Crossing the border by road from Kyrgyzstan to Kashgar in China

Hi,

Does anyone know if it's possible to cross the border by road from Kyrgyzstan to Kashgar in China? If so, is it possible to get a Chinese visa at the border, or do I need to arrange it in advance from France? Any info is welcome, THANKS! :)

You need to get your visa in advance. Mentioning that you're going to Xinjiang can negatively affect your application.

Hi Martine,

Did you end up taking that road between Kyrgyzstan and Kashgar?

Catherine

No, I didn’t take that route—I stayed in northern Kyrgyzstan—but I think Kashgar is definitely worth visiting. Best regards

Thanks for the reply. If anyone’s done this route, I’d love to hear about it. Is it smooth asphalt or a rough, dangerous track? I’d prefer to stay on the ground and avoid going through Urumqi....

Catherine

Could you share your planned route in Kyrgyzstan to reach Kashgar in China?

Hi Christian,

"Planned route" sounds a bit presumptuous. I’m still figuring out what’s actually possible. Is the overland route from Tashkent to Kashgar doable via Kyrgyzstan, either through the Torugart Pass or Irkeshtam? If the road is safe, I’ll look into the paperwork and possible transport options. If it’s sketchy, I’ll drop the idea and move on to something else.

Catherine

Hi Catherine,

The road connection Bishkek --> Tokmok --> Kochkor --> Naryn --> Torugart was in excellent condition in 2019. At the end of August 2024, we traveled Bishkek --> Tokmok --> Kochkor --> Naryn --> Tash-Rabat (then toward Baetov via the dirt roads). The road was still in good condition, with a few more Chinese trucks than during our 2019 trip.

The road is wide, and the pavement is in good shape. The landscapes are stunning.

In 2019, we needed a "border pass" to return to the Torugart border post. The checkpoint was at Ak-Bieit. Check if the "border pass" is still required—it seems to have been canceled since December 2024 (to be verified). We never entered China during these two trips.

CS