China is a vast country rich in tourist resources. The country is abundant in attractions and historical monuments, beautiful rivers and mountains, and is famous for its ethnographic diversity. National songs and dances, customs and traditions that have centuries of history are a treasure trove of tourist resources in China.
When we talk about the joint use of tourist resources in China, we mean the territory of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), which borders Kyrgyzstan to the south and east. The total length of the border with China is over 1100 km. Currently, there are two border crossing points along the entire Kyrgyz-Chinese border.
The border crossing point (BCP) Torugart is located at the Torugart Pass (3754 m), near Lake Chatyr-Kul. This route leads to the Naryn region to famous tourist sites: the lakes Son-Kul and Issyk-Kul, and further through the Boom Canyon to Bishkek, or through the city of Karakol to Kazakhstan. The distance to Bishkek is about 600 km.
The border crossing point (BCP) Irkeshtam is located 30 km east of the Taun Murun Pass (3536 m). The Irkeshtam border post is situated in the middle course of the Nura River, 2 km from its confluence with the Kok-Suu River. The road leads to the Alai Valley to famous peaks popular among climbers: Lenin Peak, Korumdy, Somoni, Korzhenevskaya, and others. From the Alai Valley, the Pamir Highway opens the way for travel to the Pamirs or to the city of Osh and further into Uzbekistan. The distance to Osh is about 300 km.
For planning and organizing joint programs, it is important to know that the BCPs Torugart and Irkeshtam allow the passage of tourists five days a week from 10 AM to 3 PM, except for Saturdays and Sundays. The border crossings are also closed on public holidays. Since the public holidays in China and Kyrgyzstan do not coincide, the number of non-working days increases. There are periods when the border crossings do not operate for several days, for example, from October 1 to 8.
It is also necessary to remember that there are no accommodation facilities in the areas of the BCPs on the Kyrgyz side, and the time difference is four hours.
The center of all tourist routes leading to Central Asia is Kashgar, located approximately 200 km from the borders of Kyrgyzstan. It sprawls along the banks of the Kashgar River, in the center of a large oasis, squeezed between the Kunlun Mountains to the west and the Taklamakan Desert to the east. A must-visit place for tourists in Kashgar is the Old Town, located right in the center on a clay hill. Tourists enjoy wandering through its winding narrow streets—labyrinths in search of exotic shots. The streets of the Old Town lead to the famous Kashgar Bazaar, which is also a must-visit site for tourists. In addition to the aforementioned attractions, local guides show the Istighfar Mosque (16th century), the mausoleum of Apak Hoja (17th century), and the Bongo Memorial Park (18th century).
Via the Karakoram Highway, which connects the XUAR with Pakistan, one can reach popular natural sites: Lake Karakul, located at the foot of the seven-thousanders Muztagh Ata (7546 m) and Kongur Tag (7719 m).
Another point of interest is Urumqi - the main city of the XUAR. Regular flights are operated between Urumqi and Bishkek by Xinjiang Airlines.
Urumqi is a large modern city with a population of about 2 million residents. The main tourist attraction is the local history museum, at the entrance of which stands a huge meteorite weighing over 30 tons. The museum has many other interesting exhibits that tell the history of the XUAR. Two hundred kilometers from Urumqi lies the city of Turpan - the capital of ancient Xinjiang. In Turpan, there is a wonderful museum housing the largest dinosaur skeleton found in the sands of the Taklamakan Desert. In the vicinity of the city, one can see the Emin Mosque and Minaret (16th century); the "Flaming Mountains," which burn in the rays of the sunset over the desert; the Astana complex - the burial site of the Xinjiang emperors; the ruins of the city of Gaochang, founded in 2300 BC; and the Bozkilik Cave Monastery (2nd century).
Of course, the natural and historical-cultural resources of Xinjiang, which borders Kyrgyzstan, are more extensive, but even knowledge of the aforementioned sites will ensure a quality and professional approach to creating interesting joint Kyrgyz-Chinese programs.
There are very promising prospects for cooperation between tour operators from China and Kyrgyzstan after the opening of the Irkeshtam BCP, which connected Kashgaria with the Alai Valley and the city of Osh. The Great Silk Road has gained a short route from the Fergana Valley through the territory of Kyrgyzstan (Osh-Alai Valley) to Kashgar and further to Pakistan, or through the Taklamakan Desert to Turpan and Central China. Irkeshtam has opened up other opportunities as well.
A circular route of the following direction could be very successful and popular: Bishkek - Osh - Irkeshtam - Kashgar - Torugart - Naryn - Issyk-Kul - Bishkek. The same scheme can be used to organize joint trekking programs, where part of the trekking takes place in Kyrgyzstan and the other part in China. In Kyrgyzstan, the sections are: Bishkek - Naryn - Torugart in the areas of Son-Kul and Chatyr-Kul, and Irkeshtam - Osh - Bishkek in the areas of Korumdy and Kojo-Kelen (Pamir-Alai). In China, trekking can take place in the area of the peaks Kongur Tag, Muztagh Ata, and Lake Karakul.
There is also potential for a program for climbers - ascents of the most famous peaks: in Kyrgyzstan - Lenin Peak, in China - Muztagh Ata. Their close proximity allows for the organization of such a program without significant difficulties.
