Taking on the Twists and Turns of Road A371
A371 is the name of a high mountain road running through the south of Kyrgyzstan, from Sary-Tash to the border with China at Irkeshtam Pass.
Set high in the Alay Mountains, the road is totally paved. It’s 72.7 km (45.17 miles) long, running east-west from Sary-Tash to the border with China at Irkeshtam Pass. Along the way, the road runs through the villages of Nura and Erkeshtam, also Irkeshtam or Erkech-Tam. On the Chinese side, the S309 provincial road continues to the city of Kashgar.
The road was paved around 2007. It’s in good condition but virtually with no traffic. The landscape is desolate and wild. The roads tops out at 3.545m (11,630ft) above the sea level by Pereval Taunmurun.
Pic: 小西天