Kashgar + Pamir Plateau Ultimate Guide, Every Frame is Epic

This is China’s most hardcore border line

Have you ever imagined—
Standing on a plateau at 4,700 meters elevation,
With the ever-frozen Mustagh Glacier on your left,
The China-Pakistan Friendship Highway winding like a ribbon into the mountains on your right,
And ahead, the five-star red flag fluttering proudly at the Khunjerab National Border Gate?

This is not a military documentary,
This is the real Pamir journey of 2024.

This time, we retrace the route of Xuanzang’s westward pilgrimage,
Delving deep into the earth’s folds along the China-Pakistan border,
Completing a top-tier route hailed by countless travelers as a “soul pilgrimage”:
Kashgar → Basha Lake → Karakul Lake → Mustagh Peak → Tashkurgan → Khunjerab National Border Viewing Platform → Eastern end of the Wakhan Corridor → Return to Kashgar

📍 Total distance about 1000 km｜🗓 Recommended duration: 6-7 days｜💰 Budget: 4000–5500 RMB/person
🌤 Best season: May – October (stable climate, smooth border access)

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🏔️【Day 1】Kashgar Old Town → Basha Lake → Karakul Lake｜Step into the Western Regions’ painting
✅ Depart from Kashgar in the morning, head west along G314 National Highway (China-Pakistan Friendship Highway)
- First stop: Basha Lake
- White sand dunes meet turquoise waters, like God spilled a palette
- When the wind rises, sand waves roll, aerial shots resemble Martian landscapes

📸 Must-shoot spots:
- Silhouettes of dead trees by the lake + snow mountain reflections in the distance
- Overlook the “Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns” from the entrance of Panlong Ancient Road (drone takeoff point)

✅ Arrive at Karakul Lake (meaning “Black Lake,” but actually deep blue) in the afternoon
- Backed by Mustagh Peak (7,546 meters), known as the “Father of Ice Mountains”
- At sunset, snow peaks turn golden pink, the lake surface mirrors the sky and mountains

🔥 Bonus experience: Camp lakeside overnight, the Milky Way stretches across the peaks, so cold you shiver but don’t want to sleep

🏨 Stay in yurts by Karakul Lake or campsites en route to Tashkurgan｜Approx. 300–400 RMB

📌 Fun fact: Xuanzang crossed the Congling Mountains nearby on his return journey, writing “The cold wind is piercing, many violent dragons make travel difficult.”

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🏞️【Day 2】Mustagh Glacier Base Camp → Tashkurgan County｜Touch the “Father of Glaciers”
✅ Continue early morning, get up close to Mustagh Glacier
- Option to take local off-road vehicles to the glacier front (about 15 minutes)
- The glacier tongue extends into the valley, millennia-old ice within reach, awe-inspiring

📷 Photo tips:
- Use a polarizing filter to reduce glare and highlight glacier textures
- Wear bright-colored outdoor jackets for better shots (red/yellow preferred)

✅ Enter Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County (“Tashkurgan” or “Tashan”) in the afternoon
- The only ethnic area in China predominantly inhabited by Caucasians
- Simple folk customs, eagle flute sounds echo through valleys, every household flies the five-star red flag

🏨 Stay in boutique guesthouses in Tashkurgan｜Some rooms with oxygen supply｜Approx. 380 RMB

💡 Reminder: Apply for border permits in advance in Kashgar! Bring original ID card.

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🛑【Day 3】Tashkurgan → Khunjerab National Border Viewing Platform｜Salute the westernmost point of the motherland
✅ Depart for Khunjerab Port (4,733 meters elevation)
⚠️ Important notice:
- Since 2020, Khunjerab land port is closed to tourist visits
- But you can view the border gate and boundary marker from designated viewing platforms (guarded by border police)

🚩 Significance:
- “Saluting at the westernmost point of my country” is a dream moment for many
- The five-star red flag flutters fiercely in the highland winds, moving to tears

📷 Shooting tips:
- Use telephoto lenses to compress space, frame the border gate with snow mountains
- Wear army green or camouflage jackets for full atmosphere

