Duku Highway Monument — Attraction in Xinjiang

This highway in Xinjiang is truly a must-see, as it offers the rare experience of passing through all four seasons along a single route. We entered from the northern entrance while traveling from Nalati to Kuytun, and the 200 km stretch presented breathtaking scenery—made even better by the fact that there are no tolls.

Known as the Duku Highway, it is often called the “Hero Road” or “Heroic Road” because of the extraordinary human spirit and sacrifice that went into its construction. Thousands of soldiers spent a decade building it, and 168 of them gave their lives in the process. The name honors their heroic contribution to creating this monumental road, which for the first time linked northern and southern Xinjiang across the formidable Tianshan Mountains. Today, it not only shortens travel distances but also treats travelers to some of the most spectacular—yet...

Duku Highway is truly one of the most scenic drives with breathtaking views that shift from snow-capped mountains to grasslands and deep gorges. I visited in June and was lucky with clear skies and pleasant weather, which made the journey even more enjoyable.

The road conditions were generally good, though some stretches can be winding and narrow— best for confident drivers. While it’s not the easiest route to access, the natural beauty and variety of landscapes make it well...

Duku highway ( also called china national highway G217 ) only open to public on June -Sept every year. Duku Highway is a scenic mountainous route spanning over 500 kilometers between Dushanzi and Kuqa. As a major road linking northern and southern Xinjiang, it is famous for its spectacular natural landscape, including glaciers, forests,...