🏔️ Iron Gate Pass

The Iron Gate Pass connects the Yanqi Basin and the Tarim Basin in central Xinjiang, China. The pass follows the gorge of the Kaidu River. The main settlements linked by the pass are the town of Yanqi in the Yanqi Hui Autonomous County to the north and the city of Korla in the Bayin'gholin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in the south. The first town immediately to the north of the pass is Tashidian. The Iron Gate Pass was of historical strategic significance because it formed a vulnerable bottle-neck on the Silk Road. A military checkpoint was established at the pass during the Tang dynasty. At present, the pass is no longer part of the road infrastructure of the region and is preserved as a scenic and historical area. The modern road (G218) from Yanqi to Korla passes through the mountains to the east of the gorge.