Taxkorgan Reserve, Nature reserve in Xinjiang, China

Taxkorgan Reserve is a nature reserve in Xinjiang's mountains featuring alpine meadows, deep valleys, and glacial lakes. The terrain rises above 4,500 meters in elevation and creates a rugged mountain landscape shaped by ancient glaciers.

Taxkorgan Nature Reserve was established in 1984, mainly to protect the Marco Polo sheep and the Tibetan argali; the snow leopard was added to its aims later. It lies in the Taghdumbash Pamir of the Pamir and Karakorum ranges, in westernmost China where the borders with Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan meet, and adjoins Khunjerab National Park in Pakistan and Wakhan National Park in Afghanistan.

About 7,750 people live inside the reserve with some 70,000 domestic animals, and their livestock grazing has a strong impact on the vegetation. The reserve was established in 1984 mainly to protect the Marco Polo sheep and Tibetan argali.

A visit requires permits and ideally a local guide, as the area is remote and the trails challenging. Summer offers the best conditions for traveling through the reserve when weather is more stable and temperatures are milder.

The reserve protects a population of Marco Polo sheep that was nearly extinct and has since recovered and grown significantly. These wild mountain sheep have become a symbol of successful wildlife recovery in this remote landscape.