Best Xinjiang Road Trips

The beautiful scenery in Xinjiang is on the road. Here are the Top 8 Xinjiang Roads with stunning scenery and big reputation. If you need car rental services, they are available on our website. For more details, please see Xinjiang Car Rental.  

Duku Highway (561 km)—Four Seasons in One Day

The Duku Highway, also known as the Dushanzi-Kuqa section of G217, connects northern and southern Xinjiang. Because it crosses the Tianshan Mountains, it is also called the Tianshan Highway.

The Duku Highway is a scenic route. It starts at Dushanzi Grand Canyon, passes through Nalati and the Bayanbulak Grassland, and ends at the Kuqa Tianshan Grand Canyon. Traveling along the Duku Highway allows you to enjoy spectacular scenery described as "four seasons in one day, different weather every few miles". It is recognized as a world-class self-driving route and is often praised as a breathtaking "hundred-mile gallery".

Because of its unique terrain, the Duku Highway has many sharp turns and steep slopes. More than 280 kilometers of the road lie at elevations above 2,000 meters. Due to its high altitude, weather conditions, and complex terrain, the highway becomes snow-covered and icy after October each year, making it impassable. As a result, the highway is temporarily closed and typically reopens around mid-June of the following year. The annual opening period usually lasts only three to four months. Normally, it is open from June 1 to September 30, but the exact dates may be adjusted depending on weather. The peak travel season is from June to August. 

Karakoram Highway, KKH (1224km)—The Eighth Wonder of the World

The Karakoram Highway (KKH) has a total length of 1,224 kilometers, including 415 kilometers in China and 809 kilometers in Pakistan. It is also known as the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway or the Pamir Highway. It starts from Kashgar in China's Xinjiang region in the north and ends in Thakot, Pakistan in the south. The highway cuts across the Karakoram Range, the Hindu Kush, the Pamir Plateau, and the western end of the Himalayas, serving as a key overland route within the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Due to the immense difficulty of its construction, it has been called "the Eighth Wonder of the World".

It is the highest-altitude international road in the world. Its lowest point is Thakot at 460 meters above sea level, while its highest point is the Khunjerab Pass at 4,733 meters. The highway winds along the Khunjerab River, Hunza River, Gilgit River, and Indus River, crossing the Indus three times. Along the way, it passes through the Karakoram Range, the Hindu Kush, the Pamir Plateau, and the western Himalayas, where geological conditions are complex. Natural hazards happen frequently. In the past years, the Karakoram Highway was closed for most of the autumn and winter seasons due to weather conditions.

Yining-Zhaosu Highway (122 km)—Mini Duku Highway

Yining-Zhaosu Highway, or Yizhao Highway (S237) is a provincial road connecting Yining City and Zhaosu County. It is often called the "Mini Duku Highway". The section from Nulahong to Zhaosu experiences heavy snowfall in winter, with frequent occurrences of avalanches and drifting snow, alongside numerous sharp bends and steep curves. As a result, it is placed under winter traffic control from mid-October each year until late May or early June of the following year.

The weather along the mountainous sections of the highway is highly changeable, often representing features of “four seasons in one day, different weather every few miles" like the Duku Highway. The region, located within a triangular area of the Tianshan Mountains, has a westward-opening "horn-shaped" terrain that allows warm, moist air currents from the Atlantic Ocean to flow in unhindered, creating oasis landscapes.

The highway runs through the Ili River Valley and crosses the Wusun Mountains. The scenery along the route is remarkably diverse, encompassing river valleys, mountainous terrain, grasslands, forests, canyons, pastures, farmlands, snow-capped peaks, and rivers. Near the northern starting point of the highway lies the Ili River National Wetland Park, while the Wusun Mountains are adorned with snow spruces, forming part of the Baishifeng (White Stone Peak) National Forest Park.

Xining-Torugart Highway (3063km)—China's Route 66

The Xining-Torugart Highway (G315) starts in Xining, Qinghai Province, and ends at the Torugart Pass in the Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang. G315 National Highway, often called the "China's Route 66", runs from Xining in the east to Kashgar in the west. Along the way, it passes Qinghai Lake and the Qaidam Basin, crosses the Altun Mountains, and traverses the Taklamakan Desert, covering a total distance of 3,063 kilometers.

Where the highway passes through West Taijinar Lake, it does not go around the shore but runs directly across a section of the water, splitting the lake into two distinctly colored halves as if sliced by a blade: one side greenish, the other bluish. It is said to result from differing mineral contents on either side. During seasons when the water level is high, the lake surface just covers the road, making vehicles appear to drive directly on the water.

There are numerous natural and cultural attractions along the highway. The U-shaped highway section is famous for its long, straight stretch and is a popular route for self-driving trips. Key highlights along the way include: Qinghai Lake, the largest inland and saltwater lake in China; Chaka Salt Lake, known as the "Mirror of the Sky", famous for its clear reflections; Da Qaidam Emerald Lake, consisting of multiple salt ponds forming a striking landscape; East Taijinar Lake, featuring vivid blue waters; Aiken Spring, a unique geothermal spring; Kashgar, a city rich in historical and cultural heritage.

