Difference between revisions of "Irkeshtam border crossing"

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=== Into Kyrgyzstan {{European Route Number|60}} ===
 
=== Into Kyrgyzstan {{European Route Number|60}} ===
  
From [[Kashgar]], Bus number 2 heading north will take you a bit out of the city on the right road. Catch a car or truck, get to the intersection of road 309. There are many small villages on the way, after some 40 km you will reach the intersection of Irkeshtam and Tourgart pass. Make it to [[Ugomchat]], !!IMPORTANT!! The imigration office has moved from the border to Ugomchat, you will need to get your EXIT stamp there. However the Imigration is a bit hidden, about 3 km from the town. A local car might just pass it and you will arrive 7 hours later at the border told that you have to go back! (Yes really) You can easily catch a truck from imigration as well, guards will help you. 5-8 hours truck drive to the border. Border closed weekends. Closes early, at 6 - 6:30 [[Beijing]] time. At border chinese side there is some kind of accomodation, but also possibility to find abandoned room where you can sleep. The border opens at 11 am beijing time. Guards will get you on a truck across to Kyrgyz side.
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From [[Kashgar]], Bus number 2 heading north will take you a bit out of the city on the right road. Catch a car or truck, get to the intersection of road 309. There are many small villages on the way, after some 40 km you will reach the intersection of Irkeshtam and Tourgart pass. Make it to [[Ugomchat]], !!IMPORTANT!! The imigration office has moved from the border to Ugomchat, you will need to get your EXIT stamp there. However the Immigration is well hidden and not signposted, about 3 km from the town. A local car might just pass it and you will arrive 7 hours later at the border told that you have to go back! (Yes really). After you have passed Ugomchat city, keep looking to your right as you head out on the outskirts, and you will see a large, official looking building. This is the place. [[user:lukeyboy95|lukeyboy95]] was told by immigration that hitching a ride here was illegal, and not allowed (May 2013). After a night of protesting and camping outside they're flashy building, the next morning they reluctantly granted permission for me. So be careful, a taxi is $65. If you get further info here, update this section.   5-8 hours truck drive to the border. Border closed weekends. Closes early, at 6 - 6:30 [[Beijing]] time. At border Chinese side there is some kind of accomodation, but also possibility to find abandoned room where you can sleep. The border opens at 11 am beijing time. Guards will get you on a truck across to Kyrgyz side. In Winter, this can be very cold. Wrap up.  
  
 
=== Into China ===
 
=== Into China ===
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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.
 
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.
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[[Category:China]]
 
[[Category:China]]

Revision as of 01:03, 7 August 2014

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


The Irkeshtam pass is a border crossing between Kyrgyzstan and China. It is located near the small village of Irkeshtam in Kyrgyzstan and forms the end of European Route 60 (E60). The border to China is the second important border crossing from Kyrgyzstan to China. The pass is approached from the city of Osh via Sary Tash on the Kyrgyz side and, on the Chinese side, from Kashgar via Ulugqat in the Xinjiang province.

Irkeshtam Village

Road conditions on the Kyrgyz side are pretty good as long it's not snowing. On the Chinese side, however, parts of the road are very bad, but road construction is ongoing as of November 2011. It is not allowed for Kyrgyz cars to cross the border, so you have to change to a Chinese vehicle at the border. The border crossing is open only during the day and it is closed on weekends and holidays. Crossing the border can take anything between 1 and 3 hours, so you better be early.

Hitchhiking out

Into Kyrgyzstan E 60

From Kashgar, Bus number 2 heading north will take you a bit out of the city on the right road. Catch a car or truck, get to the intersection of road 309. There are many small villages on the way, after some 40 km you will reach the intersection of Irkeshtam and Tourgart pass. Make it to Ugomchat, !!IMPORTANT!! The imigration office has moved from the border to Ugomchat, you will need to get your EXIT stamp there. However the Immigration is well hidden and not signposted, about 3 km from the town. A local car might just pass it and you will arrive 7 hours later at the border told that you have to go back! (Yes really). After you have passed Ugomchat city, keep looking to your right as you head out on the outskirts, and you will see a large, official looking building. This is the place. lukeyboy95 was told by immigration that hitching a ride here was illegal, and not allowed (May 2013). After a night of protesting and camping outside they're flashy building, the next morning they reluctantly granted permission for me. So be careful, a taxi is $65. If you get further info here, update this section. 5-8 hours truck drive to the border. Border closed weekends. Closes early, at 6 - 6:30 Beijing time. At border Chinese side there is some kind of accomodation, but also possibility to find abandoned room where you can sleep. The border opens at 11 am beijing time. Guards will get you on a truck across to Kyrgyz side. In Winter, this can be very cold. Wrap up.

Into China

From Sary-Tash, just walk to the road leading to Irkeshtam and hitch. Most trucks will pick up hitchhikers, but most of them will also demand money. The usual fare seems to be 300 som or US5–10.

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.