Top 3 Tashkurgan Tours 2025/2026
Xinjiang Tourism News (updated on January 29, 2024):
1. To visit Xinjiang region, you need to obtain a China Tourist Visa.
2. You can enter Xinjiang via land ports, international flights or domestic flights from Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and other cities in China.
Tashkurgan, or Taxkorgan, is an isolated region in the far west of Kashgar prefecture of Xinjiang, China. It used to be the main road of the “ancient Silk Road” leading from China to West Asia. It is also an important border town near Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Most of the population of Tashkurgan are Mountain Tajiks, China’s only Caucasian ethnic group who still live the nomad life and keeps the old tradition of ancient time. For travelers, Tashkurgan is a rare place, without many souvenir shops, restaurants, street foods and crows, to explore some authentic culture and ancient history of Silk Road. Sitting on the heavenly Pamirs plateau, Tashkurgan is extraordinarily beautiful. Several of the highest mountains on the Earth meet there- Pamirs, Hindukush, Karakoram, and the Himalayas. Under the feet of these giant mountains lie many pastoral villages, fertile grasslands and lovely rivers. What a paradise! A Tashkurgan trip is also “a journey of film”. The great movie “the Kite Runner” was shot in Tashkurgan. The Stone City Ruin, which appears many times in the movie, was the site where Amir and Hassan used to play together during their childhood.
How to plan a tour to Tashkurgan? Most of the travelers visit Tashkurgan as a part of their Kashgar trips. After spending 1 or 2 days in Kashgar, you can plan a trip of 2 or 3 days to Tashkurgan from Kashgar. The first day is to drive about 290 km (about 4~5 hours) along the famous Karakoram Highway. What you can see and experience along the road is even more beautiful than the destination Tashkurgan. There are stunning Karakul Lake, White Sand Lake, Muztagh Ata, grasslands, valleys... On the second day, you can spend a half day visiting the historical Tashkurgan Fort (Stone City) and enjoying some leisure walking on the Golden Grassland, then drive the same way back to Kashgar. If time allows, you can stay one more day in Tashkurgan to explore more things, such as the Panlong Ancient Road, apricot blossom village, Tashkurgan Museum, etc.
This legendary Pamirs Tour combines the Silk Road culture with Pamirs adventure perfectly. It is all-inclusive private tour package that is strongly recommended for those who are seeking for authentic culture and wild landscape.
Highlights: Tashkurgan Fort (Stone City), Karakul Lake, Golden Grassland, Kashgar Bazaar, Kashgar Old Town, Muztagh Ata, Id Kah Mosque
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This is the most classic and enjoyable Xinjiang tour on which you will visit the Golden Triangle - Urumqi, Kashgar and Turpan to get the best Silk Road exploration and Xinjiang's best culture and nature.
Highlights: Heaven lake, Bezeklik Caves, Kashgar Bazaar, Kashgar Old Town, Karakul Lake, Tashkurgan Fort, Golden Grassland, Muztagh Ata
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Urumqi and Kashgar are the two Must-go destinations for all the first-timers. They are the very essence of Xinjiang, no matter you are seeking for Silk Road history, authentic local culture, or marvelous scenery.
Highlights: Kashgar Old Town, Kashgar Bazaar, Heavenly Lake, Karakul Lake, Tashkurgan Fort, Xinjiang Regional Museum, Id Kah Mosque
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Tashkurgan is only a small part of the vast Xinjiang. When planning a trip to Xinjiang, you shouldn’t miss the Golden-triangle destinations – Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar. If you want to try something unusual, what about a desert adventure to Taklimakan Desert, or a photography trip to Kanas, or a grassland tour to Yil? Xinjiang has much more to offer. Here are some recommended valuable Xinjiang tour packages (find more tours here). Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
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11 Days In-depth Wild Silk Road Adventure Tour (Cultural Relic & Unrivalled Landscape)
Lanzhou / Zhangye / Jiayuguan / Dunhuang / Turpan / Urumqi / Kashgar
This is an in-depth wild Silk Road adventure covering the best cultural and natural highlights in Northwest China. You will first transfer from Lanzhou to Zhangye by high speed train and view colorful Zhangye Danxia landform - “Rainbow Mountains”, and then visit Jiayuguan Pass - the largest and greatest military fortress of China’s Great Walls, later get to Dunhuang, enjoy splendid Buddhist murals and sculptures in Mogao Caves. Continue your Silk Road via bullet train trip to Turpan, where ethnic legacies and natural landscape are well reserved. Next, move to Urumqi to admire a bright pearl on Tianshan Mountains - Heavenly Lake. The last stop is Kashgar, where you spend one full day discovering Kashgar Old Town and major landmarks and a visual feast of Karakul Lake.
from Request
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5 Days Urumqi Discovery to Turpan and Heavenly Lake
Urumqi
When you are planning your itinerary in Urumqi, you should turn away your attention from the downtown area of Urumqi where there are not many things to do. Actually, the real highlights are located a bit far away but worth going. They are the alluring Heavenly Lake and ancient Silk Road destination - Turpan. By travelling Urumqi with the Heavenly Lake and Turpan, you are rewarded a comprehensive exploration of ancient Silk Road sites, history and culture of the whole Xinjiang region and joys of spectacular natural beauty.
from Request
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7 Days Urumqi Turpan Highlights Tour with Kumtag Desert Adventure
Urumqi / Turpan / Kumtag Desert / Urumqi
This is a unique Xinjiang tour, covering many featured experiences in Urumqi and Turpan which are two of the most recommended destinations in Xinjiang. Rather than exploring the most famous historical and cultural sites related to Silk Road and Xinjiang history, you will also be taken to try something different, something that is out of your expectation, such as riding a camel in the desert, sitting on the vast grassland, cruise on a heavenly lake… It’s an enjoyable tour like a true holiday because we will take care of the hotel, transfer, sightseeing, meals and other necessary tour services for you.
from Request
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9 Days Taklamakan Desert Ancient Silk Road Tour
Kashgar / Karakul Lake / Hotan / Ala'er / Kucha / Urumqi
Starting from Kashgar and ending in Urumqi, this Xinjiang adventure tour takes you to explore the most important sections of the ancient Silk Road in Xinjiang, including the cultural center Kashgar, historical Kuqa and legendary Hotan, and also take an adventure through the desert highway in Taklamakan Desert. It suits both culture lovers and nature lovers well.
from Request
