Southwest Xīnjiāng – Kashgaria
The Uighurs’ heartland is the southwest of Xīnjiāng, known as Kashgaria, the rough but mellifluous-sounding historical name for the western Tarim Basin. Consisting of a ring of oases lined with poplar trees, it was a major Silk Road hub and has bristled with activity for more than 2000 years, with the weekly bazaars remaining the centre of life here to this day.
The centre of the region is undoubtedly the ancient city of Kashgar, one of the absolute highlights of any visit to Xīnjiāng. Another highlight is the breathtaking scenery along the Karakoram Hwy between Kashgar and remote Tashkurgan: neither should be missed.
Kashgar 喀什
%0998 / Pop 400,000
Locked away in the westernmost corner of China, closer to Tehran and Damascus than to Běijīng, Kashgar (喀什; Kāshí) has been the epicentre of regional trade and cultural exchange for more than two millennia.
In recent years, modernity has swept through Kashgar, bringing waves of Han migrant workers and huge swathes of the old city have been bulldozed in the name of ‘progress’. Only a tiny section of the 'real' Old Town remains today, and is unlikely to survive for much longer.
Yet, in the face of these changes, the spirit of Kashgar lives on. Uighur craftsmen and artisans still hammer and chisel away as they have done for centuries, traders haggle over deals in the boisterous bazaars and donkey carts still trundle their way through the narrow alleyways. Do not miss the city's Sunday livestock market, which remains a fascinating sight, no matter how many tour buses roll up.
Kashgar
1Top Sights
1Grand Sunday BazaarD2
1Sights
2Id Kah MosqueB2
3Kashgar Old TownD2
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Ablimit 'Elvis' GhoporB2
5Kashgar Tourist Service CentreB2
6Old Road ToursA2
Thirsty Camel ToursC3
7Uighur ToursB2
4Sleeping
8Eden HotelB2
9Kashgar Old Town Youth HostelB2
10KKH Breeze HostelA2
11Pamir Youth HostelB2
12Super 8 HotelC3
13Tiānyuán International HotelC3
5Eating
14Altun OrdaA2
Eden CafeB2
15Ōu'ěr Dáxīkè Night MarketC2
6Drinking & Nightlife
Ostangboyi Ancient Tea HouseB2
7Shopping
16Ahmed Carpet ShopB2
Grand Sunday BazaarD2
1Sights
oSunday Livestock MarketMARKET
(动物市场; Dòngwù Shìchǎng, Mal Bazaar h8am-6pm Sun)
No visit to Kashgar is complete without a trip to the Livestock Market, which takes place once a week on Sunday. The day begins with Uighur farmers and herders trekking into the city from nearby villages. By lunchtime, just about every saleable sheep, camel, horse, cow and donkey within 50km has been squeezed through the bazaar gates. It’s dusty, smelly and crowded, and most people find it wonderful, though some visitors may find the treatment of the animals upsetting.
Trading at the market is swift and boisterous between the old traders; animals are carefully inspected and haggling is done with finger motions. Keep an ear out for the phrase ‘Bosh-bosh!’ (‘Coming through!’) or you risk being ploughed over by a cartload of fat-tailed sheep.
A taxi here costs ¥25 to ¥30; it’s a good idea to pay it to wait for your return. Alternatively take bus number 13 or 23 from the Sunday Bazaar. Tour buses usually arrive in the morning, so consider an early afternoon visit, or come first thing for good light and fewer crowds. A few simple stalls offer delicious hot samsa (lamb meat buns) if you get peckish.
Abakh Hoja MausoleumTOMB
(香妃墓; Xiāngfēimù, Abakh Hoja Maziri; Afaq Khoja Mausoleum ¥30; hdawn-dusk)
On the northeastern outskirts of town is the Abakh Hoja Mausoleum, a 3-hectare complex built by the Khoja family who ruled the region in the 17th and 18th centuries. Widely considered the holiest Muslim site in Xīnjiāng, it's a major pilgrimage destination and a beautiful piece of Islamic architecture well worth a visit.
oGrand Sunday BazaarMARKET
(大巴扎; Dàbāzhā; Yengi Bazaar MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Aizirete Lu; 艾孜热特路 hdaily)
Kashgar’s main bazaar is open every day but really kicks it up a gear on Sunday. Step through the jam-packed entrance and allow your five senses to guide you through the market; spices and teas are an obvious highlight, as are silk, doppa (traditional Uighur hats) and carpets, all of which can be seen in abundance. Of the variety, here locals joke that only chicken milk cannot be found amid this mercantile chaos.
