# Ili River (伊犁河)

Ili, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region · Northwest, China · Guidebook rating: 3/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/ili-river
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Time needed:** 1–2 hours
- **Getting there:** Bus No. 2 passes over the Ili River Bridge
- **Good for:** Nature

## About Ili River

The Ili River flows past 16 km southwest of Yining City. Originating in the Tianshan Mountains, it gathers the Tekes, Gongnaisi and Kashi rivers to form the beautiful and fertile Ili River Valley, before flowing into Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan. It is the river with the largest water flow in Xinjiang.

## Tips from the guidebook

- Time difference: Watching the sunset over the long river here is beautiful, but keep in mind that Xinjiang is two hours behind Beijing, so the sunset appears around 8 or 9 p.m. each day.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 862. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
Site: China Trip (https://cnatrip.com) — independent China travel guide in 13 languages.