Most travelers think of Xinjiang’s mountains only when they are white. Yet from June to September, the same slopes that host some of the deepest powder in Asia turn into green amphitheaters of wildflower meadows, larch forest and glacier-fed streams. Resorts such as Koktokay, Jiangjunshan and the ski areas around Urumqi increasingly keep lifts, hotels and restaurants running through the warm months, and the experience is remarkably good value. If you are planning a China trip that touches Xinjiang outside winter, or you simply want to scout terrain before booking a snow trip, this guide covers everything the off-season offers: hiking, cable car sightseeing, mountain biking, horse trekking, photography and family fun. It also explains what actually stays open, because summer operations differ sharply from the full winter machine described in our guide to Xinjiang ski resorts.
Why Visit a Ski Resort in Summer?
Three reasons make the green season worth your time. First, altitude: while Turpan bakes at over 40°C, resort villages at 1,300–2,200 meters sit at a comfortable 15–25°C with cool nights. Second, cost: hotel rates drop 30–60 percent compared with the Spring Festival peak, and lift-accessed sightseeing tickets cost a fraction of a winter pass. Third, scenery: the Altay and Tianshan ranges are arguably more photogenic in July than January, with turquoise rivers, blooming slopes and long golden evenings at this far-western longitude, where usable light lasts past 21:30.
Summer is also the smart season for trip planning. Walking a resort’s base area, riding its gondola and seeing the pitch of its runs firsthand tells you more than any trail map. Many returning skiers scout in August, then come back in deep winter — check the best time to ski in Xinjiang before locking winter dates.
What Each Major Resort Offers in Summer
Koktokay (Keketuohai), Altay
Koktokay is the standout summer destination because the ski area sits beside the Keketuohai National Geopark, a UNESCO-listed landscape of granite domes, canyons and the Irtysh River headwaters. Typical activities include:
- Riding the sightseeing gondola for views over the Irtysh Grand Canyon.
- Hiking the boardwalk trails through Shenzhong (Divine Bell) Mountain scenery.
- Geology tours of the famous No. 3 Mine pit, a rare-metals site with a small museum.
- Kayaking and riverside cycling in the geopark valley.
Jiangjunshan, Altay City
Because Jiangjunshan rises directly above Altay City, its summer program is the most accessible: an evening gondola for city-lights views, grass sledding and zipline rides on the lower slopes, and a network of marked hiking loops between 1,300 and 1,800 meters. Locals treat it as a city park; you can be on the mountain fifteen minutes after finishing dinner downtown.
Silk Road (Sailimu) and the Urumqi Resorts
Silk Road Resort in the Nanshan area south of Urumqi runs its main gondola on summer weekends, serving alpine meadows where Kazakh families set up yurts and serve milk tea and freshly slaughtered lamb. Horse rental is informal and cheap. The area pairs well with a Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) excursion on the same multi-day loop out of Urumqi.
Hemu and Kanas
The Kanas–Hemu area, home to winter freeride culture, is Xinjiang’s most famous summer landscape, with photogenic log villages, river bends and Tuvan culture. Summer crowds are real, so book accommodation early. Non-skiing companions who found winter too harsh often prefer this season; see our roundup of non-skier activities in Xinjiang for more ideas that work year-round.
Top Summer Activities Ranked
- Alpine hiking. Marked trails at Koktokay and Jiangjunshan suit casual walkers; stronger hikers can arrange guided ridge routes above Hemu with local Kazakh horsemen carrying gear.
- Cable car sightseeing. Every major resort sells one-way and return gondola tickets (typically 60–120 RMB) — the easiest way to reach viewpoints that require sweat in any other mountain range.
- Horse trekking. Multi-hour and multi-day rides through summer pastures are a signature Altay experience; the same trails become snow routes in winter, as covered in our guide to winter horseback snow tours.
- Mountain biking. Jiangjunshan and several Urumqi-area resorts rent hardtail bikes for service-road descents; dedicated flow trails are still rare but expanding.
- Photography. Sunset from resort ridgelines is spectacular in July, when clear evening air stretches views over a hundred kilometers of steppe — many of the spots in our resort sunset viewpoints guide are easier to reach on foot in summer.
- Family snow-free fun. Grass sledding, ziplines, trampolines and alpine slides keep children busy at Jiangjunshan and Silk Road.
Practical Details: Opening, Tickets, Transport
Summer operations generally run mid-June through early October, weekends most reliably; some lifts pause on weekdays outside July–August. Buy tickets on-site or through resort WeChat mini-programs — no advance booking needed except national holidays (early October). Base hotels stay open at Koktokay and Jiangjunshan, while Hemu guesthouses operate at full capacity. Flights to Altay and Urumqi run daily in summer and are cheaper than winter; self-driving is far easier without ice, making a rental car loop from Urumqi through Burqin, Kanas and Koktokay the classic itinerary. Note that some high pasture roads still require local shuttle transfers inside scenic areas.
What Summer Visits Tell You About Winter
Walking terrain without snow reveals the bones of a resort: how steep the marked blacks really are, where the wind-exposed ridges sit, how far the hotel actually is from the gondola. If a winter powder trip is your end goal, treat a summer visit as reconnaissance. Compare what you see against snow-season expectations, and remember that the slopes you hike in August will be under a meter or more of dry continental snowpack by January. Couples scouting for a winter escape can also preview the fireplaces-and-hot-pot side of resort life covered in our guide to romantic Xinjiang ski resorts for couples.
Suggested 5-Day Summer Loop
- Day 1: Fly into Urumqi, afternoon at Silk Road Resort meadows, overnight in the city.
- Day 2: Fly or drive to Altay City, evening gondola at Jiangjunshan.
- Day 3: Drive to Koktokay, geopark hiking and canyon gondola.
- Day 4: Continue to Hemu or Kanas for village walks and river views.
- Day 5: Return via Burqin to Altay or Urumqi for departure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Xinjiang ski resorts open in summer?
Yes, the major ones. Koktokay, Jiangjunshan and Silk Road operate gondolas, hotels and restaurants from roughly mid-June to early October, though weekday lift schedules can be reduced outside peak July–August.
Is summer in the Xinjiang mountains hot?
No. Resort elevations of 1,300–2,200 meters keep daytime temperatures around 15–25°C, with nights dropping to 5–10°C. Bring a fleece and a light rain shell; afternoon thunderstorms occur in July.
Can I ski or snowboard in Xinjiang in summer?
No lift-served summer skiing exists. Snow patches linger on high Tianshan ridges into June, but there is no glacier resort. The season runs roughly November to late March or April at altitude.
Do I need permits for summer travel in the Altay region?
Standard Chinese visa rules apply and hotel registration handles most formalities. The Kanas scenic area sells entry tickets with mandatory shuttle buses; no special border permits are needed for the main tourist zones.
Is summer cheaper than winter at these resorts?
Substantially. Hotel rates typically fall 30–60 percent from winter-holiday peaks, gondola sightseeing tickets cost less than half a winter day pass, and summer flight fares to Altay and Urumqi are among the year’s lowest outside the early-October holiday.