
Tianjie Tai ridge saddle
Mid-grassland saddle splitting the river-valley and Sky Grassland circuits, framing snow peaks east and west (best 8-10 AM Jun-Aug when mist clears).

Tianshan (heavenly mountain range) subalpine meadow in Yili valley, prized for green pasture framed by snow peaks.
Nalati is a 1848 sq km AAAAA grassland park in the eastern Yili (Ili) valley on the Tianshan (heavenly mountain range) flank, layered into river-valley pasture, mid-slope Sky Grassland, and the forested Panlong gorge. Kazakh herders graze cattle, horses, and yurts across the upper meadow in summer; three named circuits run shuttle buses.
Worth it if you're already doing a proper multi-day Xinjiang trip and love wide-open grassland you can walk into — go in the late-May-to-July green window or don't bother. I'd skip it if you're short on time, chasing a quick photo stop, or expecting the filtered-video look; and if you have to choose between here and Kalajun, pick one rather than cramming both.
Take the 8:00 shuttle from the visitor center to the Sky Grassland terminus at Youmu Renjia (Pastoral Home), then walk the net-famous bridge direction toward grazing Kazakh horses and yurts for two hours before crowds arrive. This is the single most photographed circuit in the park, framed on three sides by Tianshan snow peaks and topped by the Tianjie Tai ridge saddle that splits the river-valley and sky-grassland basins.
A separate shuttle climbs through spruce forest (Picea schrenkiana, a Tianshan endemic conifer) on a tight hairpin road with pull-offs for valley-overlook photos. Drivers narrate the geology; the upper section is the most scenic part of the park for travelers who have already seen the open meadow. Plan about 3 hr round trip including the visitor center transfer.
Most yurts and grazing herds cluster in the lower river-valley circuit through June and July before being driven uphill in late July. Travelers who want close-up shots of Kazakh horses, yaks, and sheep against the snow backdrop should come to this circuit early in the morning before the day-trip shuttle crowds arrive.

Mid-grassland saddle splitting the river-valley and Sky Grassland circuits, framing snow peaks east and west (best 8-10 AM Jun-Aug when mist clears).

Top of Sky Grassland shuttle, fenced pasture with grazing Kazakh horses and yurts in middle distance (best 5-7 PM in summer).

Daylight fades past 22:00 in midsummer; the western sky stays warm pink above the pasture for an hour after sunset (golden hour 21:30-22:30).

8:00 visitor center shuttle to Sky Grassland (CNY 40), 8:45 reach Youmu Renjia and walk toward net-famous bridge until 10:45, back at center by 11:15 for lunch, then 13:00 shuttle to Panlong Valley (CNY 40), back by 16:30.
Hairpin road climbing through spruce forest with pull-offs for valley-overlook photos; shuttle bus drivers narrate the geology along the way.
Man-made grass slide on the Kongzhong (Sky) Grassland hillside, family-friendly downhill ride through green pasture; usually bundled with the Sky Grassland shuttle ticket.