Driving from Urumqi, Xinjiang to the Cocoto Sea, the nearest and fastest route is to take the Tuwuda Expressway + Five Expressways, a total of 518 kilometers, more than 7 hours to arrive. If you don't have to hurry and want to spend less on highway tolls, you can take National Highway 216.
Xinjiang National Highway 216
Road conditions in 216 countries
National Highway 216 in Xinjiang stretches 857 kilometers from the foot of the Altai Mountains to Balentai in the hinterland of the Tianshan Mountains, and will extend south to the Jilong Port in Tibet in the future. Among them, the section from Urumqi to Cocoto Sea used to have no highways and railways, and now although there are five major highways and the Afuzun Railway, many people still choose to drive along the 216 National Highway.
National Highway 216 crosses the Kalamairi Reserve
This is because compared with the five major highways, National Highway 216 can stop and go along the way to see the scenery along the way, pass through the Kalamaili Reserve, and if you are lucky, you can also see a variety of rare wild animals, which is very attractive.
Map of the Karamairi Reserve on National Highway 216
National Highway 216 Kalamairi Conservation Area, a signpost to protect animals
Drive north along National Highway 216 from downtown Urumqi for about 190 kilometers, and in two and a half hours you can pass the Kalamaili Nature Reserve. There are signs on both sides of the road to protect animals, prohibit whistles, and signs to slow down. Established in 1982, the Kalamairi Reserve covers an area of 14,800 square kilometers, about the size of Beijing, and is located on the eastern edge of the Junggar Basin and the Gurbantunggut Desert.
Karameri Ungulate Wildlife Nature Reserve, extent map
The reserve is roughly in the eastern edge of the Junggar Basin, south of the Ulungu River, west of Beitashan, and north of the General Gobi, and is within the territory of Fukang City, Qitai County, Jimsar County, Fuyun County, Qinghe County, and Fuhai County in Xinjiang. As far as the eye can see, this place is a vast and silent desert, only one road extends into the distance, although there are few vehicles along the way, but drivers familiar with the road conditions know that the speed limit of this national highway can not be raced, because it is a paradise for wild animals.
Kalamairi Reserve
Kalamairi Nature Reserve is a ungulate wildlife nature reserve, mainly protecting Mongolian wild ass, goose-throated antelope, Przewalski's wild horses, red deer, pan sheep, wild goats, wild camels and other ungulate wildlife. They are herbivores, not aggressive beasts, so you can stop at National Highway 216 to see these wildlife.
Przewalski's wild horses in the Kalamairi Reserve
National Highway 216 passes through the Kalamairi Reserve
From the topographical point of view, the karamaili reserve belongs to the gravel Gobi in the east, the kalamaili mountains in the center, and the western part of the Gurbantunggut Desert. The terrain of this Gobi desert is undulating and changeable, forming large and small mountain packs, which are only tens of meters high.
Many people think that there is no grass here, but in fact, this land is covered with sparse scrub, mainly some desert plants, including shuttle, white shuttle, pipa firewood, sand grass, three-mangosteen, camel quinoa, sand artemisia and other low plants.
Mongolian wild donkey in the Kalamairi Reserve
Przewalski's mustangs cross National Highway 216
These green bushes provide conditions for wild animals to survive, and you can see animal droppings and footprints everywhere on the side of the 206 Country Road, sometimes you can meet yellow sheep and hares that are leisurely grazing, and suddenly find a cute camel looking at you curiously.
Camels on the side of the road in 216 countries
The wildlife here is not too wary of strangers, but it also keeps a certain distance. Most of the passers-by will take out their mobile phones in surprise to take pictures, to comply with the rules of the reserve, to maintain an appropriate distance, not to disturb each other, this is the most harmonious picture between people and wild animals.
Asian wild horse
The goose-throated antelope in the Kalamairi Reserve
In addition to ungulates, there are also some birds of prey and birds in the Karameri Reserve, the most powerful of which are vultures, golden eagles, jade belt sea eagles, goshawks, as well as birds such as great bustards, small bustards, stone chickens, sand chickens, and small animals such as prairie spotted cats, red foxes, sand foxes, wormweeds, grass rabbits, pikas, rodents, reptiles and so on.
Prairie spotted cat
partridge
No matter which animals you see, take pictures but don't disturb them. Protecting wildlife is everyone's responsibility, and we hope that the Kalamaili Reserve on National Highway 216 will always be a paradise for wildlife.
Animal passage in the Kalamairi Reserve
Kalamaili Reserve Indy's Prence's Wild Horse Area
Camels encountered along National Highway 206
Leaving the Kalamairi Reserve and continuing to drive north along National Highway 216, you may also encounter sheep and camels, which in Xinjiang will slow down and make way for camels and sheep, which is also a beautiful and civilized landscape.
Przewalski's wild horses in the Kalamairi Reserve
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