Grasslands, canyons & snow peaks
The Duku Highway (Xinjiang)
Dúkù Gōnglù · From alpine snow to desert in one road
Distance
~560 km (Dushanzi → Kuqa)
Duration
3–5 days
Best season
Jun–Sep (closed in winter)
Difficulty
Moderate · long mountain stretches
The Duku (Dushanzi–Kuqa) Highway threads north–south through the Tian Shan mountains, crossing snowfields, flower-strewn grasslands, red-rock canyons and Kazakh pastures. Open only in the warm months, it packs half of Xinjiang's landscapes into 560 km.
Along the wayStops
Dushanzi Grand Canyon
A dramatic red-earth canyon carved by meltwater at the highway's northern start.
Nalati Grassland
Rolling alpine meadows grazed by horses and dotted with Kazakh yurts.
Bayanbulak
A vast wetland where the Kaidu River coils into the famous "nine bends, eighteen turns" at sunset.
Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon
Towering ochre rock walls near Kuqa at the southern end.
Good to know
- The road is only open roughly June to October — check the status before you go.
- Fuel, food and rooms are sparse; top up the tank and carry snacks and layers.
- Register at police checkpoints along the way and carry your passport at all times.
Getting the car
Fly into Urumqi or Yining and rent a car, or hire a driver. Distances between services are long, so plan fuel and overnight stops carefully.
Next route
The Qinghai–Gansu Loop