Kanas Lake Nature Reserve (Hanasi Hu) stretches between the rugged peaks of the Altai Mountains, deep, cold, clear and full of mystery. Kanas Lake has in recent years become a significant tourist destination to the Aletai region because of its unspoiled natural beauty, 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. For avid bird-watchers, 117 different types of birds live in the area. 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.