Kashgar

“You haven't been to Xinjiang until you've been to Kashgar”: the Old City and Id Kah Mosque, with Silk Road atmosphere in its bazaars and old teahouses.

Kashgar lies in southwestern Xinjiang on the western edge of the Tarim Basin. It is China's westernmost city and the hub where the northern and southern Silk Road routes met before crossing the Pamirs. It was the Shule Kingdom in the Han dynasty, and more than 90% of its population is Uyghur, hence the saying “You haven't been to Xinjiang until you've been to Kashgar.” This destination is centered on urban Kashgar and covers a radius of about 80 km. The core is the Old City: the Id Kah Mosque, Wusitangboyi Handicraft Street, century-old teahouses, the Khan Bazaar food street and night market, plus the hilltop dwellings and pottery workshops along the Tuman River, all easily linked on foot. Elsewhere in the city are the Fragrant Concubine Tomb (Apak Khoja Mausoleum), the Grand Bazaar and the Sunday Livestock Market, the Yusuf Khass Hajib Mausoleum, Pantuo Fort, the Kashgar Prefecture Museum, the former British Consulate and People's Square. Outside the city you can hire a car to visit the Mor Buddhist Temple ruins, the Satuq Bughra Khan Mausoleum and the “Heavenly Gate” stone arch in Artux, and the Mahmud al-Kashgari Mausoleum in Opal. Karakul Lake and Muztagh Ata, White Sand Lake and Tashkurgan in the Pamirs are listed as separate destinations and are usually reached from Kashgar. The best seasons are April–June and September–October, when the weather is dry; autumn also brings pomegranates, figs and other fruit. In July–August daytime temperatures often exceed 35°C, so be active in the early morning and evening. Winter is cold with little snow and few tourists. Getting there: Kashgar Laining International Airport has flights from Ürümqi and many other Chinese cities, and trains also run from Ürümqi to Kashgar. Taxis in town are cheap; for sights outside the city, hire a car. Suggested stay: 2–3 days. Tips: Xinjiang time is about 2 hours behind Beijing time in daily practice, so attractions and shops generally open and close late. Dress modestly when entering mosques and mazars, and ask permission before photographing residents. The Old City's alleys are confusing: hexagonal paving stones mark through routes, while rectangular ones mean a dead end. A border pass is required to head toward the Pamirs.

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