First mixed-age Ili trips usually need the core day that can be completed cleanly
Many travellers choose by fame or photo expectations first.
For a first family route, the more practical test is which scenic day is easier to carry from breakfast and departure through sightseeing and hotel return without the day fraying.
Kalajun more often works as one clear main-task day
Kalajun usually gives the group a more readable structure: this is the main day, and the rest of the timing supports it.
That clarity matters because it reduces small disagreements about pace, lunch timing and how much margin the return needs.
Bayinbuluke suits routes that can afford a deeper recovery trade
Bayinbuluke absolutely has value, but it more often asks the group to spend extra recovery margin in exchange for a deeper grassland expression.
If the surrounding days are already heavy or the seniors and children are more sensitive to longer road exposure, that trade is usually harder on a first trip.
Bayinbuluke wins more easily only when the whole route is already lighter
If the overall holiday is longer, the surrounding buffer is wider and the group knowingly accepts the extra cost, Bayinbuluke can make sense.
For most first-time mixed-age groups, however, Kalajun remains the steadier default.