Altyn-Tagh, Astyn-Tagh, Altun Mountains, Altun Shan or Aerjin Shan is Gold Mountain in Turkic，is a mountain range in northwestern China that separates the eastern Tarim Basin from the Tibetan Plateau. Altun Shan is also the name of a 5830 meter mountain near the eastern end of the range. The Cherchen River or Qarqan River, reaches from the Altun Range, or Altyn Tagh, to Cherchen County (Qiemo in Chinese).The Altun Shan Range is one of the chief constituent ranges of the Kunlun and forms the border of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with the Tibetan Plateau. Together with the Qilian Mountain, it forms the Nan Shan. The Altun Shan runs roughly 1000 km south of Lake Lop Nor in a southwest to northeast direction, forming the boundary between the Tarim Basin to the north and the Qaidam (Tsaidam) Basin in the south.

　The side facing the Tarim basin is steep, with elevations exceeding 2000 -3000 m, and the side facing the Tsaidam basin slopes gently around 500 -1000 m. Various topographic features can be distinguished. The southwestern part is a mountain system with the highly craggy and dissected Tokkuz Davan Tagh and Ak Tagh ranges, which have a maximum elevation of 6161 m and are covered with permanent snow and glaciers. The northeastern part consists of a series of short massifs exceeding 5000 m with small patches of snow. The central part, which abruptly narrows and slopes downward and where ridges of 3000-3500 m predominate, has a relief of soft contours that is lightly dissected. The Altyn Tagh is composed primarily of ancient gneiss, crystal shales, and phyllites. The minerals include chromites and lead, zinc, nickel, and platinum ores. The climate is arid and strongly continental. The biggest rivers, the Cherchen and its tributaries, are in the southwestern part; there are no rivers in the central part. Landscapes of broken gravel and rocky deserts predominate in the foothills. In the valleys that dissect the foothills, the vegetation is represented by plants of genera Ephedra, Haloxylon, Tamarix, and Salsola, large stretches are bare. The upper zone of the mountains is characterized by mountain steppe vegetation and alpine meadows. There are no forests, and animals that inhabit the mountains include wild yaks, antelopes, bharals, and in the southwest, chirus etc.

ITINERARY:

Day 01: Arrive Urumqi
Met by our representative at the airport and transfer to the Hotel.

Day 08: Ayakkum lake to Eshak Patti 105 km
Trekking around Ayakkum lake in the morning to enjoy the scenery of the high mountains together with wild birds and animals as wild Yaks, Antelope, Wild donkeys, Fox, then drive to Eshak patti village where local committe office is located. Peoples here are Uyghur nomads and population almost are around thirty. Afternoon trek to Kumkay nak sand well and Ottora Kum kol lake along the Kum kol basin. Overnight in tent or simple guest house.

Day 09: Eshak Patti
Full day trekking around Eshak Patii, overnight in tent or simple guest house.

Day 12: Dunhuang
Breakfast at hotel, visit to Mogao caves a world cultural heritage side under UNESCO, early evening visit to Mingsha sand dunes and to have a camel ride to crescent moon lake. Farewell dinner tonight.

Day 13: Dunhuang depart
Breakfast at hotel then take connect flight to other destinations.