Duku Highway

Background

The Duku Highway runs from Dushanzi District of Karamay in the north to Kuqa in Aksu Prefecture in the south. It is a section of National Highway 217, about 561 km long, crossing the middle of the Tianshan Mountains. The road threads deep valleys and climbs over several passes; more than 280 km of it lies above 2,000 metres, and four passes are over 3,000 metres. Along the way it reaches places such as Nalati, the Bayanbulak Grassland and the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon. Work on the road began in 1974 as a national defence project built by PLA engineering troops. After more than nine years it opened to traffic in September 1983, cutting the distance between northern and southern Xinjiang by nearly half, and it is regarded as a landmark in the history of highway building in China. Accounts of the number of builders who died differ, one giving 128 and another 168; the soldiers who died are buried in the Qiaoerma Martyrs' Cemetery beside the road.

Local customs

• Drive across the Tianshan Mountains from north to south
• stop at the pass tops to look out over snow peaks and seas of cloud
• visit the Dushanzi Grand Canyon, Nalati and the Bayanbulak Grassland on the way
• pause at the Qiaoerma Martyrs' Cemetery to pay your respects
• and stop at service areas and herders' settlements to rest and restock.

Travel tips

• Because of ice and snow, the Duku Highway opens only seasonally, for a few months in summer and autumn, with winter traffic controls the rest of the year
• exact opening dates are as announced officially each year. About half the road is above 2,000 metres, and the highest pass, Haxilegen, is about 3,400 metres (now crossed by a tunnel), so bring warm clothing and watch for altitude sickness
• allow two to four days for a self-drive trip, and check your vehicle and fuel before setting off.
• The northern end, Dushanzi, is about 300 km from Urumqi and can be reached by car from Urumqi
• you can also enter from Kuqa and drive north. The route has many sharp bends and steep slopes, so drivers with mountain-road experience are recommended. During the open season, the scenery is at its best in high summer.