The Wind City [Kelamayi]

"One of Top Three Most Beautiful Yandan Landforms in China"
Ranked by China National Geography Magazine

The Wind City in Karamay City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region: Masterpiece cut out by wind

The Wind City, neighboring the Halahlat Mountain, is located in the Urho area, over 100 km northeast of Karamay City and covers an area of about 30 square kilometers. The native Mongolian people call it 'Sulumuhak', while the local Kazakh people name it 'Shytirkrsi', and both the two names have the same meaning ----Ghost Castle. When a howling wind suddenly arises, it whips up sand, rolls stones around, and darkens the sky and the earth, casing people in ancient times to believe that demons haunted the Wind City.

Placed in graceful disorder by a mysterious force, the 'city' is embellished with stimulating colors----red, grayish-green and grayish-blue. The desolate formation has a multitude of shapes, large and small, high and low, beautiful and ugly. Some look like medieval European castles; some are like lofty pagodas; some are like clouds of dense smoke; others are like crawling tortoises or snakes. There are thousands of gorges and crisscross gullies winding through the Wind City. In the bright sunshine, the Wind City is a dazzling and impressive sight. At nights, strong wind blows sands flying about and stones rolling, thus making frightful and dreaded sounds, which make you feel scared. On rainy days, it is covered with mist, suggestive of fear and danger. In winter, it looks unusually peaceful in its blanket of snow, like a sleeping child. Beautiful pebbles that can be used as ornaments can be found everywhere in the Ghost City, what’s more, you can even find the crystal carnelian if you are fortunate

In northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region many abandoned cities can be found, including Jiaohe City, Gaochang City and Loulan Old City. However, unlike them, the Wind City of Urho is without any trace of a human presence.

The Wind City is lovely and terrible, miraculous and weird, imbued with a sense of loneliness and wildness, making a striking contrast to bustling modern cities. Generally speaking, beauty is harmonious. But the Wind City is in graceful disorder. And whereas beauty is usually refined and elegant, the Wind City is rough and natural.

Best time to go
September and October
The gale even 10 to 12 grade blows from April to August.

Ticket
RMB 45/person

Around Landscape
Baiyang (Alamo) River Valley, Dushanzi Mud Volcano, Jiulong Pond, Poplar River Valley, etc.

Local Snacks and Specialties
Megranate, Dapu Color-drum by man-made, Seabuckthorn, Dogbane, Snow-lotus, etc.

Travel Tips
Pay attention to the time! Beijing time here means that the sun doesn't rise until 09:00 and it is still light at midnight in the summer months.
Be sure to take warmer clothes for the nights and always carry plenty of drinking water even in the cooler months.
Be sure to respect local ethical customs and traditions.
Please take sunbonnet, sunglass, canteen, respirator, muffler and suntan oil in summer.
Don’t camp outside at night!

Distance
Beijing (3768 km) Urumqi City ( 500 km) Karamay City (100 km)The Wind City (Wu’erhe Town)