Nalati Grassland is the subalpine meadow in the Ili Valley of northern Xinjiang that people mean when they say "sky grassland" — one of the four great grasslands of the world, sitting between 1,600 and 2,800 metres on the north slope of Nalati Mountain, 196 km east of Yining. The scenic area opens in April and the green season runs June to September, with wildflowers at their peak in June and July. Entry is ¥95 in peak season (about HK$103) plus a ¥40 shuttle bus. It is not a quick stop: done properly it is a full day, and the parts of it people remember most are the upper meadow and the Kazakh camps.
Where Nalati is
Nalati sits in Xinyuan County, inside the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture — the green, river-fed corner of Xinjiang that borders Kazakhstan, and the part of the province that looks least like the desert most visitors expect. The grassland occupies the east end of the Ili Valley, on the north slope of the Nalati range, and it is roughly 196 km from Yining and about 70 km from the county town.
The Ili Valley is unusually wet for Xinjiang, which is the whole explanation for the landscape: thick grass, stands of Tianshan spruce, and permanent snow above. In 2013 the Tianshan range here was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Nalati is one of the places that earned it.
Why it is called the Sky Grassland
The scenic area has three parts, and the names matter when you plan a day. The Valley Grassland is the lower, flatter ground along the river. The Sky Grassland — 空中草原, the one the photographs are of — is the high meadow reached by shuttle or cable car, and it is the reason to come. The third part is the National Forest Park, the spruce belt between them.
Standing on the upper meadow at 2,200 metres and above, the grass runs uninterrupted to the snow line and the valley drops away behind you. The scale is what makes it feel like a different country.
When to go
June to September is the green season. June and early July give the wildflower meadows; July and August are at their greenest and busiest; September turns the grass gold and empties the park out. May and October are quieter and cheaper but the grass is thin or turning.
Two practical points. It is high — 2,200 metres and up on the Sky Grassland — so the sun is strong and the evenings are cold even in midsummer; bring a layer. And the weather in the Ili Valley changes fast, so build slack into the day rather than scheduling the upper meadow for a fixed hour.
The Kazakh side of Nalati
Nalati is Kazakh country, not a set piece. Kazakh herders bring their flocks up to these summer pastures from June, and the yurts you see on the slopes belong to families working the land. The scenic area runs folk activities through the season — horse games, singing, family visits — and this is the part of a Nalati day that distinguishes it from simply looking at a view.
What it costs
These are the official gate and activity prices for 2026. Treat them as reference prices only — they are quoted in RMB because that is what you pay on site, and the yuan figure is the one that matters.
參考價：¥95 / 人（門票，旺季）+ ¥40 / 人（區間車）＝ ¥135 / 人；約 HK$145（2026年10月）
| Entrance, peak season (1 Apr – 31 Oct) | ¥95 / person |
| Entrance, off season (1 Nov – 31 Mar) | ¥75 / person |
| Shuttle bus inside the park | ¥40 / person |
| Cable car to the Sky Grassland viewpoint, single | ¥68 / person |
| Cable car, return | ¥130 / person |
| Cable car single + Sky Grassland shuttle | ¥78 / person |
| Horse riding | ¥80 / hour |
| Kazakh family visit | ¥100 / person |
| European-style horse carriage | ¥150 / person |
| Self-drive entry (instead of the shuttle) | ¥300 / person |
Two notes that save money and time. The self-drive ticket at ¥300 per person is poor value — the shuttle covers the same ground for ¥40. And if you only have one day, the cable car combination is the efficient way up to the Sky Grassland rather than the shuttle alone.
Check the Nalati Grassland ticket and transfer packages →
Getting there
By air: Nalati Airport sits about 56 km from Nalati town and is reached by connecting through Urumqi — currently two flights a day on that leg — with a shuttle from the airport to the scenic area taking about an hour.
By rail: Urumqi to Yining by high-speed rail is roughly five hours (conventional trains about ten), and from Yining it is a further four to five hours by road to Nalati. There are frequent departures from Urumqi through the day.
By road: The classic approach is the Duku Highway, the mountain road that links the north and south of Xinjiang and is only open in the warm months. Independent travel here is genuinely difficult without a driver who knows the road and the park's internal rules.
Doing Nalati properly
Nalati is usually built into a wider Ili Valley route — Sayram Lake, the Kazakh grasslands, and the drive between them — because the distances are long and the logistics need a licensed operator. We arrange it end to end, with a vehicle and a driver who knows the park. Our Xinjiang private tours →
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Nalati Grassland?
June to September is the green season. June and early July bring the wildflowers, July and August are greenest and busiest, and September is quieter with golden grass.
How much is the entrance fee to Nalati Grassland?
The reference price is ¥95 per person in peak season (1 April to 31 October) and ¥75 off season, plus ¥40 per person for the shuttle bus — about ¥135, or roughly HK$145, in total (2026年10月).
Do I need the shuttle or cable car?
You need one of them to reach the Sky Grassland. The shuttle is ¥40 per person; the cable car is ¥68 single or ¥130 return, with combination tickets at ¥78 and ¥98.
How high is Nalati Grassland?
The scenic area runs from about 1,600 to 2,800 metres, with the Sky Grassland meadow at around 2,200 metres and above.
How do I get to Nalati from Urumqi?
Fly Urumqi to Nalati Airport (about two flights a day) and transfer by shuttle for roughly an hour, or take the high-speed rail to Yining in about five hours and drive a further four to five hours.
BLISS TRAVEL has arranged private journeys across Asia since 2005 and is licensed by the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (licence 352969).