Things to do in Karamay

Karamay's World Devil City is a Yardang landform sculpted by wind and sand over millions of years. A ride on the scenic train through the Gobi Desert reveals uniquely shaped rock formations rising from the barren landscape. The wind howls through the ravines, giving the place its name, "Devil City." At sunset, the changing light and shadow bathe the hills in a warm gold, creating a desolate yet breathtaking scene. The area possesses a vast, wild atmosphere, perfect for photography. Remember to bring sun and wind protection; it's a must-see natural wonder on the Northern Xinjiang loop.

Heading towards the vast wilderness of northern Xinjiang, the first magnificent stretch of the Duku Highway begins at the Dushanzi Grand Canyon. This hidden realm, stretching along the edge of the Junggar Basin, is a monumental fissure etched into the earth by the winds and snows of the Tianshan Mountains and the waters of the Kuitun River over millions of years, concealing the unique desolation and grandeur of Northwest China. Upon first glimpse of the canyon, one is struck by its utterly primal awe. On the flat, boundless Gobi Desert, the earth abruptly breaks apart, a deep ravine plunging into the sky and stretching for tens of kilometers without end. A vertical drop of two hundred meters creates a breathtaking spectacle of cliffs; layers upon layers of sandstone and conglomerate walls are steep and rugged, covered with folds eroded by flowing water and wind, their intricate patterns resembling the earth's unfolding veins, or the countless strokes of time, rough yet powerfully imbued. Layers of gray-black, yellowish-brown, and reddish-brown rock stacked upon each other on the cliff face are silent imprints of millions of years of geological changes. The nine-tiered, terraced landscape, eroded by wind and snow throughout the seasons and carved by rivers, imbues every inch of rock with the weight of time. Gone are the gentle embraces of verdant mountains and clear waters; here lies the rugged grandeur of the northern wilderness—desolate, magnificent, and majestic, a breathtaking natural beauty in its own right. Standing on the viewing platform, the vast Gobi Desert stretches to the horizon, with the river meandering through the valley, its shallow flow gently smoothing the cracks in the earth. A long, howling wind sweeps across the rugged cliffs, dispelling all the anxieties of the journey. Beneath the blue sky and white clouds, the rugged canyon and the clear sky reflect each other; the vastness of heaven and earth makes one feel insignificant, and all worries are dissolved by the immensity of the mountains and rivers. Dushanzi Grand Canyon is an epic masterpiece of nature, a testament to the grandeur of northern Xinjiang. Unadorned and unrefined, it stands against the backdrop of millions of years of history, its spirit defined by the vast wilderness and towering mountains. This initial journey to the canyon allowed me to understand the majestic vastness of Northwest China and encounter the most healing freedom and openness.

Xinjiang Trip Day 9 ✨ Tangbula Hundred-Mile Gallery—Duku Highway—Urumqi What incredible luck today! I woke up this morning to find out the Duku Highway was reopened! ✨ What would have been an 11-hour drive was reduced to just 8 hours! What amazing luck! 🌄 Surprise at the start: The Hundred-Mile Gallery is breathtakingly beautiful! Every snapshot is wallpaper-worthy scenery 🏞️ The Duku Highway truly deserves its title as Xinjiang's most beautiful highway 🏆 Today we witnessed: ✓ 20°C summer at the foot of the mountain vs. a sub-zero snowy world at the summit ❄️ ✓ A changing panorama of scenery throughout the four seasons: grassland → spruce forest → snow-capped mountains → Danxia canyons ✓ A southerner screamed with excitement upon touching a real snow-capped mountain for the first time (I won't say who it was 😝) 🚗 Driving Tips: 1️⃣ Duku Highway Opening Hours: June 1st - October 15th 2️⃣ Restricted Hours: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM 3️⃣ Essential Items: Thick coat! Sunscreen! Sunglasses! (Don't ask how I know, I just got three shades tanned 😭) 💯 Today's highlights: A snowball fight at the foot of the snow-capped mountains ☃️ Zero traffic jams + zero livestock = a silky smooth experience Still savoring the experience on the way back to Urumqi, this was definitely the most worthwhile day of my Xinjiang trip! I highly recommend that everyone visiting Xinjiang add the Duku Highway to their must-see list~ #XinjiangTravel #DukuHighway #HundredMileGallery #TangbulaGrassland #UrumqiTourism

The site where the first oil field was discovered in Karamay, though abandoned, is significant as a tourist attraction. Visitors can see the crude oil bubbling from the wells, which is quite interesting, and also get a sense of the once bustling oil extraction activity.

After purchasing your ticket at the visitor center, those who enjoy hiking and have the stamina to spare can opt for the shuttle bus ticket. After arriving at the parking lot, walk about a kilometer to the left to reach the third shuttle bus stop, where you can enjoy camel rides. If you're curious, let the camel driver take you through the thousand-year-old poplar trees—a truly unique experience! The poplar trees in northern Xinjiang are in full bloom around National Day. Don't miss out!

The temperature difference between morning and evening is large in Duku. It is cooler at night, about 20 degrees. You can enjoy the delicious food and beautiful scenery. The wonders of nature are fully displayed here. Come quickly. There will be no good scenery when it is cold.

How can you not visit the Devil Couple when you come to Devil City? There are many scenic spots along the way, but most of them are named because they are very similar in shape, such as the Sphinx and the Titanic. However, on a pile of earth, you can see two different figures from different angles. Such a masterpiece is really rare. After coming here, your vision will be broadened a lot. Looking at one earth ball after another and one shape after another, it is inevitable that you will sigh at the magic of nature.

Here you can see the Yadan landform and Populus euphratica forest, and there are eight sections of road that pass through water. It is quite interesting to drive the car through the water. Compared with the Devil City, there are actually more things to see, Yadan landform + Populus euphratica forest + wetland + meadow, and the sunset is also very vast. The key is that there are very few people!!! The shuttle bus goes around for about an hour. When you want to stop, tell the driver that you can take pictures of the Populus euphratica forest as you like. There are few people and you have the freedom.

It's a worthwhile attraction. We rented a taxi in Wusu to get there. When we arrived at the scenic area parking lot, the driver took us to the site of my country's first oil well. From there, we climbed up the mountain to reach the mud volcano. The slope is gentler from there, so you don't have to climb those six or seven hundred steps.