The Starting Point of the Tianshan Sky Road: Kilometer Zero of the Duku Highway and the Prelude to a Heroic Epic

1.The Duku Highway Starting: Point, located in the Dushanzi District of Karamay City, Xinjiang, marks the northern gateway to what is widely celebrated as China's most beautiful scenic road. Situated at an altitude of approximately 750 meters, this site serves as the literal and symbolic beginning of the 561-kilometer stretch of National Road 217 (G217) that traverses the Tianshan Mountains. For road trip enthusiasts, this is not just a geographical coordinate but the launchpad for a journey through "four seasons in one day".

The history of this starting point is deeply intertwined with a monumental engineering feat of the 20th century. Construction began in 1974 and concluded in 1983, involving over 10,000 soldiers from the People's Liberation Army. To forge this path between Northern and Southern Xinjiang, builders had to overcome extreme natural barriers, including crossing four permanent ice passes over 3,000 meters in elevation. The human cost was high; 168 soldiers sacrificed their lives during the arduous ten-year project, a legacy honored at the nearby Qiaoerma Memorial.

The landmark at the starting point features a prominent Starting Point Monument and Square, which has become a must-visit site for photography and commemorative check-ins. The square offers an expansive view where the flat plains meet the rising Tianshan range. Just 20-30 kilometers from the start, travelers encounter the awe-inspiring Dushanzi Grand Canyon, characterized by its deep, rugged gullies carved by snowmelt over millennia. Due to extreme winter conditions, the highway is typically open to traffic only from June to October, making the starting point a seasonal hub of adventure and reflection.