Park of China
Overview
| Designation | National Park of China (fifth batch) |
| Province | Xinjiang |
| Location | 93 km south-west of Bole, Xinjiang |
| Mountains | Tianshan Mountains |
| Latitude, longitude | 44.6, 81.2 Google Maps |
| Nearby sites | Tomur Grand Canyon 332km Search nearby |
| Highlights | Pearl of the Silk Road |
| Wildlife | Swans, geese |
| Elevation | 2,073 m |
| Nearby cities | Bole (Xinjiang), Yining |
| Themes | Lake, Highland, Mystery, Grassland, Flower fields, Scenic drives, Alpine meadows |
About
Sayram Lake, the “pearl of the Silk Road”, Mongolian for “lake on the ridge”, lies in a high basin of the western Tianshan 93 km south-west of Bole, Xinjiang, an alpine rift lake at 2,073 m, 30 km east to west and 25 km north to south, 458 km² and 92 m deep.
The scenic area includes the lake, the lakeside steppe and the mountain forests.
There are tales of a “lake monster”. On 1 June 2008, the last day of the second round-the-lake cycle race, at 13:48 as riders ate lunch by the shore, the legendary monster appeared: according to a deputy prefecture governor on the spot it was white, shaped like the upturned hull of a sailing boat, about 4 m long, 4 km from the shore and 2 to 3 m above the water; after ten minutes it sank and the lake was calm again. Some think it a kind of fish.
Sayram Lake is the largest alpine cold-water lake in Xinjiang.
It is in the fifth batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 2004.
Travel tips
Getting there: the nearest city is Bole, reached from Urumqi by train or long-distance bus in eight to nine hours; Bole also has an airport. From Bole to the lake is about 93 km, around an hour and a half by bus or hired car. From Yining the expressway crosses Guozigou to the lake.
Round the lake: the lakeside road is over 90 km long and passes a number of viewpoints. It is easiest by car, but park vehicles also run.
Layout: the lake itself, the grassland on its shores, and mountain forest. The water is clear and blue, with beaches and meadows at the edge.
Time: one day is enough for the lake alone; driving round and stopping takes more than a day.
Season: June to September is best, when the grassland has flowers. At 2,073 m it is cool even in summer, so bring warm clothes for morning and evening. In winter the lake freezes and some stretches of road may be closed.
Where to stay: tents, cabins and small hotels by the lake; larger hotels in Bole.
Nearby: the route from Yining crosses the Guozigou bridge, with fine scenery; Bole has a museum of the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture.
Caution: ultraviolet light is strong at altitude, the wind off the lake is cold, and the water is too cold for swimming.
Stamps
In 2021 China Post issued the definitive series R32 “Beautiful China (III)”, six stamps: the flat-topped hills of Yimeng (Linyi), Sayram Lake (Bortala), the Bamboo Sea (Yibin), the Badain Jaran Desert (Alxa), the Saihanba forest (Chengde) and red leaves at Fragrant Hills (Beijing).
