Duku Highway refers to the section of National Highway 217 from Dushanzi to Kuqa in Xinjiang, with a total length of 561 kilometers. It is an important trunk line connecting southern and northern Xinjiang. From a geographical point of view, this road connects various topography and landforms, as well as the highest highway tunnel in the country;

From a sentimental point of view, this is a road that can "drive from flames to sea water", carrying The ultimate scenery.

Highway blockbusters with many beautiful scenery and wonderful experiences are calling for everyone who is eager to experience them on the road. So, let us set off and let the long journey bring a rest to the soul!

01 Day 1

The road passes through the alluvial fan plain on the southern edge of the Junggar Basin, which is a vast newly cultivated agricultural area. The bright sunshine shines on the vast cotton fields and wheat fields, and it seems that you can feel the heat waves through the car window. To the south, we can vaguely see a series of peaks stretching across the sky. That is the Tianshan Mountains we want to climb.

If you arrive at Dushanzi a little late, be sure not to rush away. First of all, it is unsafe to drive at night. Secondly, it is late and many scenery cannot be seen, not to mention the photos. It’s a mess and I can’t afford the gas money!

So I have a good idea for you, just make it easy when you come. You can stay in Dushanzi for one night and take a look around Dushanzi. Dushanzi Grand Canyon is a good place to go!

After browsing all the attractions in Dushanzi, taste Dushanzi food, visit the night market, recharge your batteries, and ensure you have an early departure the next day and have a good trip!

After leaving Dushanzi, you will soon enter the Tianshan Mountains, and the temperature will also drop. The road climbed slowly along the steep canyon. There were steep rock walls on one side of the road and cliffs on the other side. Fortunately, the road was in good condition and there were no dangers along the way. As the altitude continued to rise, snow appeared on the mountaintops, and the cold air blowing in the car was replaced by warm air.

At an altitude of 3,380 meters, you can cross the highest point of this trip-Hasil Gendaban Tunnel (Daban means high mountain pass in Uyghur language, Hasil Gendaban Tunnel). The Gen Tunnel is the highest highway tunnel in China).

Passing through the tunnel, climbing down the snow line, and entering the hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains, greenery and coolness hit your face.

Qiolma-Nalati

The Qiolma-Nalati area belongs to the subalpine meadow plant area and is the most typical Tianshan scenery. The road passes through the bottom of the valley, with large meadows on both sides, herds of cattle and sheep, white yurts dotted among the green, and herdsmen riding horses, cruising between heaven and earth. A little further away, the gentle mountains are rounded and neatly wrapped in meadows, and the unique fir forests of the Tianshan Mountains weave wonderful patterns on the green carpet. Higher and further away, snow peaks stand majestically with the blue sky as the background. The sun is no longer tyrannical and turns into a magic hand of light and shadow, rendering beautiful light and shadow to the world.

Nalati

Nalati Grassland is a sub-alpine meadow plant area, one of the four largest grasslands in the world. It has rich vegetation and lush thin-stemmed iris group mountain grasses. Dian. Other companion species mainly include tangerine, false gentian, carex, wheatgrass, fescue, strawberry and thyme. There is also horsetail, which belongs to the subphylum Equisetaceae of the subphylum Cuneifolia.

02 The next day

This day started with the sunrise in Nalati Grassland.

Looking down at the earth from a God’s perspective, the Cones River flows peacefully in the valley, bounded by the river. On one side are green grasslands, and on the other side are patches of golden wheat fields, like Mondrian’s color composition.

Bayinbulak Grassland

After crossing the mountains in the south, I thought that there was still the kingdom of mountains. Unexpectedly, several mountain ranges tacitly gave up a space, forming an area of ??23,835 square kilometers. , the second largest grassland in China - Bayinbulak Grassland. The Bayinbulak Grassland is located in an alpine basin at an altitude of 2,500 meters and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Low clouds wandered in mid-air, and occasionally gauze-like tentacles poked out from the bottom of the clouds and brushed across the grassland.

Bayinbuluke Grassland is the largest habitat and breeding ground for Chinese swans. However, you will be deeply impressed by the densely packed grassland mosquitoes surrounding the water pool that can’t be shaken off. . It turns out that the piles of rocks shaped like toads on the hillside are not to watch swans, but to deter mosquitoes.

03 The third day

Say goodbye to the grassland and continue to cross the Tianshan Mountains in the south. After crossing the last Daban - Tielimaiti Daban, the altitude begins to drop all the way. The temperature soared, and it only took two hours to drive from the mountain pass with a temperature of 5 degrees to the Kuqa Canyon with a temperature of 35 degrees. The snow-capped mountains, meadows, and forests disappeared from the rearview mirror, replaced by mountains of red earth and rock without any vegetation, like red charcoal burning in a furnace, scorching the land of southern Xinjiang wantonly.

Kuqa Grand Canyon

No matter how cold the snow-capped mountains are, the white snow and forests can bring out some softness. But the mountains along the Kuqa line are hard and intertwined, giving them an aggressive aura in the scorching sun.

The "Mysterious Grand Canyon of the Tianshan Mountains", 70 kilometers away from Kuqa, is not mysterious at all, but it is a very representative landform at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. Two red rocks with a height of 500 meters, one on the left and one on the right, guard the entrance to the canyon. A crack-like valley between the two mountains penetrates deep into the earth's core. Walking into the canyon, it was not as hot as it seemed. The cool breeze blew to the bottom of the valley, and the stream gurgled. The ancient rock textures are powerful and rough winding on the rock walls, and the light refracts in the deep and claustrophobic canyons to produce bizarre effects.

Arriving at Kuqa is the end of Duku Highway. From Kuqa to the west, you can go to Aksu and Kashgar; to the south, you can follow the desert road deep into the Taklimakan Desert. The Duku Highway is short and has diverse and concentrated scenery. On this road, you can experience the beauty of the grasslands, see the graceful beauty of the snow-capped mountains, and the canyons with their unique cave-like scenery. Starting a road blockbuster is truly an indelible memory in your life journey.