22 Sep 2025
Day 1: Beginning the Journey from Kashgar to Tashkurgan
After visiting the Kashgar Sunday Animal Bazaar, we were ready to begin our four days, three nights trip around Tashkurgan. Most travelers do a 2D1N or 3D2N route that includes the border area near Khunjerab Pass. But since we’re not Chinese nationals and technically couldn’t visit the border, the owner of our guesthouse kindly helped plan an alternative route.
It still covered most of the classic attractions but at a slower pace — which actually suited us perfectly. We both prefer to travel leisurely instead of spending all our time in the car rushing from one spot to another.
Aoyitake Red Valley (奥依塔克红山红山) – Seen from Afar
Our first stop was the Aoyitake Red Valley, and locals told us that there’s no real need to buy the ticket since you can see it perfectly well from outside. There are more activities inside, but we decided to just take some photos from the outside and move on — our first day was already quite packed! From the roadside, the mountain’s layers of red and orange were striking against the pale sky.
☕ A Warm Border Welcome
Shortly after passing Red Mountain, we went through a border security check — surprisingly smooth and efficient. To our delight, the officers were offering free hot tea to travelers. You could even scan their WeChat account to follow and receive a free drink — such a warm, welcoming gesture in the highland chill.
Unfortunately, we noticed a few people leaving behind their paper cups and trash nearby. It made me a little sad — especially because there were plenty of rubbish bins available, even along the roadside at many scenic spots.
It really isn’t hard to keep this beautiful place clean, and I hope visitors can be more mindful. This kind of hospitality deserves appreciation, not abuse.
White Sand Lake (白沙湖) – Blue, White, and Windy
Then came the long drive to White Sand Lake. It was windy and cold, and I honestly don’t remember exactly how long it took us — probably quite a while due to the strict speed limits. Thankfully, it wasn’t the Golden Week yet, so traffic was light.
The scenery along the way was mostly bare, rugged mountains. For me, it was reminiscent of my trip to Iran — that same raw, desolate beauty. My companion, on the other hand, found it refreshing, since it was his first time seeing this kind of landscape.
When we reached Baisha Lake, there were still quite a lot of people. One thing I really appreciate about Xinjiang is that attraction tickets are free for visitors over 65, and that applies even to foreigners! Optional services like internal shuttle buses usually give a 50% discount. A thoughtful gesture, really.
We ate simple noodles and lamb skewers at the shops near the entrance, then headed inside. The lake was enormous and stunning — its light blue and white colors were unlike anything else. We walked along the boardwalk until we reached the water’s edge, where locals asked if we wanted to ride a yak.
It was our first time seeing one in person, so of course we said yes! It was fun being led into the lake on this sturdy animal, and the locals helped take some beautiful reflection photos for us. It turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip in terms of photography. We may have gone to more impressive spots later, but none of them came with photographers who knew how to capture reflections that well — loved it!
By the way, the Baisha Lake ticket also includes entry to Baishashan (White Sand Mountain), so we continued there afterward. The views were stunning — vast, white, and surreal — a good reminder of how big this whole scenic area is.
Karakul Lake (喀拉库勒湖) – Framed by the Sacred Muztagh Ata
Next, we made our way to Karakul Lake, one of the most famous sights in southern Xinjiang. It’s often described as one of the region’s great beauties — and it truly was beautiful.
That said, I personally found Baisha Lake to be larger and somehow more impressive. Still, what makes Karakul Lake special is that it sits beneath the sacred Muztagh Ata (“Father of Ice Mountains”), which gives the whole view another layer of magic.
Fun fact: the word “kul” means lake in local languages — so technically, it should just be called Kara Lake! But since both English and Chinese have translated it as “Karakul Lake,” I’ll just stick with that. (Still, I had to point it out, haha.)
Taheman Wetlands (塔合曼湿地) – Quiet Beauty
Our next stop was the Taheman Wetlands, where we viewed the vast plain from the observation deck. Maybe it wasn’t the right season, but I didn’t see many animals, and the grass was more yellow than green. I probably need to train my sense of aesthetics a bit — I didn’t find it visually stunning, but there was something calm and peaceful about standing there, watching the open space.
There was a small souvenir shop nearby, and we bought postcards to send later. The owner told us that for overseas mail, we’d need to register it at the post office, so we planned to post them back in Kashgar.
Ever since our Japan trip, sending postcards has become a little travel ritual of ours. It feels special — the idea that a small piece of our journey physically travels across countries to reach our friends and family. In this digital age, it’s a nostalgic but heartfelt way of saying, “I’m thinking of you.”
Our Stay – A Yurt in Tashkurgan
That night, we checked into Tashkurgan Qiyue Homestay, which we had rented specifically because it was a yurt. We really wanted to experience staying in one!
Local residents technically aren’t allowed to host foreigners, and some yurts have more basic facilities, but this one turned out to be clean, spacious, and equipped with a modern bathroom. The owner was busy fixing a heater in another room, so our driver took us back to the city for the evening.
Tashkurgan Town – Borderland Charm and Warm Milk Tea
Tashkurgan has such a fascinating setting. It borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and you can really feel its crossroads culture. Shops sell jewels and jade, said to come from the Pakistan region, and plenty of imported goods from Russia and Kazakhstan too.
While my companion browsed through one of the jewelry shops, I ducked next door to try Pamir milk tea (奶茶). It’s salted rather than sweet — definitely different from what I’m used to, but not bad! Actually, quite comforting. The weather here was cool but not freezing, even though it had been windy and cold earlier at White Sand Lake.
Tashkurgan itself is relatively small — you can cover most of it in a day or two — but the roads are wide, and walking from one end of town to the other still takes some time. We enjoyed just wandering and taking in the mountain views.
We passed by a museum, which looked interesting, but it was already around 8pm and closed. It’s funny — in all my research, I never saw anyone mention a museum here. Maybe it’s new, or maybe it’s just overlooked. Either way, I’d love to peek inside next time.
巴铁夜市 & Yak Hotpot
We continued walking to the 巴铁夜市 (Ba Tie Night Market) — it wasn’t too far, but after a long day (and maybe a bit of altitude fatigue), it definitely felt farther than it was!
We ended the day with yak hotpot, which we’d noticed earlier was packed with locals. It was busy, lively, and the food was rich and warming — perfect after a chilly day. Yes, a bit pricey, but totally worth it.
Getting a taxi back to our homestay was slightly tricky — not many drivers were available on the app. Sometimes we got lucky online, other times we just flagged one down. Since our place was a little outside the city center, the driver asked for a few yuan more, explaining he’d have to drive back empty. He was upfront about it, which I appreciated — seemed fair to me.
We got back to our yurt feeling tired but satisfied. A long, beautiful, and eventful day in Tashkurgan — the start of our journey through the Pamir Plateau.
小贴士 | Travel Notes
- Best time to visit: May to October (avoid Golden Week crowds)
- Discounts: 65+ visitors enjoy free or discounted tickets, even for foreigners
- Weather: Warm in the sun, chilly at night — dress in layers
- Transport: Hire a driver or join a small group from Kashgar
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