The Guozigou valley — Valley of the Fruit Ditch — lies between Yining and Sayram Lake, carrying the main road and river through a dramatic gorge cut through the northern flanks of the Tian Shan. The valley is spectacular on its own terms: sheer cliff walls, a fast-flowing river below, sudden openings onto meadows, and the contrast between enclosed gorge and open sky that makes mountain road travel compelling.
The drive through Guozigou is part of the journey to Sayram Lake from Yining, and most visitors see it from the window of a bus or taxi. Stopping to walk the valley — there are several places where the road widens and access to the river is possible — gives a much better sense of the terrain. The wildflowers on the valley floor in late spring are worth the stop.
From Yining, Sayram Lake is about two hours' drive, with the Guozigou valley occupying the central section. If you are making the journey east toward Ürümqi, the valley road is the more scenic choice compared to faster routes further north.