The Duku Highway: Driving China’s Most Spectacular Road
The Duku Highway (G217, Dushanzi–Kuqa) is the road trip that turns casual visitors into lifelong Xinjiang devotees. In roughly 560 km it climbs from the Dzungaria Basin, crosses the spine of the Tianshan at over 3,400 m, and drops into the Tarim Basin — compressing desert, glacier, canyon, and alpine meadow into a single day behind the wheel.
Named for its endpoints, it was built by the PLA over a decade and cost hundreds of lives; roadside monuments mark the sacrifice. Today it is a paved, spectacular, and increasingly popular ribbon of asphalt that is closed in winter (roughly November to May) due to snow and ice at the high passes.
The drive, north to south: leave Dushanzi and soon enter the red rock of the Tianshan Grand Canyon, then climb through spruce forest to the high meadow of Narat and the Yuning grasslands. The summit stretch near the Hashilegen Pass can see snow even in summer. Descending south, the landscape dries into the red cliffs and eventually the oasis of Kuqa in the south.
Practical rules: the highway typically opens around June 1 and closes by late October, weather permitting — confirm before you go, because dates shift. It is one-way-traffic-managed at points and has strict speed control. Fuel and food are sparse in the middle sections, so top off in Dushanzi or Kuqa and carry water and snacks.
Vehicle choice: a normal sedan handles the paved road fine in good weather, but a higher-clearance car helps on pull-offs and rough shoulder. The popular Xinjiang Travel Guide self-drive routes pair Duku with the nearby Tangbula and Narat areas for a multi-day loop.
Photography and stops: the canyon near Dushanzi, the Hashilegen Pass viewpoint, and the southern red-mountain descent are unmissable. Pull-offs are limited and the road is busy in peak season, so start early and treat every safe verge as a photo opportunity. Drones are restricted near military zones — ask locally.
Safety: altitude and sudden weather are the real hazards. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer; the passes can be slick. Don’t rush — the Duku is a road to savor, not conquer. Built into a wider northern Xinjiang loop, it is the centerpiece of the region’s self-drive culture and, for many, the most beautiful day of driving in China.
