Tianchi, the Heavenly Lake, lies in Fukang county about 110 kilometres east of Urumqi, at around 1,910 metres in the eastern Tianshan. It is a long, deep lake of glacial water set in a bowl of spruce forest, with the snow-covered massif of Bogda Peak rising to over 5,400 metres directly above it. The area forms part of the Xinjiang Tianshan, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2013 for its geology and its mountain ecosystems.
The lake
The lake is roughly three kilometres long and reached by road, then by shuttle bus and a short walk or cable car from the car park. Around the shoreline there are boardwalks, viewing platforms, boat piers and a small island with a temple. The water changes colour through the day, from grey-green in the morning to a hard blue under midday sun, and the reflections of Bogda are best in still weather early and late.
What to do
Most visitors walk the shoreline path, take a short boat trip and climb to one of the viewpoints above the lake. Beyond that there is the smaller West Small Tianchi reached by a footpath, and longer hikes towards the Bogda glacier for those with time and a guide. On the road up, Kazakh families run yurt camps offering horse rides, milk tea and photographs with golden eagles, which is a commercial operation rather than a cultural one but is enjoyable for children.
Practical information
Tianchi is about two hours from Urumqi by car or coach, and most people visit as a day trip, leaving early to avoid the queues at the shuttle station. The site charges a combined ticket for entry and the internal bus; boats and the cable car are separate. Summer is busy, autumn brings larch colour and fewer people, and winter freezes the lake and closes some facilities.
Practical warnings
The altitude is moderate but the sun at 1,900 metres is strong, so bring a hat and sunscreen even in cool weather, and expect the temperature to drop quickly when cloud covers the peak. Wear shoes with grip for the paths above the lake, and keep an eye on children near the water, which is glacial and very cold.
