The Karakoram Highway (China National Highway 314) runs through Tashkorgan on its way from Kashgar to the Khunjerab Pass and on into Pakistan, and the road itself is one of the reasons to come. North from town the highway climbs past Karakul Lake, with Muztagh Ata and Kongur Tagh forming a wall of ice on either side; south, it crosses the Pamir at 4,733 metres at Khunjerab — the highest paved international border crossing in the world.
A morning drive in either direction is the easiest way to see the high Pamir. Shared cars and minibuses run as far as Karakul Lake regularly; foreigners cannot currently drive south to Khunjerab without an organised tour and additional permits. Even a 30-kilometre run out and back, watching the road climb through hairpins past frozen rivers, is worth the time. The road is at its best in the early morning when the wind is down and the peaks are clear.