The Duku Highway full journey takes 8 days
Dushanzi—Bayanbulak—Kuqa: A One-Day Journey Through the Four Seasons
Reference Price
$1380from / person
- Purely for fun, no shopping
- The itinerary can be slightly adjusted
- Includes ticket reservation service
Prices vary between peak and off-peak seasons; the following order confirmation shall prevail · Tickets for highlands and peak seasons need to be booked in advance
Itinerary Details
All routes are for reference only, the actual route is subject to the explanation of customer service
A complete itinerary for experiencing all four seasons in one day on the Duku Highway: northern section canyons, central section grassland wetlands, southern section red-layered grand canyon, complemented by Hujier Tida Slope and the Big and Small Dragon Pools.
Day-by-day itinerary8 days in total · daily destination, meals, accommodation and transport
Expand day by day; click a title to collapse. Itinerary for reference and may be adjusted for weather and traffic.
- D1Urumqi Gathering
DestinationMuseum・Grand Bazaar
- Meals
- Self-sufficient in meals
- Accommodation
- Urumqi
- Transport
- Private car airport/train station pickup
- Distance
- within the city
StopsDaily detailUrumqi Gathering: Museum + Grand Bazaar.
Today mainly focuses on gathering and adapting to the city. The driver-guide will hold a sign at the airport/station for pickup; the specific transfer time is based on the flight information. - D2Urumqi — Sailimu Lake Circumferential Tour — Guozigou
DestinationUrumqi — Sailimu Lake Circumferential Tour — Guozigou
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Yining direction
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- About 480 km / 6 hours
Daily detailUrumqi – Serimu Lake around the lake – Guozigou.
Accommodation for the night is arranged in the direction of Yining. After checking in, you are free to do activities; the departure time for the next day should be confirmed with the driver-guide the night before. - D3Naratih Direction Transfer—Gongnaisi Forest Farm Colorful Forest
DestinationNaratih Direction Transfer—Gongnaisi Forest Farm Colorful Forest
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Gongs Naisi
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- Subject to charter arrangement
Daily detailTransfer towards Nalati—Gongnaisi Pasture with colorful forest.
Accommodation for the night will be in Gongnaisi, with free activities after check-in; the departure time for the next day will be confirmed with the driver-guide the night before. - D4Gongnaisi—Qiaoma—Duku North Section Canyon—Tangbula
DestinationGongnaisi—Qiaoma—Duku North Section Canyon—Tangbula
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Nilka
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- About 90 km / 2 hours
Daily detailGongnais—Qiaerma—Northern Duku Canyon—Tangbula.
Accommodation that night is arranged in Nileke, with free activities after check-in; the departure time for the next day should be confirmed with the guide the night before. - D5Fanhu Jier Tidaban—Bayanbuluke
DestinationThe sunset over the winding nine curves and eighteen bends
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Scenic area
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- Subject to charter arrangement
Daily detailFrom Hujierti Daban to Bayinbuluke: Nine bends and eighteen turns at sunset.
Scout the sunset shooting location in advance, return to accommodation after shooting; do not stop during the night drive through the Gobi section. That night's accommodation is arranged in the scenic area, free activities after check-in; confirm the departure time for the next day with the driver-guide the night before. - D6Bayanbulak Swan Lake—Big and Small Dragon Ponds
DestinationBayanbulak Swan Lake—Big and Small Dragon Ponds
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Kuqa direction
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- Subject to charter arrangement
Daily detailBayanbulak Swan Lake—Big and Small Dragon Pools.
The accommodation for that night is arranged in the direction of Kuqa. After checking in, you are free to explore; the departure time the next day should be confirmed with the driver-guide the night before. - D7Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon — Exterior of Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves — Kuqa King’s Mansion
DestinationTianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon — Exterior of Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves — Kuqa King’s Mansion
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Kuqa
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- Subject to charter arrangement
StopsDaily detailThe mysterious Tianshan Grand Canyon — Exterior view of Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves — Kuqa Royal Palace.
Accommodation that night is arranged in Kuqa. After check-in, free activities; the departure time the next day will be confirmed with the driver-guide the night before. - D8Kuche airport drop-off or return to Urumqi
DestinationKuche airport drop-off or return to Urumqi
- Meals
- Breakfast (hotel) | Lunch and dinner on your own
- Accommodation
- Transport
- Business vehicle charter
- Distance
- Subject to charter arrangement
Daily detailSend to the airport in Kuqa or return to Urumqi City.
Daily Itinerary
- D1 Gather in Urumqi: Museum + Grand Bazaar, overnight in Urumqi.
- D2 Urumqi — Around Sailimu Lake — Guozigou, overnight toward Yining.
- D3 Transfer toward Nalati — Gongnaisi Pasture autumn forest, overnight in Gongnaisi.
- D4 Gongnaisi — Qia'erma — Northern section of Duku Canyon — Tangbula, overnight in Nileke.
- D5 Cross Hujierte Pass — Bayanbulak: Sunset at Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns, overnight in the scenic area.
- D6 Bayanbulak Swan Lake — Big and Little Dragon Pools, overnight toward Kuqa.
- D7 Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon — Exterior view of Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves — Kuqa Palace, overnight in Kuqa.
- D8 Drop-off at Kuqa airport or return to Urumqi.
The Duku section is limited to vehicles with fewer than 7 seats, and the daily opening times are adjusted dynamically; the pass section has highly variable weather, so a buffer day is included in the itinerary, with an alternate route through the Ili River Valley in case of road closures.