Atushi Sky Gate: Standing Before the World’s Highest Natural Stone Arch

1.Atushi Sky: Gate, also known as Shipton's Arch, is a staggering natural wonder located approximately 30 kilometers west of Atushi City in the Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture. This celestial monument is officially recognized as the highest natural stone arch in the world, featuring a majestic opening that stands 457 meters high and 100 meters wide. Situated at the eastern edge of the Pamir Plateau where the Tianshan and Kunlun mountain ranges converge, the arch represents a pinnacle of geological grandeur and spiritual significance.

The arch's history is steeped in both local folklore and international exploration. For centuries, the Kirgiz and Uyghur people regarded the arch as a boundary between the mortal realm and the divine world. Historically, it served as a silent guardian over the Southern Route of the Ancient Silk Road, witnessing the passage of countless merchants and pilgrims. While known to locals for generations, it gained global fame after being documented by the British explorer Eric Shipton in 1947, and later rediscovered by a National Geographic team in 2000.

Geologically, the Atushi Sky Gate is a masterpiece of Tertiary sandstone erosion. Formed over millions of years through the relentless forces of wind and water, the arch was carved out of a massive mountain ridge. The surrounding landscape is characterized by crimson sandstone cliffs and a complex network of canyons. To reach the arch, travelers must trek through a dramatic canyon known as "Yixiantian" (A Narrow Slice of Sky), where vertical rock walls rise hundreds of meters, nearly blocking out the sun.

2.Visiting Atushi Sky: Gate is more than a simple hike; it is a pilgrimage into a prehistoric landscape. As the sun moves across the sky, the crimson rock faces shift through a spectrum of vibrant reds and golds, particularly during the "Golden Hour" when sunlight passes directly through the massive portal. At an altitude of over 3,000 meters, the site offers a profound sense of solitude and a direct connection to the raw, untamed power of nature that has defined the "Western Regions" for millennia.