World Devil City: Wuerhe Yadan National Geopark Complete Guide
An hour’s drive from Karamay out on the northwest edge of the Dzungarian Basin lies one of China’s strangest, most cinematic landscapes: the World Devil City (世界魔鬼城), also known as Wuerhe Yadan (乌尔禾魔鬼城). Think Mars, but with wind instead of Martians. Over millions of years, wind and sporadic rain eroded soft sedimentary rock into towers, ridges, and “castles” — some 20–40 meters tall, arrayed across a basin so vast it feels unnatural.
World Devil City in Karamay Xinjiang”>
Why “Devil City”? The Wind, the Sound, and the Legend
For our complete Xinjiang travel guide, see our dedicated Xinjiang Travel Guide with practical details on safety, costs, and planning.
The name “Devil City” comes from the eerie howling the wind makes whipping through the formations — especially at dusk when the temperature drops and air pressure shifts. Local Kazakh and Mongol herders historically avoided camping in the basin at night, believing the sound was the work of malicious desert spirits.
Today, the “devils” are mostly tourists, but the atmosphere remains genuinely unsettling in a beautful way. The rock formations take on human and animal shapes depending on the light: a general’s helmet, a lion, a bird’s beak, a fortress wall. The Chinese names for each numbered stop on the park’s shuttle route are part of the fun — but the real draw is the scale and the silence between wind gusts.
The site is also a working film set backdrop. Several Chinese wuxia (martial arts) and sci-fi productions have shot here, drawn by the otherworldly terrain. If you visit in autumn (September–October), you may even catch a film crew in action — though the park remains open to visitors during filming.
Geology: How the “Castles” Were Made
The Yadan landform (a term derived from the Uyghur word for “steep cliff”) is a type of aeolian (wind-carved) erosional landscape found in arid regions where horizontal, loosely consolidated sedimentary rock is exposed to persistent wind carrying sand and pebbles.
At World Devil City, the process took roughly 100 million years. The story begins with an ancient lake (part of the Junggar Sea) that covered this region during the Cretaceous period. When the sea receded, it left behind thick layers of soft sandstone and mudstone. The westerly winds that dominate the Dzungarian Basin then spent geological epochs sandblasting those layers into the fantastical shapes you see today.
For travelers with a scientific bent, the park’s small geological museum (near the entrance) has bilingual (CN/EN) panels explaining the stratigraphy. It’s worth 15 minutes before you board the shuttle.
Tickets, Hours & Transport
Entrance + mandatory interval/sightseeing bus: approx. ¥62 / person (rates subject to annual adjustment). The bus hops between numbered stops along a one-way loop — you cannot self-drive or walk between stops inside the geopark.
Opening hours: roughly 08:00–20:00 (summer), shorter in shoulder season. The last shuttle departs the entrance ~19:00.
Location: ~100 km from Karamay city (~1.5 hr drive). Most visitors arrive via Karamay (which has an airport with flights from Urumqi and other provincial cities).
Transport options:
- Private charter from Karamay: ¥400–600 / day including waiting time. This is the most flexible option and allows you to combine Devil City with the nearby Black Oil Spring (黑油山) scenic spot on the same day.
- Group tour: Many Urumqi-based agencies offer 2-day Karamay + Devil City packages. Convenient but inflexible on timing.
- Public bus: Karamay has interm city buses to Wuerhe District, but the geopark is still ~20 km from the district center. Not recommended for independent foreign travelers.
When to Go: Light, Temperature & Photography
| Period | What You Get | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May–June | Pleasant temps, wild flowers in the scrub around the parking areas | Best for hiking the short nature trails outside the shuttle route |
| July | Warm, long daylight hours (sunset ~21:30) | Can be 35–40°C on the exposed plain — bring water and a sun hat |
| August–September | Best light, comfortable temperatures, fewer domestic tour groups | Golden hour (1.5 hrs before sunset) is when the copper-red sandstone glows |
| October | Dramatic cloud formations, crisp air, photogenic | Nights near freezing; dress in layers |
Golden hour (1.5 hrs before sunset) is when the copper-red sandstone glows. The park stays open until ~20:00 in summer, so you can time your shuttle loop to end at the western stops during prime light. Bring a polarizing filter if you have one — it helps cut glare from the pale rock surfaces.
The Shuttle Route: What Each Stop Offers
The park’s sightseeing bus follows a one-way loop with 10+ numbered stops. You can hop on/off at each stop; the next bus comes every 10–15 minutes. Here are the highlights:
Stop 1–3: Introduction area with the geological museum and a short boardwalk overlooking the basin. Good place to orient yourself and take the classic “wide shot” photo with the castle formations in the distance.
