Torugart Pass
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| Torugart Pass | |
|---|---|
 The Chinese border crossing at the Torugart Pass on the road between Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Kashgar (Xinjiang |
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| Elevation | 3,752 m /12,310 ft. |
| Location |  Kyrgyzstan /  China |
| Range | Tian Shan |
| Coordinates | |
Torugart Pass (simplified Chinese: 图噜噶尔特山口; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: túlūgáĕrtè shānkŏu) (elevation 3,752 m / 12,310 ft.) is a pass in the Tian Shan mountain range on the border between the Naryn Province of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China.
The scenic Lake Chatyr-Kul lies near the pass on the Kyrgyz side. The road to Naryn and then to Balykshy and Bishkek (400km) is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snow and frequent avalanches. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry (吐尔尕特口岸), where travelers must clear customs, is located 110km from the pass itself in Ulugqat County of the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture. The pass is located 110km from Ulugqat, 165km from Kashgar, 170km from Artux and 1,630km from Urumqi.
Russia and China first established a port of entry at the Torugart Pass in 1881. In 1906, Russia's Sino-Russian Transport Bank financed the construction of the road from the pass to Kashgar for 20 million rubles. In 1952, the Torugart Pass replaced the Irkeshtam Pass as the primary overland link between Xinjiang and the then-Soviet Kygyz republic. The pass was closed in 1969 due to the Sino-Soviet Split and reopened in 1983. In 1995, the Torugart Port of Entry was relocated to a lower elevation (2,000m), closer to Kashgar (57km).
The Chinese and Central Asian governments are planning to open the pass to nationals from third countries and considering the construction of a railway through the pass that would link Kashgar and the Ferghana Valley.
