11-Day Motorcycle Riding Itinerary – Duku Loop in Northern Xinjiang, to Find “Your Altay”

Route Map About the Journey

Detailed 11-Day Motorcycle Riding Itinerary in Nouthern Xinjiang

Day 1: From all over the country to Urumqi (assembly day)

• Today is the day for vehicle inspection. Group members can go to the Urumqi station for vehicle inspection and test drive during working hours. If there is a time conflict, you can also go to the station for vehicle inspection before 10:00am on the departure day.

Day 2: Urumqi – Tianchi – Mulei (316KM)

• Tianshan Lake
• Mulei Populus euphratica forest

Day 3: Mulei-Qiakuertu (430KM)

• Mulei Populus euphratica forest,
• Wucaijian
• Ulungur River

Day 4: Qiakurtu – Altay – Burqin (367KM)

• Grassland,
• snow-capped mountains

Day 5: Burqin – Kanas – Habahe (302KM)

• Naren Grassland
• Hemu Village
• Hemu Grassland
• Birch Forest Park mentioned in “My Altay”

Day 6: Habahe-Karamay (395KM)

• Urho Ghost City
• Baiyang River
• Manas Lake

Day 7: Karamay – Tacheng – Alashankou (482KM)

• Mili River
• Sea of Flowers
• Mili Ancient Town

Day 8: Alashankou City – Wenquan County – Horgos City (370KM)

• Sailimu Lake
• Aibi Lake

Day 9: Horgos City – Zhaosu – Tekes (278KM)

• Yizhao Highway
• Princess Jieyou
• Lavender Grassland
• Kelajun Scenic Area

Day 10: Tekes-Nalati (270KM)

• Bagua City
• Nalati Grassland

Day 11: Nalati-Dushanzi (243KM)

• Duku Highway
• Dushanzi Grand Canyon
• Bayinbuluke

Day 12: Dushanzi – Qingshuihe – Urumqi (350KM)

• The Geographic Center of Asia
• Baili Danxia

Main Attractions Along the Journey

Altay region

• Altay is not a city, but a region. It is divided into 1 city and 6 counties. For example, Kanas, Hemu, Baihaba, Keketuohai, and Ulungur Lake are all in the Altay region. The short play “My Altay” vividly depicts the beauty of Altay, which is a world like “Garden of Eden”. Far away from car exhaust and noisy crowds, snow-capped mountains are connected to grasslands, and lakes are accompanied by dense forests. There you can see almost all the magnificence and romance in the world. Altay is to the north of northern Xinjiang, and Altay is the “center of heaven”.
• Altay is stunningly beautiful in all seasons, with its blue sky and vast expanses of land. If you miss Altay, you miss half of Xinjiang’s beautiful scenery.

Mulei Populus euphratica forest

Although the Mulei Populus euphratica forest has gone through many vicissitudes of life, it still retains its ancient primitive appearance. Populus euphratica is a primitive tree species with extremely tenacious vitality, and is praised by humans as a warrior against the desert. The tree trunk is more than 20 meters high. The iron trunk and twisted tree are magnificent, with layers of green leaves in various shapes, some round like eggs, and some like willow leaves, layered and airtight. Walking into the Populus euphratica forest, you will feel a primitive breath, which will make you feel the rhythm of primitive life.

Kanas Scenic Area

There are 55 scenic spots of various sizes in Kanas Scenic Area, which belong to 33 basic types, mainly including Kanas National Nature Reserve, Kanas National Geopark, Baihaba National Forest Park, Jadengyu National Forest Park, Kanas River Valley, Hemu River Valley, Naren Grassland, Hemu Grassland and Hemu Village, Baihaba Village, Kanas Village and other domestic and foreign famous landscape areas and three major cultural landscape areas.

Sailimu Lake

Sailimu Lake is the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest and highest alpine lake in Xinjiang, covering an area equivalent to 70 West Lakes. It lies quietly among the peaks of the Tianshan Mountains, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds that are always online. The blue of the lake is so refreshing and unforgettable.

Yizhao Highway

Yizhao Highway is a highway connecting Yining and Zhaosu, and is also a section of the “Gongyue Road” of the ancient Silk Road. It passes through Yining, Chabuchaer County, and Zhaosu, with a total length of 122 kilometers. It is only open for about 4 months a year and is a limited-time “hundred-mile gallery”. The main road conditions are mountainous winding roads. The road is steep, with many bends and steep roads, and cliffs and deep ravines on both sides. Driving on the Yizhao Highway is like traveling on white clouds. The vast mountain grasslands, lush primeval forests, beautiful lavender and rapeseed flowers, snow-capped peaks and steep cliffs can all be seen in one day.

Kalajun

“Kalajun” is a Kazakh word meaning “wild plains on the mountain ridge”. Kalajun Mountain is a mountain range stretching from east to west, with gullies and comb-like mountains on both sides. The mountains are undulating and covered with dense primitive spruce forests. The top of Kalajun is a high platform landform that slopes to the south. The grass is lush and the flowers are blooming, like a stretched green carpet, stretching all the way to the foot of the snow-capped mountains. Kalajun grassland is not only a rare natural grassland in the world, but also a beautiful grassland tourist area.