Irkeshtam
Updated How we check facts
A high mountain village by a pass on the Chinese border: the crossing on the road from Osh to Kashgar.
- Osh ≈259 kmAbout 3 h by car
- Cafés and shopsBy the border checkpoint
- 6 places nearby70 to 192 km away
- 3 places to stay3 within 1.5 km of the centre
6 places from the centre outwards
Start with places you can walk to, then roads out of town. The map shows the route from the centre to the place you are viewing.
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August 10, 2017≈70 km along the road1 / 6
Sary-Tash
A high mountain village where roads fork to Osh, China and Tajikistan, with guesthouses and trips to the Tulpar-Kol lakes.
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July 13, 2018≈85 km along the road2 / 6
Taldyk Pass
A 3,615 m pass on the Osh–Sary-Tash highway, with hairpin bends and a memorial stele at the saddle.
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May 14, 2026≈103 km along the road3 / 6
Sary-Mogol Village
A village in the Alay Valley with guesthouses, a small ethnographic museum and a dirt road to Tulpar-Kol.
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August 27, 2023≈125 km along the road4 / 6
Tulpar-Kol Lake
Lakes at the foot of the Trans-Alay Range opposite the Lenin Peak base camps; yurts stand on the shore in summer, and swimming is prohibited.
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July 7, 2014≈175 km along the road5 / 6
Gulcho
A village in a wide valley where three rivers meet, on the highway to Osh, with an equestrian monument and a bronze tiger by the road.
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July 13, 2018≈192 km along the road6 / 6
Chyyrchyk Pass
A 2,402 m pass between Gulcho and Osh, with a viewpoint above the hairpin bends.
Irkeshtam: four seasons
Things to do in and around town throughout the year. Monthly temperatures are averages for 2016–2025, not a forecast.
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Spring
March–MayBy day from −1 °C in March to +11 °C in May, at night from −10 to 0 °C.
- MarchIrkeshtam 0° / −10°
- AprilIrkeshtam +5° / −5°
- MayIrkeshtam +11° / 0°
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August 10, 2017 Summer
June–AugustGreen slopes and snow on the peaks. +15…+18 °C by day, +4…+8 °C at night.
- JuneIrkeshtam +15° / +4°
- JulyIrkeshtam +18° / +8°
- AugustIrkeshtam +17° / +7°
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Autumn
September–NovemberBy day from +14 °C in September to −1 °C in November, at night from +4 to −12 °C.
- SeptemberIrkeshtam +14° / +4°
- OctoberIrkeshtam +6° / −5°
- NovemberIrkeshtam −1° / −12°
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Winter
December–FebruaryAround −7…−5 °C by day, down to −17 °C at night.
- DecemberIrkeshtam −6° / −15°
- JanuaryIrkeshtam −7° / −17°
- FebruaryIrkeshtam −5° / −15°
Getting here and getting around town
How to get there
From Osh
about 3 hAbout 259 km via Sary-Tash. Check transport to the village itself for your date; a car with a driver is more reliable.
From Bishkek
about 10 hAbout 757 km by road via Osh. It is easier to fly to Osh.
From Kashgar
across the borderAbout 230–250 km; a Chinese visa is required. Check the checkpoint’s hours in advance.
Getting around town
- On foot. Cafés, small shops and lodgings stand by the checkpoint; Sary-Tash and the Tulpar-Kol lakes need a car.
Contact and help
112 single emergency number
- 101 fire and rescue
- 102 police
- 103 ambulance
You can call 112 with a local SIM or without one.
Check in advance
- Checkpoint hours for your date
- Whether lodgings are open, and prices
- Mobile network coverage
Check on site
- Road conditions and transport back At your accommodation
- Price and availability Accommodation host
Where to stay: 3 of 3 places are within 1.5 km of the centre
How many places
- Within 1.5 km from the centre
- 3 of 3
Irkeshtam in photos
Real photos, each with the date it was taken. Tap or click to enlarge.
- May 14, 2026
- July 7, 2014
- August 10, 2017
- August 10, 2017
- August 10, 2017
- August 10, 2017
- July 13, 2018
- July 13, 2018
- August 27, 2023
Guides and ready-made itineraries
Pages that include this place in a guide or itinerary.