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 165 km 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 400 km—is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snowfall and frequent avalanches. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry (吐尔尕特口岸), where travelers must clear for customs, is located about 110 km from the pass itself in Ulugqat County of the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture. Distances from the pass to major cities are: 110 km to Ulugqat, 165 km to Kashgar, 170 km to Artux and some 1630 km 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 (捐毒国). 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. A China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway going through Torugart Pass has been in the works that would connect Kashgar and the Ferghana Valley since 2012. However, the Kyrgyz section of the rail has been stalled due to financial and technical issues. In 2023 the project development received new push from the governments of the tree countries involved. A tripartite agreement was signed on 17 September 2022 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, however the funding is yet to be secured.

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Climate