On October 3, 1925, the the Roerichs' expedition reached the border fort of Kurul. After a warm welcome from the chief of the fort – a Chinese officer, the expedition members decided to stay here for a day – to have a rest after a hard journey. The artist painted a view of the distant peaks of the Karakorum from the Chinese fort Kurul.

"So beautiful colors! Behind us, there are white giants, and it is strange to understand that we descended just from them. To the left, there are many snow peaks and yellow highlands... The blue sky is close to the pure cobalt, grass-free domes are shimmering with golden shine, and the distant peaks seem to be bright white cones. The caravan string does not violate the silence of the highest road in the world.

Н. К. Roerich. Altai – Himalayas.