Picturesque Danxia landform along highway in NW China's Xinjiang

A picturesque scenery of the Danxia landform along the S101 highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Liu Hua)

The S101 highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is dubbed as the "geographic gallery on the Tianshan Mountains,” and has become a popular route since mid-May.

Along the road, travelers can view the Danxia landform, a landscape characterized by reddish sandstone features, snow mountains, meadows, cattle and sheep, rivers and the desert.

The S101 highway, which stretches about 300 kilometers, links Urumqi, capital of the autonomous region, with the Bayin'gou pasture in Wusu city. Many scenic areas are scattered along the route.

In recent years, Xinjiang has intensified efforts to build infrastructure along the highway to try to improve its service capacity, turning it into a great travel route that offers experiences such as photography, adventures, hiking and painting.