Kashgar Old TownOLD TOWN
(喀什老城区; Kāshí Lǎo Chéngqū MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The Old Town is the soul of Kashgar, and as such the Chinese government has spent much of the past two decades knocking it down block by block and building a modern, soulless replacement. Yet it's still possible to see some of the remaining alleyways: check out the neighbourhood near Donghai Lake in the eastern part of the city. Around Jiefang Lu there are also alleys lined with Uighur workshops and adobe houses that have withstood the passage of time.
Id Kah MosqueMOSQUE
(艾提尕尔清真寺; Ài Tígǎ’ěr Qīngzhēn Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Id Kah Sq; ¥45; hdawn-dusk outside of prayer times)
The yellow-tiled Id Kah Mosque, which dates from 1442, is the spiritual and physical heart of the city. Enormous (it's the largest mosque in Xīnjiāng), its courtyard and gardens can hold 20,000 people during the annual Qurban Baiyram. Also known as Eid, celebrations fall in June for the next few years. Non-Muslims may enter, but not during prayer time. Dress modestly, including a headscarf for women. Take off your shoes if entering carpeted areas and be discreet when taking photos.
SHIPTON’S ARCH
oShipton’s ArchNATURAL FEATURE
(Tushuk Tagh; ¥45; h9am-9pm Apr-Oct, 11am-6.30pm Nov-Mar)
This extraordinary natural rock arch (the rather prosaic Uighur name means simply ‘mountain with a hole in it’) is one of the tallest on earth. The first Westerner to describe it was Eric Shipton, the last British consul-general in Kashgar, during his visit to the region in 1947. Successive expeditions attempted to find it without success until a team from National Geographic rediscovered the arch in 2000. Located 80km northwest of Kashgar, it's a half-day excursion from Kashgar.
The first part of the trip involves an hour’s drive towards the Irkeshtam Pass, followed by another 20km ride and then a 45-minute hike through a sublimely lunar landscape, hemmed in on all sides by sheer cliffs. At times you'll be scrambling through the narrowest part of the gorge over small ladders and staircases, until your final ascent to the arch itself, which takes you up a long wooden staircase. Kashgar-based tour operators can arrange a day trip with guide for ¥600 to ¥800, or you can simply take a taxi and walk from the car park yourself, as the route is well signposted. Bring sturdy shoes, a sun hat and water. For the best light and the smallest crowds, go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
TTours
Popular tours include four-day treks around Muztagh Ata, overnighting in tents, yurts or villages, as well as overnight camel tours into the dunes fringing the Taklamakan Desert around Davakul Lake or Yarkand. For a real challenge, consider cycling the Karakoram Hwy: normally travellers get a lift to Tashkurgan with their bikes and then cycle back down to Kashgar over three days.
oThirsty Camel ToursTOUR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %189 9909 3311, 135 7933 6273; www.travelkashgar.com; Tianyuan International Hotel, 8 Renmin Donglu)
Run by the charming and friendly, English-speaking Abdul Waheed, Thirsty Camel Tours offers a full range of excursions in and around Kashgar, and specialises in trips into the Taklamakan Desert and along the Southern Silk Road. Abdul himself has years of experience in the local tourist industry and brings enormous enthusiasm and good cheer to any trip.
Kashgar Touris
t Service CentreTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %158 0904 2877, 0998 283 1196; [email protected]; Ostangboyi Lu; h10am-8pm)
This privately run travel agency offers a range of services including facilities for tour groups in Kashgar. It is also of interest to independent travellers, as it can offer bespoke tour services, including English-speaking guides and drivers to destinations all over Kashgaria, as well as renting pricey bikes (¥80 per day). The cafe here has excellent coffee and walnut cake.
Uighur ToursTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %133 9977 3311, 0998 298 0770; www.kashgartours.com; 144 Seman Lu, Chini Bagh Royal Hotel)
English-speaking Ali Tash runs this highly recommended agency offering tours and travel between Kashgar and Xī'ān along the Northern Silk Road (via Turpan), as well as trips to Muztagh Ata that don't require the punishingly expensive permits. Bike hire in Kashgar can also be arranged.
