Kazak herders drive livestock along the bucolic Hongshanzui Trail as they head to summer homes

A Kazak herder drives his sheep along the Hongshanzui Trail on the way to summer grazing pastures in Fuhai county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on June 1. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Every year from late May to early June, herders in Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, pack up their yurts and move their livestock from winter settlements to summer grazing pastures.

Members of the Kazak ethnic group drive tens of thousands of sheep, cattle, camels and horses distances ranging from several kilometers to more than 100 km.

The Hongshanzui Trail in Fuhai county is one of the oldest "livestock migration" routes in Ili prefecture. Through valleys and alpine meadows, the Kazak herders have kept their nomadic lifestyle alive for thousands of years.

A herder uses camels to transport his family's belongings to the summer pastures. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Members of a family start pitching a yurt after arriving at their summer home on May 30. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Kazak nomads take a break during their seasonal migration. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Herders also use trucks to transport livestock for part of the journey to save time. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Nomadic herders pitch a tent on June 1. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

A Kazak woman dries chunks of cheese at her family's spring/autumn pastures on May 15, before the journey to summer pastures. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

A train of camels transports a family's belongings to their summer home. (LIU XIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)