Duku Highway Tour: A 561-kilometer "Four-Season Roller Coaster
If Xinjiang is a three-dimensional painting, then the Duku Highway tour is like cutting it into three sections, then piecing them together into a super corridor where you can see snow-capped mountains, grasslands, Gobi Desert, and canyons in a single day. The 561-kilometer Duku Highway, stretching from Dushanzi in Karamay in the north to Kuche in Aksu in the south, is only open from June to October each year; the rest of the year, the mountains are closed due to heavy snow, making it a truly "limited-time" offering of top-notch scenery. To experience the most diverse landscapes in the shortest possible time, follow this Duku Highway guide.
When it comes to Duku Highway attractions, the Dushanzi Grand Canyon in the northern section is the first to catch your eye. The ochre-red rock walls, carved into knife-like fissures by the snow, make you feel like you're on another planet, standing on the glass plank road, with a hundred-meter abyss beneath your feet and rolling dark clouds overhead. Continuing south, we climbed to Hashilegenda Pass, where the altitude rose steeply to 3,400 meters. Even in June, we could still see remnants of snow, and with a single step on the gas, we were transported from summer to winter. Don't stop taking photos! The next scenic spot on the Duku Highway is the Nalati Grassland-the "Grassland in the Sky" truly lives up to its reputation. Pine forests, spruce trees, wildflowers, and yaks all juxtaposed together, creating a desktop wallpaper with just a click of the shutter.
The middle section, a mere 61 kilometers, transforms the scenery into a gentle serene experience. Descending down the valley to Bayinbuluke, the winding Kaidu River casts nine golden streaks in the sunset. Swans skim across the water, and smoke rises from the nomadic yurts. This is the most soothing scene of any Duku Highway trip. Staying overnight in a town guesthouse, I gazed up at the Milky Way, surrounded only by the chirping of insects, instantly relieving the fatigue of the long drive.
The next morning, we continued south, and the landscape transformed again. First, we visited the Big and Small Dragon Ponds-two emeralds embedded in the snow-capped mountains. Their waters were icy cold even in June, yet they couldn't dampen the enthusiasm for drone photography. Further ahead was the mysterious Kuqa Tianshan Grand Canyon, its reddish-brown rock walls eroded by wind into razor-sharp ridges. Entering it felt like stepping onto the surface of Mars, its echoes so desolate that only the heartbeat could be heard. This is also the Duku Highway's most captivating scenic spot, where wide-angle shots capture the entire scene, the contrast between the red canyon and the blue sky creating a stunning saturation.
Completing these three sections completes the main route of your Duku Highway itinerary. For a more in-depth exploration, you can split your itinerary into five days:
Day 1: Urumqi to Dushanzi to camp in the Dushanzi Grand Canyon;
Day 2: Cross the Hashilegenda Pass to ride horseback on the Nalati Grassland;
Day 3: Nalati to Bayinbuluke for sunset photography;
Day 4: Bayinbuluke to the Big and Small Dragon Ponds to hike the Kuqa Grand Canyon;
Day 5: Kuqa to the Red Mountain Stone Forest-return. The entire route is paved, but with many sharp turns and steep slopes, only vehicles with fewer than seven seats can navigate. RVs and buses will be turned back on the northern and southern sections.
As for pre-trip preparation, this Duku Highway guide highlights four key points:
1. Clothing: As the mountains are open all year round, bring short-sleeved shirts, fleece jackets, and down jackets.
2. Medicine: With the highest elevation reaching 3,700 meters, bring an oxygen tank, motion sickness medication, and cold medicine.
3. Supplies: Service stations along the way are spaced far apart, so fill the trunk with mineral water, self-heating rice, and high-calorie snacks.
4. Reservations: Entrance is limited during peak season, and tickets for the Dushanzi Grand Canyon and Bayinbuluke must be reserved in advance through the official "Duku Highway Tourism" mini-program.
Finally, a reminder that traveling the Duku Highway is not only a feast of scenery, but also a journey of heroes. The Qiaoerma Martyrs Cemetery stands quietly at the foot of the snow-capped mountains, where 168 road builders are buried. If you pass by, offer them a cigarette to express your gratitude for turning a formidable barrier into a thoroughfare. A road open for a limited time, memories extending infinitely - pack your bags and come to this annual appointment before the mountains close in October.