Shipton’s Arch

Shipton’s Arch is also known as “Toshuk Tagh” in the Uyghur language. Shipton’s Arch is nestled in the mountains to the northwest of Kashgar, close to the village of Artux, in the Xinjiang region of western China. Boasting an impressive height of approximately 457 meters, or about 1,500 feet, Shipton’s Arch is recognized as the world’s tallest natural arch. To give you an idea of its scale, it’s so tall that it could, in theory, accommodate the Empire State Building, which stands at a height of 443 meters including its antenna. The arch itself spans an estimated 55 meters, or around 180 feet.

This natural wonder has been known to the local inhabitants of the Kashgar region for hundreds of years. However, it was only introduced to the global stage in 1947 by an English mountaineer named Eric Shipton. In recent years, the arch has become more accessible to visitors due to the construction of staircases, paths, and viewing platforms. Despite these developments, it remains a relatively unexplored tourist destination.