Panlong Ancient Trail in the Clouds

99% of people haven’t completed this secret route in Southern Xinjiang! Depart between April and June to cross the “Earth’s Fold” of the Pamir Plateau

Have you seen that video?
A road twists like a DNA helix along the Kunlun Ridge,
Outside the car window are snow peaks, glaciers, blue lakes, and the eagle flute of shepherds…
The comments all ask: “Is this Switzerland or Iceland?”

Wrong.
This is Xinjiang, China—the springtime on the Pamir Plateau.

This time, we take the road less traveled,
Starting from the ancient city of Kashgar, going upstream,
Entering a place called “the fold of the world’s rooftop”:
See the Oyitake Red Mountain burning the earth like flames,
Hear the wind echoing the thousand-year Silk Road by the White Sand Lake,
Cross the clouds along the Panlong Ancient Trail,
Step into the Tajik painted wooden houses and drink a steaming bowl of butter tea…

This is a journey for the brave—
No filters, all real.

📍 Route Overview
Kashgar → Oyitake Red Mountain → White Sand Lake → Muztagh Ata Peak → Taxkorgan County (Tax County) → Panlong Ancient Trail → Tasha Ancient Trail (experience section) → Shache → Return to Kashgar
🗓 Recommended duration: 7-8 days｜🚗 Mainly self-driving/carpool｜💰 Budget: 4000–5500 RMB per person
🌤 Best seasons: April–June (early spring greenery), September–October (clear autumn skies)

🌄【Day 1】Kashgar → Oyitake Red Mountain → White Sand Lake｜Start the red fantasy
✅ Morning: Check in at Oyitake Red Mountain
Red rock layers formed by billions of years of geological movement, like lava solidified on the earth
Wear dark clothes for photos; the background looks like a Mars battlefield

✅ Afternoon: Drive 3 hours to White Sand Lake (Brunkou Lake)
White sand like snow, lake water deep blue, Muztagh Ata Peak reflected in the distance
You can walk to the shallow lake center for a “sky mirror” effect

🏨 Stay near Karakul Lake guesthouse or return to Tax County｜about 280 RMB

💡 Tip: Altitude is over 3300 meters, avoid strenuous exercise!

⛰️【Day 2】White Sand Lake → Muztagh Ata Peak → Tax County｜Face the “Father of Ice Mountains”
✅ Morning: Close-up view of Muztagh Ata Peak (altitude 7546 meters)
At the parking spot, capture the classic scene of yaks at the glacier’s foot
Brave travelers can try a short hike to approach the glacier tongue

✅ Afternoon: Enter Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County (Tax County)
The only county in China with a majority of white ethnic group, with simple folk customs
Visit the Stone City ruins, watch the sunset over the Jincao Wetland

🏨 Stay in a boutique guesthouse in Tax County｜oxygen rooms available｜about 350 RMB

🛂 Reminder: Non-local tourists need a border pass (can be obtained in advance in Kashgar)

🛣️【Day 3】Tax County → Panlong Ancient Trail → Tasha Ancient Trail section｜Drive on the fingerprint of the earth
✅ Highlight all day: Challenge the Panlong Ancient Trail
“Today I’ve passed all the winding roads, from now on life is smooth”—this popular slogan is here!
608 bends winding above 4000 meters altitude, thrilling and breathtaking

✅ Afternoon: Light exploration of the partially open Tasha Ancient Trail
The route taken by Xuanzang on his westward journey in the Tang Dynasty, now only partially accessible
Along the way, apricot blossom slopes (in spring), cliff streams, and ancient post station ruins intertwine

📸 Photo tip: Launch a drone to capture the road winding like a giant dragon around the mountains

🏨 Stay in Tax County or roadside military posts｜basic conditions｜about 300 RMB

🏘️【Day 4-5】Tax County → Shache → Kashgar｜Return to everyday life
✅ Shache highlights:
Yarkand Khan’s Royal Tomb: exquisite Islamic architecture, witnessing the rise and fall of Western Regions dynasties
Shache Old City Night Market: more authentic Uyghur flavor than Kashgar
Must-eats: walnut bread, yogurt zongzi, baked buns with rose tea

✅ Last day return to Kashgar
Stroll Kashgar Old City again, watch elders play chess in front of Id Kah Mosque
Buy some dried fruits, small floral hats, and handmade copperware as souvenirs

🏨 Stay in a star-rated hotel or distinctive guesthouse in Kashgar｜about 260 RMB/night

✅ Budget breakdown (per person):
Item Cost
------ ------
Round-trip flight/train ticket to/from Kashgar ¥1200–2000
Car rental/carpool (7 days) ¥1800
Accommodation (7 nights average ¥300) ¥2100
Tickets + shuttle (Stone City, Panlong Ancient Trail, etc.) ¥300
Meals + snacks + souvenirs ¥700
Total ¥4000–5500

🌟 Why is this route worth a special trip?
Because it’s not just scenery,
It’s the intersection of three civilizations:
You see the power of nature at White Sand Lake,
Hear Persian echoes in the eagle flute at Tax County,
Taste the oldest sweetness of the Silk Road in Shache.

This is China’s Pamir,
And the closest place to the sky on earth.

📌 Action advice:
Check your holidays now!
Apr–Jun apricot blossoms bloom, Sep–Oct autumn colors are clear—
Miss this, and you wait another year.