Difference between revisions of "Irkeshtam border crossing"

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Revision as of 17:29, 11 November 2011

Irkeshtam border crossing
<map lat='39.68' lng='73.895845' zoom='11' view='0' float='right' />
Information
Countries: Flag of Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan | Flag of China China
Type: Mountain pass (3005m)
Motorway: E 60

Irkeshtam is a small village in the southeast of Kyrgyzstan. It is the end of the European Route number 60 (E 60). The border to China is the second important border crossing from Kyrgyzstan to China.

Irkeshtam Village

Irkeshtam Pass

The Irkeshtam Pass is one of the major border crossings to China and belong to the network of the silk road. It is also the eastern end of the E 60. Road contidions on the kyrgyz side are pretty good as long it's not snowing. On the Chinese side, parts of the road are very bad, but they seem to rebuild the whole road (November 2011). For example it is not allowed for Kyrgyz cars to cross. So you have to change at the border into a chinese vehicle. The border is opened during the day only and it is CLOSED on the weekends and holidays. The pass is approached from the city of Osh via Sary Tash on the Kyrgyz side and from Kashgar via Ulugqat in the Xinjiang province from the Chinese side.

Crossing the border can take anything between 1 and 3 hours, so you better be early.

To Kyrgyzstan, Osh

The easiest way to to opt for a ride with a truck driver. If you start in Kashgar, take the earliest (around 6am local time) shared taxi to Wuqia. The taxis depart outside Kashgar's international bus station and charge around 25Y per person. After 2 hours you will be half ways to the border, just hitchhike straight - try your luck with the huge white-container trucks, and make sure your head towards Irkeshtam and not Torugrat!

To Kashgar

From Sary-Tash, just walk to the road leading to Irkeshtam and hitch. Most trucks will pick up hitchhikers, but most of the will also demand money. The usual fare seems to be 300 Som or 5-10 $.

The border seems to close at 2 pm kyrgyz time. If you arrive too late and it's too cold for camping, you can stay with the locals in Irkeshtam for 100 Som.

Conditions can change any time. Please stay informed and update this site.