Old Road ToursTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %138 9913 2103, 0998 220 4012; www.oldroadtours.com; 337 Seman Lu)
One of the best (as well as the priciest) of the local agencies, Old Road Tours has been run for more than 15 years by fluent-English-speaking Abdul Wahab and operates out of the Seman Hotel. The agency can arrange tours throughout Xīnjiāng, including trekking at Muztagh Ata, homestays in Turpan and Yīníng and multiday camel tours in the Taklamakan desert.
Ablimit ‘Elvis’ GhoporTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %138 9913 6195; [email protected])
Local English-speaking Uighur-carpet dealer Elvis organises city-wide cultural trips, with a special emphasis on Uighur classical music and the Kashgar carpet market. He also offers tours and treks to Karakul and the Taklamakan Desert. He doesn't have an office as such; find him at the Ostangboyi Ancient Tea House near Id Kah Mosque.
4Sleeping
Despite being Xīnjiāng's biggest tourist draw, Kashgar's accommodation options remain fairly mediocre, especially in the midrange category. There are now a number of well-run hostels, however, so budget travellers are well catered for, at least.
oKashgar Old Town Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(喀什老城青年旅舍; Kāshí Lǎochéng Qīngnían Lǚshě MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %152 7610 6605, 0998 282 3262; www.pamirinn.com; 233 Ostangboyi Lu, 吾斯塘博依路233号 dm ¥35-50, d ¥120-150; iW)
Nestled in the old city, this atmospheric place is set around a courtyard where overlanders hang out on shyrdaks (Kyrgyz-style felt carpets), swapping stories and travel info. The rooms are bare, the toilets simple and the beds rock hard, but the English-speaking staff are very friendly, can organise local tours and there’s cheap laundry and reliable hot water.
KKH Breeze HostelHOSTEL$
(微风青年旅舍; Wéifēng Qīngnián Lǚshě MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 259 0151, 180 9955 4185; [email protected]; 268 Seman Lu, Block 6, Kangmei Xiaoqu; dm ¥40-50, d/tw/q ¥140/140/200; W)
Expertly run by English-speaking Rita and her husband, this new addition to Kashgar's hostel scene is outside the Old Town and inside an apartment block, which at least makes for an unusual set up. Dorms and private rooms are all spotless, and each has its own bathroom facilities. There's a common room, communal kitchen and a pleasant garden area outside.
Pamir Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(喀什帕米尔青年旅舍; Kāshi Pàmǐ'ěr Qīngnián Lǚshě MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 282 3376, 180 9985 1967; www.pamirhostel.com/en; 3f Id Kah Bazaar District 7, Section A; dm ¥40-50, d ¥140; aW)
With an outdoor terrace that overlooks the beautiful Id Kah Mosque, this hostel has quickly become a popular base for exploring the city and its historical surroundings. Dorm rooms are basic but include individual lockers and free wi-fi. To find Pamir look for the green dome just north of the mosque.
oSuper 8 HotelHOTEL$$
(速8酒店; Sùbā Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %186 9981 3007, 0998 259 1555; www.super8.com.cn; Kazanqiyabei Lu; r ¥258-328; aW)
Ironically, it's a new Chinese-run hotel that gets our vote as the best midrange place to stay in Kashgar's Old Town. This low-slung new build has a faux-traditional facade but thoroughly modern, clean and spacious rooms with decent bathrooms and working wireless. No English is spoken, but big discounts are available outside peak season, and there's no traffic noise.
Tiānyuán International HotelHOTEL$$
(天缘国际酒店; Tiānyuán Guójì Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 280 1111, 0998 280 2266; 8 Renmin Donglu; r from ¥180)
This smart place overlooking the Old Town and the city's main square is one of Kashgar's better midrange hotels. The rooms are clean and well maintained, there's a decent breakfast and staff – while they speak no English – are welcoming.
Yambu HotelHOTEL$$
(金座大饭店; Jīnzuò Dàfàndiàn GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 258 8888; 198 Renmin Xilu; d ¥245; aW)
A good bet for affordable, modern and spacious midrange comfort – but check a couple of rooms, as standards vary. As ever, the back rooms are quietest.
