window. The 2026–27 rule appears in October.
• 13:00Lunch at the summit restaurant; ski until the 16:30 close and be down before dark.
• 19:00New Year's Eve: no official countdown in town that I could find; if the resort or hotel lights a bonfire, go by what is posted that day. Find a restaurant with a stove, eat until midnight, then step out for the stars. The Milky Way at −25 °C beats fireworks.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Koktokay International Ski ResortAmapKoktokay townAmap

Fri 1 Jan

Irtysh Grand Canyon, evening flight to Ürümqi

Wanda Vista · night 2

• 10:00Koktokay Scenic Area, winter entry S$8 (¥45) (half the ¥90 standard price, until 15 Apr 2026)verified; the park shuttle runs 17 km each way from the gate to Shenzhong Mountainverified, about S$8 (¥40)estimate. Self-driving in again needs 4WD and snow tyres, so take the shuttle.
• 11:00The Irtysh Grand Canyon (额尔齐斯大峡谷): walk along the frozen Irtysh under rime-covered birches to the 365 m granite dome of Shenzhong Mountain (神钟山). 2.5 h return; light is best around midday.
• 13:30No. 3 Mine Pit (三号矿坑), the rare-metals national mining park, S$4 (¥19)verified, guided tour ¥200 extra. The lithium and beryllium for China's first bombs and satellites came out of this hole; worth 40 minutes.
• 15:00Lunch in town and pack.
• 17:30Car to Fuyun Koktokay Airport, about 70 km; the “易疆出行” airport bus is S$9 (¥50) a head and takes 2 h 10 minverified (2023 published fare), a car about 1.5 h, S$47 (¥250) for the carestimate. UQ3602 departs 20:50, lands in Ürümqi 22:00; taxi to the Wanda Vista.
• If there is no flight that day: Koktokay→Ürümqi is 485 kmverified, 6–7 h by car, leave at 10:00 and arrive before dark; or drive to Altay airport (280 km) for an evening flight. Decide as soon as the 2026–27 winter timetable appears in early December.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Koktokay Scenic AreaAmapIrtysh Grand CanyonAmapShenzhong MountainAmapNo. 3 Mine PitAmapFuyun Koktokay AirportAmap

Sat 2 Jan

Heavenly Lake in snow, then the Xinjiang Museum

Wanda Vista · night 3

• 08:30Car to Heavenly Lake (天山天池), about 100 km and 1.5–2 h, S$113 (¥600) return for the carestimate; or a Trip.com day tour.
• 10:00Winter hours 09:30–17:00 (1 Oct–15 Apr); off-season entry S$8 (¥45) plus the return park bus S$11 (¥60)verified, bought under your name on the official mini-program. The lake is frozen solid with Bogda Peak (5,445 m) standing over the far shore; an hour along the shore, cold but worth it.
• 14:30Back to town. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (新疆博物馆) for the Loulan Beauty mummy and Silk Road finds; passport for bookinghours and booking method to confirm, 1.5 h.
• 18:30Last supper: whole roast lamb or laghman noodles near the bazaar or the hotel; buy naan, almonds and raisins to take home. Pack; power bank in hand luggage.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Heavenly Lake of TianshanAmapXinjiang MuseumAmapWanda Vista UrumqiAmap

Sun 3 Jan

Home to Singapore

Home tonight

• 08:00Check out and taxi to Tianshan Airport, 20 min at that hour; China Southern departs 10:45 via Guangzhou, landing at Changi 23:00.
• If you book the 14:25 instead, sleep in, but you get home at 02:50 on 4 Jan.
• Ürümqi winter mornings bring fog and snow delays: the point of the 10:45 is that the 14:25 is still there as a same-day fallback.

Places (tap a name for Apple Maps)Ürümqi Tianshan International AirportAmapSingapore Changi AirportAmap

3. Hotels (all international brands, so foreign passports are never an issue)

25 Dec–3 Jan is China's peak travel window, and the Hemu Hilton and Conrad only opened in 2025–26, so the New Year nights go first. Every price is a Trip.com starting rate seen on 5 Sep 2026; check the real December rate by date. Lock all four now on free-cancellation rates. Not every hotel in rural Xinjiang can register foreign guests, which is why there is not a single guesthouse on this route.

4. Tickets and Booking Rules

Prices converted at 1 CNY = 0.1883 SGD on 2026-09-05; the yuan price in brackets is what you pay on the ground. Kanas, Heavenly Lake and the Koktokay park figures are the 2025–26 winter notices; the 2026–27 notices usually appear in October and take precedence. Singapore passports get 30 days visa-free, so no visa for this 10-day trip; Hemu and Kanas need no border pass, and Baihaba, which foreign passports cannot enter, is left out.

5. Booking Timeline

Sync ticks to another device

6. Gear List (Hemu −30 °C at night, −40 °C in a cold snap)

7. Risks and Backups

8. Budget (two sharing a room, per person)

About S$3,826 per person, S$7,652 for two. Carry ¥1,000 (S$188) cash each as a float, not counted above.

Four flights (S$1,930) and hotels (S$609) are 66% of the per-person total; all the park tickets together come to just S$58, so the money goes on lift passes, cars and cold-weather gear. Savings in order: a Hemu log cabin instead of the Hilton saves the most but needs foreign-guest registration confirmed first; the shuttle instead of a car on 29 Dec saves about S$116 a head; the 14:25 return saves S$268 but is not recommended. Rates 2026-09-05: 1 CNY = 0.1883 SGD, 1 USD = 1.2668 SGD.

10. Before You Land