Tajikistan Travel Forum

Does anyone know if there is a road from Tashkorgan (Xinjiang) to Murghob (in Tajikistan) through the Qolma Pass? I read in a guide book that one was being built, but is it open yet and, if so, is it OK for foreigners to cross the border here?

Also if the road is open, has anyone been along it? Is it surfaced or graded?

Secondly, is it possible to travel on the road from Kalaqigu (south of Tashkorgan) towards the Wakan Corridor through Tuokemanban (and on into the Wakan Corridor itself?) Are there border crossings from the Afghan to the Tajikistan side of the Wakan Corridor at the upper end of the valley?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

- Mark

hi
where exactly u'd like to go?
there's a road openned and working since long time already from tajikistan to china and back. now it's gonna be open again, as spring starts. the bus service is rather regular.
to cross the border u need visa, Tajikistan is the country as all others (only the most beautiful one)- u need visa to cross border! it also depends from which country u're going. it's easy to get transit visa (within 96 hours). for this u should contact local touristic agences, they will prepare visa support for u. but also depending of which country u're citizen of - the price varies.

more questions- i'll tryo to help u
check my pages also, in 'home sweet home' i gave a link that could be useful for u...
A

Thanks for the information. A posting on Lonely PLanet suggests that this border crossing is NOT open for people who are not Tajikistan or Chinese nationals. I am aware a visa is needed. Are you SURE the border is open for others? It's a huge distance to go to find that I can't get across.

Thanks. Mark

well,
as i was told today (i asked MFA representative for u), they are not sure about limitations for crossing the board in murgob, so this is not clear.
however, i was told that as far as china officially informed about 14 cases of bird's deseas the border most probably will be closed.
if u plan your trip anytime close- probably u'll have to postpone it.
best,
A.

Hello Mark,

Re: the border crossing from the qolma, i am also trying to figure out if it is passable there. however i have not had good luck crossing borders around tashkurgan (turned back at the torugart, then huge detour to urumchi and almaty before kyrgyzstan). i have found no word of it being open to foreigners yet. if you have found more info on the subject please let me know; i would really appreciate it! i would like to make this crossing this summer if it is possible - it would take a lot of time off my trip.

thanks and good luck
aya

hello again,

the minister of foreign affairs at the tajik embassy in d.c. claims that yes, the road is open, and yes it is open to foreigners. as of today, june 8th.

the trick will probably be to get out of china without paying exorbitant amounts to the xinjiang tourism office.

good luck,
aya

Why on earth would anyone pay anything to a provincial tourism bureau? Exit/entry is controlled by the Public Security Bureau.

that is a good question. it seems to be a mutual agreement between the psb and the 'xinjiang tourism bureau' - you pay for a very expensive permission to cross the pass; at least this was the case at the torugart when i was there five years ago and i hear that it was the case last summer as well.

You pay who? And where?

i have a question about the same area. i will be driving from belgrade to nepal.after tajikistan it gets tricky. aghanistan seems a problem so if i cannot cross afghanistan into pakistan then i am faced with tajikistan to china-china to pakistan.
any ideas or comments?
humanitarian

I'll be going to that region shortly on an exploratory tour with some locals and may come up with research on these questions. Hope it will not be too late by early September?
Olav