5Eating
Kashgar is one of the best places in Xīnjiāng to try the full gamut of Uighur food. There are two excellent night markets and an incredible bazaar, and street food is available on almost every corner of the expansive Old Town.
oŌu'ěr Dáxīkè Night MarketUIGHUR$
(欧尔达稀克夜市; Ōu'ěr Dáxīkè Yèshì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ou’er Daxike Lu; meals from ¥10; h6pm-2am)
Across from the Id Kah Mosque, this photogenic night market is a great place to sample local fare. Among the goodies are fried fish, chickpeas, kebabs, fried dumplings known as hoshan and bubbling vats of goat’s-head soup. Top off a meal with a glass of pomegranate juice or freshly churned vanilla ice cream.
Yingbin Jie Night MarketUIGHUR$
(迎宾街夜市; Yíngbīn Jiē Yèshì GOOGLE MAP ; Yingbin Jie; meals from ¥10; hdusk-2am)
This large and relatively untouristed night market has food stalls running alongside Yingbin Jie just north of the river. There's a fantastic selection of traditional Uighur street food on offer, from hard-boiled eggs cooked in ash to huge pieces of fried fish and massive drums of polo (pilau rice).
oAltun OrdaUIGHUR$$
(金噢尔达饮食; Jīn’ào’ěrdà Yǐnshí MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Xibei Lu; dishes ¥15-175; h8am-midnight)
Easily Kashgar's most memorable and atmospheric restaurant, Altun Orda is a sumptuously decorated place famous for its roast mutton, sweet pumpkin dumplings, meat pies and raisin and almond pastries. Though the restaurant has been on the tourist radar for some time – as the English iPad menus demonstrate – you'll still usually be an object of curiosity amid a sea of Uighur families.
Eden CafeUIGHUR, TURKISH$$
(一甸咖啡; Yīdiān Kāfēi MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 266 5555; 148 Seman Lu, Eden Hotel; mains ¥36-78; h10.30am-2am)
This lavishly decorated restaurant inside the Eden Hotel (海尔巴格大饭店; Hǎiěrbāgé Dàfàndiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 266 4444; 148 Seman Lu; r from ¥160; aW) is one of Kashgar's best, and it oozes atmosphere and is always full of locals. The menu is photographic, though there's no English, and the food is full of Turkish and Uighur standards as well as a few Chinese and international dishes. There's no alcohol but they serve up real coffee.
NuranUIGHUR, TURKISH$$
(诺澜美食; Nuòlán Měishí GOOGLE MAP ; %0998 280 5666; Jiefang Beilu; mains ¥25-85; hnoon-1am)
This gorgeously decorated 2nd-floor restaurant is hugely popular with Uighur diners who tend to come in large family groups to feast on traditional dishes from the enormous selection. There's a big photo menu and staff seem genuinely thrilled to see foreign guests, as this place has yet to be discovered by tour groups.
UIGHUR FOOD
Uighur cuisine includes all the trusty Central Asian standbys, such as kebabs, polo (pilau rice) and chuchura (dumplings), but has benefited from Chinese influence to make it the most enjoyable region of Central Asia in which to eat.
Uighurs boast endless varieties of laghman (pulled noodles; lāmiàn in Chinese), though th
e usual topping is a combination of mutton, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and garlic shoots. Suoman are torn noodle squares fried with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and meat, and suoman goshsiz are the vegetarian variety. Suoman can be quite spicy, so ask for lazasiz (without peppers) if you prefer a milder version. Dapanji (literally 'big plate chicken') is a local speciality that is now a common dish all over China: it's a chicken stew that also contains red peppers, onions, potatoes, chilli, garlic, ginger and sometimes Sichuan peppers, and is most commonly served with noodles. The pieces of chicken contain bones, however, so eat carefully!
Kebabs are another staple and are generally of a much better standard than the shashlyk of the Central Asian republics, though locals prize the fattiest cuts of meat far more than the leaner chunks, which means that some visitors will prefer to ask specifically for no fat. Jiger (liver) kebabs are ideal for this. Tonor kebabs are larger and baked in an oven tonor (tandoori) style. True kebab connoisseurs insist on kovurgah kebab or bel kebab, made from rib and waist meat respectively. Most are flavoured with zir (cumin), and then wrapped in bread and squeezed, releasing the juice onto the bread.
Naan (bread) is another favourite staple and irresistible when straight out of the oven and sprinkled with poppy seeds, sesame seeds or fennel. Most Uighur restaurants serve small cartons of delicious ketik (yoghurt) to accompany your meal.
Lonely Planet China Page 168