Playing Polo on Pamir Plateau: The Tajiks in northwest China's Xinjiang gallop towards a better life | Xinhua Culture&Travel

As March sweeps in like a warm gust of wind, the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, China, sheds its wintry cloak and the local wildlife couldn't be happier. As the ice and snow begin to melt, you won't want to miss this beautiful awakening landscape. | China Xinhua News

Day one on the Pamir Highway started in Osh. We had around 185 km ahead of us to Sary-Tash — starting at just 985 m above sea level, with more than 2,600 m of elevation to gain along the way. This first section is often considered the “gentler” side of the Pamir. Mostly asphalt, though far from perfectly smooth, and busier than expected, with trucks and animals sharing the road. The scenery felt rather monotonous at first, especially while leaving the city, but it quickly changed as the road beg

The Pamir Plateau Highway in Xinjiang is one of the most spectacular and remote high-altitude routes in the world. Traversing the Pamir Mountains in China’s far west, this highway forms a key segment of the Karakoram Highway (G314), linking the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar with Taxkorgan County and eventually the Kulma Pass, which connects China with Tajikistan. This stretch of road runs through the Pamir Plateau, often called the "Roof of the World" due to its extreme elevation—averaging o