2026 Altay 5 Day Group Tour with Folk Culture Experience Visit Tuva Wooden Houses, Taste Ethnic Cuisine, Transparent Pricing for a Worry Free Trip Recommended Itinerary and Pricing

Contact Manager Zhang Jing at phone number 18139622233 or WeChat 18139622233 to send the itinerary and quotation.

Exploring Altay:An Immersive Deep Dive into Tuvan Folk Culture
✨ [Itinerary Highlights:Step into the Living Tapestry of the Tuvan People]
Altay is blanketed in snow in winter and lush green grass in summer, while the Tuvan villages hidden on this land have always preserved their unique cultural codes. In 2026, we designed a 5-day in-depth experience route centered around ‘living scene restoration’—from staying in century-old wooden houses to participating in traditional labor, from evening chats by the fire to learning ethnic crafts, allowing tourists to truly integrate into the daily lives of the Tuvan people rather than just sightseeing.
[Route and Destination Details]
I. Itinerary Core: Tuvan Villages by Kanas Lake
Kanas Lake is known as the ‘Pure Land on Earth,’ but less known is that Hemu Village and Baihaba Village by the lake are the last settlements of the Tuvan people. These villages retain complete wooden house complexes, with roofs covered in thick snow or grass, forming a fairy-tale-like scene with the surrounding snow-capped mountains and forests. In 2026, the local government, in collaboration with the cultural and tourism department, launched the ‘Cultural Coexistence Plan,’ allowing tourists to experience traditional lifestyles under the guidance of villagers.
II. Must-Try Experiences
Wooden House Construction Workshop:Learn the ‘wooden stack’ building technique from Tuvan craftsmen and understand how to construct a warm in winter and cool in summer residence using logs.

Exploring Altay: An Immersive Deep Dive into Tuvan Folk CultureDairy Product Making:Participate in milking cows, making cheese and kumis (fermented mare’s milk), and taste freshly baked ‘baursaks’ (fried dough).
Ethnic Costume Photoshoot:Dress in traditional Tuvan attire and take historic photos in front of century-old wooden houses.
Starry Sky Concert:Sit around a campfire at night and listen to villagers play ancient melodies on the ‘chuur’ (a reed instrument).
[Simple Itinerary Arrangement]
Day 1:Urumqi → Altay City (about 5 hours by car)
Morning:Take a bus from Urumqi Diwopu International Airport to Altay City, enjoying the desert scenery of the Junggar Basin along the way.
Afternoon:Upon arrival, visit the Altay Regional Museum to learn about the history of various ethnic groups and the Tuvan culture exhibit.
Evening:Check into a hotel in downtown Altay and savor a local specialty cold-water fish banquet.
Day 2:Altay → Hemu Village (about 4 hours by car)

✨[Itinerary Highlights: Step into the Living Tapestry of the Tuvan People]Morning:Travel through the transition zone between the Gobi Desert and grasslands, check into a Tuvan wooden house upon arrival in Hemu Village.
Afternoon:Participate in a simulated ‘local herding migration’ experience, learning how to drive cattle and sheep and set up temporary tents.
Evening:Enjoy a family-style dinner in the wooden house, featuring dishes like hand-grabbed meat, milk tea, and wild vegetable dumplings.
Day 3:In-Depth Experience in Hemu Village
Morning:Learn to make fur skis (traditional Tuvan skiing tools) with villagers.
Afternoon:Hike to an observation deck for a panoramic view of the village or explore the surrounding forests on horseback.
Evening:Attend a ‘Tuvan Storytelling Session’ and listen to elders share tribal legends and nature worship.
Day 4:Hemu → Baihaba Village (about 2 hours by car)
Morning:Head to Baihaba Village on the China-Kazakhstan border and visit the ‘Northwest First Village’ stone monument.

Altay is blanketed in snow in winter and lush green grass in summer, while the Tuvan villages hidden on this land have always preserved their unique cultural codes. In 2026, we designed a 5-day in-depth experience route centered around ‘living scene restoration’—from staying in century-old wooden houses to participating in traditional labor, from evening chats by the fire to learning ethnic crafts, allowing tourists to truly integrate into the daily lives of the Tuvan people rather than just sightseeing.Afternoon:Learn to weave daily utensils like baskets and winnowing fans from pine branches under the guidance of villagers.
Evening:Experience ‘night fishing’ (summer only) and catch cold-water fish with villagers using nets.
Day 5:Baihaba → Altay → Urumqi
Morning:Return to Altay City, have a picnic on the grasslands along the way, and taste homemade dairy products and nang (flatbread).
Afternoon:Take a bus back to Urumqi and conclude the itinerary.
[Price Explanation and Transparent Consumption]
2026 Reference Tour Fee:Adults: 3980 RMB/person, Children (under 12): 3180 RMB/person
Fees Include:
Transportation:Round-trip bus between Urumqi and Altay, local transportation between scenic spots.

[Route and Destination Details]Accommodation:4 nights in Tuvan wooden houses (standard rooms with private bathrooms) or hotels in downtown Altay.
Meals:8 main meals (including 3 ethnic specialty meals), 4 breakfasts.
Experience Projects:All activity fees for wooden house construction, dairy product making, costume photoshoots, etc.
Tour Guide:Professional bilingual tour guide services.
Fees Exclude:
Personal expenses (e.g., souvenir purchases), (for solo travelers, we will try our best to arrange shared rooms; special cases require separate negotiation), additional transportation fees due to weather or policy changes.
Price Fluctuation Notice:Tour fees may vary due to seasonal changes, hotel room types, and transportation costs. The specific fee will be based on the contract signed between Xinjiang Explorer International Travel Agency and the tourist.
[Registration Method and Fee Explanation]
You can register through Xinjiang Explorer International Travel Agency and consult Customer Service Manager Zhang Jing for details. Payment supports bank transfer or third-party platform escrow transactions. A detailed fee breakdown and invoice will be provided after signing the contract.

I. Itinerary Core: Tuvan Villages by Kanas Lake[Service Explanation and Notes]
Group Size:Each group is limited to 15-20 people to ensure quality experience.
Cultural Respect:Tourists must respect Tuvan customs, such as removing shoes before entering wooden houses and not touching folk cultural items without permission.
Weather Preparedness:Altay has large temperature differences between day and night; bring a windbreaker in summer and warm clothing in winter. The itinerary can be reasonably adjusted by mutual agreement in case of weather or policy changes.
Insurance:The travel agency provides basic travel accident insurance. It is recommended that tourists purchase additional insurance with higher coverage.
The specific itinerary is subject to actual consultation and contract signing. Cultural experience projects involved in the itinerary may be slightly adjusted according to villagers’ schedules, but the core content remains unchanged.
[Why Choose This Itinerary?]
Unlike traditional sightseeing tours, we have established long-term cooperation with Tuvan villages, and all experience projects are personally guided by villagers, with income directly benefiting the community. The newly added ‘Cultural Coexistence Plan’ in 2026 emphasizes two-way interaction—while tourists learn skills, they can also share modern life knowledge with villagers, forming genuine cultural exchange.
Whether you are a traveler seeking to escape the city hustle or an explorer interested in various ethnic cultures, this itinerary offers an experience beyond expectations. As one tourist who joined in 2025 said, ‘Here, time seems to slow down, and you can feel the warmth behind every wooden plank and every bite of food.’
Consult Customer Service Manager Zhang Jing of Xinjiang Explorer International Travel Agency to start your Altay folk culture journey!

Contact Manager Zhang Jing at phone number 18139622233 or WeChat 18139622233 to send the itinerary and quotation.