Kurdish Travel Guide
The Homeland of the Snow Ridge Spruce: Core Area of the World Natural Heritage
Kudening is located southeast of Gongliu County and is one of the core areas of the 'Tianshan of Xinjiang' World Natural Heritage: the virgin forests of snow-covered spruce stretch along the valleys, with few people and deep scenic views, making it a hidden gem for an in-depth tour of Ili.
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Destination Details
Kurdning Scenic Area is located in the southeastern part of Gongliu County, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, and is one of the core areas of the "Xinjiang Tianshan" listed as a World Natural Heritage site in 2013. The snow-covered spruce ridges on both sides of the valley grow straight like swords and can be hundreds of years old, making it one of the densest distributions of spruce species in the world.
Things Worth Adding to Your Itinerary
- Pristine Spruce Forest: Go deep along the Kurdning Valley, where trees can reach up to 60 meters high and there is a very high concentration of negative oxygen ions.
- Chaxi Grassland Link: Together with the neighboring Chaxi Forest Park, it forms a loop, with clear layers of grassland, forest, and snow-capped mountains.
- Summer Retreat and Pastoral Tour: Pleasant temperatures in July and August, with the Kazakh herders’ summer pastures located in the valley.
Best Time to Visit
June to September is the peak green season; wildflowers start blooming in May, and it turns golden in October. Roads are closed in winter.
Transportation and Routes
About 80 kilometers from Gongliu County, the mountain roads are numerous, so it is recommended to hire a car or join a tour; it is often combined with Chaxi and Kalajun to form a Tekes-Gongliu in-depth two-day route.