Xinjiang: Highway S101 & Highway 217, Jun 2024

There are many beautiful scenic drives in Xinjiang with the most well known being Duku Highway.  Unfortunately, during our visit it was temporarily closed due to hail and snow.  Yes, hail and snow in June!  Another famous scenic highway in this part of Xinjiang is Provincial Highway S101.  Also known as the TianShan Scenic Corridor, it is a National Defense Highway built in the 1960s to prepare for war and famine and prevent attacks by the Soviet revisionists.  It links Urumqi to the Bayin’gou pasture in Wusu city.  The scenery along the S101 consists of the reddish Danxia landform, canyons and snow mountains, meadows with cattle and sheep, desert, and river valleys.

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

Visitors come here to stay at these yurts to escape the summer heat.

 

Counting sheep…

 

Sheep along highway S101

This baby sheep actually looks almost as big as its mother!

 

Scenery along the S101

 

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Ham and cheese sandwiches?

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

Scenery along the S101

 

 

Scenery along the S101

 

I would also like to share some of my favorite shots from Highway 217 which we took from Altay to Mogui City.

 

Scenery along Highway 217

 

Strange pattern cow.

 

Cattle along Highway 217

 

Scenery along Highway 217

 

Scenery along Highway 217

That’s a wrap for Xinjiang.  It is a huge place, the largest province of China, and one has to be prepared for a ultra long drives although the scenery along the way is out of this world.  I will be back for more very soon.  Stay tuned!

 

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