Pamir Plateau Drive: Tashkurgan to the Khunjerab Gateway
The Pamir is the high tableland at the crossroads of four mountain ranges — and the road from Tashkurgan to the Khunjerab gateway is its finale. At 4,700 meters the Khunjerab Pass is the highest paved border crossing on earth; even if you don’t cross (most travelers don’t), driving to the gateway is the closest you get to the roof of the world by car. It’s also the most altitude-demanding drive in Xinjiang, so the strategy matters as much as the route.
This is the upper half of the G314, beyond Karakul Lake.
Tashkurgan Base
The Tajik county town at ~3,100 m is your launch point and your acclimatization stop. See the Stone City (石头城) ruins above town and the nearby grassland where the famous ‘golden’ light hits at dusk. Overnight here before pushing higher — sleeping low protects you for the pass.
To the Gateway
The road climbs past the Karakul turn-off and over progressively higher ground, with Muztagh Ata and a string of lesser peaks to the west. The landscape thins to rock and ice; vegetation essentially ends. The gateway (the border post, not the actual crossing for most) is the turnaround. The drive is ~130 km round trip from Tashkurgan — half a day with stops.
Altitude Strategy
Above 4,000 m, take it slow: no running, hydrate, skip alcohol, and watch for headache or nausea. The pass is closed in winter and can be weather-closed in shoulder months. Summer is the reliable season. If you felt Karakul (3,600 m), you’ll feel this more — respect it. A hired driver who knows the road is common here, but self-drive is permitted with the permit.
Why It’s Worth It
The Pamir is a landscape with no equal in the region — vast, silence-heavy, and geological. Standing at the gateway, you’re higher than almost any road in Asia. Pair it with Karakul and Tashkurgan for a two-night Pamir mini-trip that’s the most otherworldly thing Xinjiang offers. Just give the altitude the respect it demands.
