The Duku Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, deemed the country's most beautiful scenic road, is welcoming a growing number of visitors from around the world who are coming here for the breathtaking views along the route.
The 561-km road, connecting Dushanzi in the north of Xinjiang and Kuqa City in the south, runs through glaciers, forests, grasslands, and wind-eroded desert landforms known as yardangs.
The journey through the heart of Xinjiang's landscapes promises a unique and unforgettable experience of all four seasons in just one day, making it a must-visit for road trip enthusiasts.
Among the most prominent tourist attractions are the striking, surreal, red-colored yardangs formed by crustal movement and wind erosion over millions of years in arid or semi-arid regions creating the shapes of ridges, hills or castles.
For many tourists, this showcase of nature's beauty offers a perfect backdrop for taking pictures.
"A turn on the road revealed us these rolling red landforms. They are truly spectacular -- a masterpiece of nature's craftsmanship," a Chinese tourist said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
To ensure visitors can fully enjoy the landforms, either with a panoramic view or a more immersive experience, the scenic area offers both sightseeing vehicle tours and slow camel rides.
Andrew Hank, a tourist from Chile, told CCTV that he had explored many of Xinjiang’s landscapes in less than three days and looked forward to taking in other types of natural scenery.
"I saw not only the red landforms, but also the rivers and vast plains. It has been such a wonderful experience that I found myself deeply in awe of these amazing views. There are so many landscapes for me to appreciate and savor. This is only my third day in Xinjiang and we still have 20 days left for our trip here. I think the surprises will keep coming for us every day, and it will be a marvelous, fantastic, and spectacular experience," he said.
Half of the Duku Highway runs at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, with one-third of it running along steep cliffs and the entire route traversing four snow-covered mountain passes and crossing 10 rivers. The highway usually only opens fully between June and October every year, with traffic controls in place during winter snowfalls and icy temperatures.
Tourists flock to scenic highway in Xinjiang as travel season begins
