Brief information on Glacier No.1  

Glacier No. 1 is the headstream of Urumqi River. It is located about 120 kilometers southwest of Urumqi city, on the north face of Tian Ge Er Peak. Of the 5 glaciers around Urumqi, Glacier No.1 is the largest and it also claims fame as the closest glacier to a metropolis in the world. Its height ranges from 3800 meters to 4000 meters with a length of about 2.4 kilometers. Its average width is 500 meters with maximum thickness of about 140 meters, and it encompasses an area nearly 2 sq/km. There are roughly 76 large and small modern glaciers around it. The relics of ancient glaciers are well-preserved in this area and their scarring of the landscape can be seen very clearly. Glacier No.1 is honored by geologists as the “living fossil”, as it is among the best places for both observation and research on modern and ancient. While traveling south on the bus from Urumqi to Korla, it is possible to catch a view of Glacier No.1, and maybe its light blue glacial waterfall sparkling in the distance.

A passage was dug through the glacier recently by researchers and is more than 80 meters long; expect scenes reminiscent of Snow Whites silver palace from Fairytales. A curtain of water drips from above the entrance to the passage, creating a magical (And wet!) atmosphere when entering. On the surrounding cliffs, marmots jump and the Saussurea are blooming. Visitors will truly enjoy the spectacular vistas of the glacier and Tian Shan Mountain.

*You can download the bilingual note to show it to a taxi driver or someone else to find your way to Glacier No.1 if you plan to visit Glacier No.1 and have language problems.

   

Chinese Name: 一号冰川
Glacier No.1 in Chinese Pinyin: Yī Hào Bīng Chuān
Admission: CNY 15
Hours: 09:30-17:30
Address: about 120 kilometers from Urumqi
Transportation: There is tour bus directly from People’s Park to Glacier No. 1, about CNY 150 for the round trip, In summer, the buses start between 8:30 and 9:30, while in winter, it is 10:00.