Of the many Heavenly Lakes in China, the Heavenly Lake of Tianshan near Urumqi in Xinjiang province is perhaps the most…heavenly.
We left sweltering Turpan in the morning and arrived at the Heavenly Lake (新疆天池) just after lunchtime. Lofty snow-capped peaks, fresh mountain air and pine trees replaced the boiling-hot furnace we had left just a few hours earlier. We might as well have teleported to Banff in the Canadian Rockies!
Hopefully, our guide to the Heavenly Lake of Tianshan (also called Tianchi Lake) can convince you to put this stunning place on your Xinjiang itinerary.
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Quick Guide to Heavenly Lake, Xinjiang
Visited: July
Suggested time: 1 day
Entrance Fee: RMB 155
Where to stay: Wujiang Hot Spring Hotel
Famous for: Heavenly mountain scenery
Transportation: Under two hours from Urumqi by bus
Tip: Crowds stick to the viewpoint at the lakeshore. Take a hike and lose the masses.
Unique experience: Soak in the hot springs at your hotel
Visiting the Heavenly Lake of Tianshan
Your entrance ticket of RMB 155 includes the shuttle bus ride from the ticket office to the lake. The ride takes about 30 minutes through fantastic scenery. Get a seat on the right of the bus for the best views.
It’s still about a 15-minute uphill walk from where the shuttle bus will drop you. It’s a nice walk, and if you come from southern Xinjiang, you will love the crisp air and greenery.
Tianchi Lake will come into full view all of a sudden, and man, what a beauty she is! The lake sits at an altitude of 2000 metres, backed by the lofty peaks of the Tianshan mountains behind it.
This area will be packed with Chinese visitors, who will mostly hang around this spot to take selfies. Hit one of the many paths, and soon, you’ll find tranquillity and even more spectacular views.
What to do at Heavenly Lake of Tianshan
You can take a cruise on the lake for RMB 80 or take a cable car up to a viewpoint for an overpriced RMB 220. Or you could just enjoy the scenery and fresh air and hike along the many paths like we did.
Hike to the Heavenly Queen Mother of the West Temple
Hugging the lake, an easy and flat path will lead you along the shore and over a few rope bridges to the Heavenly Queen Mother of the West Temple. Upon reaching the Taoist temple, you will need to climb series of long steps to get to the actual temple.
You can either take the ferry back to where you started from or backtrack on the path for a while until you see signs for the Flying Dragon Pond for another stunning short hike.
Entrance fee: RMB 25
Small Waterfall Hike
Follow the Flying Dragon Pond signs, and the walkways will take you downhill into the pine forest.
After a while, you will get to a series of small but gorgeous waterfalls. We say small only because a much larger and more impressive waterfall is further down the path.
Flying Dragon Pond
After the small waterfalls and rapids, continue walking downhill until you reach the dazzling Flying Dragon Pond.
According to legend, a black dragon lived in this small, turquoise-green lake 11 metres deep.
Big Waterfall
You’ll hear the rumbling of water from the mysterious and tranquil Flying Dragon Pond. This pond feeds in the big waterfall we mentioned earlier.
Photos can’t capture the immense power of the waterfall, but believe me, it’s pretty spectacular.
Follow the path next to the waterfall until it reaches the bottom. From here, it’s a short walk uphill to the shuttle bus station.
Where to stay at Heavenly Lake of Tianshan
The shuttle bus will take you back to the entrance in the town of Fukang. Exit via the gift shop (no surprise there!).. Beyond that, there are a few restaurants, a convenience store, and a few hotels.
We stayed at the enormous Wujiang Hot Spring Hotel for one night which was comfortable, clean and, best of all, had an indoor waterpark and outside hot springs to relax in.
It costs an extra RMB 119 to enter the hot springs and waterpark, but I think it’s well worth it. Several pools in different sizes and temperatures are scattered around the garden where you can soak and relax.
Definitely try the pool filled with red peppers—the capsicum makes your skin tingle—before jumping in the cold water pool next to it. There is also a sauna.
Learn more about the Wujiang Hot Spring Hotel
Where in Xinjiang will you go next?
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Top Turpan Attractions
Enjoy Tianchi Lake!
We are sure that you’ll like the Tianshan Mountains and Heavenly Lake as much as we did. It’s unreal that a place like this exists in China.
Ask away if you have any questions, and as always, we’ll try our best to help.