Altay-Urumqi Expressway (342.5km)—Desert Expressway

The Altay-Urumqi Expressway, also known as the S21 Desert Expressway, has a total length of 342.5 kilometers. It officially opened to traffic on December 25, 2021, reducing the travel time between Urumqi and Altay to approximately 3.5 hours.

It is not only the first desert expressway in Xinjiang, but also the first one that deeply integrates transportation and tourism in China. Along this route, you can experience a diverse range of landscapes, including deserts, the Gobi, oases, Yardang landforms and lakes (such as Jili Lake).‌

The service areas along the way integrate transportation, sightseeing, recreation, and environmental conservation. Together, they form a comprehensive tourism system centered on natural sightseeing, folk culture experiences, cultural heritage tours, and leisure vacations.

Taklamakan Desert Highway—Crossing the Sea of Death

The Taklamakan Desert Highway is the world's longest highway traversing a desert and the first desert highway in China. The area has long been the center of the ancient Silk Road. Today, it serves as a major field for oil exploration and development, boosting local economic development and becoming one of the popular tourist destinations for road trips.

There are four Taklamakan Desert Highway routes. With a total length of approximately 565.6 kilometers, Luntai-Minfeng Desert Highway opened to traffic in 1995 and is China's first long-distance desert highway. It is accompanied by a 436-kilometer protective forest belt, planted with 20 million drought-resistant shrubs for sand fixation. It mainly serves the exploration and development of the Tarim Oilfield. With a total length of approximately 424.7 kilometers, Aral-Hotan Desert Highway opened to traffic in 2007. It is a secondary road that traverses the heart of the desert. With a total length of 136 kilometers, the completion of Aral-Tazhong Desert Highway shortened the distance from Aral City to Qiemo County by 500 kilometers, to Ruoqiang by nearly 700 kilometers, and to Golmud by nearly 700 kilometers. With a total length of 333 kilometers, the completion of Yuli-Qiemo Desert Highway reduced the distance from Qiemo to Korla by 280 kilometers, shortening the driving time from the original 12 hours to 6 hours.‌

Tianshan Shengli Tunnel (22.1km)—The World's Longest Expressway Tunnel

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is a part of the Urumqi–Yuli Expressway. It is located in the high-altitude, cold alpine region of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang. It runs through the central part of the Tianshan range, with its northern portal situated in Urumqi County, Urumqi City, and its southern portal in Hejing County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture. With a total length of 22.13 kilometers, it is the world's longest expressway tunnel and serves as the controlling engineering project for the G0711 Urumqi–Yuli Expressway. Thanks to this tunnel, it only takes about 20 minutes now to cross the Tianshan Mountains, reducing the driving time from Urumqi to Korla from over 7 hours to approximately 3.5 hours.

The tunnel connects two distinct landscapes. At the northern tunnel portal, clouds and mist stretch endlessly, with mountains rising sharp and steep, capped with snow all year round. The tunnel bears enormous weight, with mountain ranges, glaciers and forest parks above it. Inside the tunnel, there are three themed landscape zones featuring poplar forests, grasslands and deserts. The iconic scenic views of Xinjiang gives you a comfortable sense of openness. At the southern tunnel portal lies a vast grassland under a bright, clear sky. Further south from the grassland are the Gobi, barren flats and populus forests, eventually leading into the Taklamakan Desert.

Ahe Highway (209.4km)—North Xinjiang Gallery

The Ahe Highway (G681) is a mountain road connecting Altay City in Xinjiang with Hemu Village in the Kanas Scenic Area, with a total length of 209.45 kilometers. The highway starts in Altay City and ends in Burqin County. It runs through the heart of the Altay Mountains, with an elevation ranging from 750 meters to 2,740 meters. As the core section of the "Hundred-Mile Gallery" ecological tourism route, it shortens the driving time from Altay City to Hemu Village from 6 hours to 3 hours, making it an important route for self-driving trips in Northern Xinjiang. The highway has many curves and narrow sections, with numerous stretches along cliffs and water; drivers must remain fully focused.

The highway connects several scenic spots, including Xiaodonggou Forest Park, Wuxilike Wetland Park, Tongba Primitive Forest, Toleheite Grassland, Yileke Stone Forest, and Hemu Daban, forming a major tourist transportation loop from Altay City to Heimu Village, Burqin County, and back. Along the route, travelers can enjoy forests, grasslands, canyons, rivers, wetlands, and snow-capped mountains. It is known as "the most beautiful scenic highway in Northern Xinjiang", with the autumn scenery, particularly from late September to early October, being especially captivating.‌‌‌

Quick Reference Chart of the 5 Routes

Driving Tips for Xinjiang Road Trips:

Pre-trip Check: Conduct a thorough inspection of your vehicle before departure.

Fuel Supplies: Self-driving in Xinjiang involves long distances and large gaps between gas stations. Be sure to develop the habit of topping up tank to full whenever you encounter a gas station.

Emergency Supplies: For long-distance driving, it is recommended to prepare enough food, water, and altitude sickness medicine in case of emergencies.

Clothing: Xinjiang has a large temperature difference between day and night. Even in summer, it is necessary to prepare warm and windproof clothing.