With its lucrative production of silk, China always functioned as the beating heart of the ancient Silk Road, sending goods to places as far away as Europe and Africa. The silk trade was so important to China that the Han dynasty even extended the Great Wall to the western edge of their territory to protect the caravans arriving from Central Asia.
Beijing was a focal point in the trade, with merchants coming from far off lands to visit the city’s markets. However, another Chinese city, while often overlooked in the present day, also functioned as one of the Silk Road’s most important stops: Kashgar.
Getting a visa to China: Kashgar is in China, where most travelers need a visa to visit. I had some massive problems the first time I went to China and tried to get a visa independently, so I highly recommend using iVisa if you want to take the hassle out of it (or if doing it yourself, pay very close attention to all the details of the application and factor in a lot of extra time in case you’re denied at first). Check iVisa rates here
If you’re a Chinese history buff or know a lot about minority conflicts in China, then you’ve probably heard of Kashgar. As for everyone else… it might sound familiar?
Before I started planning my trip through China and Central Asia, I think I had some vague idea that Kashgar was an old trading city somewhere in the Middle East. Clearly I’m no expert in Chinese history or current events. Though actually, in a way I was not actually too far off.
When my friends and I first arrived there last summer, Kashgar looked much like the other Chinese cities we had visited: we walked past elderly Chinese women selling vegetables from small street stalls, tall buildings covered in brightly colored signs, and an impressive bridge covered in neon lights.
However, while we had often found ourselves to be some of the only foreigners in most of the cities we had visited in China, here we were surrounded by plenty of other tourists.
Or… were they tourists? Most of them didn’t speak Chinese and they looked more European than Asian, but they also seemed to know their way around the city quite well.
Eventually, somewhere in my sleep-deprived state (thank you, 72-hour train ride from Beijing) it hit me: I was in Kashgar, home to a diverse population including Uyghur, Kyrygz, Tajik, Uzbek, and Han Chinese people!
Indeed, while many of Kashgar’s streets seem only to be filled with Chinese staples, a trip downtown to Kashgar’s Old Town feels like entering a new country.
Arabic script replaces Chinese characters on signs, food stalls offer piles of naan bread instead of rice dishes, locals bustle through sporting doppa hats and headscarves, and instead of Buddhist gongs the Islamic call to prayer rings out over the city. The only Chinese you will hear spoken here will be by the handful of Chinese backpackers passing through the city.
Really, Kashgar’s Old Town feels much more like a city in the Middle East than one in China. This may have something to do with the fact that Uyghurs, who make up 90 percent of Kashgar’s population, are a Turkic ethnic group.
Kashgar’s diverse population makes it a fascinating city to visit, however housing such a diversity does not come without problems. As a minority group within China, Uyghurs are constantly struggling to establish and maintain their rights, and conflicts continue to arise between the Uyghurs and dominant Han Chinese in the city, often ending in violent bloodshed.
This does not mean that Kashgar isn’t safe for foreigners to visit, as simply avoiding any demonstrations or riots will keep visitors out of harm’s way, but it has meant that there is a degree of tension between Uyghurs and Chinese in the city.
You can see this tension in the stark divide between Uyghur and Chinese areas of the city. Cross one of the wide streets running along the Old Town’s perimeter and you’ll leave an alleyway filled with piles of rugs and Uyghur antiques for sale and enter a wide square in front of towering Chinese shopping center. It really does feel like a different city. The contrast is bizarre, and raises countless questions regarding Kashgar’s future in China.
While a visit to Kashgar offers an interesting insight into the situation for ethnic minorities within China, the city’s distinct history and culture alone should secure its place on your bucket list of travel destinations. You will find plenty to keep you busy in the city, but be sure not to miss out on the Mal Bazaar, a trip through the Old Town, and a visit to the Gaotai Residences.
Visit the Mal Bazaar in Kashgar
If you’re lucky enough to be in Kashgar on a weekend, you should absolutely check out the animal market held every Sunday a short bus or taxi ride out of the city. The animal market is not only a great place to see tons of animals, ranging from goats and sheep to giant buffalo and bulls, but it is also an ideal place to sample some authentic Uyghur food and take sly photos of leathery-skinned Uyghur cowboys.
