On the climb from Kashgar towards the Pamir, the road passes through Bulunkou, a broad valley at around 3,300 metres where a lake lies in the floor and pale sand covers the slopes above it. The lake is the result of the river being held back, and the sand is not desert sand in the usual sense: it is material carried down from the mountains and reworked by the very strong winds that funnel through the valley, which lift it from the river bed and the shore and deposit it in a smooth, light-coloured sheet over the ridges. The colour is closer to grey-white than to yellow, and it gives the whole valley an unfamiliar, slightly bleached look.
The view
The combination is what makes the place: a still, opaque lake in the middle - often turquoise or milky blue depending on the light and the season - white sand slopes rising from the water, and beyond them bare rock and snow. Up the valley are the great peaks of the eastern Pamir, and the road here is the main artery towards the far west of China. The light changes fast at this altitude, and the best time to see it is mid-morning, when the sun is high enough to bring out the colour of the water but the valley is still clear.
What the sand means for the road
Sand moving across a highway in a mountain valley is a practical problem as well as a spectacle; the wind here is strong enough to make driving difficult and can reduce visibility, and the road is often closed in winter by snow rather than sand. This is one reason the drive from Kashgar to Tashkurgan is best done with an experienced local driver rather than self-driven, particularly for anyone not used to high-altitude mountain roads.
Practical notes
Bulunkou is on the Karakoram Highway roughly midway between Kashgar and Tashkurgan, and it is a roadside stop rather than a ticketed attraction - there is a pull-off and a small viewing area, no facilities to speak of, and no shelter. The area is in a border district, so foreign visitors should confirm the current permit requirements before travelling. Come prepared for cold wind and strong sun at the same time: at 3,300 metres both are considerable, and the stop is short.
