Torugart Pass
Torugart Pass is a mountain pass in the Tian Shan mountain range near the border between the Naryn Region of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. It is one of two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and China, the other being Erkeshtam, some to the southwest.
The scenic lake Chatyr-Köl lies near the pass on the Kyrgyz side. The road to Naryn and then to Balykchy and Bishkek—stretching for some —is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snowfall and frequent avalanches. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry, where travelers must clear for customs, is located about from the pass itself in Ulugqat County of the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture. Distances from the pass to major cities are: to Ulugqat, to Kashgar, to Artux and some to Ürümqi.
The pass is also terminus of European route E125 and, under the new National Highway plans, the China [National Highway 315], but neither are signed in this area by 2020.
History
The pass has been used since antiquity. During the Han dynasty it was under the jurisdiction of a micro-state called Juandu. During the Tang dynasty, the region came under Tang control as part of Anxi Protectorate.The pass is open to all nationalities but clearance requires careful arrangement of transportation.