Exploring the salt waterfall landscape in NW China's Xinjiang-TIANSHANNET-天山网

Photo taken on May 28, 2025 shows the salt waterfall landscape at the foot of Tianshan Tomur Mountain in the northern part of Wensu County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Cai Zengle) news: In summer, the Tomur Peak of the Tianshan Mountains is as white as jade. The “salt stream” meanders like a river, and the sunlight refracts a dazzling light like that of a glacier.

The Aqikesu River here is locally known as the "Kushui River." Tens of millions of years ago, a lagoon left behind by the retreating ancient Mediterranean Sea deposited sediments in this area. After crustal movements and natural evaporation, the largest and best-preserved salt diapir structure on Earth was formed. The salt layers, stretching for hundreds of kilometers, gather into hills, stand in valleys, and even merge into rivers. Like a geological "pangolin," it spreads quietly underground, creating an epic geological story of the Earth's dialogue with the ocean.

Surveys have revealed that the Salt Valley contains an estimated 30 billion tons of salt. If fully extracted, it could meet the salt consumption needs of 8 billion people worldwide for over 200 years. The documentary "White Mountains of the Western Regions," featured on Chinese Geography, a column run by CCTV Science & Education Channel, captures the remarkable scenery where salt and mountains coexist. The white salt layers are stacked like snow-capped mountains, with a network of caves and underground rivers crisscrossing like a labyrinth. What's more fascinating is that the salt hills contain dozens of minerals. The local specialty of mutton roasted over salt rocks has a rich and fragrant flavor, making it a culinary calling card of the area.

Photo taken on May 28, 2025 shows tourists visit the scenic area at the foot of Tianshan Tomur Mountain in the northern part of Wensu County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

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