Tashkurgan

Tashkurgan (塔什库尔干, Tǎshíkùěrgān; Uyghur: تاشقۇرغان) is a town in the far west of Xinjiang Province in China. Its population is mostly ethnically Tajik. The town is near the Pakistani and Tajik borders.

This region is commonly known as the main road of the "old Silk Road" the main route leading from China to West Asia. The average elevation is 4,000 meters.

Get in

Buses arrive and leave from the International Bus Station. Tickets are ¥51 per person and buses leave at 7:30AM (local time) daily. It is also possible to get a car for ¥120 per person.

The bus from Sost arrives at the 1 customs office, where your visa is checked and your biometric data is recorded. All your belongings will be x-rayed, so this can take some time.

Plans to build an international airport were approved in April 2015.

Get around

All of the places a tourist would visit are within walking distance.

See

• 1 Stone Fort. Stone fort is in downtown Taskurgan. It has a history of more than 2,000 years; in times gone by, it was the central palace of the Tajik kingdom. 

• Tashkurgan Grassland. During your the walk on the Grassland, you will encounter local Tajik people, herds of grazing animals, and you may visit their traditional yurt houses. You will have the opportunity to take photos of traditional life on the Pamir Plateau and of the beautiful scenery of the surrounding Pamir mountains. 

• 2 Eagle monument. 

Buy

• 1 Bazaar area. Area with a few supermarkets and other shops selling assorted junk. 

Eat

• 1 Pakistan Hunza-Wakhan cafe. Serves very good Pakistani food. 25-50. (updated May 2022)
• Several food stalls and cafes on the square outside the K2 Youth Hostel.

Sleep

Budget

• 1 K2 Youth Hostel. Popular with backpackers, this hostel has lots of dorms and private rooms, wifi, a bar and a roof terrace where laundry can be dried. The staff can help you to buy bus tickets. dorms from ¥49/night. (updated May 2022)

Mid-range

• Pamir Hotel (帕米尔宾馆), 中国新疆塔什库干县塔什库干路 (Down the Tashkugan Road towards the west end of town, opposite The China Roads Government Department), ☏ +86 998 3421085. Three star hotel, large communal courtyard close to the centre of town. 80 double room. 

Splurge

• Crown Inn, ☏ +86 998 3422888. An upscale foreign-owned hotel. They also arrange tours and provide travel advice. The website is very informative. Prices starting at ¥480. 

Go next

• Kashgar – about 8 hours to the north
• Sost – if you are heading into Pakistan, Sost will be your first stop