Visiting Kashgar’s Old Town
Visit Kashgar’s Old Town to see the bustling center of Uyghur life. The old Uyghur-style architecture is beautiful, and you can also stop by the mosque for a bit of culture. The markets in the old town are overflowing with delicious nuts, fresh figs, freshly baked bread, and surprisingly tasty dishes like lung soup and grilled goat hooves! This is also the perfect place to sit and chat with locals or other tourists, taking in the foreign aromas and high energy of Kashgar’s Old Town.
Bizarrely delicious lung soup
Visiting the Gaotai Residences in Kashgar
Kashgar’s old “mud house slums” are crumbling, but they remain an integral part of Uyghur history and culture in Kashgar. Built over six hundred years ago, these homes continue to function as a center for Uyghur customs, and the residents are always happy to greet some foreign visitors!
The Best Kashgar Hostel and Hotel
If you’re visiting Kashgar as a backpacker you should definitely stay at the Kashgar Old Town Hostel – it’s right in the Old Town, and the hostel itself is beautiful. It’s also a bit of a gathering place for travelers heading into Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, or back through China. Check current rates and availability here
If you want to stay at a hotel instead, then you’re best choice is the Radisson Blu Hotel, which is the nicest hotel in town but also very affordable. Check current rates and availability here
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p.s. Please, please do not forget to get travel insurance for this trip!
After being hospitalized in Beijing I swear by travel insurance. I use World Nomads, which has by far the best reviews and is really affordable. They helped me find a hospital when I needed, and then when I filed a claim with them all I had to do was send my receipts and I had a check in the mail from them within a couple of weeks. So easy!
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Joella in Beijing says
Ooh Silivia did you write this for me? Kashgar has been high on my list of places to go since we moved to Beijing a year ago. Haven’t made it yet but we definitely will. Several of my friends have been there recently and they said it felt perfectly safe as a foreigner too. I feel so sad for the Uygur’s who are extremely marginalised here and blamed for a lot. As you said, it’s more like a Turkish population than a Chinese one. I hope they can come to some kind of agreement some day. I can’t wait to go there someday. Oh and fab photos!
Silvia says
I really wonder what’s going to happen to the Uyghurs in China. With new policies paying Han Chinese to marry minorities and to move out west it sort of seems like the government just wants them to eventually become Chinese, which is so crazy considering how distinct they are. It’s incredibly interesting though, and you should absolutely plan a trip out to Kashgar! In fact, I loved it so much I think I’m going to visit again in the spring.
Franca says
I love markets a lot, in fact is on of the site I always try to visit when in a new location, but the animal market is breathtaking. I love animals too much to see them sold and not well treated 🙁 I’d skip that!
Silvia says
Yeah, it’s definitely a tough place for animal lovers (and vegetarians), but such an interesting insight into the culture. But of course there’s plenty of more animal-friendly things to do in Kashgar too 🙂
Catherine says
Wow, this place sounds fascinating, and it certainly looks more like somewhere in the Middle East than somewhere in China! Would love to see the animal market, I bet you’d see some interesting sights there!
Silvia says
It really was so interesting! I ended up spending hours and hours just wandering around and sampling all the bizarre foods they were cooking there.
Miriam of Adventurous Miriam says
Kasgar truly looks amazing and I love your portrait of the locals! I’ve never heard of it before, but it’s absolutely a place I would visit when I find my way back to China.
Silvia says
It’s definitely worth the visit! I still can’t really believe that it’s in China, but that in itself is a really interesting insight into the diversity of minority cultures within China.
Corinne says
Silvia, I so want to go to Kashgar…It’s been on my list for a long time. It’s just so difficult to get to. I love your photos…how about that food?
Silvia says
Haha you’re right, it’s definitely not the easiest place to get to! But if you were smart and booked a sleeper train in advance (they were sold out when I booked just a few days before so I ended up on a hard seat) it would be a wonderful journey across China from Beijing! Or you could fly to Urumqi and only have a 30-hour train ride (only!). And yes, that food!
