5 Days in Karamay

The first well blew in on 29 October 1955; the exhibition hall's drilling relics and photographs need about 90 minutes, free with ID and closed Mondays.

1. karamay no 1 well
2. karamay oil museum

The 8.51-km river park threads the whole town; the Irtysh diversion, finished in 2000, enters at the nine-dragon headworks of Jiulongtan. In summer the riverside lights and fountain run after dark.

1. karamay riverfront
2. karamay jiulongtan
3. karamay century park

Drive the 100 km to Urho (about 1.5 hours); ride the 45-60 minute shuttle loop among the yardangs, then continue to Ailik Lake for reeds and waterfowl. Entry with shuttle around CNY 60.

1. karamay devil city
2. karamay ailik lake

The Baiyanghe river has cut a red-walled gorge below Urho town, and the dinosaur park displays models of the Cretaceous creatures whose fossils were dug up in these hills; return to Karamay for the night.

1. karamay baiyanghe canyon
2. karamay dinosaur park

Early look at the 13-metre seeping mound, then 150 km south to Dushanzi, where the Kuitun River has cut walls about 200 m deep beside the zero-kilometre marker of the 561-km Duku Highway. Trains from nearby Kuytun reach Urumqi in roughly 3 hours.

1. karamay black oil hill
2. karamay dushanzi grand canyon