Experience four seasons in a day along Xinjiang's Duku Highway

The 561-kilometer-long Dushanzi to Kuqa Highway crosscuts the precipitous Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang. As it winds through the valleys, prairies and mountains at various altitudes, travelers can experience all four seasons in one day along the road.

Completed in 1984 after 10 years of construction, the road links the Dushanzi Grand Canyon in the oil city of Karamay in northern Xinjiang with the ancient city of Kuqa. Scattered along the road are the Nalati grasslands, the zigzagging rivers in Bayanbulak, snow-capped mountain peaks, and sparkling lakes.

There is also a cemetery at the northern end of the Duku Highway that commemorates the 168 soldiers who lost their lives during the construction of the road.

Since the highway is buried under thick snow in winter, it only opens from May to November each year. Once open, the road attracts driving enthusiasts, travel bloggers, tourists, and visitors from other parts of Xinjiang who want to experience its unique beauty.