Tashkurgan

China's only Tajik autonomous county, with Stone City and the Golden Grassland, the Panlong Old Road and Bandir Blue Lake, and a route south all the way to the Khunjerab border gate.

Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County (Tashkurgan for short) lies on the eastern Pamir Plateau at the southwestern tip of Kashgar Prefecture in Xinjiang, bordering Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is China's only Tajik autonomous county, and the county seat sits at an altitude of about 3,100 m. It was a key stop where the ancient Silk Road crossed the Pamirs (the "Onion Range"): the Han-dynasty Puli Kingdom and the Tang-dynasty Congling garrison both built towns here, and Xuanzang returned east through the Wakhan Corridor past this spot.

Sights center on the county seat: beside town are the Stone City ruins and the Golden Grassland wetlands; to the north are the Jirzankal cemetery and the Tagharma wetlands with their snow-peak reflections (about 100 km farther north lies Karakul Lake & Muztagh Ata, a separate destination); to the south, a self-drive loop runs along the Panlong Old Road and past Bandir Blue Lake; farther south are Kiz Kurghan (Princess Castle) and the Wakhan Corridor viewing area, ending at the Khunjerab border gate at an altitude of about 4,700 m. In spring you can go deep into Tar Township to see apricot blossoms.

The best season is June–October; from late September to October the Golden Grassland turns yellow and is most photogenic; apricot blossom season is late March to early April; winters are bitterly cold and mountain passes may close. Getting there: Kashgar to Tashkurgan is about 290 km, a 5–6 hour drive along the China–Pakistan Highway; Tashkurgan Khunjerab Airport has flights to Kashgar and Ürümqi. The area is a border control zone, so you must obtain a border-area pass in advance (apply on the immigration bureau's online platform), with many checkpoints along the way, and carry your ID card. Xinjiang time runs about 2 hours behind Beijing time. We suggest 2–3 days, spending the first day slowly adjusting to the altitude and avoiding strenuous activity and alcohol.

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