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Expat Natt visits Kanas Lake in the Altai Mountains and Sayram Lake in the northern Tianshan range. At Kanas, the traveler registers a drone with local police and hikes up steep steps for a viewpoint, then hears a local monster legend. The route continues through Burqin and a homestay in Huang Huang Village before reaching Sayram Lake. Visitors can explore the 70-kilometer perimeter by walking, horse, bicycle, car or paragliding; entry costs 143 RMB per person. Their route also includes Burqin and a ten-hour drive toward the village near Sayram Lake.
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More about the current video:(Published on 2024-11-23)

Kanas Lake and the Altai Mountains
Expat Natt travels through Xinjiang to Kanas Lake in the Altai Mountains, near the borders with Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia. The water is clear and surrounded by Siberian forest. Before filming, the traveler registers a drone with local police. A visit to a viewpoint involves ticket lines and a steep climb up thousands of steps, but the effort brings views over the lake and mountains. The vlog also shares a local legend about a monster in Kanas Lake, similar to the Loch Ness Monster, and mentions a distinctive island formed by an old mudslide.
The next stop is Burqin, a Kazakh autonomous area, where the traveler checks into a newly built hotel. The route then includes a ten-hour drive to Huang Huang Village and a homestay. The hosts provide food and hospitality, including an English-style breakfast.
Sayram Lake and local folklore
Sayram Lake lies in the northern Tianshan Mountains and has blue water with snow-capped mountains around it. Entry costs 143 RMB per person, and the perimeter is about 70 kilometers. Visitors can explore by walking, cycling, renting a car, riding a horse or paragliding. The traveler hears a local legend about a young Kazakh couple whose tears filled an abyss and formed the lake. A humorous attempt at skimming stones adds a lighter moment. The trip combines the lakes, viewpoint hikes, local stories, a homestay and practical choices for exploring a large area.
The Kanas visit involves planning as well as scenery. Expat Natt registers a drone with local police, then works through ticket queues and a steep climb to reach the viewpoint. The trail has thousands of steps, but the view across the lake and the forests is the reason for the effort. A story about a monster in the lake gives the location a local folklore connection, while a mudslide is mentioned in explaining an unusual island.
After Burqin, the traveler spends ten hours on the road to Huang Huang Village and checks into a homestay. The hosts provide food and hospitality, including an English-style breakfast. At Sayram Lake, the traveler considers different ways to move around its 70-kilometer perimeter. Walking, cycling, renting a car, riding a horse and paragliding are all mentioned. The lake sits in the northern Tianshan Mountains, with blue water and snow-covered peaks. Its local legend tells of a young Kazakh couple whose tears filled an abyss. The variety of travel choices and stories makes the lake different from a single viewpoint stop.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What is the drone process at Kanas?
- A: Expat Natt registers the drone with local police before filming. The traveler describes this as a step needed to get permission and avoid problems in the area.
- Q: How much does Sayram Lake cost to enter?
- A: The entry fee given in the video is 143 RMB per person. The lake perimeter is about 70 kilometers, and visitors can explore by several modes, including walking, cycling, horse, car or paraglider.
- Q: What activities are available at Sayram Lake?
- A: The traveler mentions walking, cycling, renting a car, horse riding and paragliding as ways to explore the lake area. The best option depends on how much of its 70-kilometer perimeter you want to cover.


