Daily life in Akyaz Valley, NW China's Xinjiang

A herder prepares lamb for guests at home in Akyaz Valley, Zhaosu County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 17, 2018. About 130 kilometers from the nearest town, Akyaz Valley is an important winter grazing place for herders in Zhaosu County, Xinjiang. Despite an altitude of 2,000 meters, the Akyaz Valley has a warmer climate than surrounding areas and abundant grass and water. It is sometimes referred to as "the valley of life." For centuries, herding has been an ancestral tradition for nomadic Kazakhs in Zhaosu. Migration begins in October, and more than 10,000 people drive 400,000 cattle and sheep to their winter homes, not leaving until May the next year. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)