Shipton's Arch, Natural stone arch in Kizilsu Kirghiz Prefecture, China
Shipton's Arch is a natural stone arch in Kizilsu Kirghiz Prefecture with an opening roughly 366 meters wide and a height of about 457 meters above the surrounding terrain. The structure pierces through a mountain ridge, creating a tunnel-like passage that dominates the landscape.
English mountaineer Eric Shipton documented the arch in 1947 while working as British consul in Kashgar, bringing it to international attention. His records established the first Western documentation of this remote natural formation.
The local name Toshuk Tagh in Uyghur means hole in the mountain, a description that directly reflects how people perceive this natural wonder. Visitors who spend time in the region hear locals speak of it with a matter-of-fact tone, as part of the landscape they know well.
Reaching the site involves about an hour's drive to the mountain pass, followed by a lengthy journey through rough terrain that requires good physical fitness. Visitors should prepare for high altitude, extreme weather conditions, and very limited facilities in this remote area.
A National Geographic team confirmed the arch's existence through aerial photography in the late 1990s after decades of uncertainty about whether it was real. This expedition helped establish it as a verified natural wonder rather than a rumored geographical feature.
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