China Tashkurgan

Tashkurgan is the administrative centre of the Tajik Autonomous District in Xinjiang, China, 200 kilometres south of the city of Kashgar on the ancient Silk Road in the four-country corner of China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are also not far away. The name Tashkurgan "Stone Hill, Stone Castle" comes from the old fortress which is located above the city on the high hill. This fortress is over 2,000 years old. From the fortress you can see the idyllic picture of the valley with a meandering river, grazing sheep, cows, horses and Tajik yurts in front of the snow-covered mountains.