CITY · XINJIANG
Kashgar
喀什 · Kāshí
Overview
Western terminus of practical Chinese travel — closer to Tehran than to Beijing. The Old City, the Sunday Animal Bazaar, the Apak Hoja Tomb, and the Karakoram Highway south to Pakistan.
Kashgar is the major Uyghur cultural city of southern Xinjiang. Set on the western edge of the Tarim Basin, where the Pamirs rise toward the Pakistan border, the city has been a Silk Road oasis and trading capital for 2,000+ years. Han, Tang, Yuan and Qing dynasties at various times extended Chinese imperial control here; at other times the city was independent or part of Central Asian polities.
The Old City has been progressively restored since 2009 — significant reconstruction has tightened the original organic mud-brick street pattern into a more regularised neighbourhood. The Id Kah Mosque (1442) is the largest mosque in China. The Sunday Animal Bazaar 12 km from the centre remains the largest livestock market in Central Asia.
Kashgar is the launchpad for the Karakoram Highway south to Tashkurgan and the Khunjerab Pass to Pakistan — though border-zone permits are required for some sections, and tourism into Pakistan is subject to current bilateral conditions.
Cultural & access notes
Uyghur is the indigenous Turkic language (modified Arabic script). Halal food default. Traditional Islamic observances; respect prayer times at mosques.
What to see
- Old City — restored Uyghur traditional neighbourhood
- Id Kah Mosque (1442 CE) — largest mosque in China
- Apak Hoja Tomb
- Sunday Animal Bazaar (Sundays only, 12 km out)
- Karakoram Highway day trips to the Pamirs (Aliens' Travel Permit required)
What to eat
- Uyghur lagman (hand-pulled noodles)
- Polo (lamb pilaf)
- Naan bread from tandoor ovens
- Lamb skewers (kebabs)
- Hami melon and Turpan grapes in season
Getting there
Kashgar (KHG) airport — direct flights from Urumqi (1h 30m), Beijing (5h via Urumqi), Shanghai. HSR Lanzhou-Urumqi-Kashgar line under expansion.
Getting around
Bus + taxi. The Old City is walkable.
Where to stay
Inside or adjacent to the Old City.
We list neighbourhoods, not specific hotels — we don't endorse hotels.
When to go
May–June, September–October. Avoid summer heat (40°C+).
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥280 |
| Mid-range | ¥600 |
| Comfortable | ¥1500 |
Safety notes
Substantial security checkpoints across Xinjiang. ID and passport scans at city entry, hotels, train and bus stations, some shopping centres. Photography of police, military, government buildings restricted. Hotels licensed to host foreign guests required. Confirm current rules with your accommodation before travel.
Nearby attractions
Itineraries visiting Kashgar
- Northern Silk Road — Urumqi, Heavenly Lake, Turpan and Kashgar, 7 days
7d · Seven days in Xinjiang's Silk Road cities: Urumqi, the alpine Heavenly Lake, the desert ruins around Turpan, and the Uighur old city of Kashgar near the Kyrgyzstan border.
- Silk Road — Xi'an to Kashgar, 14 days
14d · The full Hexi Corridor route from Xi'an west through Lanzhou, Dunhuang and the Taklamakan edge to Turpan and Kashgar — the historical Silk Road across northwest China.
Food of Northwestern China
- Biangbiang Noodlesbiáng biáng 面
Wide, hand-pulled, belt-shaped Shaanxi noodles. The 'biang' character is the most complex in the Chinese language.
- Big Plate Chicken大盘鸡
A large-portioned Xinjiang braised chicken dish with potatoes, peppers and thick hand-pulled belt noodles.
- Hand-Grasped Lamb手抓羊肉
Large bone-in lamb pieces boiled in spiced water and eaten by hand — a communal dish of Inner Mongolia and the northwest.
- Laghman (Hand-Pulled Noodles with Lamb)拉条子
Uyghur hand-pulled wheat noodles with a lamb-and-vegetable sauce of tomato, pepper and onion.
Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction.
Research
Cross-checked against primary sources
Verified
Address, hours, fees confirmed at the date shown
Updated
Re-verified periodically; corrections welcome