Duku Highway 2021 Opening and Closing Times – Duku Highway Travel Guide
Xinjiang Duku Highway Tourism Consultation: 0991-8585456
181396-22229 (same)
The Duku Highway is the section of National Highway 217 from Dushanzi to Kuqa, spanning north and south of the Tianshan Mountains with a total length of 561 kilometers. The Duku Highway winds and twists, with more than half of its sections crossing towering mountains. Over 280 kilometers of the road are above 2000 meters in altitude, and there are deep valleys and canyons along the way. For safety reasons, it is only open for about 5 months each year. It is usually open from June to October, with winter traffic restrictions in place for the rest of the time.
National Highway 318 is a favorite route among Chinese backpackers, but although the Duku Highway is open for a shorter period, the scenery along the way is by no means inferior to that of National Highway 318. Every summer is when the Duku Highway is at its most beautiful. Driving on the Duku Highway at this time, you can experience transitioning from being surrounded by lush spruces one second to crossing a snowy mountain and seeing snow-covered peaks the next, feeling the changes of the four seasons within a single day. This experience can only be described as "magical".
After completing the entire Duku Highway, one can witness all types of landscapes except for the ocean, including mountains, deserts, forests, lakes, canyons, grasslands, hills, basins, Danxia landscapes… It’s no exaggeration to say that this is a thrilling journey "from flames to icebergs". Driving through the Duku Highway, you can see the following attractions. Although called "attractions", they are almost all natural and undeveloped. Many places in Xinjiang are like this, retaining their most primitive and natural essence. After all, compared to the magnificent works of nature, human capital is somewhat powerless.
The Scar of the Earth – Anjihai Grand Canyon
Anjihai Grand Canyon is also known as Hongshan Grand Canyon, Bayingou Grand Canyon, and Wusu Grand Canyon. Canyons generally give the impression of being low valleys among mountains, but Anjihai Grand Canyon is located in a plain, feeling like a huge crack has suddenly opened up in the flat earth, making it extremely spectacular.
At the bottom of the canyon lies the Hongshan Coal Mine. Without the booming local mining industry, such a treasure trove of landscapes may not have had the chance to enter people’s视野. The road to the Grand Canyon is a must-pass for ore trucks. On good weather days, one can see ore trucks climbing up the zigzag road in the canyon, creating a very impressive scene in such an environment.
However, due to the lack of development in the canyon and few safety barriers, if you are fortunate enough to visit, please be sure to pay attention to safety.
Dushunzi Secret Realm – Dushanzi Grand Canyon
Dubbed the ‘Dushunzi Secret Realm, Hundred-Million-Year Wonder’, the landscape of Dushanzi Grand Canyon is a stark contrast to Anjihai. The terraces on both sides of Dushanzi Grand Canyon are almost barren, with steep cliffs and deep gullies within the canyon. The soil looks like it has been cut by a knife and scabbed over, with scars embedded in the desolate land, which is shocking to behold.
It is worth mentioning that a section of Dushanzi Grand Canyon has been fenced off and developed into a scenic area, requiring an entrance ticket and allowing visits by electric cars. But actually, the scenery outside the scenic area is the same as inside. There is no need to fence off the scenery in Xinjiang, so I don’t recommend going in.
Hundred-Mile Gallery – Tangbula Grassland
When you arrive in Ili, the scenery becomes gentle all of a sudden. Tangbula Grassland is like a long scroll among them. In summer, the grassland is lush and green, with streams flowing through it. Shepherds ride horses, cows and sheep graze, and in the distance, snow-capped mountains serve as a backdrop. Spruce trees are scattered among the undulating pastures, making it completely different from the grasslands of Inner Mongolia and presenting a unique scenery.
Tangbula Forest Park does not charge an entrance fee, but some local herdsmen may sell goods to tourists or provide services such as horse riding and accommodation. Whether to buy is up to your own situation.
Tianshan Stone Forest – Kuikewusu Stone Forest
When it comes to stone forests, everyone knows the famous Yunnan Stone Forest, but on the Duku Highway, you will encounter the less famous but more spectacular Kuikewusu Stone Forest (Tianshan Stone Forest).
This stone forest was formed by a mountain-building event in the Tianshan Mountains 2 million years ago. The stone forest has a wind-eroded semi-gravel layer structure, which is somewhat different from the karst stone forests in Yunnan. The stones here feel more wild and unrestrained. And because it is located deep in the Tianshan Mountains and is sparsely populated, sometimes in the early morning when fog rises, the stone forest appears and disappears in the morning mist, adding a touch of mystery.
In the past, North and South Xinjiang were separated by a very long distance. The completion of the Duku Highway shortened the distance between North and South Xinjiang from more than 1,000 kilometers to nearly half that. The highway winds through the Tianshan Mountains, with nearly one-third of the route being steep cliffs and one-fifth being permafrost. It crosses nearly 10 rivers. Building such a highway took 10 years and came at a cost—168 road construction soldiers rest here forever. Therefore, there is a Duku Heroes Monument in the Qiaerma area, which many people visit to pay tribute to the heroes.
Some people say that you won’t realize how vast China is until you visit Xinjiang. Xinjiang is a place worth visiting repeatedly. But if time is limited, taking a trip on the Duku Highway will also give you a general glimpse of Xinjiang’s beauty. ‘Ten li, ten different skies; four seasons in a single day’ describes the scenery along the Duku Highway.