How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 6 Duku Scenic Drive to Nalati)

Duku Scenic Drive (独库公路) to Nalati. Visited 25-26 June 2024.

With the Kashgar visit, I completed my tour of Southern Xinjiang, known more for its cultural experience. I now set my sights on Northern Xinjiang, more for its natural sceneries. So, from Kashgar, I returned to Kuqa to go north on the Duku Road (独库公路) to Nalati. I teamed up with 4 other Chinese girls to rent an MPV and drove for 9 hours, stopping at various scenic spots along the way.

The Duku Road is reputed as a scenic drive. It started with a desert landscape and stark bone-dry rocks and mountains. Then green landscape started to appear. We stopped at the Big Dragon Lake (大龙池), at 3700 m and surrounded by mountains. We stopped to wander on the mountain slopes overlooking the valleys where clear mountain water flows. We then stopped at Bayinbuluke (巴音布鲁克). The sky had been murky and chilly. The mountains and hill slopes were carpeted with green grass. The minority ethnic Mongolians have lived here for centuries. Their yurts perched on these mountains stood as a refuge in this vast open grassland. They galloped on horseback fearlessly and with more flair than a cowboy. The fragrance of the grass stirred with the fresh smell of horse manure, was refreshing and invigorating.

Convoys of tourist cars drove at almost snail’s pace up and down the roads that meandered around the high mountains. These mountains were often without any tree taller than the short grass on them, providing those who come to drive here unobstructed views all around, including the scary depths of the valleys below.

We finally arrived in Nalati in the late evening, at about 9 pm. It was a long but enjoyable drive.

The next day, I walked to the main Nalati Tourist Office to start exploring the Nalati Scenic Area. There were already multiple long queues that filled the hall, but they dealt with it super-efficiently. We were then driven by tourist coaches in the Area to the various scenic spots.

Nalati is well-known for its grassland. It is of course popular with city folks who are more accustomed to hard concrete floors unless they are die-hard golfers. The first stop was the Grassland in the Sky (空中草原). Everyone headed to the elevated viewpoint. The steps were packed with tourists of all ages, many taking their time to catch their breath, while others trying to pose for their best looks against the handrails. Some climbed over the rails with signs that read “Do Not Climb Over!”, to reach the greener pasture on the other side. I saw ladies of mature age making numerous quick poses for their photoshoots. This setting will make anyone look young and beautiful.

This vast grassland stretched from one end of the mountain range to the other end, under the watchful eyes of the snowcapped mountain range.  Visitors were excited to set foot on the grass but not the manure, some still soft and fresh. Some dressed in traditional costumes accentuated with make-up to put themselves in a fairyland. It could have been a fairyland without the crowd.

To start from Stop 1, click the link below:

How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 1 Urumqi)

To go to the next Stop, click the link below:

How to experience the unique cultures of Xinjiang, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 70 days (Stop 7 Kuerdening)

The Stops on this Trip:

China Urumqi > Turpan > Kuerle > Kuqa > Kashgar > Kuqa > Nalati (via Duku Scenic Drive) > Kuerdening > Yining > Sailimu Lake > Yining > Urumqi > Buerjin > Kanas Lake > Hemu > China Urumqi > Kyrgyzstan Bishkek > Bokonbayevo (Issyk kul Lake) > Karakol > Kyrgyzstan Bishkek > Uzbekistan Tashkent > Tajikistan > Khujand > Panjakent (and Haft Kul/The Seven Lakes) > Iskanderkul > Dushanbe > China Urumqi > Hami > Dunhuang > Jiayuguan > Zhangye > Lanzhou > Xian

The route map for this trip: