Yili River Valley, Xinjiang

 

Yili River Valley [China.org.cn]

Yili River Valley is located in the Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwestern part of Xinjiang. It borders Russia and Mongolia in the northeast, and connects Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture and Bayinguoleng Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in the southeast. In 1964, some species of lavender were first introduced from Provence, France to Yili River Valley. After half a century, Yili has now become the only lavender farming area in China, with more than 3,000 acres in production each year. It accounts for more than 95 percent of the country’s lavender production. And Yili becomes one of the world's four lavender origins, together with Provence in France, Hokkaido in Japan, and the Caucasus alongside in Russia. After May each year, lavenders begin to blossom almost everywhere around the valley and turn the place into a sea of purple.

Travel tips:

Admission:

Kesang National Forest Park: 30 yuan

Kelajun Grassland: 50 yuan

Dongdatang: 25 yuan

Lujiaowan Grassland: 25 yuan

Getting there: You can take bus from Yining railway station.