# Kashgar travel guide (喀什) Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region · Northwest, China · 9 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/xinjiang-uygur/kashgar ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Id Kah Mosque → Kashgar Old Town → Gaotai Dwellings → Xiangfei Tomb → Kashgar Grand Bazaar - **Day 2:** Kashgar → Dawankun Desert - **Day 3:** Kashgar → Karakul Lake → Pamir Plateau → Tashkurgan (overnight) - **Day 4:** Tashkurgan → Khunjerab Pass Border Port ## The feel of the place - **A Place Free of Clamour:** Not having been to Kashgar is the same as not having been to Xinjiang, or so the locals say. Kashgar’s Old Town is a purely Uyghur ancient city of mud-brick houses. Standing on a rooftop terrace, you can hear the call to prayer drifting from the minaret, like a melody that never changes. Uyghur merchants are not old-fashioned, but they never shout from the roadside; everything is so familiar that business goes on as peacefully as daily life. Vivid colours flash by, from the dresses and headscarves of little Uyghur girls, a bright spot of liveliness amid the calm that only makes Kashgar feel quieter still. Standing at a crossroads, you feel as if you have been here before, yet you have no idea which way to go. ## The feel of the place ### Elders and Children The Uyghur elders and children in Kashgar’s Old Town are very charming, with smiles on their faces. Children greet you warmly as soon as they see you, and when you take out a camera, they immediately strike different poses so you can take all the photos you want. After the shoot, they love to look at their own images on the camera before running off. ## Getting there & around ### Getting There and Away ### Air Kashgar Airport is the largest airport in southern Xinjiang, with flights to and from Urumqi every day. It also operates flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Ali, Jinan and Chengdu. ### Rail The Southern Xinjiang Railway terminates at Kashgar, making it the westernmost city in China that can be reached by train. ### Road Buses to Urumqi leave from the International Bus Station, with many departures. For Tashkurgan, you can buy tickets at Kashgar Bus Station on Tiannan Road for ¥41. You can also catch a bus at the Tashkurgan County Liaison Office on Xiyu Avenue. There are many small four-wheel delivery trucks heading to Tashkurgan that you can hitch a ride on for ¥50, and some taxis go there too, at a reference price of ¥60–80. ### Getting Around Taxis start at ¥5. In the Old Town, three-wheeled motorcycles are available, and buses 17, 20, 28, 29 and 55 all serve the railway station. Another option is renting a bicycle, which most hotels and restaurants offer. It suits travellers who have time to explore at a leisurely pace. - **Airport Information Desk** — - **Kashgar Railway Station** — - **Kashgar International Bus Station** — (No. 5 Airport Road, Kashgar City, 0998-2963630) - **Kashgar Bus Station** — (No. 29 Tiannan Road, Kashgar City, 0998-2829673) - **Tashkurgan County Bus Station** — (No. 385 Tashkurgan Road, 0998-3421576) ## Shopping The most worthwhile shopping destination in Kashgar is the Kashgar Grand Bazaar mentioned earlier. It has more than 5,000 stalls selling cloth, cotton, carpets, gold and silver jewellery, earthenware, tobacco, clothing, footwear, knives, furs, livestock, fruit, vegetables, grain, furniture, second-hand goods, Persian handicrafts, and a wide range of food and drink. ### Shopping Picks ### Halal Restaurants Do not miss the halal restaurants in Kashgar. The text written on the menus by waiters and the atmosphere of the dining rooms will make you feel as if you have stepped into the Middle East. ### Local Snacks Kashgar’s snacks are carefully prepared, nutritious and good value. The most distinctive include whole roast lamb (烤全羊), lamb skewers, nan-oven roast meat (馕坑烤肉), baked baozi, pilaf (抓饭), hand-pulled noodles (拉面), youta flatbread (油塔子), nan bread, sanzi twists (馓子), ququ (曲曲), grilled fish (烤鱼), stuffed noodle “lungs” (灌面肺) and stuffed rice sausage (灌米肠). There are also various offal dishes, such as sheep’s stomach, heart, liver, head and trotters. ### Bring a Tent Accommodation outside Kashgar’s urban area is not very convenient. Some places have no hotels or guesthouses, and some have no residents at all, so be sure to bring an outdoor camping tent. - **Handicrafts** — Kashgar has long been called the “small centre of folk art,” with internationally renowned small handicrafts in a range of distinctive ethnic styles. Recommended: take a look at Craftsmen’s Street (职人街). - **Carpets** — Kashgar's carpets are also very famous. - **Knives** — Knives produced in Yengisar County, Kashgar, have enjoyed a reputation for over 400 years and typically cost around ¥20 each. If you want a high-quality knife made from special steel, tell the vendor, as the best blades are not sold openly. - **Fruit** — Kashgar's fruit is well worth sampling. ## Eat & drink - **Xunyang Taste Restaurant** — Yak beef hotpot, a specialty of the plateau, is well worth a try. (Near Kaitu International Hot Spring Hotel, 0998-3492555) ## Where to stay - **Atour Hotel (Kashgar Old Town)** — (No. 29 Tiannan Road, 19190016222) ## Things to see - **Id Kah Mosque** (★★★★): Admission ¥45; free for Muslims; Opening hours 10：30—19：30; Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/id-kah-mosque - **Gaotai Dwellings** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：30—20：30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/gaotai-dwellings - **Kashgar Old Town** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kashgar-old-town - **Fragrant Concubine Tomb (Apak Khoja Tomb)** (★★★): Admission Off-season ¥60; peak season ¥120; Opening hours 9：30—20：30; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/fragrant-concubine-tomb-apak-khoja-tomb - **Kashgar Grand Bazaar** (★★★): Opening hours 11：00—20：00; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kashgar-grand-bazaar ## Day trips & beyond - **Pamir Plateau** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 2–3 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pamir-plateau - **Karakul Lake** (★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 10：00—20：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/karakul-lake - **Khunjerab Pass Border Port** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/khunjerab-pass-border-port - **Dawakun Desert Scenic Area** (★★★): Admission ¥40; shuttle bus ¥20; Opening hours 10：00—20：00; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/dawakun-desert-scenic-area --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 887–898. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.