Riding trails of gold

As early as December, the highly acclaimed scenic and heritage route was lauded as a "Golden Horse Trail" key project under regional plans to develop the modern equestrian sector in line with cultural tourism priorities.

The "two-pronged approach" leverages the historical and cultural resources of the Altay region and the natural Kanas landscape to create what is being touted as the first outdoor leisure tourist base of its kind on the back of local equestrian activities. Offerings include horse running tracks, cultural expo and performance sites, a beginner rider training hub, riding adventure camps and even multi-terrain winter equestrian and skiing products and services.

The Altay trail follows broader efforts by regional authorities to help grow the horse industry, with measures ranging from agricultural use and heritage conservation to ecological tourism and environmental sustainability.

Xinjiang boasts nearly 60 million hectares of lush grassland that help sustain more than 700,000 horses of at least six major breeds, making up over one-fifth of the country's equine population, according to government statistics.