Karaokam Highway
Travelling through the Karaokam Highway
Karaokam Mountain along the Karaokam Highway, Xinjiang, China
Completed in 1979 and opened to the public in 1985, the Karakoram Highway, formally known as the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway, is a 1,300km road which links Hasan Abdal, Pakistan with Kashgar, the second most important city in Xinjiang province, China.
There is no trip to the south of Xinjiang complete without travelling through the highest paved road on this world, that goes through the three greatest mountain ranges on Earth: the Himalayas, the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush.
The Chinese part of the trip end at the China - Pakistani border.
The paved road goes through …
…the greatest mountain ranges on Earth
Local transport -Karaokam Highway, Xinjiang Province, China
Changing traditions and changing …
… after every hundred kilometers on the highest elevated highway on this Globe.
The highest part of Pamir/ Karaokam highway is adorned with the Karakul Lake. Located at an altitude of 3914 m its name is translated as “The Black Lake”. This is one of the highest lakes in the region.
Mainly, the Kyrgyz inhabit Karakul Lake, as it is only 50 km to the border with Kyrgyzstan
Canvas Painted by God - Karakul Lake with a Kyrgiz yurt, Xinjiang Province, China
Tashkurgan (Taxkorgan) is located in the southwestern part of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is near the borders of Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This authentically exquisite small town is almost 100% tajik, where this Persian speaking Muslim group lives around the snowcapped Pamirs, a mountain range between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tajik Minority couple. Tajik minority is perhaps the most non- Chinese looking ethnic group in China. They have copper-colored skin, round eyes and Caucasian features and some have blue eyes, freckles and red hair.
Tajik women can be recognised by the high hat they are wearing
Food vendor in Tashkurgan, Xinjiang Province, China
Tashkurgan’s fortress with the mountain range, Karaokam Highway, Xinjiang Province, China
Road to Tashkurgan
And at the end- the China - Pakistan border…
…with a view.
How to get to Kashgar / Kashi Xinjiang Province, China
By Air
Kashgar Airport is located 15 minutes driving from old town. Most flights serve between Urumqi and Kashgar with flexible choices of schedule from morning to night. Domestic flights connect Kashgar to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with a transit in Urumqi
By train
There are three daily trains which run between Urumqi and Kashgar offering hard seats, hard sleepers and soft sleepers - 18-25 hours. The train station is about 6 km-s from downtown.
How to travel on the Karaokam Highway in Xinjiang Province
Hire a car with driver / Agency
The tourist info office next to the mosque on the main square in Kashgar Old town can arrange a car with a driver for you. The trip is usually a 3 day/2 nigh trip where accommodation and transport is included. First night in Tashkurghan, second night in a yurt by the Karakul lake.
Self travel
You can also travel by bus from the Kashgar city bus station (ke yun zhan / 客运站) at 9:30 am and arrives at Tashkurgan at around 16.00pm Please note that if you travel by yourself there are two places where you can stay in Tashkurghan:
K2 Youth hostel and Crown Inn Hotel - only these hotels can take foreigners.
Please note that camping is now forbidden by the Karaokam highway
If you travel with an agency / driver they take the responsibility over registering you by the local police.