Tucked away in one of China's remotest border areas, where Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the People's Republic converge, Kanas Lake (Hanasi Hu) stretches between the rugged peaks of the Altai Mountains, deep, cold, clear and full of mystery. Remote Kanas has in recent years become a significant tourist destination, though its distance from the closest city of any size, Urumqi, combined with the deserts and mountains in between have, to date, kept it from the usual swarm-treatment experienced by more accessible sites. This very novelty—unspoiled natural beauty is increasingly rare in the PRC—is part of its allure, along with the rumors of huge lake monsters and the hospitable and colorful culture of the semi-nomadic Kazakhs and Tuvans who live in the vicinity. 

The lake is surrounded by the extensive Nature Reserve, which is home to an amazing range of landscapes, from desert to alpine forest to grasslands. This part of China is unlike any other, having more similarity to Siberian taiga (evergreen forests) than anything found in the PRC. This all makes for some brilliant hiking and climbing opportunities, with the view from the lofty Guanyu Ting (Guanyu Pavilion) and the glacial expanse of  Friendship Peak (Youyi Feng) where three international borders meet, being among the highlights. 

In addition to the birch, spruce, larch and elm forests (aflame with color in the autumn) and the diverse fauna, the local human inhabitants, mostly Tuvan and Kazakh, make a trip to Kanas a unique pleasure. You can visit villages and, if you're up for it, stay with hospitable families. If you'd somewhat more modern accommodations, you can stay in the town of Bu'erjin outside of the Nature Reserve or bunk down in the Tuvan village inside the reserve. Entrance to the reserve itself will set you back RMB 100. 
 

Though well north of the Silk Road and other traditional trade routes, this remote region has, like so much of Central Asia, seen a number of different ethnicities and cultures pass through, settle down and move on. Today, Mongolians, Kazakhs and Tuvans dominate the thinly populated area. The latter two are nomadic Turkic peoples, with features far more European or Middle Eastern than Han Chinese—you'll even find the occasional blond with blue eyes. You'll also find Han settlers, Uighurs and a sprinkling of Russians. Many of these people live in a fashion quite similar to that of their ancestors, living largely off lake fish and hardy mountain livestock pastured in alpine valleys. Modern ways are, however, making inroads, with the small city of Bu'erjin (population 60,000) can look in places much like other Chinese urban areas and Chinese pop music as likely to feature in Kazakh or Tuvan celebrations as traditional instrumental tunes.
 

From late October through late April, only the most intrepid—and well equipped—adventure travelers brave the trip to this little piece of Siberia dipping into China. Spring and fall are great times to visit, though they can remain very chilly, and summer is the obvious high season. Even in summer, you should be prepared for very cool weather, especially if you plan to do any hiking on your own. Most visitors come with tour groups and are guaranteed a warm bed at night, but if you're even thinking of roughing it, make sure you've got the layers to keep warm in an alpine environment. Camping, by the way, is not officially permitted, but the vast area of the reserve is hardly well policed. If you do camp, follow the backwoods code of honor and leave your site cleaner than you found it.