• Kashgar

• Name in Chinese characters: 喀什地区
• Name in Pinyin: Kāshí Dìqū
• Status: Prefecture
• Name in local script: قەشقەر ۋىلايىتى
• Name in local Latin script: K̡əxk̡ər Vilayiti

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• Kashgar (aka Kashi) is perhaps one of the most famous cities of the whole ancient Silk Road. It is still very remote being located almost as far west as it is possible to travel within the mainland. That said, air travel means that it is now viable to get from Beijing to Kashgar on the same day - no magic carpet required.

  Although Kashgar is largely a Uiyghur city it lies at a crossroads of many cultures and has, in addition to recent Han migrants, strong communities representing many ethnic minorities such as Kyrgyz and Tadjiks. Many still wear distinctive hats or other attire and are easily recognised. Sometimes strange features appear - red hair or green eyes - which are probably traits inherited from cultures further west.

  Travel

  Kashgar has a small but modern airport (Airport code: KHG). Most flights are simply to Urumqi which serves as a hub for Xinjiang Province and connects with the rest of China. There are also direct flights to Islamabad - twice a week at the time of writing.

  Kashgar has a railway station and is connected to the rest of China via a link that follows the old northern Silk Road route. That is, via Turfan and the Gansu Corridor east to Xi'an (Chang'an as it was). Trains are infrequent but do offer a comfortable option for travellers wanting to get a feel for the immensity of the Taklamakan Desert.

  Work has started on an extension to the railway that will terminate in Khotan.

  All forms of transport suffer from the very strong sandstorms which form in Spring. Flights and trains can be cancelled for days as visibility is reduced to almost zero.

  Please note: Travellers wishing to continue on in Kyrgyzstan or Pakistan may choose to go by road. We have the contacts to ensure that your plans go smoothly even outside of China. Contact Us for further information.

  Attractions For Visitors

  Most visitors to Kashgar time their arrival to coincide with the Kashgar Sunday Market. There are plenty of other worthwhile options so, having made the effort to get there, think about sticking around for a few extra days; you are unlikely to ever be back again.

  Within the city you can also see:

  Id Kah Mosque:

  Artisan's Street:

  The Old City:

  China Bagh (Old British Consulate):

  Old Russian Consulate: (within the Seman Hotel)

  Excursions further afield can take you to:

  Apak Hodja Tomb:

  Yengisar:

  Mo'er Buddhist Pagoda:

  The following can be visited from Kashgar in a day but are best enjoyed as overnight stays, or longer:

  Karakul (Black Lake):

  Tashkurgan Stone City:

  The following China Journeys end and begin in Kashgar:

  • Land Of The Setting Sun
  • Beyond Kashgar: Southern Silk Road
  
  
  
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