Kashgar Travel Guide

Kashgar, sometimes known as Kashi, lies between branches of the ancient Silk Road in the southwest of remote Xinjiang. The town lies amid fantastic mountain scenery and is the start point of the Karakoram Highway.

Worth It?: The main town in the southwest of Xinjiang featuring a variety of ethnic peoples.
What to Do: see the Sunday Bazaar, visit Id Kah Mosque.
Best Time to Go: late April through October, avoiding July and August.
How Long?: Two days or less in Kashgar is enough.
Trivia: Kashgar boasts the largest bazaar in Asia.

Kashgar is especially known for its massive bazaars and has been trading since the Silk Road days, when it was a meeting point on the route from central China to the north and south of the Taklamakan Desert.

The old town in Kashgar is the main touristy part, with its warren of streets and interesting adobe architecture, which is unfortunately in the process of being modernized by the government. To avoid paying the entry fee to the residential part of the old town, head for a backstreet.

The beautiful yellow Id Kah Mosque hails from the mid-1400s and is the star Kashgar landmark. The huge Sunday Bazaar livestock market is another must-see, as is the Yengi Bazaar for clothes, handicrafts, and souvenirs.

Travel to Kashgar - Getting There

Shuttle buses run to downtown Kashgar from Kashgar Airport, the nearest airport which receives limited flights from Urumqi and Hong Kong (5 hours). It's a 27-hour bus ride from Urumqi to Kashgar.

Kashgar Things to Do

Kashgar Attractions

Kashgar Sunday Bazaar

this huge livestock market runs on a Sunday and is worth having a look even if you're not buying.

Id Kah Mosque

a 500-year-old yellow mosque in the old town. Women cannot enter.

Side trips from Kashgar

Karakoram Highway: starts in Kashgar, goes to the Pakistani border, and onto Islamabad. It takes in breathtaking scenery including the nearby Karakul Lake.