Karamay City

An oil city on the western edge of the Junggar Basin, with the yardang landforms of the Urho Ghost City and the Dushanzi Grand Canyon both strikingly dramatic.

Karamay lies on the northwestern edge of the Junggar Basin in northern Xinjiang and rose around the first major oilfield of the People's Republic, giving the city a distinct petroleum-industry character. The Urho Ghost City is a classic yardang landscape, especially spectacular at sunset. Dushanzi is the northern starting point of the Duku Highway, and the nearby Dushanzi Grand Canyon is crisscrossed with gullies. Summer and autumn are the best times to travel; summer middays are hot, so bring sun protection. Arrive via Karamay Airport, or travel from Ürümqi by car or train.

Destinations

• Karamay (Urho Devil City)
• Dushanzi

Itineraries

• North Xinjiang Grand Loop: Kanas, Ili & Duku Highway – Depart from Urumqi to loop through Altay, Sayram Lake, and Ili, returning via the northern section of the Duku Highway
• Duku Highway: North-to-South Tianshan Crossing – Drive the entire Duku Highway from Dushanzi to Kuqa, experiencing grasslands, mountain passes, the Nine Curves and Eigh…