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 The '''Irkeshtampass''' is a small village in the southeast of border crossing between [[Kyrgyzstan]] and [[China]]. It is located near the small village of Irkeshtam in Kyrgyzstan and forms the end of the European Route number 60 ({{E|60}}E60). The border to [[China]] is the second important [[border crossing]] from Kyrgyzstan to China. The pass is approached from the city of [[Osh]] via [[Sary Tash]] on the Kyrgyz side and, on the Chinese side, from [[Kashgar]] via [[Ulugqat]] in the [[Xinjiang]] province.

The Irkeshtam Pass is one of the major border crossings to China and belong to the network of the [[silk road]]. It is also the eastern end of the {{E|60}}. Road contidions conditions on the kyrgyz Kyrgyz side are pretty good as long it's not snowing. On the Chinese side, however, parts of the road are very bad, but they seem to rebuild the whole road (construction is ongoing as of November 2011). For example it It is not allowed for Kyrgyz cars to cross. So the border, so you have to change to a Chinese vehicle at the border into a chinese vehicle. The border crossing is opened open only during the day only and it is CLOSED '''closed''' on the weekends and holidays. The pass is approached from Crossing the city of border can take anything between 1 and 3 hours, so you better be early. == Hitchhiking out == === Into Kyrgyzstan {{European Route Number|60}} === From [[OshKashgar]] via , Bus number 2 heading north will take you a bit out of the city on the right road. Catch a car or truck, get to the intersection of road 309. There are many small villages on the way, after some 40 km you will reach the intersection of Irkeshtam and Tourgart pass. Make it to [[Sary TashUgomchat]] , !!IMPORTANT!! The imigration office has moved from the border to Ugomchat, you will need to get your EXIT stamp there. However the Immigration is well hidden and not signposted, about 3 km from the town. A local car might just pass it and you will arrive 7 hours later at the border told that you have to go back! (Yes really). After you have passed Ugomchat city, keep looking to your right as you head out on the Kyrgyz side outskirts, and from you will see a large, official looking building. This is the place. [[Kashgaruser:lukeyboy95|lukeyboy95]] via [[Ulugqat]] in was told by immigration that hitching a ride here was illegal, and not allowed (May 2013). After a night of protesting and camping outside they're flashy building, the next morning they reluctantly granted permission for me. So be careful, a taxi is $65. If you get further info here, update this section. 5-8 hours truck drive to the border. Border closed weekends. Closes early, at 6 - 6:30 [[XinjiangBeijing]] province from the time. At border Chinese side there is some kind of accomodation, but also possibility to find abandoned room where you can sleep. The border opens at 11 am beijing time. Guards will get you on a truck across to Kyrgyz side. In Winter, this can be very cold. Wrap up.  === Into China ===

Crossing From Sary-Tash, just walk to the border can take anything between 1 road leading to Irkeshtam and 3 hourshitch. Most trucks will pick up hitchhikers, so you better but some of them may also demand money. The usual fare seems to be early300 som or US5–10.

=== To [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Osh]]===The easiest way border seems to to opt for a ride with a truck driverclose at 214:00 kyrgyz time. If you start in Kashgar, take the earliest (around 6am local time) shared taxi to Wuqia. The taxis depart outside Kashgararrive too late and it's international bus station and charge around 25Y per person. After 2 hours too cold for camping, you will be half ways to the border, just hitchhike straight - try your luck can stay with the huge white-container trucks, and make sure your head towards locals in Irkeshtam and not Torugrat!for 100 Som.

=== To Kashgar ===From Sary-TashThere are actually two border posts on the Chinese side. One is 5 Km after the Kyrgyz post, just walk to the road leading to Irkeshtam where Chinese border police inspects luggage and passport and hitchrequests confirmation of onward transport. Most trucks At a second post, around 120 km later, bags will pick up hitchhikers, but most of the be scanned once again and passports will also demand money. The usual fare seems to be 300 Som or 5-10 $finally stamped.

The August 2014 - Hitchhikers report that the Chinese police is enforcing paid taxis on independent travellers. They take your passport and do not want to return until transport is arranged with a Chinese driver. [[User:Rovingsnails|Rovingsnails]] and other hitchhikers were taken their passports and threatened to be deported back to Kyrgyzstan unless transport was arranged in between both border seems posts. Police would not accept trucks as valid transport and the taxi between both borders costs 400 Yuan ($64) for 4 people. They did not get the chance to close at 2 pm kyrgyz timewait and check what the police would do with hitchhikers who need Kyrgyz visa (and therefore cannot be deported) and have no cash whatsoever, as two travellers to Kashgar invited them for a ride between the borders. If It all looks like an organized trick between police and taxi drivers, and as user [[User:lukeyboy95|lukeyboy95]] says above they may end up giving up on you arrive too late and it's too cold for campingfind you free transport, but perseverance might be needed (and make sure you can stay are not tight with the locals in Irkeshtam for 100 Somvisa deadlines).

Conditions can change any timeOctober 2015 - The Chinese police still enforces people to take the taxi and won't give back the passports until the taxi - or a bus - is paid. Even with one hour discussion, overnight camping and further discussions - there is no way to hitch between the chinese checkpoint and the immigration office. The taxi costs 100 Yuan per person (400 for the car) but the last taxi at night costs 300 yuan. In the morning there will be one bus - between 11:00 and 13:00, that also costs 100 yuan per person but takes people to Kashgar. Please stay informed It was possible to convince the driver to just take us to the next immigration office and update this sitewas 15 dollars per person (because of bad math of the bus driver we paid 20 for two people). There is also a hotel somewhere between the checkpoints in China, for the people who come too late.