Xinjiang · China
Duku Highway
G217Dushanzi to Kuqa
The Duku Highway (G217) crosses the Tianshan Mountains through 561 km of staggering variety, carving through deep river gorges, alpine meadows, desert ridges and snow peaks in a single drive widely called China’s most scenic highway.
The highway runs south from Dushanzi across the Tianshan to Kuqa on the edge of the Tarim Basin. The north descends through the Dushanzi Grand Canyon before climbing to the Haxilegen Pass tunnel at 3,460 m; the centre opens onto the vast Bayanbulak grassland and the Nine-Bend Kaidu River; the southern descent narrows into the red-rock Kuqa Grand Canyon before the desert edge. Open only June to September.
Scenery
Best seasons
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Duku Highway on the map327.0 mi · point to point
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Character
More hairpins than 9 in 10 roads in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 24Elevation
approximateunder 4%4–8%over 8%730 – 3,456.8 mPoints of interest3 stops
- Duku Highway Terminus MonumentViewpoint319 mi in
- Sky WaterfallViewpoint60 mi in
- Tianshan Stone Forest East GateViewpoint192 mi in
Hazards
- Closed October to May
- Altitude sickness near the 3,460 m Haxilegen Pass
- Mudslides and flash floods in rain
- Fuel stations 100-150 km apart
- Sudden snow even in summer
- Permits required for some areas
Is Duku Highway open? Typical season and live summit weather ›
Sources
“carving its way through the Tianshan Mountains, lush alpine meadows, deep river gorges, barren desert ridges, and snowcapped peaks.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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Nearby roads
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