Rebekah says
I’d love to go there! I’m so interested in the minority cultures of China. Hopefully I can get there from Sichuan in less then 72 hours! Such an interesting post
Silvia says
You should definitely make a trip out there if you’re interested in China’s minority cultures! I felt like I learned so much about China just by talking to locals in Kashgar. The journey from Kashgar to Sichuan also covers some really interesting areas!
Theresa says
Wow, Kashgar certainly doesn’t look like China! I clicked on the article link about violence in the area. I had no idea this was going on, but it is so sad! I would love to see the place for myself. And thanks for the tour recommendation, I love the idea of starting in Beijing and traveling across China.
Silvia says
It is crazy what is happening with minority populations in China. And Kashgar offers such an interesting look at that side of China, which we often don’t think about. Honestly, I would love to do the trip from Beijing to Kashgar again, especially if I were part of a tour, which would probably be a lot more comfortable than the long train journey in hard seats, haha. You should go!
Samuel Jeffery says
This was a fascinating read because I’ve done quite a bit of travel in China but never to this region.
Silvia says
I had traveled to China before as well, but Kashgar was a whole new experience of the country! Highly recommended.
kami says
I didn’t enjoy my time in China all that much but now I can see I should have gone to places like Kashgar. It sounds like my kind of destination! Oh well, at least I have a reason to come back!
Silvia says
Yes, you definitely need to see Kashgar! I’m already planning my next trip there.
Vanessa @ The Travelling Colognian says
This is such a great post, Silvia, and intensifies my desire to go there. Fortunately I won’t have to wait too long. If everything works as planned I will be in Kashgar in late October which will be the last destination of my trip along the Silk Road of China. I can’t wait to explore that part of the Middle Kingdom as well, I am so much looking forward to it.
Silvia says
Oh that’s so wonderful, Vanessa! I know you will just love Kashgar – it’s such a unique and interesting place.
Vanessa @ The Travelling Colognian says
Silvia, I am in Kashgar right now. I liked your post about the city so much that I shared it on my Blog’s Facebook page. Tomorrow I will check out the Sunday and the Mal Bazaar and I also hope that I have enough time to visit the Id Kah Mosque and the Gaotai Residences during my stay here.
Silvia says
Ahh that’s so exciting, Vanessa! And I’m quite a bit jealous! I hope you’re eating tons of delicious food and taking lots and lots of photos!
Vanessa @ The Travelling Colognian says
Oh yes, I haven taken countless photos. I think, I have never photographed as much on a trip as on this journey. Unfortunately I had to leave Kashgar yesterday, one day prior than intended, due to a reschedule of my flight, but however, I managed to visit the Mal and the Sunday Bazaar, the Old town, the Id Kah Mosque and the Gaotai Residences. I really liked the atmosphere of the city, maybe I’ll return someday in the future and start a trip across Kyrgyzstan and/or Tajikistan from there.
Silvia says
Haha I felt the same way in Kashgar! It sounds like you saw a lot there. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And I’m sure you would loooove Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – two of my favorite countries I’ve visited.
Daniel McBane says
I love Kashgar! It was probably my favorite part of China, in large part due to the food. I’m glad to read that at least some of the traditional Uyghur neighborhoods remain. When I was there in 2008, the government was tearing most of them down and people told me the plan was to remove them all except for one. And that one would only be kept intact for tourists.
Silvia says
Yeah there was only one of the traditional neighborhoods in Kashgar when I visited. It’s so sad what the government is doing to the Uyghurs, and amazing that so few people seem to know about it! But that’s just another reason why everyone has to go to Kashgar, ha.
Sapna says
You’ve provided such wonderful information for traveling along the silk road. I’d like to travel from Kashgar to Turpan by road. I’d like to combine this with a trip to India, if possible. Do you have recommendations on how to best do that? I’d be flying from Washington DC.
Ankurman Handique says
Nice Post Silvia,
I saw China through your words. But, I would love to visit China one day.
Robert says
Hi, I’m planning a visit to Kashgar this summer with my wife and daughter, and your blog post has been terrificly helpful.
We want to do a couple of day trips, to Shipton’s Arch and Karakul Lake, but we’re balking at the prices we’re seeing online. Is it easy enough to find a guide to take us once we get to Kashgar? Or should we suck it up and pay a tour guide in advance?
Thanks again!
Silvia says
I would wait until you get to Kashgar.