✅ On the return trip, stop at the Stone City ruins
- Ruins of the Tang Dynasty Qiepantuo Kingdom capital, an important Silk Road post
- Sunset casts long shadows on the broken walls, history comes alive

🏨 Stay again in Tashkurgan

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🌄【Day 4】Tashkurgan → Eastern end of Wakhan Corridor → Band-e Amir Blue Lake｜Step into the “Eastern Switzerland”
✅ Drive to the eastern viewing point of the Wakhan Corridor
- This is the border area between China and Afghanistan
- Look far into the narrow valley stretching out, surrounded by Pamir Mountains, silent and serene

📌 Geography trivia:
The Wakhan Corridor was once a key Silk Road route and a buffer zone in the British-Russian “Great Game,” still strategically important today.

✅ Hidden gem stop: Band-e Amir Blue Lake (also called “Little Switzerland”)
- The lake water is a dreamy Tiffany blue, surrounded by snow mountains
- Local Tajik herders call it “The Eye of the Earth”

🏨 Stay in Tashkurgan or return near Karakul Lake

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🚗【Day 5-6】Tashkurgan → Kashgar｜Complete the loop
✅ Return to Kashgar along the same route, about 500 km
- Stop at different times to capture light and shadow scenes
- Upon arrival, celebrate at Kashgar Old Town East Gate Night Market:
- Must-eats: roasted pigeon, pilaf, yogurt zongzi, rose tea

🏨 Stay in boutique guesthouse in Kashgar Old Town｜With terrace views of Id Kah Mosque｜Approx. 350 RMB

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✅ Budget breakdown (per person):

Item Cost
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Round-trip transport to/from Kashgar (flight/train) ¥1000–1800
Car rental (7-seat SUV with driver, approx. 1000 km) ¥2200
Accommodation (6 nights avg. ¥350) ¥2100
Tickets + shuttle (Stone City, Mustagh Glacier environmental fees, etc.) ¥300
Food + supplies + souvenirs (eagle flute models, dried fruits, etc.) ¥600
Total ¥4000–5500

>💬 Note: Border permits are free of charge.

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⚠️ Key reminders (must read!)
1. Border permit must be applied in advance:
- At Kashgar International Self-driving RV Camp or travel agency counters
- Required documents: original ID card + itinerary (specifying Tashkurgan, Khunjerab, Karakul Lake, etc.)

2. Altitude sickness prevention:
- Altitude ranges from 3000–4700 meters, recommend carrying oxygen bottles and Rhodiola
- Avoid bathing and strenuous exercise on arrival day in Tashkurgan

3. Road conditions and safety:
- Most of G314 National Highway is good, but landslides occur occasionally (watch out in rainy season)
- No unauthorized self-driving vehicles allowed in border areas, must follow official convoys

4. Khunjerab current status:
- Not open for public internal visits, only diplomatic and freight traffic allowed
- Viewing platform allows short stops for photos, follow border police instructions

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🌟 Why is this route called the “Pamir King Bomb”?

>Because it combines three irreplaceable experiences:

✅ Geographic pinnacle:
- The magical colors of Basha Lake
- The majesty of Mustagh, “Father of Ice Mountains”
- The vastness of the Pamir Plateau, “Roof of the World”

✅ Historical echoes:
- Places Xuanzang passed, the sound of Silk Road camel bells still in your ears
- Stone City witnessing millennia of dynastic changes

✅ Patriotic sentiment:
- Standing at the border viewing platform, you suddenly understand what “pure love, only for China” means
- Every fluttering flag tells the story of border guards’ dedication

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📌 Action suggestions:

🎯 If you are:
- A photography enthusiast wanting a “life photo set” → Basha Lake + Karakul Lake sunset are legendary
- A passionate youth loving flags, borders, and geography → Khunjerab check-in is a once-in-a-lifetime memory
- An urban escapee seeking spiritual cleansing → Take the Pamir trip, your heart will feel pure

🔥 Set off now:
June–September is the golden window, stable weather, stunning scenery,
Relaxed border policies, miss it and wait another year!