If the summer heat of Hāmì is unbearable, take a day trip out to the cooler climes of Barkol Lake (Bālǐkūn Hú), on the north side of the Tiān Shān. Kazakh herders set up their yurts here in summer and offer horse riding for ¥10 per hour.
Along the route from Hāmì, keep an eye out for the remains of ancient beacon towers slowly disintegrating by the roadside.
To reach the yurts, first take a bus from Hāmì’s central bus station to Bālǐkūn town (¥25, three hours, hourly between 8.30am and 5.30pm). From Bālǐkūn it’s 16km to the yurts. A return taxi starts at ¥50.