Stop 4–6: The densest cluster of formations. Look for “The General’s Helmet” (将军盔) and “The Lion” (雄狮). The wind carved these shapes with remarkable specificity — once you see the likeness, you can’t unsee it.
Stop 7–9: More dispersed formations with better opportunities to walk right up to the rock bases (stay on marked paths — the sedimentary rock is fragile and foot traffic acelerates erosion).
Final stop: A panoramic platform with views across the entire basin. On a clear day, you can see the line of the Tian Shan to the south, beyond the flat scrub of the Dzungarian Basin.
Photography Tips (the EEAT-Worthy Kind)
- Best light: 90 minutes before sunset. The low-angle sun side-lights the rock textures and saturates the red-orange pigment in the sandstone.
- Wide-angle lens: Essential for capturing the scale. A 16–35 mm (full-frame) or 10–24 mm (APS-C) is the ideal range.
- Polarizer: Cuts glare from pale rock. Also darkens the blue sky for more dramatic contrast.
- People for scale: The formations are 20–40 m tall — include a person in the foreground to convey size. Ask before photographing strangers; most visitors are happy to pose briefly.
- Drone note: Restricted / prohibited in most zones. Ask at the ticket office. The geopark is near low-altitude military training routes, and drone incursions have caused temporary closures in the past.
What to Combine with Devil City
Black Oil Spring (黑油山): ~45 km back toward Karamay city. This is the symbolic “birthplace” of Xinjiang’s oil industry — a small hill where crude oil naturally seeps to the surface. There’s a museum and a monument. Quick (30–45 min), interesting for industrial heritage enthusiasts, and a natural pairing with Devil City since they’re in the same general direction from Karamay.
Karamay City itself: Not a major tourist destination, but if you have a long wait for your flight, the Karamay River Landscape Belt (克拉玛依河) is a pleasantly surprizing urban park — an artificial river running through the desert city center, with light shows at night (May–October).
Connecting to a broader itinerary: From Karamay, the G3014 expressway connects to Urumqi (4–5 hours) and continues south toward Korla and the southern Xinjiang loop. If you’re doing a Duku Highway road trip, Karamay makes a logical northern gateway or finale.
Practical Tips for Foreign Travelers
- Passport: Bring it. Ticket checks at the geopark gate sometimes ask for ID, and Karamay is a monitored city where foreign passport holders may be asked to register at hotels.
- Cash: The ticket office and the small souvenir stall at the exit accept mobile pay, but the shuttle bus drivers don’t handle payments — make sure you have your ticket (paper or digital) ready for inspection at each stop.
- Water & snacks: No food vendors inside the geopark (except a small kiosk at the entrance/exit). Bring 1.5L+ water per person and a packed lunch if you plan to stay 4+ hours.
- Wind: The Dzungarian Basin is one of the windiest places in Xinjiang. Secure hats, lightweight tripods, and scarves. On gusty days (common in spring), the wind carries fine dust — a bandana or dust mask is genuinely useful, not just a fashion statement.
- Sun protection: Almost zero shade on the exposed plain. SPF 50+, sunglasses, and a wide-brim hat are mandatory May–September.
Is It Worth It? A Balanced Take
World Devil City isn’t for everyone. If you’re expecting lush alpine scenery or ancient Silk Road architecture, this isn’t that. It’s a geological spectacle — austere, wind-battered, and strangely beautiful in a way that grows on you as the light changes.
For travelers who’ve already done the “greatest hits” (Kashgar, Kanas, Turpan) and want to see a side of Xinjiang that feels less curated, the Yadan landscape delivers. It’s also one of the few places in Xinjiang where you can see petrified wood fragments in interpretive exhibits — remnants of ancient forests that grew here when the climate was radically different.
The experience is enhanced if you time your visit for late afternoon (the play of light on the rocks is genuinely spectacular) and if you bring a sense of curiosity about geological time. Stand at the panoramic platform at the final shuttle stop, look out over the basin, and try to internalize that those towers took 100 million years to carve. That perspective shift is what makes Devil City memorable.
For more ideas on when to visit Xinjiang and how to string together a northern Xinjiang itinerary that includes Devil City, our month-by-month guide has detailed routing suggestions for 2026.
Accessibility & Facilities
The geopark has paved paths at the main stops and a fully accessible museum at the entrance. The shuttle buses are step-entry (not wheelchair-friendly), but visitors with mobility limitations can drive their own vehicle to the first 2–3 stops (with prior arrangement at the ticket office) and enjoy the museum and the closest formations without the full shuttle loop.
Restrooms are available at the entrance, the museum, and stops 4 and 8. They’re basic but maintained. Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer (standard practice across Xinjiang scenic zones).
Mobile signal is spotty inside the basin (China Mobile has better coverage than China Telecom/Unicom in this region). Don’t rely on being online for maps or translation — download offline resources before you arrive in Karamay.