After finishing the tour in Stone Town and Golden Grass Beach, we had a simple lunch in Taxian County and then went along National Highway 314 to Khunjerab Port on the China-Pakistan border. Just out of Ta County, the road is surrounded by golden bushes, which looks very harmonious and beautiful.
Since ancient times, when people want to cross the Pamir Plateau, there are only three post roads, and all three post roads converge in a place called the ancient country of Puli. The ancient country of Puli is today's Taxkorgan Autonomous County, the county seat is 3200 meters above sea level. The photo was taken next to National Highway 314 near Ta County.
Taxian County is known as "the best county in China". National Geographic once used "the four best" to describe this place: No. 1: One county faces three countries. Tajikistan borders three countries, namely Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This also makes Tajikistan the most bordered country in China. county. The picture shows the national gate of the Khunjerab Port on the China-Pakistan border (we can't reach it, the photo was sent to us by the tour guide).
The second cow: The Millennium Stone City is considered to be the capital of the "Panduo Kingdom" established by the local Tajik ancestors in the early AD. Stone City is the largest station on the ancient Silk Road passing through Congling (Pamirs), and it was still functioning until the Qing Dynasty. The picture shows the stone city under the snow mountain.
The third cow: here are the most beautiful forest of ice towers in China and the forest of ice towers in Xinghua Village, which are very rare landscapes, which can only be formed under certain conditions, only in the Rongbuk Glacier at the foot of Mount Everest in China, and Yebokang at the foot of Mount Shishapangma Existing on the Galle Glacier. The Keleqing River Valley in Taxian County has gathered many glaciers, forming a large number of ice tower forests. The ice towers are crystal clear, standing upright like a forest, moving forward with the glacier, like white sails and crystals. The Keleqing River Valley is undoubtedly one of the best places in China to appreciate glaciers and ice tower forests. We didn't go on this trip, the photos are taken from the Internet.
The fourth cow: there are many peaks, with Chogori in the south and Muztag in the north. Among the 12 peaks above 8,000 meters in the world, 4 are in Taxian County, namely K2 (8,611 meters above sea level), Broad Peak (8,051 meters above sea level), and Gasherbrum II Peak (8,034 meters above sea level). ), Gasherbrum I Peak (8068 meters above sea level). The most famous K2 has been famous for a long time. It stands on an ice cliff and has a cold appearance. Most of the stories about it are the tragic history of human beings conquering the snow peak. The picture shows K2 taken on the way.
National Highway 314 (China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) is known as the highest border road in the world, and has been rated as one of the top ten steep roads in the world. On the way to Khunjerab, colorful mountains can be seen everywhere, and the landscape is very rich and peculiar.
The scenery of the Pamirs is not artificially modified, it is completely pure nature! This is the scenery along the way taken in the car.
The highways in Xinjiang have a speed limit of 60 kilometers, so it is safe to drive. Although the speed of the car is not fast, when cattle and sheep pass by the side of the road, sometimes the photos are not complete. This is a flock of sheep passing by.
This is a camel passing by.
Most of the 314 National Highway (China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) leading to Khunjerab is a newly built asphalt road.
National Highway 314 (China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) leading to Khunjerab, and some gravel roads.
We had a cruiser and the tire was punctured by a sharp rock. The driver is changing the spare tire.
Finally arrived near Khunjerab. This is now a border restricted area, and tourists are prohibited from entering.
The public sign reads: Non-entry personnel and vehicles are not allowed to pass.
someone is working here
Only our three cars came here that day. Therefore, there was no one to stop at the beginning. I boldly walked into the restricted area for a while, and took a picture of the barracks of the Khunjerab outpost squad.
There are sanitation workers cleaning the Khunjerab outpost barracks.
Soon, soldiers from the outpost squad appeared and asked us to retreat outside the restricted area. This is a dog photographed outside the restricted area. We fed it several pieces of naan.
It's very cold on the Pamirs, especially at Khunjerab, which is more than 3,600 meters above the lake, and the cooling speed is so fast. We took a group photo and left in a hurry.
This is the snow-capped mountains and plateau pastures near Khunjerab taken before departure.
This is the yak photographed in the car on the way back.
Leaving Khunjerab, we rushed to Panlong Ancient Road in Ta County. Panlong Ancient Road is located in Waqia Township, Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County (Ta County), where it is also called Waqia Highway. To go to Waqia Township, you have to pass through a reservoir.
The Tajiks live and breathe on the banks of the Taxkorgan River. There are many industrious Tajiks in Waqia Township.
The tour guide said that this road was newly paved with asphalt in June last year and put into use in July, which greatly facilitates the travel of farmers and herdsmen in mountainous areas. The winding roads and unique landforms make this the latest internet celebrity attraction in Xinjiang. The photo was taken on Panlong Ancient Road.
According to legend, Xuanzang once traveled here to learn Buddhist scriptures. This is an ancient road that crosses the Kunlun Mountain Ridge. Because it looks like a giant dragon, it twists and turns on the Kunlun Mountains, so it is called the Panlong Ancient Road by tourists. The photo was taken on Panlong Ancient Road.
The Panlong Ancient Trail has a total length of 75 kilometers, with more than 600 S-curves, many of which are 180 or even 270 degrees. Because it was getting late, we only walked a short part of it. The photo was taken on Panlong Ancient Road.
The Panlong Ancient Road hovers over the Pamir Plateau at an altitude of about 4,100 meters like a huge dragon. The dark asphalt road is perfectly combined with the colorful mountains. In addition, the prosperous wonders such as the continuous snow-capped mountains in the distance only belong to the Pamirs. The picture shows a commemorative photo I took on Panlong Ancient Road.
The Panlong Ancient Road is a new online celebrity check-in place in the Pamirs. Currently, the loading navigation is not displayed on the map. This is a photo taken by a group member with a drone, because the light is not very good, and the effect of aerial photography is not very good.
