The Karakorum highway

Kashgar is at the northern end of a road that spans the himalayas through to Pakistan, it was constructed about 10 years ago but the pass has been used for centuries as a trade route though to China. Apparently 400 workers died in the roads construction the road itself rising to 4800 meters at its highest point. I travelled up the Chinese side to check out the scenery, it wasn't a disappointment arid desert transformed to massive mountains, the largest being Murzag Ata (7600 meters) then enormous marsh lands surrounded by sand dunes and huge basins being grazed by anything from yaks to camels.

I was travelling with a French chap on his way to Pakistan, we took a car with a chirpy taxi driver mohammad who was a firm believer that 6 or 7 shish kebabs every Thursaday was good for your "capabilities" with the ladies!

Karakul Lake

We were dropped of at Karakul lake with some of Mohammad's Kyrgyz friends who snook us into the park (normally a 50 yuan entrance fee) fed us and let us stay in one of there yurts. The lake was very pretty shadowed by the aforementioned Murzagh Ata it was a steely blue, but perfectly clear when you were up close.

Whilst wondering around we were accosted by local shepherds wanting to show us there Kyrgyz bazaar usually a collection of local crystals and bits of tourist tat they were all really friendly and also offered us places to stay the night. We ate with the family and then slept, was really comfortable inside the yurt not cold at all.

The Karakorum highway

Karakul, China