What is "erkeshtam"

Erkeshtam, also Irkeshtam or Erkesh-tam, is a border crossing between Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang, China, named after a village on the Kyrgyz side of the border in southern Osh Region. The border crossing is also called Simuhana , after the first settlement on the Chinese side of the border, but Irkeshtam is now the more common name used in both countries.

Erkeshtam is the western most border crossing in China. It is one of two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and China, the other being Torugart, some to the northeast. The overland travel distance from Erekshtam to Osh is , about shorter than via the Torugart Border Crossing.