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Major city · China

Aletai阿勒泰

Spend 1–2 days in Aletai: ski in winter or visit parks and lakes in summer; a single night is enough for a quick stop.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Aletai is a small border city in Xinjiang known for winter sports and natural parks. It is reachable by a regional airport and train, and its attractions are clustered near the town centre, making a half‑day visit feasible, with an extra night for ski season.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
CNY
Best months
Dec–Feb (ski), Jun–Aug (parks and lake)
avoid Jan–Feb extreme cold may limit travel; airport closed in winter months
Airport
AAT
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Aletai110 ▾
  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Aletai, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Hualin ParkTangba LakeFive Fingers SpringGeneral Mountain ski resortBirch Forest Park
Airports
AAT Aletai Airport (17 km (11 mi) from town centre, seasonal service (operates 5 months, closes in winter))

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Care

    −9°C (15°F)

  2. Feb

    Care

    −6°C (22°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    3°C (37°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    15°C (60°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    22°C (72°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    29°C (83°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    21°C (70°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    1°C (35°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    −7°C (19°F)

Best: Jun–Aug, Dec. Mixed: Jan–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (29°C (83°F)), coolest Jan (−21°C (−6°F) low), wettest Jan (18 rain days), driest Feb (10). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Aletai: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−9°C (15°F)

−21°C (−6°F)

18 rd

Feb

−6°C (22°F)

−18°C (0°F)

10 rd

Mar

3°C (37°F)

−9°C (16°F)

11 rd

Apr

15°C (60°F)

3°C (38°F)

13 rd

May

22°C (72°F)

9°C (48°F)

15 rd

Jun

27°C (81°F)

13°C (56°F)

16 rd

Jul

29°C (83°F)

15°C (59°F)

18 rd

Aug

27°C (81°F)

13°C (56°F)

15 rd

Sep

21°C (70°F)

8°C (46°F)

14 rd

Oct

13°C (55°F)

1°C (35°F)

12 rd

Nov

1°C (35°F)

−8°C (17°F)

13 rd

Dec

−7°C (19°F)

−18°C (0°F)

15 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

City buses cost ¥1 per ride; routes 1 and 101 link the bus station with the city centre and People's Square. Taxis are available but may be scarce in winter.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Burqingo

Door to door: ≈ 2 h

Bus from Aletai bus station, about 1.5–2 h, ¥21 (≈ US$3)

Scenic steppe and cultural sites.

Urumqiovernight

Door to door: ≈ 10 h

Overnight train, 9–10 h, ¥260–¥270 (≈ US$40)

Main transport hub; connect to flights.

Nalati steppe

go

Door to door: ≈ 8 h round‑trip

Bus to Nalati, about 4 h each way, ¥120 (≈ US$17)

Best Apr–Jun for wildflower viewing.

Tangba Lake

go

Door to door: ≈ 1 h

Local bus 101, 30 min, ¥1 (≈ under US$1)

Lake swimming and picnics in summer.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Aletai Diqu Hotel

Three‑star, central, basic English not common

Golden Bridge Hotel

City‑centre, budget option

Postal Hotel

Two‑star, next to post office, bargain price ~¥140

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥120–180 (≈ US$17–30) excl. bed
Mid
¥200–350 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
High
¥400 (≈ US$60)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency

Prices of common things

City bus ride¥1 (≈ under US$1)
Taxi (city centre to airport, 17 km)¥120–150 (≈ US$17–25)
General Mountain ski lift (day pass)¥180–250 (≈ US$30–35)
Entrance to Hualin Park¥30–50 (≈ US$5–7)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Aletai is generally safe for tourists; keep usual precautions, carry ID, note that police English is limited and the border area is remote.
  • Airport closes for several months each winter; plan flights accordingly
  • Last city bus departs around 21:00; plan return trips early
  • English is limited; have destination names written in Chinese

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire and ambulance
119

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Aletai阿勒泰

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

请到这个地址To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Embassy

US consulate in Urumqi (check address); other embassies in Beijing.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • AAT → city centre, taxi: about ¥130 (≈ US$19), 20 min (check)
  • Urumqi → Aletai, train (overnight): ≈ ¥260, 9–10 h (check)

Say or show

  • 对不起 — Excuse me / Sorry (duìbuqǐ)
  • 谢谢 — Thank you (xièxiè)
  • 多少钱？ — How much is it? (duōshǎo qián?)
  • 公交站在哪里？ — Where is the bus stop? (gōngjiāo zhàn zài nǎlǐ?)
  • 我要打车 — I need a taxi (wǒ yào dǎchē)
  • 会说英语吗？ — Do you speak English? (huì shuō yīngyǔ ma?)
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Aletai. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Dec–Feb (ski), Jun–Aug (parks and lake) · avoid Jan–Feb extreme cold may limit travel; airport closed in winter months · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to China

Sources

Ask about Aletai

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